Windows – How to access device manager in Hyper-V Server 2008 R2

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I have installed Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 SP1 and almost everything works fine. Now I would like to inspect the hardware and drivers being used. On normal desktop, I'd just click Control Panel and go to Device Manager. Is there any way how to get access to hardware devices on Hyper-V server?

I've managed to get quite close – I can run management console (MMC) on one of virtual machines and then I can add new modules with the Hyper-V hypervisor as a remote machine. However, I can connect to Event Log or Services in hypervisor, but not to the Device Manager. I can add Device Manager snap-in module, but when I click it, it complains about not being able to connect to remote machine.

It suggests to check remote management, plug and play and remote registry services on the remote machine, which I have checked and all three are enabled. I'm using the same username and password on both machines. No domain, just workgroup. I have also noticed that when I connect Services as a snap-in module this way, it allows me to enter the remote user name and password, but the Device manager snap-in doesn't ask for anything when connecting. So maybe it doesn't want to use local user on rmeote machine, but I don't know how to enter remote user credentials.

I've found similar question: Detecting missing drivers for Hyper-V Server 2012
but the conclusion there is just "if it doesn't work now, it won't work either, so you just don't need any Device Manager".

My reason for searching for Device Manager is that the server has two physical network adapters installed and I don't know how to make the second one working. The very basic Hyper-V administration (the blue window) allows just setting one IP address and doesn't see the second adapter. I don't think it is a missing driver problem, because both adapters are the same.

So I'm a little bit stuck now. I don't know how to make the other adapter working. Normally I would start by examining the devices in Device Manager, but I don't know how to open Device Manager or something similar. Any advice would be appreciated.

Best Answer

You need to enable the “Allow remote access to the PnP interface” group policy.

  1. Open gpedit.msc on the Windows Server 2008.
  2. Navigate to Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Device Installation.
  3. Enable “Allow remote access to the PnP interface”
  4. Restart the Windows Server 2008.

When Device Manager is used remotely it is read-only.

If this is a core installation - here.

Also look into the: Hyper-V Remote Management Configuration Utility - HVRemote Or DevManView