Hyper-V Host Server failed, Spinning up new VM Server with old virtual HD. Server boots, loses gateway each time and no network. Frustrating.

I have a server 2012 host that just crashed, we were able to get the virtual hard drives for the servers that were on the host.

We built a new server/host running hyper-v manager.  Created new VM on the new host and used the same virtual harddrive from the previous host.  On the host, I only have one physical NIC, so I created a virtual switch in hyper-v manager (external) and it is running the host and the VM is pointed to it.  It should work

However, when I boot into the VM it takes 15-20 minutes at the please wait screen, another 10-15 minutes to logon and is sluggish, will not respond.  I boot into safe mode with network support and it logs in extremely fast.  I go into the network adapter settings, b/c I know it will not retain the IP address (static) from the previous build in the previous Host, and put the ip / gateway / subnet mask in as well as dns settings, reboot.  Same thing.

I boot back into safe mode, gateway is gone.  I try using the same IP address, it will not work.  I try putting a new, unused IP in, it then shows up with two IP addresses when I click on advanced.   I delete the old IP address out, leave just the new and it works..I can ping devices on my network and devices in other subnets.  I can surf the web, it works perfectly (in safe mode).  

I reboot, same thing.  Even when I go back into safe mode, the gateway is gone and the old IP address is in use.

I'm at a loss, i need this server going immediately. I've tried deleting and re-adding virtual switches with no luck.  There's something tieing up the ip/network on this card and i dont' know what. 

i've gone into device manager and shown hidden devices, the only thing I see that sticks out is there is a greyed out item called "RAS Async Adapter".  When I try to uninstall it, it verifies i want to remove and I click ok and it does not delete/does nothing.

I'm open to any suggestion/help.   This is a domain controller/VM for one of my elementary school sites, and I really do not wish to start over but that's my only next option.  

Any help is greatly appreciated, thank you!