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This guide outlines the steps in setting up Microsoft Hyper-V server in a stand-alone workgroup (not a domain) and using Windows 7 as the manager computer. Hyper-V Server is a free version of Windows Server 2008 R2 Core that has the Hyper-V service already installed. Similar to VMware Server / VMware Player, it enables you to run multiple virtual machines on one computer.
Download Microsoft Hyper-V Server (Free)
Download a copy of the iso from: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/dd776191.aspx
Download Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) for Windows 7 with Service Pack 1 (SP1)
Download the RSAT for Windows 7 here: http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=7887
Note: You need to be running Windows 7 Enterprise, Professional or Ultimate (not Home Basic or Home Premium)
Install Microsoft Hyper-V Server
Install Hyper-V server on the machine that you wish to use as your server, this part is pretty easy. - You can also install it in a virtual environment (as a proof of concept, or so you can run it on your windows 7 machine)
Install RSAT
Install the RSAT on your Windows 7 machine, and enable at least the Hyper-V tools. You do this from Control Panel -> Programs and Features -> Turn windows features on and off -> Remote Server Administration Tools -> Role Administration Tools -> Hyper-V tools.
Edit Hosts file
In a workgroup environment, you may find that DNS resolution may not occur if you use a hostname to add the server to the hyper-v manager snap-in. You must use a host name, you cannot only use an IP address (If you use an IP address, the console will lookup the hostname for you - if the name lookup fails, the server connection will also fail).
To overcome this, add an entry to your hosts file - usually located in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc.
For example:
192.168.1.200 hyper-vserver
Add local user to Hyper-V Server
Since Hyper-V manager is setup to use domain user credentials, it will not be able to connect to your Hyper-V server unless there is an account on both the server and your Windows 7 machine with the same username and password.
First, log into the Hyper-V server and from the blue sconfig.cmd window, choose 3 Add Local Administrator
Add the new user using the exact same username and password as the user account you are going to run the Hyper-V Management snap-in under on your Windows 7 machine.
Change Hyper-V Password Complexity Policy
At this point you may find that you cannot create the new user with the same user credentials as your windows 7 machine, as the default password complexity settings on Windows Server are more strict than on Windows 7. To overcome this, you can disable the complex password requirement on your Hyper-V server.
From the command prompt on the Hyper-V Server:
secedit /export /cfg C:\Users\Administrator\new.cfg
Open the file new.cfg with notepad:
notepad c:\Users\Administrator\new.cfg
Once open in notepad change line "PasswordComplexity = 1" to "PasswordComplexity = 0". Save the file.
Apply it on Hyper-V server with:
secedit /configure /db C:\Windows\security\new.sdb /cfg C:\Users\Administrator\new.cfg /areas SECURITYPOLICY
Enable Remote Access to Hyper-V Server
To allow remote access to the Hyper-V Server, you also need to enable MMC remote management, Powershell and Remote Server management. Do this from the blue sconfig.cmd window - option 4
after setting all these, you should be able to fire up Hyper-V Manager on your Windows 7 machine, and connect to your Hyper-V Server.
Enable Hyper-V Server File Sharing
Once you have successfully connected to your Hyper-V server, you may find it necessary to enable file sharing so you can copy existing virtual machines, upload disc images etc. To enable file sharing, you need to modify the firewall settings on the Hyper-V server:
netsh firewall set service fileandprint
Once enabled, you can access the whole C: of your Hyper-V Server by accessing the C: share e.g. in a windows explorer window
\\hyper-vserver\c$
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