DefineVirtualSystem method of the Msvm_VirtualSystemManagementService class

Article
05/31/2018

Creates a new virtual computer system instance. Properties that are not specified will be populated with default values.

Syntax

uint32 DefineVirtualSystem(
  [in]  string                           SystemSettingData,
  [in]  string                           ResourceSettingData[],
  [in]  CIM_VirtualSystemSettingData REF SourceSetting,
  [out] CIM_ComputerSystem           REF DefinedSystem,
  [out] CIM_ConcreteJob              REF Job
);

Parameters

SystemSettingData [in]

Type: string

An embedded instance of the Msvm_VirtualSystemGlobalSettingData class. This parameter is required.

ResourceSettingData [in]

Type: string[]

An optional parameter that contains a number of embedded instances of the Msvm_ResourceAllocationSettingData class (or derived classes thereof). Together these instances describe the virtual resources of the virtual computer system. A default set of devices will be created for the virtual system regardless of whether this parameter is set. For example, processor and memory are automatically created and configured with default values.

SourceSetting [in]

Type: CIM_VirtualSystemSettingData

A reference to an existing instance of Msvm_VirtualSystemSettingData to use as a template for the new virtual computer system. The settings described in this object, as well as those in the associated Msvm_ResourceAllocationSettingData instances (via the Msvm_VirtualSystemSettingDataComponent association), will be reflected in the new virtual computer system.

DefinedSystem [out]

Type: CIM_ComputerSystem

A reference to the newly created virtual computer system.

Job [out]

Type: CIM_ConcreteJob

An optional reference that is returned if the operation is executed asynchronously. If present, the returned reference to an instance of Msvm_ConcreteJob can be used to monitor progress and to obtain the result of the method.

Return value

Type: uint32

If this method is executed synchronously, it returns 0 if it succeeds. If this method is executed asynchronously, it returns 4096 and the Job output parameter can be used to track the progress of the asynchronous operation. Any other return value indicates an error.

Completed with No Error (0)
Method Parameters Checked - Job Started (4096)
Failed (32768)
Access Denied (32769)
Not Supported (32770)
Status is unknown (32771)
Timeout (32772)
Invalid parameter (32773)
System is in used (32774)
Invalid state for this operation (32775)
Incorrect data type (32776)
System is not available (32777)
Out of memory (32778)

Remarks

Access to the Msvm_VirtualSystemManagementService class might be restricted by UAC Filtering. For more information, see User Account Control and WMI.

Examples

The following C# sample creates a virtual system. The referenced utilities can be found in Common Utilities for the Virtualization Samples.

[!Important]
To function correctly, the following code must be run on the VM host server, and must be run with Administrator privileges.

using System;
using System.Management;

namespace HyperVSamples
{
    class DefineVirtualSystemClass
    {
        static string GetVirtualSystemGlobalSettingDataInstance(ManagementScope scope)
        {
            ManagementPath settingPath = new ManagementPath("Msvm_VirtualSystemGlobalsettingData");

            ManagementClass globalSettingClass = new ManagementClass(scope, settingPath, null);
            ManagementObject globalSettingData = globalSettingClass.CreateInstance();
            globalSettingData["ElementName"] = "My First VM";

            string settingData = globalSettingData.GetText(TextFormat.CimDtd20);

            globalSettingData.Dispose();
            globalSettingClass.Dispose();

            return settingData;
        }

        static ManagementObject DefineVirtualSystem(string vmName)
        {
            ManagementObject definedSystem = null;
            ManagementScope scope = new ManagementScope(@"root\virtualization", null);
            ManagementObject virtualSystemService = Utility.GetServiceObject(scope, "Msvm_VirtualSystemManagementService");

            ManagementBaseObject inParams = virtualSystemService.GetMethodParameters("DefineVirtualSystem");
            inParams["ResourcesettingData"] = null;
            inParams["Sourcesetting"] = null;
            inParams["SystemsettingData"] = GetVirtualSystemGlobalSettingDataInstance(scope);

            ManagementBaseObject outParams = virtualSystemService.InvokeMethod("DefineVirtualSystem", inParams, null);

            if ((UInt32)outParams["ReturnValue"] == ReturnCode.Started)
            {
                if (Utility.JobCompleted(outParams, scope))
                {
                    definedSystem = new ManagementObject(outParams["DefinedSystem"].ToString());
                    Console.WriteLine("{0} was created successfully.", definedSystem["ElementName"]);
                }
                else
                {
                    Console.WriteLine("Failed to define virtual system");
                }
            }
            else if ((UInt32)outParams["ReturnValue"] == ReturnCode.Completed)
            {
                definedSystem = new ManagementObject(outParams["DefinedSystem"].ToString());
                Console.WriteLine("{0} was created successfully.", definedSystem["ElementName"]);
            }
            else
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Define virtual system failed with error {0}", outParams["ReturnValue"]);
            }

            inParams.Dispose();
            outParams.Dispose();
            virtualSystemService.Dispose();

            return definedSystem;
        }

        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            if (args != null &amp;&amp; args.Length != 1)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("Usage: CreateVirtualSystemSnapshot vmName");
                return;
            }
            DefineVirtualSystem(args[0]);
        }
    }
}

The following VBScript sample creates a virtual system.