Buzz
Using virtual machines is a solution that allows you to make system changes, test software for potential virus infections without causing any harm to your primary machine. If you're using Windows 11, you can now create virtual machines without needing to download or use additional software.
Guide to using Hyper-V Manager to create virtual machines on Windows 11
I. Direct Guide to Installing Virtual Machines on Windows 11
Step 1: Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
Step 2: Type optionalfeatures.exe and press OK.
Step 3: In the Windows Features window, check the items under Hyper-V => press OK.
Step 4: Press Restart Now to apply the settings.
Step 5: After your computer restarts, press Windows+S, type Hyper-V => select Hyper-V Manager.
Step 6: Right-click your computer name => select New => Virtual Machine... .
Step 7: The Before You Begin window appears. Click Next to proceed.
- Note: You can check the box Do not show this page again to skip showing this window in future uses.
Step 8: In the Name field, give any name to your virtual machine. If you want to change the storage location of the virtual machine, check Store the virtual machine in a different location => click Browse => Select the storage location => Click Next to continue.
Step 9: You choose one of the two options here => Press Next.
- Generation 1: The virtual machine will support both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of older operating systems.
- Generation 2: The virtual machine will only support the latest 64-bit version of operating systems.
Step 10: In the Startup memory section, you enter the amount of RAM for the virtual machine. Check Use Dynamic Memory for this virtual machine => Press Next.
- Note:
+ It's recommended to allocate at least 2048MB of RAM for smooth and stable virtual machine operation. If your computer has only 4GB of RAM, you can allocate less.
+ It's advisable to check Use Dynamic Memory for this virtual machine. This option allows the virtual machine to use more RAM than initially set if necessary.
Step 11: In the Connection menu, select Default Switch => Click Next.
Step 12: Check Create a virtual hard disk. In the Size section, you specify the hard disk capacity for the virtual machine (up to 64TB). Press Next to continue.
- Note: The Windows 32-bit version requires 16GB of disk space, while the 64-bit version requires 32GB. Therefore, allocate disk space according to the operating system you intend to install on your virtual machine.
+ Use an existing virtual hard disk: Use a previously created virtual hard disk.
+ Attach a virtual hard disk later: Use this option to temporarily skip this step and allocate disk space later.
Step 13: Choose Install an operating system from bootable image file => Click Browse to select the Win file to run on the virtual machine => Click Next.
- Install an operating system later: Install the operating system later.
- Install an operating system from a network-based installation server: Install the operating system via network.
Step 14: Review the detailed specifications of the virtual machine and click Finish to proceed with creating the virtual machine.
Step 15: After the installation process is complete, go back to Hyper-V Manager => right-click on the virtual machine you just created, select Connect.
- Click Start to boot up the virtual machine.
II. Benefits of using Hyper-V Manager virtual machines on Windows 11
- Cost-saving: You don't need to buy additional physical resources to use virtual environments and perform functions on them, just like a real computer.
- Perfect security: Any changes in the virtual machine will be encapsulated and won't affect your main machine. So, you can run any program that may be infected with malware or make high-risk system changes.
- Scalability: You can install and test multiple different operating systems without worrying about data conflicts. Everything on the virtual machine will disappear when you delete them.
III. Considerations when using virtual machines on Windows 11
- Data storage: If you store information on a virtual machine, deleting the virtual machine will also delete all the information and data on that virtual machine.
- Computer resource consumption: If your computer has low hardware configuration but has too many virtual machine programs installed, the computer will slow down and affect other programs.
- Linkage between main and virtual machines: Due to being centralized on one computer, if the main computer is damaged, all the virtual machines set up on it will also be affected.
- Compatibility: For Hyper-V virtual machines, some Windows Home editions may not be available or may not be usable.
So, you've successfully created your own virtual machine. Now you can install applications or make system changes without affecting your main machine. If you're unable to use Hyper-V, you can install a virtual machine using VMware to do similar tasks as on Hyper-V virtual machines.
