How to add com port to Hyper-V virtual machine

In this article, I’m going to show you how to add com port to Hyper-V virtual machine. This is a really useful trick that can come in handy when you need to connect to a serial device.

How to add com port to Hyper-V virtual machine:

This post describes how to add com port to Hyper-V virtual machine. The COM port can be used for serial communication between the virtual machine and another device, such as a modem or a GPS receiver.

How to add com port to Hyper-V virtual machine
  • To add a COM port to a Hyper-V virtual machine, you must first create a new virtual machine and install the operating system. For more information, see the Microsoft documentation for creating and configuring virtual machines.
  • Once the operating system is installed, you can add the COM port by opening the Hyper-V Manager and selecting the virtual machine you want to modify. In the Settings panel, select Add Hardware, and then select Serial Port.
  • In the Add Serial Port dialog box, specify a name and location for the COM port. You can also specify whether the COM port is connectable or not. By default, the COM port is connectable.
  • Once you have added the COM port to the virtual machine, you must configure it in order to use it. For more information on how to do this, see the Microsoft documentation for configuring serial ports in Windows guests.

What is Hyper-V?

Hyper-V is a server virtualization technology from Microsoft. It enables you to create virtual machines on a physical server, which can be used to run multiple operating systems side-by-side.

This can be useful for development or testing purposes, or for running legacy applications that are not compatible with newer operating systems.

A virtual machine (VM) is a copy of an operating system (OS) and its associated software, that runs on top of another OS.

The host OS is the underlying platform that runs the VM, and can be a physical server or a desktop computer. The guest OS is the OS that runs inside the VM.

Hyper-V enables you to create virtual machines on a physical server and install guest operating systems in them.

Each VM behaves as if it were a separate computer, with its own CPU, memory, storage, and networking resources.

You can use Hyper-V to run multiple guest operating systems concurrently on a single physical server.

What are com ports?

Com ports are virtual devices that allow communication between the physical and virtual worlds.

They can be used to connect physical devices such as printers and scanners to virtual machines, or to connect virtual machines to other physical computers.

Each com port can be assigned a unique COM number, which is used to identify the port when configuring software.

How to add com port to Hyper-V virtual machine?

Adding a COM port to a Hyper-V virtual machine is a relatively simple process that can be completed in just a few steps.

By adding a COM port to your VM, you will be able to use serial devices or connect to legacy applications that require a COM port connection.

In order to add a COM port to your VM, you will need to first create a new virtual machine and then add the desired COM port to it.

  • Create a new virtual machine:

To begin, you will need to create a new virtual machine. You can do this by opening the Hyper-V Manager and clicking on the ‘New’ button.

  • Select the type of virtual machine you want to create:

You will then need to select the type of virtual machine you want to create. For this example, we will be choosing the ‘Windows 11’ option.

  • Choose the desired location for your new VM:

Next, you will need to choose the desired location for your new VM. You can either choose to store it on your local drive or on a network location.

  • Configure the settings for your new VM:

After selecting the desired location for your VM, you will need to configure the settings for it.

This includes choosing how much memory (RAM) and CPU power it will have, as well as what type of networking it will use.

  • Add the desired COM port to your VM:

Once you have finished configuring the settings for your VM, you can now add the desired COM port to it.

To do this, simply click on ‘Add Hardware’ and then select ‘COM Port’.

Why add com ports to Hyper-V virtual machine?

There are several reasons you might want to add a COM port to a Hyper-V virtual machine.

Perhaps you need to connect to a legacy device that only has a COM port interface. Or maybe you want to use a serial debugging tool with your VM.

Whatever the reason, adding a COM port to a Hyper-V virtual machine is fairly easy. Here’s how:

How to add com port to Hyper-V virtual machine?

To use a com port in a Hyper-V virtual machine, you need to enable it in the guest operating system and configure it in the virtual machine settings.

  • In the guest operating system, open the Device Manager and find the Ports (COM & LPT) section. If your com port is not listed here, you may need to install the drivers for your device.
  • Once you have located the com port in the Device Manager, right-click on it and select Properties. In the Properties window, go to the Port Settings tab and click on the Advanced button.
  • In the Advanced Settings window, make sure that the Enable Legacy Plug and Play Detection checkbox is checked. Click on OK to close the window.
  • Now open the Hyper-V Manager and select your virtual machine. In the left pane, expand the Hardware section and click on Add Hardware.
  • In the Add Hardware wizard, select Legacy Network Adapter from the list of hardware devices and click on Next.
  • On the next page of wizard, select your legacy network adapter type from the drop-down list and click on Next. If you are unsure of which type to select, try each one until you find one that works with your device.
  • On the final page of the wizard, review your selections and click on Finish to add the hardware to your virtual machine

What are the benefits of adding com ports to Hyper-V virtual machine?

There are several benefits to adding com ports to a Hyper-V virtual machine:

  • It can provide greater flexibility for configuring devices that need to communicate with the virtual machine.
  • It can allow legacy devices to be used with the virtual machine.
  • It can improve performance by reducing latency in communication between the device and the virtual machine.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is possible to add a COM port to a Hyper-V virtual machine. This can be done by using the Emulated COM Ports setting in the VM configuration file.

After following above article on how to add com port to Hyper-V virtual machine, you should be able to add COM post. Do let us know your thoughts on this topic below.  

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