How to Create a Virtual Machine in Windows 10

Virtual Machine is a great way to test new operating systems, check the authenticity of unknown applications, and also revisit old Windows operating systems like XP or 7 for fun. Not to mention, you can now also use Linux in a Windows 10 virtual machine, and that’s great. However, the sad part is that it somehow remains a developer-only utility. However, in this article, we provide a detailed tutorial on how to create a virtual machine in Windows 10 with some additional tips. However, we also provided solutions to common problems when creating a virtual machine. Now having said that, let’s go ahead and learn the steps.

Virtual Machine in Windows 10

There are three important points you should know before you get started. We are not using a third-party program in this post, but we are using the powerful virtualization application called. Hyper-V that comes pre-installed in Windows 10. Being a native application, Hyper-V works much better than any other program, including VMWare and VirtualBox.

The second point is your machine must be running a Pro, Enterprise, or Education edition Windows 10. Hyper-V is not available in the Home edition of Windows 10, so keep that in mind.

Third point, Hyper-V is not enabled out of the box and you have to follow a series of steps to enable it in Windows 10. access your BIOS or UEFI settings to configure virtualization. In general, these are the three points you should know before creating a virtual machine in Windows 10. Now, having said that, let’s get started.

1. Enable Virtualization and Hyper-V Support

1. First of all, restart your computer and boot into BIOS. Usually, the boot key is F10 or F9.but if you are not sure, you can search on the internet depending on your computer manufacturer.

2. Usually, on the System Configuration or Advanced tab, Find the “Virtualization” option. All you have to do is enable it and press F10 to save the changes. After that, restart your computer normally and Virtualization will be enabled.

3. Next, we need to enable Hyper-V on your Windows 10 computer. To do this, simultaneously press the Windows and R keys to open a Run window. Now, Type “optional features.exe”” and press enter.

4. Here, scroll down and search for Hyper-V. Now, Enable all checkboxes under Hyper-V and press the OK button. It will start installing the necessary packages and will prompt you to restart the computer after the installation is complete. Now you are all set to create a virtual machine in Windows 10.

2. Create a Windows 10 Virtual Machine

1. Press the Windows key once and Type “Hyper-V” You will find the app at the top in the Start Menu. open it.

2. Click on “Quick Create” option in the right panel. It lets you set things up pretty quickly.

3. Now you can choose the operating system you want to create a virtual machine in Windows 10. The good thing is that Hyper-V supports Linux (Ubuntu) out of the box as well. Except that one, you can also choose a local Windows 10 ISO image If you have already downloaded like me.

4. Now, just Press the “Create Virtual Machine” button and wait for the process to complete.

5. Next, click on “Connect” button and it will take you to the Virtual Machine.

6. Finally, the virtual machine is ready and you can: Go through the Windows 10 installation process.

3. Some Errors and Their Solutions

You may encounter some errors while creating a virtual machine on your Windows 10 device. Here Here are some of the most common errors you may encounter and their solutions.

• Getting ‘Start PXE over IPv4’ Error? Here’s the Fix

Sometimes, due to outdated BIOS, Hyper-V cannot start the virtual machine. In this case, you can manually create the virtual machine using legacy standards (1st generation). Also, if you have an older PC, this method is the best way to create a virtual machine in Windows 10. Here’s how to do this.

one. Click “New” and select “Virtual Machine” from the right panel.

2. Then give your Windows 10 Virtual Machine a name and proceed to the “Specify Generation” section. Here, make sure Select “Generation 1” and press the “Next” button.

3. Now keep the default settings as they are until the “Connect Virtual Hard Disk” section. Here, enter disk size of the virtual machine. I prefer to keep 20GB but you can choose your own disk space. Now, click the “Next” button.

4. in “Installation Options” sectionSelect the Windows 10 ISO image and proceed.

4. After that, complete the setup wizard and you are done. in case if it shows any error, open the following file path in File Explorer and delete the existing virtual machines. After that complete the installation.

C:\Users\Public\Documents\Hyper-V\Virtual hard disks

5. Now your virtual machine has been successfully created. Double click on it and you will be redirected Installing Windows 10 on a virtual machine instantly.

Tinker Around Windows 10 in a Virtual Machine

This is how you can install the virtual machine on Windows 10. While the steps are simple, we need to enable a few things to get everything right. And if you are using an older machine, possibly with an old BIOS, you will have to follow the alternative method mentioned above. Anyway, that’s it for us. Let us know in the comment section below if the guide helped you create a smooth VM on your Windows 10.