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I'm running Windows Server 2012 R2.

Is it possible to change the location of the *.avhdx files created when creating a Checkpoint?

I have changed the "Checkpoint file location" in the VM-configuration, but the *.avhdx-files still shows up in the same folder as the .vhdx file...

Alex
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Bassebus
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2 Answers2

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No, there is no way to have the vhdx files and the avhdx files be in separate locations.

The "Checkpoint file location" is for changing the location of the checkpoint configuration and saved state files.

See Checkpoints and Snapshots Overview

pat o.
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  • Ok thanks, I guess I have to find another way to work with VM's, since the checkpoints fill up my SSD's in no-time.. What I want is to run the VM off the SSD and store checkpoints on slower/cheaper disks.. – Bassebus Feb 04 '16 at 13:54
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    Bassebus, you're misunderstanding what an AVHDX file is. It's the live file in which new writes occur. Neither the VHDX nor the AVHDX is really "the checkpoint." When you take a checkpoint, the VHDX is made read-only and new writes are written to the AVHDX. If you delete the checkpoint, the new reads will be reflected into the VHDX and it is made read/write again. Even while the checkpoint exists, reads may come from either the AVHDX or, if the block hasn't been written since the checkpoint, the VHDX. – Jake Oshins Feb 05 '16 at 16:54
  • Ok, but then I would like to have an option to move all non-active files off The ssd... Problem is my vhdx for one VM is ~20gb, and all The avhdx files are aroud 45gb :P i.e doing checkpoints fills up my disk really fast, I need some way to store non-used checkpoint data on cheaper disks... But then again, I think I use checkpoints for the wrong reasons.. :) – Bassebus Feb 08 '16 at 08:44
  • Higher disk space usage is normal for checkpoints/snapshots. – pat o. Feb 08 '16 at 12:58
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On Hyper-v(10.0.14393.0) on Windows 10 it is possible. I moved my .vhdx from slow disk to SSD disk then created symbolic link

cd "D:\VMs\Virtual Disks"
mklink Win10EnterpriseLTSB.vhdx C:\VMs\Win10EnterpriseLTSB.vhdx

(C: is SDD disk, and D: is old slow disk)

Of course, I will always have at least one Checkpoint, so original file on SSD will not be changed. When .avhdx(differencing disk) file will become (very) big, I will move or merge it to SSD :)

ThomasV
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