Q: Can I restore a Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) to a different Hyper-V server?

A: Yes, but not without the occasional hiccup. A Hyper-V VHD can be restored to an alternate server using any backup application. Hyper-V virtual machines (VMs) restored in this way might experience problems as they power on. Network adapter names might not be consistent with the new host, or machine configuration conflicts might exist in the VHD's saved state data.

To resolve a network adapter name inconsistency, launch the Hyper-V Management Console on the server where the VHD has been restored and open the Virtual Network Manager. Rename the restored VHD's network adapter to the same name as the adapter being used on the host. Then, start the VM.

If the VM still won't start, delete any saved state files by right-clicking the restored VM and selecting Delete Saved State. Occasionally, this step won't delete the necessary files. If not, locate the folder where the VHD has been restored and manually delete any existing .BIN or .VSV files.