Cloning Virtual Machine (Master-Build)

Delete registered pinned devices in Sunshine\settings\sunshine_state.json - Before Creating a Snapshot!!!
Turn off Instance -> Create Snapshot in Azure on Virtual Machine>Disk

Create Azure Virtual Gallery

Create Azure Virtual Gallery -> Create Image Definition (Specialized OS, ‘Trusted Launch’, SKU)
Create a New Image Version (Select snapshot to add as OS Disk) - e.g. 1.0.0
Once the new Virtual Image is created, you can use it as an image when you create a virtual machine.
Virtual Image can be scaled up horizontally by setting up clones of the same setup.

This helps teams to use a unified software solution, aiding in game development with consistent tools.

How to Create a Bootable Hyper-V Fixed .VHD Copy?

Turn off Instance -> Create Snapshot
Export snapshot on Azure. Generate URL (36000-second timeout) -> Download .VHD
Rename the downloaded file to ‘abcd.vhd’
Open Hyper-V -> Create New > Virtual Hard Disk…
Select fixed VHD(‘abcd.vhd’) to produce ‘abcd_fixed.vhd’, which can be opened in Hyper-V as a Virtual Machine(without this, ‘abcd.vhd’ won't boot as Virtual Machine).

The Difference Between a .VHD and an OS Disk

A VHD is a virtual representation of a HDD or SSD.

Think of a VHD like a physical hard drive. A new HDD/SSD from a store is empty and must be formatted, partitioned, and have an OS installed. A VHD is the same but exists as a file.

Real HDD vs. VHD – Side by Side

Real HDD/SSD	Virtual Hard Disk (VHD)
A physical device inside your computer	A file stored on another drive, acting like a hard disk
Can store anything: data, OS, apps	Can also store anything: data, OS, apps
Needs to be partitioned & formatted before use	Also needs partitioning & formatting before use
Can be made bootable by installing an OS	Can also be bootable, but only if set up correctly
Connected via SATA, NVMe, or USB	Connected virtually to a VM via Hyper-V, VirtualBox, etc.

How a Bootable OS Works (Real vs. VHD)

For a VHD to be bootable, it needs:

Partitions (boot partition, system partition, etc.)
Windows files installed
A bootloader (so the computer knows how to start Windows)

If anything is missing, the VHD won’t boot, even if Windows is installed inside.

VHD vs. VHDX – What’s the Difference?

When Should You Use Each?

Use VHD if:
- You need compatibility with older systems (Windows 7, older Hyper-V, VirtualBox).
- The disk size won’t exceed 2TB.
Use VHDX if:
- You want better performance and stability.
- Your disk will be larger than 2TB.
- You need protection against corruption (useful for critical data).

VHD is still widely supported, while VHDX is recommended only if storing more than 2TB.