There is a very practical and reliable way to test an operating system without having to make drastic changes to our computer: through what we know as a "virtual machine". In this post we are going to see How to install Windows 11 on a virtual machine.
This can be useful in many cases. For example, if we have a Mac and we want to test how Windows works. Or, even without leaving the Microsoft environment, to test a different version of the operating system without having to install it. All of this is possible thanks to virtual machines.
What is a virtual machine?
The most accurate definition of virtual machine Its the a computer that runs entirely on software (rather than physical hardware, which is the norm). This software is installed on a computer (host) with the aim of emulating the functionality of a different computer or operating system.
For the user, this "emulated" computer It works just like a normal one. However, virtual machines need to use the hardware resources of the host computer on which they are installed. The same host computer can host more than one virtual machine.
What is the practical use of using a virtual machine? For designers and developers, they are a good resource for checking the operation of software on different operating systems. For large companies, they are a solution for reducing costs: being able to use different operating systems without having to buy new equipment.
Install Windows 11 on a virtual machine step by step
To explain the process of installing Windows 11 on a virtual machine we have chosen one of the most popular virtualization platforms: VirtualBox. In addition to being easy to use, it is a free option that is accessible to any type of user. That is why it is so interesting.
Previous requirements
Before starting the operating system installation process through VirtualBox we have to verify that we have the following elements:
- Windows 11 ISO file, which can be downloaded from the Microsoft official website.
- VirtualBox Software, which we can also download from its official website.
- Sufficient disk space and RAM (at least 4GB of RAM dedicated to the virtual machine is required).
- Processor with virtualization enabled (VT-x or AMD-V) in BIOS.
Once we have verified that we meet all the required requirements, we can start the process of installing Windows 11 on a virtual machine. These are the steps to follow:
Creating the virtual machine
- To start, we open the program VirtualBox and we click the button "New".
- Before continuing, it is necessary configure a number of virtual machine details that we want to install: name, type (Windows) and version (Windows 11). Then we click on "Next".
- Then we go to configure ram memory: At least 4GB should be allocated. The more memory, the better the performance.
- Then you have to create the virtual hard disk, selecting the option «Create a virtual hard disk now» and by clicking on "Create". There are three aspects to configure here:
- Choose VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image) as disk type.
- Select the option «Dynamically allocated» so that the virtual disk only takes up space as we use it.
- Assign at least 64 GB for the virtual disk.
Selecting the Windows 11 ISO
- We select the newly created virtual machine and click on "Setting".
- Let's go to the section "Storage", where we select the empty CD icon.
- Then we click on "Attributes".
- There we select the disk icon and click on «Choose a disk file».
- Look for the Windows 11 ISO file that we have previously downloaded (see the “Prerequisites” section).
At this point, it is optional (although recommended) increase the number of processors to two, if possible. This can be done from the Settings menu, going to System and clicking on the “Processor” section. It is also recommended enable PAE/NX in the advanced processor options to ensure smooth operation.
Windows 11 installation
After correctly executing all the previous steps, we can now proceed with the installation itself. This is what we need to do:
- First, to start the virtual machine, we click on "Start".
- The Windows 11 installation wizard will start. We choose language and region and click on "Following".
- Then we press the button "Install Now" and we follow the wizard's instructions.
Finally, para complete installation We will have to choose the edition of Windows 11 that we want to install (we will be asked for a product key) and accept the license terms. After this, we just have to
choose the Custom Installation option and select the virtual disk we created.
One last recommendation: After you have successfully installed Windows 11, It is important to install the VirtualBox Guest AdditionsThese additions ensure better integration with the virtual machine. To do this, go to the VirtualBox main menu, access Devices and from there select "Insert Guest Additions CD image"