How to Use Hyper-V to Install and Run Other Operating Systems Inside Windows 8

How to Use Hyper-V to Install and Run Other Operating Systems Inside Windows 8



Have the need to run other versions of Windows—or even Linux—inside
Windows 8? Here’s how to do it.



Figure 1.
The VirtualBox manager

Some people need to run multiple versions of Windows, including Windows Vista and
Windows 7, either for testing purposes, for development, or just because they’re enthusiasts.
That used to mean buying and maintaining multiple computers.

If you’ve got Window 8 Pro or Windows 8 Enterprise, though, there’s a much better
way—Hyper-V. This software lets you run virtual machines in Windows 8, each running
their own operating system. Hyper-V works in much the same way as other virtualized
environments (see “Installing and Running Windows 8 on a Mac”). For each instance
of an operating system you want to test, you create a virtual machine into which you
install the operating system, using either a physical disc or an .iso file.

Note: If you don’t have Windows 8 Pro or Windows 8 Enterprise, there’s still a way
to run other operating systems inside Windows 8. Get the free VirtualBox software.
For details about using it, see the VirtualBox section of Installing and Running Windows 8 on a Mac.

Hyper-V has some specific hardware requirements, so before getting started, get
familiar with them:

Hyper-V only works on 64-bit versions of Windows 8
So if you’ve got a 32-bit version, you’re out of luck.

You need at least 4 GB of RAM
Also, keep in mind that more is better. When you run a VM, it uses system RAM,
and Windows 8 is using system RAM as well. If you have more RAM, you can run
more VMs simultaneously.

Your hardware must be 64-bit and support Second Level Address
Translation (SLAT)
If you’ve got a relatively new machine, it probably supports this. But machines
with older dual-core processors probably won’t cut it.

You won’t be able to connect to hardware attached to your PC
So you won’t, for example, be able to make use of a USB flash drive or other USB
device.

If you’re not sure whether Hyper-V will work on your system, don’t fret, because when
you try to install and use Hyper-V, it will tell you if it won’t work.


By default, Hyper-V isn’t enabled on Windows 8, so you’ve got to turn it on. Go to the
Control Panel and select Programs→“Turn Windows features on or off.” You’ll see a
screen like the one shown in Figure 2. Scroll to the Hyper-V section and turn on the
checkbox next to it. Expand the category and make sure that all of the boxes underneath
it are turned on as well. Then click OK.


Note: If the box next to Hyper-V is grayed out, that means that your Windows 8 PC
can’t run it.

Windows will spend a little while finding the files. You’ll be prompted to reboot Windows
8 in order to complete the installation. After you reboot, click the Hyper-V Manager
tile that’s been added to the Start screen.

To create a new virtual machine, click the name of your Windows 8 device on the left
side of the screen. Then, in the Actions panel on the right, select New→Virtual Machine,
as shown in Figure 3.



Figure 2.
Enabling Hyper-V

Figure 3.
Starting to create a Virtual Machine

A wizard launches. Click Next. You’re asked to give your new VM a name (Figure 4).
Be as clear and descriptive as possible, because you might create multiple VMs and
want to easily distinguish among them. At a minimum, it’s a good idea to include the
version of the operating system, such as Windows 7.



Figure 4.
Naming your Virtual Machine

You’re also asked whether to use the default location for storing the VM’s file, which
is

C:\Program Data\Microsoft\Windows\Hyper-V

Generally, using the default is a
good idea. However, if you’ve got a relatively small hard disk, you should consider
storing the files on a different physical hard disk than your main one, because each
VM uses a substantial amount of hard disk space, generally more than 25 GB.

Click Next after making your choice. On the next screen, you’re asked how much
startup memory to use, and whether to use dynamic memory for the virtual machine.
Consider the requirements of the operating system you’re going to install, and use
that amount. If you’ve got a lot of memory on your computer, turn on the box next to
“Use Dynamic Memory for this virtual machine.” Doing so allows Hyper-V to grow and
shrink the amount of memory the VM uses. It’s an especially useful option if you’re
going to run more than one VM at a time. Click Next.

Now you’ll come to a screen that lets you configure networking for the VM. At first it
appears there’s no way to do this, because in the Connection drop-down box, there’s
only one choice: Not Connected. You’ll need to create a virtual switch in order to connect
to a network and the Internet. Back on the Hyper-V Manager main screen, click
Virtual Switch Manager at right. On the next screen, select External, and then click
Create Virtual Switch. On the screen that appears, give it a name if you want
(Figure 5). If you’ve got more than one network adapter, select it from the dropdown
list. Click OK when you’re done.


Figure 5.
Creating a virtual switch to enable networking

Once you’ve done that, go back to the wizard, select the new network connection from
the drop-down list, and then click Next. On the screen that appears, you’ll create a
virtual hard disk in which to run your operating system. Again, check the operating
system you’re installing to find out installation requirements. Generally, if you’re going
to install Windows 7, you’ll do fine with the default size of 127 GB. Click Next.

Note: You’ll need to have a registered version of Windows to run it on Hyper-V. It
can’t have the same registration code as the version you run on your PC, unless
you have the rights to run it on multiple devices.

On the next screen, you tell the wizard where to find the installation media for the
operating system, such as a disc or .iso file. Make your selection, and you’re ready to
run your new VM. You’ll go through the normal operating system installation process
the first time you run it, but after then, you won’t need to run the installation process
each time.

To run a VM, launch the Hyper-V Manager and run it from there.


Hacking the Hack

If you want to give Linux a whirl, install it as a VM in Hyper-V Manager. Head to
http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop and download the file you find there. It will be
an .iso file. Go through the installation procedure I outlined in this hack, and use
that .iso file as the Linux installation medium.




See Also
• Installing and Running Windows 8 on a Mac