Windows 8 What software are people using to create a virtual machine?

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

I decided to install 8.1 in a virtual machine setup.
I see that there are a number of software packages that you can use to do this.

So what are people using.

I've never done this before, so I'll be learning as I go.

If anyone has any advice or things to watch out for I'd appreciate any information.

Mike

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi Again.

I installed Oracle VM Virtual Box.

I haven't gone any farther yet.

Mike

 

[Jimbo22]

I use Hyper-V that's native to windows 8, works really well.

 

[Trouble]

Unfortunate that you decided not to follow my suggestion here http://windows8forums.com/showthread.php?t=23164&p=32805#post32805
I say unfortunate because I haven't played with VirtualBox for quite some time so I can't be of much help.
It seems that to even get it to work properly you will need to work a little magic
https://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=56196
and or
http://windowssecrets.com/forums/sh...lling-Windows-8-1-ISO-on-Oracle-VM-VirtualBox
The trouble with some of these third party software solutions is that they take some time to update their product line to support new OS installations and that is one of the reasons I recommended Hyper-V, as I had already determined that it worked fine with no weirdness.

 

[Joe S]

I quit using Virtual Box along time ago and went with VMware Their VMware player is free and they have a good forum.
Joe

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

Thanks, I decided against using Virtual Box and tried to remove it.
I figured the easiest way was to just go back to a registry point before I installed it and then remove it.

I started the restore and my computer just sat forever on the Restoring Registry screen.

I finally turned it off and it wouldn't reboot.
It would't boot to my DVD drive either so I couldn't tell it to restore my image file.

After several attempts I got into the F8 screen and started System Restore from there.

It finally restarted and seems to be back to normal.

But I'm not sure what restore point I'm at now and I don't want to do it again.

I'll have to look and see how you are supposed to remove it, it does't seem to have an uninstall, it doesn't show up as installed software in Revo Uninstaller.

Mike

Got everything sorted out, I'll look at Hyper V tomorrow.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Ok

I have Hyper-V activated, I'll try and figure out what I'm supposed to do tomorrow.
Now it's off to bed.

Mike

 

[Trouble]

OK... keep us posted as to your progress.
Basically to start off, just open Hyper-V manager. If you have not configured the services to start automatically when Windows 8 starts then in the right column select "Start Service"

The first thing you need to do is in the right column, click Virtual Switch Manager and create a new external virtual switch. Give it a name and point it at the Network Interface Card you wish to use from the drop down if you have more than one (I have a second NIC installed just for VMs but it's not necessary. If you only have the one then just make sure the check box that says "All management operating system to share the network adapter" is checked.

In the left column, right click your host machine name and choose "new" -> "virtual machine".
During the process take note of where you are putting your .vhdx (virtual hard drive) as well as your virtual machine configuration files. Mine are all store in their own folders on a separate hard drive.

Give it a name, allocate memory depending on what your host machine can afford to spare. Generally I'll give 64bit VMs 4 gigs (4096 MB) leave the "Use Dynamic Memory for this virtual machine" unchecked.
Select your virtual switch that you created earlier from the drop down.
You can leave the virtual hard disk settings at default or choose to put them wherever you want it may likely default to 127 GB, don't worry about that as it will be no where near that actual size in reality but will grow dynamically.
Install an operating system later.
And Fiinish.

Now with you new virtual machine selected in Hyper-V manager.
In the right column click the settings button.
Select processor and up that value to two.
Select DVD Drive and then the radio button that says "Image file" and browse to the Windows 8.1 ISO location and select that ISO.
Click OK
Now just click "Start"
and then click "Connect"
to monitor the installation.
After you're done, catch up all the Windows Updates on the new VM.
If you notice any problems regarding mouse movements or keyboard behavior, from the tool bar in the Virtual Machine Connection choose Action-> Insert Integration Services Setup Disk. Select the prompt / notification and run it. I haven't had to do this lately as it seems to get installed if needed automatically and if it is already installed in will inform you that "This computer is already running the current version of integration services (version 6.3.9431.0)."

Then configure the new VM to accept RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) connections, and then going forward use mstsc.exe instead of Hyper-V Connect to manage your virtual machine.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

Please look at my new post about issues booting?

Mike

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Thanks Randy

I copied your post to a Word Document and saved it to my desktop.
As soon as I'm sure I've gotten my other issues fixed I'll have a go at it.

I have to go and activate Hyper-V again since I restored to an earlier image file.

The one thing I forgot was to back up my Skyrim Saves, they were on drive C: and now I'm back where I was a month ago.
A problem you don't have with online games.

Mike

 

[Jimbo22]

Hey Mike....didn't have a clue that you were a gamer...what other games do you play?

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

I'm a long time gamer, right now I have installed, Skyrim, Age of Conan, The Secret World, Guild Wars 2, Lord of the Rings Online, Aion, Dragon Age 2, The Witcher 2 and DC Universe.

I love the way all the MMOs have gone free to play, lets me keep stuff active instead of having to switch from one to another.

My first computer game was Ultima the Black Gate, and then I played Ultima Online.
I had a 25 hz processor 4 megabytes of ram and a 15" monitor at 800 by 600.

When Tomb Raider came out, the first real 3D game, I was really hooked and was one of the first people to figure out a lot of the techniques for beating some of the puzzles and traps, back then I posted on the TR forum as Nohjekim.

I started beta testing with Asheron's Call, and have tested pretty much every big MMO since. From Asheron's Call to WAR, no Z.

All of the MMOs listed above, plus a lot more.

I didn't beta Wow, it was about the same time as Everquest 2, but I did play Wow for years with my friend Paul.

Some of the more recent ones are going free to play now, so I may get back into them too, like Rift, and Star Wars the Old Republic.

I beta tested both of them, but something else came along and I never played after the first few months when they went live.

My favorite game now is The Secret World, I play with my friend Paul too.
We've played online games together since Ultima Online.

Now we can talk on Skype while we are playing so it's kind of gab and play.

I'm looking forward to The Elder Scrolls Online and I've registered for the Beta with several accounts.

So I hope I get in, it isn't due to go live until next spring.

I also play freecell, I just got to 100 games played with only 2 losses.

Got to keep the little grey cells working as Poirot would say.

I just had my 75th Birthday and my friend Paul is 77!
But he still rides his BMW motorcycle all the time.

We both have Falcon Northwest gaming computers.

Mike