Today, the use of so-called virtual machines, capable of emulating the creation of a full-fledged computer system in a virtual environment that is absolutely no different from the real physical “iron” counterpart, is becoming increasingly relevant. But few people know about such a module in Windows 8 (Hyper-V). Now we will consider how to turn it on and configure it correctly for further work.
Virtual machine concept
Let's start, perhaps, from afar, so to speak, with basic concepts. Virtual technologies of this type were initially supported by manufacturers of processor chips Intel and AMD and consisted in ensuring that any software in the form of a virtual machine is at the intraprocessor level.
The very same virtual machines that allow you to create full-fledged computer systems in the "OSes" are very diverse. Microsoft does not own the authorship in this direction, although the company's specialists tried to create their own modules that could create virtual machines without using third-party software. One such is the Hyper-V client.
What is Hyper-V (Windows 8 and above)
In fact, Hyper-V is a fairly powerful tool that allows you to emulate a computer system of any complexity, with any components and installed operating systems other than Windows.
In Windows 8, Hyper-V for configuration is slightly different from the same client in the same "top ten", as well as from most of the most famous software packages of our time. Nevertheless, using it for your own needs to create a virtual environment in which you could test other "OSes", programs, or create entire computer systems in order to clarify the interaction of virtual "iron" components is quite simple. True, for example, Hyper-V Windows 8 for one language requires some attention, since there are specific settings.
System Requirements for Windows 8
As already clear, this component of the system will be considered precisely on the example of the G8 and its subsequent version 8.1. In principle, the Hyper-V setup (Windows 8 is installed or Windows 8.1 is not important) will be completely identical.
As for the minimum system requirements, we need a configuration based solely on 64-bit AMD or Intel processors, which must necessarily support SSE2 and NX instructions, as well as AMD-V, Intel-VT-x and SLAT technologies. Plus, you can install Hyper-V (Windows 8) at normal performance only if you have at least 4 GB of RAM (preferably 8 GB). Otherwise, the operation of the module is not guaranteed.
In addition, if you plan to install several virtual machines, it is advisable to allocate a whole logical partition for storage or even create a RAID array. Needless to say, there is a basic condition for the Hyper-V client to work - Windows 8 (8.1) with only 64 bits. But do not get upset. Almost all pre-installed systems fully meet these requirements.
How to enable Hyper-V in Windows 8: first steps
So, now you can start installing and turning on the client directly. At the first stage, it’s better to check your own system for readiness to use this module.
To do this, you need to register the msinfo32 command in the Run menu, called by Win + R, or go to the system information section , say, from the standard control panel.
Below is information regarding the Hyper-V module (Windows 8). All fields should display “Yes.” If so, you can proceed with the installation and configuration. If the user sees the value “No” in at least one line, you will have to use the BIOS settings and the activation of the component in the system itself.
Activating Virtual Technology Support in BIOS
To activate support for virtual technologies, when loading a computer terminal on a laptop, you need to enter the BIOS (Del, F12, F2 keys, etc.).
In the section of advanced configuration parameters of the processor chipset, there should be a line Virtualization Technology or something else like that. The parameter indicated on the right must be set to “Enabled”.
Enabling Hyper-V on a system
The next step is to activate the component itself in the Windows environment. This is done in the programs and components section, where, precisely in the list of installed Windows components, a checkmark is placed next to the client’s name.
After that, the module activation process will begin, and upon completion, the system will reboot, after which the so-called “Dispatcher” (Hyper-V Manager) will appear on the start screen. However, if you consider the issue of how to disable Hyper-V in Windows 8, you should follow the above steps in reverse order.
Parameters and initial setup
Now consider the Windows 8 Hyper-V module itself. Installation begins with the entrance to the "Manager". You can do this directly from the main screen or by virtmgmt.msc command in the Run menu (quick menu call - as indicated above). By the way, this method is best suited for cases when several virtual machines will be installed and used in the system, maybe even different from the “native” module. If only Hyper-V will be used, it is better to attach it to the taskbar right away, as they say.
A little more about the Hyper-V module (Windows 8.1). How to run it, probably already a little clear. Now let's pay attention to the fact that the initial launch without preliminary configuration does not solve the problem of full use of the client.
Now you need to configure by clicking on the host name on the left and selecting the options section. First of all, you will need to specify the folder or section in which all information relating to the hypervisor will be stored, in particular a virtual hard disk.
The NUMA coverage section, in principle, can not be touched, since its configuration is intended exclusively for multiprocessor systems (note, this is just about several processors, not the number of cores of one processor).
The storage migration section can also be skipped. It indicates only the number of simultaneous transfers of virtual machine data to different places without directly turning on the machine itself.
But the advanced session mode is better to use. This will help to use the resources and devices of the parent host in the child system of the virtual machine. By default, this option is enabled.
Then you can set some keyboard shortcuts, for example, to remove the checkmarks from the message display fields for the mouse release process, etc. This is at your discretion.
Creating and Activating a Virtual Switch
And now one of the most important stages begins. First you need to create a so-called virtual switch, without which a virtual machine created using Hyper-V will simply not work.
Roughly speaking, this is a kind of intermediate station designed to control the connection of virtual machines to the system.
There are three types of virtual networks:
- external (used when virtual machines require access to an external network on a par with the parent host, with each of them having to be assigned a unique IP address);
- internal (used when the machines are switched only among themselves, and access exists exclusively within the same host without assignment or binding to a specific IP);
- private (the most limited network without communication with the main host and the external network, used when the virtual machine needs to be completely isolated from external traffic).
It goes without saying that you can choose one type, although you can create several switches if you wish and integrate them with each other.
To start the process, the corresponding line is selected, after which the new switch is given a name. Then you can choose to directly bind to a specific network adapter.
There is a small nuance. If you use the selected adapter completely and completely, it will disappear from the list of devices in the main system. So it’s better not to touch the checkbox next to the shared line to the selected adapter by the controlling system. Otherwise, the computer when you exit the virtual machine environment will simply lose its connection to the Internet. Along the way, you can use and access to a virtual network, for example, via Wi-Fi, and specify its ID.
Features of setting network parameters
When creating several switches of different types, you may need to enter the section of global network parameters, where you will have to specify the desired range of dynamically assigned MAC addresses.
But this approach is applied only if there are, say, corporate networks, and only so that the addresses themselves on different machines are not repeated (not duplicated).
By the way, when using a private virtual machine, you can do much easier, using the advanced Hyper-V switch in the properties of connecting via a local network, that's all.
Hypervisor Permissions
In the end, it remains to add a little about access rights to the management and settings of Hyper-V. Windows 8 automatically grants full rights to all users in the administrator group. If you want to give rights to a user solely to manage the module, without interfering with the parent system, you can include it in a special group of Hyper-V administrators. In this case, the user will be able to use the virtual machine and its settings, but will not have access to change the system configuration of the parent system.
Having finished the settings, you can create a new virtual machine and select any configuration at the hardware level or your preferred guest OS. But this is a separate conversation.