Windows Server Migration Tools includes five Windows PowerShell cmdlets that let you migrate some server roles, features, operating system settings, shares, and other data from computers that are running Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2008, or Windows Server® 2008 R2, or to computers that are running Windows Server 2008 R2. This topic identifies and describes the Windows PowerShell cmdlets that are part of Windows Server Migration Tools.

For a complete list of operating systems that are supported by Windows Server Migration Tools, see Windows Server Migration Tools and Guides in this Help.

Windows PowerShell

Cmdlets (pronounced command-lets) are built-in commands included with Windows PowerShell 2.0, installed by default as part of Windows Server 2008 R2. For more information about Windows PowerShell and how cmdlets work, see the Getting Started guide for Windows PowerShell. To open Getting Started, click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, click Windows PowerShell 2.0, click Documents, open the folder for your locale, and then double-click GettingStarted.rtf.

Running Windows PowerShell as an administrator

Although Windows Server Migration Tools cmdlets work on servers that are running either Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2003, or Windows Server 2008, because Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2 include the User Account Control security feature, you must run Windows PowerShell with elevated user rights on those operating systems, even if you are already logged on to the computer as an administrator.

  • On computers that are running Windows Server 2003, open a Windows PowerShell session by clicking Start, clicking All Programs, opening the Windows PowerShell folder, and then clicking the Windows PowerShell shortcut.

  • On computers that are running Windows Server 2008, open a Windows PowerShell session with elevated user rights. To do this, click Start, click All Programs, open the Windows PowerShell folder, right-click the Windows PowerShell shortcut, and then click Run as administrator.

  • On computers that are running Windows Server 2008 R2, open a Windows PowerShell session with elevated user rights. To do this, click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, open the Windows PowerShell folder, right-click Windows PowerShell, and then click Run as administrator.

Starting Windows Server Migration Tools

You can start Windows Server Migration Tools by using one of the following two procedures.

To start Windows Server Migration Tools from the Start menu
  1. On a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 R2, click Start, click Administrative Tools, right-click Windows Server Migration Tools, and then click Run as administrator.

To start Windows Server Migration Tools from a Windows PowerShell session
  1. Do one of the following.

    • On computers that are running Windows Server 2003, open a Windows PowerShell session by clicking Start, clicking All Programs, opening the Windows PowerShell folder, and clicking the Windows PowerShell shortcut.

    • On computers that are running Windows Server 2008, open a Windows PowerShell session with elevated user rights. To do this, click Start, click All Programs, open the Windows PowerShell folder, right-click the Windows PowerShell shortcut, and then click Run as administrator.

    • On computers that are running Windows Server 2008 R2, open a Windows PowerShell session with elevated user rights. To do this, click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, open the Windows PowerShell folder, right-click Windows PowerShell, and then click Run as administrator.

  2. Load Windows Server Migration Tools into your Windows PowerShell session. To load Windows Server Migration Tools, type the following, and then press Enter.

    Add-PSSnapin Microsoft.Windows.ServerManager.Migration

Windows Server Migration Tools cmdlets

The following table describes the cmdlets that are available with Windows Server Migration Tools. After you install Windows Server Migration Tools by following the instructions that are provided in the Windows Server Migration Tools Installation, Access, and Removal (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=134763) step-by-step guide, you can obtain detailed Help about specific syntax, parameters, and usage guidelines for Windows Server Migration Tools cmdlets at any time.To obtain detailed Help, type Get-Help cmdlet_name -full in a Windows PowerShell session, in which cmdlet_name represents the name of the Windows Server Migration Tools cmdlet for which you want help.

Cmdlet nameDescription

Export-SmigServerSetting

This cmdlet exports selected Windows features and operating system settings from computers that are running Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, or Windows Server 2008 R2, and stores them in a migration store that users specify in the -Path parameter. Run the Import-SmigServerSetting cmdlet to import Windows features and operating system settings to a destination computer that is running Windows Server 2008 R2, from the migration store populated by the Export-SmigServerSetting cmdlet.

Import-SmigServerSetting

This cmdlet imports selected Windows features and operating system settings from a migration store that is identified in the -Path parameter, and applies them to the local computer. If the Windows features that you are migrating have not been installed, Import-SmigServerSetting automatically installs those Windows features and their dependencies.

Get-SmigServerFeature

This cmdlet lists the set of all Windows features that can be exported from a server, or imported from a migration store that is specified in the -Path parameter.

Send-SmigServerData

This cmdlet migrates folders, files, and associated permissions and share properties from the local server to a target server. Send-SmigServerData must be run on the source server at the same time that the Receive-SmigServerData cmdlet is running on the destination server.

Receive-SmigServerData

This cmdlet allows a target server to receive shares, folders, files, and associated permissions and share properties that are migrated from a source server. Receive-SmigServerData must be running on the destination server at the same time that the Send-SmigServerData cmdlet is running on the source server.