30/9/2017 Use local resources on Hyper-V virtual machine with VMConnect | Microsoft Docs

Use local resources on Hyper-V virtual

machine with VMConnect
12/06/2016 • 2 minutes to read • Contributors

In this article

Turn on enhanced session mode on a Hyper-V host

Choose a local resource
Edit VMConnect settings
Requirements for using local resources
Why use a computer's local resources?
See Also

Applies To: Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2

Virtual Machine Connection (VMConnect) lets you use a computer's local resources in a
virtual machine, like a removable USB flash drive or a printer. Enhanced session mode also
lets you resize the VMConnect window. This article shows you how configure the host and
then give the virtual machine access to a local resource.

Enhanced session mode is available only for virtual machines that run recent Windows
operating systems. (See Requirements for using local resources, below.)

For virtual machines that run Ubuntu, see Changing Ubuntu Screen Resolution in a Hyper-V
VM.

Turn on enhanced session mode on a Hyper-V host

If your Hyper-V host runs Windows 10 or Windows 8.1, enhanced session mode is on by
default, so you can skip this and move to the next section. But if your host runs Windows
Server 2016 or Windows Server 2012 R2, do this first.

Turn on enhanced session mode:

1. Connect to the computer that hosts the virtual machine.

2. In Hyper-V Manager, select the host's computer name.

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3. Select Hyper-V settings.

4. Under Server, select Enhanced session mode policy.

5. Select the Allow enhanced session mode check box.

6. Under User, select Enhanced session mode.

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7. Select the Allow enhanced session mode check box.

8. Click Ok.

Choose a local resource

Local resources include printers, the clipboard, and a local drive on the computer where
you're running VMConnect. For more details, see Requirements for using local resources,
below.

To choose a local resource:

1. Open VMConnect.

2. Select the virtual machine that you want to connect to.

3. Click Show options.

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4. Select Local resources.

5. Click More.

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6. Select the drive that you want to use on the virtual machine and click Ok.

7. Select Save my settings for future connections to this virtual machine.

8. Click Connect.

Edit VMConnect settings

You can easily edit your connection settings for VMConnect by running the following
command in Windows PowerShell or the command prompt:

VMConnect.exe <ServerName> <VMName> /edit

Requirements for using local resources

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To be able to use a computer's local resources on a virtual machine:

The Hyper-V host must have Enhanced session mode policy and Enhanced
session mode settings turned on.

The computer on which you use VMConnect must run Windows 10, Windows 8.1,
Windows Server 2016, or Windows Server 2012 R2.

The virtual machine must have Remote Desktop Services enabled, and run Windows
10, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2016, or Windows Server 2012 R2 as the guest
operating system.

If the computer running VMConnect and the virtual machine both meet the requirements,
you can use any of the following local resources if they're available:

Display configuration

Audio

Printers

Clipboards for copy and paste

Smart cards

USB devices

Drives

Supported plug and play devices

Why use a computer's local resources?

You might want use a computer's local resources to:

Troubleshoot a virtual machine without a network connection to the virtual machine.

Copy and paste files to and from the virtual machine in the same way you copy and
paste using a Remote Desktop Connection (RDP).

Sign in to the virtual machine by using a smart card.

Print from a virtual machine to a local printer.

Test and troubleshoot developer applications that require USB and sound
redirection without using RDP.

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