Convert-SCVirtualDiskDrive
Converts a virtual hard disk from dynamic to fixed, from fixed to dynamic, from VHD to VHDX, or converts a pass-through disk to a virtual hard disk.
Syntax
Convert-SCVirtualDiskDrive
[-Fixed]
[-VirtualDiskDrive] <VirtualDiskDrive>
[-Path <String>]
[-FileName <String>]
[-VHDFormatType <VHDFormatType>]
[-JobGroup <Guid>]
[-RunAsynchronously]
[-PROTipID <Guid>]
[-JobVariable <String>]
[<CommonParameters>] Convert-SCVirtualDiskDrive
[-Dynamic]
[-VirtualDiskDrive] <VirtualDiskDrive>
[-Path <String>]
[-FileName <String>]
[-VHDFormatType <VHDFormatType>]
[-JobGroup <Guid>]
[-RunAsynchronously]
[-PROTipID <Guid>]
[-JobVariable <String>]
[<CommonParameters>] Convert-SCVirtualDiskDrive
[-VHDX]
[-DeleteSource]
[-ValidateOnCompletion]
[-VirtualDiskDrive] <VirtualDiskDrive>
[-Path <String>]
[-FileName <String>]
[-JobGroup <Guid>]
[-BlockSizeBytes <Int32>]
[-RunAsynchronously]
[-PROTipID <Guid>]
[-JobVariable <String>]
[<CommonParameters>] Description
The Convert-SCVirtualDiskDrive cmdlet converts an existing virtual hard disk attached to a virtual disk drive object from dynamic to fixed or from fixed to dynamic, from VHD to VHDX, or converts a pass-through disk attached to a virtual disk drive object to a virtual hard disk.
To convert the virtual hard disk from one format to the other, the virtual machine on which the virtual hard disk is configured must be in a stopped state.
You can only convert the disk format of a Windows-based .vhd file on a virtual machine deployed on a Hyper-V host.
A VMware-based .vmdk file) on a virtual machine that is deployed on an ESX host is fixed in format. You cannot convert it to a dynamic format.
A Citrix XenServer-based .vhd file on a virtual machine that is deployed on a Citrix XenServer host is fixed in format. You cannot convert it to a dynamic format.
You can only convert the disk format of a Windows-based virtual hard disk file from VHD to VHDX on a virtual machine that is deployed on a Hyper-V host. To convert a VHD to VHDX, the virtual machine on which the virtual hard disk is configured must be in a stopped state.
A pass-through disk is a physical hard disk on the host that a virtual machine can use instead of using a virtual hard disk. This cmdlet converts a pass-through disk attached to a virtual disk drive on a virtual machine to a virtual hard disk. The virtual machine must be on a Hyper-V host, and must be in a stopped state.
Examples
Example 1: Convert a pass-through disk on a virtual machine to a virtual hard disk
PS C:\> $VM = Get-SCVirtualMachine -Name "VM01"
PS C:\> $VirtDiskDrive = Get-SCVirtualDiskDrive -VM $VM
PS C:\> Convert-VirtualDiskDrive $VirtDiskDrive -Fixed -Path "C:\VirtualDiskDrives"The first command gets the virtual machine object named VM01 by using the Get-SCVirtualMachine cmdlet. The command stores that object in the $VM variable. This example assumes that VM01 is currently configured to use a pass-through disk and that the virtual machine has only one pass-through disk.
The second command gets the virtual disk drive object on VM01, and then stores that object in the $VirtDiskDrive variable.
The last command converts the pass-through disk drive stored in $VirtDiskDrive to a fixed virtual hard disk. The command moves the virtual hard disk to the destination folder C:\VirtualDiskDrives.
Example 2: Convert one of several pass-through disks on a virtual disk drive on a virtual machine to a virtual hard disk
PS C:\> $VM = Get-SCVirtualMachine -Name "VM02"
PS C:\> $VirtDiskDrive = Get-SCVirtualDiskDrive -VM $VM
PS C:\> $VirtDiskDrive[2] | Convert-SCVirtualDiskDrive -Dynamic -Path "D:\"The first command gets the virtual machine object named VM02, and then stores that object in the $VM variable. This example assumes that VM02 has three virtual disk drive objects and that the first virtual disk drive is bound to a virtual hard disk drive whereas both the second and third virtual disk drives are bound to pass-through disks.
The second command gets all virtual disk drive objects on VM02, and then stores those objects in the $VirtDiskDrive object array.
The last command converts the third pass-through disk, which is the third member of the $VirtDiskDrive array, to a dynamically expanding virtual hard disk. The commandmoves this new virtual hard disk to the destination folder D:.
Example 3: Convert a dynamic VHD attached to a virtual disk drive object on a virtual machine to a fixed format
PS C:\> $VirtDiskDrive = Get-SCVirtualDiskDrive -VM (Get-SCVirtualMachine -Name "VM03")
PS C:\> Convert-SCVirtualDiskDrive -VirtualDiskDrive $VirtDiskDrive -FixedThe first command gets the virtual disk drive object that is attached to virtual machine VM03, and then stores that virtual disk drive object in the $VirtDiskDrive variable. This example assumes that the virtual machine has only one virtual disk drive object and that the virtual hard disk attached to the virtual disk drive is a dynamic virtual hard disk.
The second command converts the virtual hard disk stored in $VirtDiskDrive to a fixed disk.
Example 4: Convert a dynamic VHD on a virtual machine to fixed VHDX
PS C:\> $VirtDiskDrive = Get-SCVirtualDiskDrive -VM (Get-SCVirtualMachine -Name "VM03")
PS C:\> Convert-SCVirtualDiskDrive -VirtualDiskDrive $VirtDiskDrive -VHDXThe first command gets the virtual disk drive object that is attached to virtual machine VM03, and stores that object in the $VirtDiskDrive variable. This example assumes that the virtual machine has only one virtual disk drive object and that the virtual hard disk attached to the virtual disk drive is a dynamic virtual hard disk. This example also assumes that the virtual machine is in a stopped state.
The second command converts the virtual hard disk stored in $VirtDiskDrive to a VHDX disk.
Example 5: Convert a differencing VHD to a differencing VHDX
PS C:\> $VirtDiskDrive = Get-VirtualDiskDrive -VM (Get-SCVirtualMachine -Name "VM04")
PS C:\> Convert-VirtualDiskDrive -VirtualDiskDrive $VirtDiskDrive -VHDX -BlockSizeBytes 1MB -DeleteSource -ValidateOnCompletionThe first command gets the virtual disk drive object that is attached to virtual machine VM04, and then stores that object in the $VirtDiskDrive variable. This example assumes that the virtual machine has only one virtual disk drive object and that the virtual hard disk attached to the virtual disk drive is a dynamic virtual hard disk. This example also assumes that the virtual machine is in a stopped state.
The second command converts the differencing virtual hard disk stored in $VirtDiskDrive to a differencing VHDX disk. This command deletes the source disk.
Parameters
-BlockSizeBytes
Specifies the block size, in bytes, for the virtual hard disk.
| Type: | Int32 |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-DeleteSource
Indicates that this cmdlet deletes the source virtual hard disk after a successful conversion.
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Dynamic
Specifies that a virtual hard disk can expand dynamically.
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | True |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-FileName
Specifies the file name to use when you rename a virtual hard disk file as you add it to a virtual machine.
| Type: | String |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Fixed
Indicates that a virtual hard disk is fixed in size. Specifies that a virtual hard disk is fixed in size.
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | True |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-JobGroup
Specifies an identifier for a series of commands that run as a set just before the final command that includes the same job group identifier runs.
| Type: | Guid |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-JobVariable
Specifies a variable in which job progress is tracked and stored.
| Type: | String |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Path
Specifies the logical unit number (LUN) for a virtual disk drive object or for a virtual disk drive object on a SCSI bus.
| Type: | String |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-PROTipID
Specifies the ID of the Performance and Resource Optimization tip (PRO tip) that triggered this action. This parameter lets you audit PRO tips.
| Type: | Guid |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-RunAsynchronously
Indicates that the job runs asynchronously so that control returns to the command shell immediately.
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-ValidateOnCompletion
Indicates that this cmdlet validates the converted virtual hard disk after a successful conversion.
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-VHDFormatType
Specifies the hard disk format type. Valid values are:
- VHD
- VMDK
- VHDX
| Type: | VHDFormatType |
| Accepted values: | VHD, VMDK, VHDX, VHDS |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | False |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-VHDX
Indicates that a virtual hard disk type is VHDX.
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Position: | Named |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | True |
| Accept pipeline input: | False |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-VirtualDiskDrive
Specifies a virtual disk drive object. You can attach either a virtual hard disk or a pass-through disk to a virtual disk drive object.
| Type: | VirtualDiskDrive |
| Position: | 0 |
| Default value: | None |
| Required: | True |
| Accept pipeline input: | True |
| Accept wildcard characters: | False |
Outputs
VirtualDiskDrive
This cmdlet returns a VirtualDiskDrive object.