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Applies To: Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2
Learn how to get started with Hyper-V on Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1 Professional and Enterprise editions. To learn more about Hyper-V including system requirements, see Hyper-V overview. For the most current version of this topic, see Install Hyper-V on Windows 10 or Install the Hyper-V role on Windows Server 2016.
In this document
Prerequisites
Prerequisites
Before you install Hyper-V, make sure that you have the following:
A user account with administrator permissions for the computer.
Enough memory to run all the virtual machines that you plan to run at the same time.
Software to install as the guest operating system for the virtual machine.
(Video) Windows Hyper-V Virtual Machine Tutorial
Step 1: Install Hyper-V
Install Hyper-V so you can create and run virtual machines on this computer.
To install the Hyper-V role in Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2
You can install the Hyper-V role in Server Manager or by using Windows PowerShell.
Install the Hyper-V role by using Server Manager
In Server Manager, on the Manage menu, click Add Roles and Features.
On the Before you begin page, verify that your destination server and network environment are prepared for the role and feature you want to install. Click Next.
On the Select installation type page, select Role-based or feature-based installation and then click Next.
On the Select destination server page, select a server from the server pool and then click Next.
On the Select server roles page, select Hyper-V.
To add the tools that you use to create and manage virtual machines, click Add Features. On the Features page, click Next.
On the Create Virtual Switches page, Virtual Machine Migration page, and Default Stores page, select the appropriate options.
On the Confirm installation selections page, select Restart the destination server automatically if required, and then click Install.
When installation is finished, verify that Hyper-V installed correctly. Open the All Servers page in Server Manager, select a server on which you installed Hyper-V. Check the Roles and Features tile on the page for the selected server.
Install the Hyper-V role by using PowerShell
Open Windows PowerShell session with elevated user rights. To do this, click the Windows Start button and type PowerShell. Right-clicPowerShell and click Run as Administrator.
(Video) Create a Virtual Machine in Microsoft Hyper-V ManagerRun the following command where computer_name represents a remote computer on which you want to install Hyper-V. To install Hyper-V directly from a console session, do not include
-ComputerName <computer_name>
in the command.Install-WindowsFeature –Name Hyper-V -ComputerName <computer_name> -IncludeManagementTools -Restart
When the installation is finished, run the
Get-WindowsFeature
to verify that everything installed correctly. If you installed Hyper-V remotely, include the ComputerName parameter (Get-WindowsFeature -ComputerName <computer_name>) to view a list of roles and features installed on the server.
In Windows PowerShell, unlike in the Add Roles and Features Wizard, management tools and snap-ins for a role are not included by default. To include management tools as part of a role installation, add the -IncludeManagementTools
parameter to the cmdlet. Management tools and snap-ins can't be installed on servers that runs the Server Core installation option of Windows Server. If you try to install the management tools for the Hyper-V role on a server that runs the Server Core installation option of Windows Server 2012, you are prompted to change the installation option to one that allows the management tools to run. For more information, see Install-WindowsFeature.
To enable Client Hyper-V on Windows 8 or Windows 8.1
You can enable the Hyper-V role in Program and Features or by using Windows PowerShell.
Enable the Hyper-V role by using Program and Features
In the Control Panel, click Programs >Programs and Features.
Click Turn Windows features on or off.
Click Hyper-V, click OK, and then click Close.
Hyper-V is an optional feature so the files required for installation may or may not be present on your computer, depending on your organization’s IT policy. If you are connected to the Internet and you enable the feature, the required files will automatically download. If you are not connected to the Internet, you can download the required files and manually copy them to your computer. Otherwise you must provide the installation media.
Enable the Hyper-V role by using PowerShell
Open Windows PowerShell session with elevated user rights. To do this, click the Windows Start button and type PowerShell. Right-click PowerShell and click Run as Administrator.
Run the following command.
enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V -All
When the installation is finished, reboot the computer.
For more information, see Get-WindowsOptionalFeature and Using PowerShell to Set Up Hyper-V
Step 2: Create a virtual machine
You can create a virtual machine by using the wizard in Hyper-V Manager or by using Windows PowerShell.
To create a virtual machine in Hyper-V Manager
Open Hyper-V Manager.
(Video) Install Free Hyper-V to create Virtual MachinesFrom the navigation pane of Hyper-V Manager, select the computer running Hyper-V.
From the Actions pane, click New > Virtual Machine.
Click Next in the New Virtual Machine wizard.
On the Specify Name and Location page, type an appropriate name.
On the Assign Memory page, specify enough memory to start the guest operating system.
On the Configure Networking page, connect the virtual machine to the switch you created when you installed Hyper-V.
On the Connect Virtual Hard Disk and Installation Options pages, choose the option that is appropriate for how you plan to install the guest operating system:
If you will install the guest operating system from a DVD or an image file (an .ISO file), choose Create a virtual hard disk. Click Next, and then click the option that describes the type of media you will use. For example, to use an .iso file, click Install an operating system from a boot CD/DVD and then specify the path to the .iso file.
If the guest operating system is already installed in a virtual hard disk, choose Use an existing virtual hard disk and click Next. Then, choose Install an operating system later.
On the Summary page, verify your selections and then click Finish.
Windows PowerShell equivalent commands
You can use the New-VM cmdlet to create a virtual machine in Windows PowerShell. For example, run the following command to create a virtual machine named web server with 1 GB of startup memory and use an existing virtual hard disk in which a guest operating system has already been installed.
New-VM –Name “web server” –MemoryStartupBytes 1GB –VHDPath d:\vhd\BaseImage.vhdx
Step 3: Install the guest operating system
This step assumes that you configured the boot media for the virtual machine when you created the virtual machine. It can't be automated or done within a Windows PowerShell session.
To install the guest operating system
From Hyper-V Manager, in the Virtual Machines section of the results pane, right-click the name of the virtual machine and click Connect.
(Video) Setting up a Virtual Machine with Hyper-V | FREE & EASY | Full GuideFrom the Action menu in the Virtual Machine Connection window, click Start.
Proceed through the installation.
Step 4: Install or upgrade integration services
Hyper-V includes a software package for supported guest operating systems that improves integration between the physical computer and the virtual machine. This package is referred to as integration services. To learn more, see Integration Services.
This step can't be automated or done within a Windows PowerShell session.
To install integration services
Open Hyper-V Manager. From the Server Manager Tools menu, click Hyper-V Manager.
Connect to the virtual machine. Right-click the name of the virtual machine and click Connect.
From the Action menu of Virtual Machine Connection, click Insert Integration Services Setup Disk. This action loads the setup disk in the virtual DVD drive. Depending on the guest operating system installed, you may need to start the installation manually.
After the installation finishes, all integration services are available for use.
See also
Windows PowerShell
Client Hyper-V
Supported Windows Guest Operating Systems for Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8
Supported Windows Guest Operating Systems in Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows 8.1
Linux and FreeBSD Virtual Machines on Hyper-V
FAQs
How to create a virtual machine in Hyper-V? ›
- Open Hyper-V Quick Create from the start menu.
- Select an operating system or choose your own by using a local installation source. If you want to use your own image to create the virtual machine, select Local Installation Source. ...
- Select "Create Virtual Machine"
Nested virtualization is a feature that allows you to run Hyper-V inside of a Hyper-V virtual machine (VM). This is helpful for running a Visual Studio phone emulator in a virtual machine, or testing configurations that ordinarily require several hosts.
How to install software in Hyper-V virtual machine? ›- Start Parallels Desktop and Windows virtual machine.
- Log in to Windows.
- Open a web browser and download an installation file. ...
- Open the installation file and follow the instructions until the installation is complete.
- Some Windows programs may require to reboot Windows after installation.
Install Hyper-V by using Server Manager
On the Select installation type page, select Role-based or feature-based installation and then click Next. On the Select destination server page, select a server from the server pool and then click Next. On the Select server roles page, select Hyper-V.
- Step 1: Prepare your computer for Virtualization. ...
- Step 2: Install Hypervisor (Virtualization Tool) ...
- Step 3: Import a Virtual Machine. ...
- Step 4: Start the Virtual Machine. ...
- Step 5: Using the Virtual Machine. ...
- Step 6: Shut down the Virtual Machine.
Microsoft's hardware virtualization product, Hyper-V, enables you to create and run a software version of a computer, called a virtual machine (VM). Hyper-V can have multiple virtual machines, each with their own operating system (OS), on one computer, allowing VMs to run these multiple OSes alongside each other.
How to install Hyper-V on Windows 10 step by step? ›- Open Control Panel.
- Click Programs and Features.
- Click Turn Windows features on or off.
- Expand the Hyper-V section.
- Check the Hyper-V Management Tools box to install Hyper-V Manager (If you want to enable the Hyper-V role as well, select Hyper-V Platform).
- Click OK.
Hyper-V is Microsoft's hardware virtualization product. It lets you create and run a software version of a computer, called a virtual machine. Each virtual machine acts like a complete computer, running an operating system and programs.
How do I create a virtual machine in Hyper-V Windows 10? ›- Open Hyper-V Quick Create.
- Select an OS from the list on the left, or install a guest OS from an ISO image file (. ...
- Click Change Installation Source and select the required file. ...
- Click More options in the lower right corner.
- Type the name of the VM.
Hardware Requirements
64-bit Processor with Second Level Address Translation (SLAT). CPU support for VM Monitor Mode Extension (VT-x on Intel CPU's). Minimum of 4 GB memory. As virtual machines share memory with the Hyper-V host, you will need to provide enough memory to handle the expected virtual workload.
How to install Hyper-V in Windows? ›
- Right click on the Windows button and select 'Apps and Features'.
- Select Programs and Features on the right under related settings.
- Select Turn Windows Features on or off.
- Select Hyper-V and click OK.
Hyper-V enables admins to create three different types of virtual switches: external, internal and private.
What are the three main hardware components required for Hyper-V? ›- A 64-bit processor with second-level address translation (SLAT). ...
- VM Monitor Mode extensions.
- Enough memory - plan for at least 4 GB of RAM. ...
- Virtualization support turned on in the BIOS or UEFI:
- Open Hyper-V Manager.
- From the navigation pane of Hyper-V Manager, select the computer running Hyper-V.
- From the Actions pane, click New > Virtual Machine.
- Click Next in the New Virtual Machine wizard.
- On the Specify Name and Location page, type an appropriate name.
A virtual machine (VM) is a digital version of a physical computer. Virtual machine software can run programs and operating systems, store data, connect to networks, and do other computing functions, and requires maintenance such as updates and system monitoring.
What is a virtual machine for dummies? ›A Virtual Machine (VM) is a compute resource that uses software instead of a physical computer to run programs and deploy apps. One or more virtual “guest” machines run on a physical “host” machine.
What is virtual machine for beginners? ›A virtual machine is a computer file, typically called an image, that behaves like an actual computer. It can run in a window as a separate computing environment, often to run a different operating system—or even to function as the user's entire computer experience—as is common on many people's work computers.
What are the 2 main components of virtual machine? ›...
The host VM is the physical machine that provides the guest VM with computing hardware resources, such as:
- Processing power.
- Memory.
- Disk.
- Network I/O (input/output)
A VM cannot interact directly with a physical computer. Instead, it needs a lightweight software layer called a hypervisor to coordinate between it and the underlying physical hardware. The hypervisor allocates physical computing resources—such as processors, memory, and storage—to each VM.
How do I create a virtual machine from an existing installation? ›- Download Disk2vhd utility.
- Run Disk2vhd on the physical server you are converting.
- Convert disk(s) to VHDX format and copy it to Hyper-V host.
- Create a new VM on a Hyper-V host.
- Insert the created disk.
- Run a VM and enjoy it.
- See also.
Why would you use Hyper-V? ›
Reasons to use virtualization
Run software that requires an older versions of Windows or non-Windows operating systems. Experiment with other operating systems. Hyper-V makes it very easy to create and remove different operating systems. Test software on multiple operating systems using multiple virtual machines.
- Flexibility. Hyper-V allows you to move virtual guests between physical hosts if needed. ...
- Redundancy. The Failover Clustering feature of Hyper-V allows you to create and manage failover clusters. ...
- Scalability. ...
- Reduce Costs of Operations.
- The least possible device driver management.
- A great selection of devices that can work together.
- Easy-to-install new server roles.
- shorter setup time.
- Fast updates and maintenance.
You cant use hyper V on window 10 home. You need Window 10 pro or enterprise to use Hyper V. If you want to use another Application similar to Hyper V in your home edition then go for Virtual Box.
How do I enable Hyper-V in Windows 10 BIOS? ›- Navigate to the Security tab and press Enter on CPU Setup.
- Select Intel(R) Virtualization Technology and press Enter.
- Choose Enable and press Enter.
- Press F10.
- Press Enter to select Yes to save the settings and Boot into Windows.
Turn on the computer, and then immediately press f10 to open BIOS Setup. Use the arrow keys to select the Configuration tab, and then select Virtualization Technology. Select Enable. Press f10 to save the settings and exit BIOS Setup.
How much does Hyper-V cost? ›Microsoft offers Hyper-V through five pricing editions from $24.95 to $199 as well as free with other services: Developer edition $24.95 per month. Bronze edition $49 per month. Silver edition $89 per month.
What does Hyper-V stand for? ›Hyper-V is virtualization software that, well, virtualizes software. It can not only virtualize operating systems but also entire hardware components, such as hard drives and network switches. Unlike Fusion and Virtualbox, Hyper-V is not limited to the user's device. You can use it for server virtualization, too.
Does my computer have Hyper-V? ›Open the Windows Start menu, type cmd, right click the cmd entry, and click Run as administrator. Run systeminfo to check whether Hyper-V is installed.
How do I create a Windows virtual machine for free? ›Step 1: Log in to your Microsoft Azure account. Step 2: Now search for Free services in the given search bar. Step 3: Select the Create option under the Windows Virtual Machine section in order to create a Windows VM.
Is Hyper-V free with Windows 10? ›
Is Hyper-V Free with Windows 10? Yes, Hyper-V is free on 64-bit versions of Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise and Education. However it is not available in the home version of Windows 10. When running virtualized operating systems, Hyper-V supports multiple versions of Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, and more.
How to create VM in Hyper-V using PowerShell? ›On the Windows desktop, click the Start button and type any part of the name Windows PowerShell. Right-click Windows PowerShell and select Run as administrator. Use the New-VM cmdlet to create the virtual machine.
How much RAM is needed for virtual machine? ›VirtualBox itself doesn't need that much RAM. Usually, 4 GB will do if you want to run one large or two or three smaller VMs.
How do I connect my VM to my network? ›- Open Hyper-V Manager. ...
- Select the server in the left pane, or click "Connect to Server..." in the right pane.
- In Hyper-V Manager, select Virtual Switch Manager... from the 'Actions' menu on the right.
- Under the 'Virtual Switches' section, select New virtual network switch.
Allow an operating system to run independently from the underlying hardware through the use of virtual machines. Share virtual computing, storage and memory resources.
What is the Hyper-V virtual switch and how does it work? ›Hyper-V Virtual Switch is a software-based layer-2 Ethernet network switch that is available in Hyper-V Manager when you install the Hyper-V server role. Hyper-V Virtual Switch includes programmatically managed and extensible capabilities to connect VMs to both virtual networks and the physical network.
What are the disadvantages of Hyper-V? ›- A crash of the primary OS will crash all VMs.
- OS must be installed in order for the Hypervisor Layer to operate.
- Frequent OS and security updates translate into more overhead.
- Lack of support for service templates.
Component | Maximum |
---|---|
Nodes per cluster | 64 |
Running virtual machines per cluster and per node | 8,000 per cluster |
Windows Server 2022 Standard is intended for lightly virtualized environments, and it includes rights for 2 VMs and unlimited containers. If you want to run additional VMs, then you will need to purchase additional licenses.
How to configure Hyper-V in Windows Server 2012 R2 step by step? ›- Download the ISO file.
- Burn the previously-downloaded ISO file to a DVD or USB and boot from it.
- Select Language, Time and currency format, and Keyboard or input method.
- Click the Install now button.
- Read the license agreement and then check the box I accept the license terms.
Can I install Hyper-V as a VM? ›
Nested virtualization is a feature that allows you to run Hyper-V inside of a Hyper-V virtual machine (VM). This is helpful for running a Visual Studio phone emulator in a virtual machine, or testing configurations that ordinarily require several hosts.
How do I create a VHD virtual machine? ›You can create an Azure VM from an on-premises VHD by uploading the on-premises VHD and attaching it to a new VM. You use PowerShell or another tool to upload the VHD to a storage account, and then you create a managed disk from the VHD.
How do I create a Hyper-V virtual machine 2016? ›- This launches the New Virtual Machine Wizard.
- Begin the configuration by selecting a name for your VM.
- Generation of the VM. ...
- Memory Management in Hyper-V.
Create a virtual machine by using Windows PowerShell. On the Windows desktop, click the Start button and type any part of the name Windows PowerShell. Right-click Windows PowerShell and select Run as administrator. Use the New-VM cmdlet to create the virtual machine.
How to import virtual machine in Hyper-V step by step? ›- From the Actions menu in Hyper-V Manager, click Import Virtual Machine.
- Click Next.
- Select the folder that contains the exported files, and click Next.
- Select the virtual machine to import.
- Choose the import type, and click Next. (For descriptions, see Import types, below.)
- Click Finish.
Dynamic virtual hard disk
The storage space starts at a particular minimum size and grows as data is added to the VHD. Its main advantage is that it speeds up storage space allocation.
#1) VirtualBox
Virtual Box is a free VM app that supports high-performance virtualization. It is a free virtual machine app that app developers can use for testing apps on multiple operating systems. Features: Support Windows, Linux, Solaris, and Mac host OS.
- Use the taskbar search to find Hyper-V Quick Create.
- Select the application in the search results to run it. ...
- Select Windows 11 dev environment on the list and click Create Virtual Machine to proceed. ...
- Select Edit settings when Hyper-V finishes creating the VM.
- Right click on the Windows button and select 'Apps and Features'.
- Select Programs and Features on the right under related settings.
- Select Turn Windows Features on or off.
- Select Hyper-V and click OK.
Both ESXi and Hyper-V are free to download, and can be used for free without limitation on the CPUs, RAM or storage on the host.
How to install Hyper-V platform in Windows 10? ›
- Open Control Panel.
- Click Programs and Features.
- Click Turn Windows features on or off.
- Expand the Hyper-V section.
- Check the Hyper-V Management Tools box to install Hyper-V Manager (If you want to enable the Hyper-V role as well, select Hyper-V Platform).
- Click OK.