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Virtual machine can't start - The security ID structure is invalid (0x80070539)

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This article provides a solution to an error that occurs when you start an imported virtual machine under Hyper-V.

Applies to:   Windows 10 - all editions, Windows Server 2012 R2
Original KB number:   2927313

Symptoms

Starting an imported virtual machine under Hyper-V sometimes fails with an error message that states:

The security ID structure is invalid (0x80070539)

Cause

This issue is caused when a virtual machine is moved from one environment to another, and Hyper-V can't remove an invalid security ID from the virtual machine configuration as part of the import operation.

Resolution

A user can reset the state of security IDs in the virtual machine configuration by adding a new, valid user ID. To do this, you'll need to:

  1. Open an administrative PowerShell command window.

  2. Run the following command:

    Grant-VMConnectAccess -VMName "Name of VM that is not starting" -UserName "Domain and username of the current user"

The virtual machine should now be able to start successfully.