Create Shortcut of Hyper-V Virtual Machine in Windows

SteveFL99 · 12 Nov 2016

I don't need that code, but I have my shortcut (or task) set to run as admin.

If you always shut down the VM, your code is much simpler. I pop on and off of my VM frequently, so I close the connection but want to pause or save it for quicker restart. My code gives me the option of how to exit each time without having to do it through the connection window menus. But yours is probably better for many people's applications.

MetalSaint · 03 Mar 2017

It worked for me and there was no need to create Task with admin rights.

Kari · 31 Mar 2020

I've added a new video to tutorial:

Video shows a more elegant method to create a Hyper-V VM shortcut than this tutorial. It shows how to create a single shortcut which when clicked, starts the VM, opens its VM Connection window, and when VM connection is closed, automatically shuts down the VM.

For this method, you will need one simple PowerShell script (extension .ps1), and one simple Visual Basic script (extension .vbs).

PowerShell script AnyName.ps1:

Code:

Start-VM "VM_Name"
C:\Windows\System32\vmconnect.exe localhost "VM_Name" | Out-Null
Stop-VM "VM_Name"

Visual Basic script AnyName.vbs:

Code:

command = "powershell.exe -nologo -command PathAndNameOfPowerShellScript.ps1"
set shell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
shell.Run command,0

Kari