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Technology has advanced at an incredible rate in the last few years. It has led to the development of virtual machines that help run numerous operating systems on your system without affecting the performance or causing any problems with the primary system. Show
Virtualization allows for a paradigm shift, especially for those confined to older hardware platforms that are less capable than today's models. It will enable you to turn Windows machines into virtual machines. Microsoft Windows 10, arguably one of the most popular operating systems being run on modern technology, can now be successfully utilized without any performance lost due to IT constraints or scalability issues. It supports this new way of running software. However, when it comes to virtual machines for Windows 10, there is a wide variety of software available today. This makes choosing the best virtualization software necessary to meet your needs and those of your end users. Read on to learn what a virtual machine is and the factors to consider when choosing one. A
virtual machine is a software or program that emulates an actual computer within your system. It allows the installed operating system to run virtually on top of the physical host computer, much like how multiple applications run. Virtual machines are used in a wide variety of areas – from personal use for home entertainment systems and gaming features to enterprise-level applications like hosting multiple versions of Windows 10 concurrently on one physical computing platform. When choosing virtualization software for your Windows 10 virtual machine, there are several
factors that you should consider to get the best value for your money: Software may be cheap or expensive depending on its features, functionality, and manufacturer. Things like free trial versions help you determine if the software you want to buy is worth your money. However, it is also crucial that you check online for discounts – whether through a vendor's website or advertising in other marketing avenues. Remember that the best virtual machine for Windows 10 is
more than just familiarizing yourself with the microprocessor types it requires. It is about getting a program that will help you realize your goals while considering all elements needed to make it happen. You need software that can deliver on your expectations so you can rest assured that your investment was worth every penny you spent. It is also essential to check what features the virtual machine software can offer. Virtual machines may have all the microprocessor
types you need but do not provide security or safety measures for data storage. Look into the extra tools and functions it can give you – such as making configurations available in two forms – one for professional use and one for home entertainment, or having a software application that can back up files while still running. Virtual machines work by emulating or simulating an existing computer system and some software. To do so, it requires a host
processor (CPU) and memory. Because of this, not all systems and hardware out in the market today can run virtualization software because they all have different microprocessor types and other hardware components from different manufacturers with varying operating specifications. Check if virtualization software has user-friendly interface options with a minimum learning curve required to use the program. Try out its controls and management settings, like how flexible
or easy to use its system commands are, ease of switching between Windows and macOS, and if there will be any problems once it starts running. Are there features that require only a few clicks of the mouse, or does everything need to be handled manually and using multiple windows? Virtualization has become a highly sought-after method of running
different types of software in a single system since it allows for more efficiency with available resources, reduced physical hardware footprint, and faster application deployment. And while virtual machine applications can accommodate all these requirements, you first need to make sure that the right software is being used for the job if you want to get the most out of this technology. Parallels offers a virtual machine that
allows you to run Windows on Mac without sacrificing performance or functionality and comes with an intuitive interface. Get started by downloading a free trial version of Parallels today. Creating and managing Hyper-V Windows 10 virtual machines (VMs) can be a useful way to solve problems for many people. Your VM can be a great testing ground for new software or projects, and you can use it to run multiple operating systems side-by-side. Not a reader? Watch this related video tutorial! . Not seeing the video? Make sure your ad blocker is disabled. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to create and manage Hyper-V virtual machines(VM) to get the most out of them with some of the best practices. Ready? Read on to manage VMs like a pro!
PrerequisitesSince you will be creating a virtual machine, you will need to have a few things in place to follow along:
Enabling Hyper-V on the Host MachineNow that you have all of the prerequisites out of the way. You can enable Hyper-V on your host machine. Learn multiple ways to enable the Hyper-V role on your host machine. Why use multiple methods? You might be required to use a specific method to enable Hyper-V in an enterprise environment. The methods shown below are the most commonly used ones. Using PowerShellPowerShell is a scripting language that enables you to automate and manage Windows-based environments.
To enable Hyper-V using PowerShell, follow these steps: 1. Open PowerShell as an administrator on your host machine as you’ll need elevated privileges to enable Hyper-V. 2. Next, run the following Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature command to install the Hyper-V role on your host machine where:
In the output below, you can see the RestartNeeded status says False, indicating that a restart is not required for the changes to take effect.
 3. Run the Get-WindowsOptionalFeature command below to verify that the Hyper-V role is installed. If you get an output like the one below, where State says Enabled tells you the Hyper-V role is enabled. Using Command Prompt and DISMApart from using PowerShell, you can also use the command prompt and the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool to enable Hyper-V. The DISM tool is a command-line utility that services and prepares Windows images. These Windows images include the Windows Recovery Environment, Windows Preinstallation Environment, and Windows Setup. To enable Hyper-V using CMD and DISM: 1. Open command prompt as an administrator on your host machine. 2. Next, run the command below to install the Hyper-V role on your host machine where:
3. Restart your host machine to apply the changes. 4. Finally, run the following wmic command on the command prompt to get the version of Hyper-V Manager installed on your machine. Below, you can see the latest version installed is 10.0.22000.708, but yours may be different. Using the Windows Features WizardIf you’re a fan of installing tools via GUI than in a command-line environment, you can also enable the Hyper-V role using the Windows Features Wizard. The Windows Features Wizard provides a GUI where you can enable or disable Windows features. To enable Hyper-V using the Windows Features Wizard: 1. Search for features, and click on Turn Windows features on or off from the result, as shown below, to open the Windows Features window. 2. On the Windows Features window, scroll down the list of features and check the box next to Hyper-V, and the sub-features get checked automatically. After checking the Hyper-V box, click the OK button to enable Hyper-V and all its sub-features. 3. Restart your machine to apply the changes. 4. Finally, search for and open Hyper-V Manager on your host machine through the Start menu. You’ll see the Hyper-V Manager window open if all goes well, as shown below. Creating Your First Hyper-V Windows 10 Virtual MachineNow that you have Hyper-V installed on your Windows 10 machine, you’re ready to create your first virtual machine. But what makes VMs important? A virtual machine isolates an OS and its applications from the underlying physical hardware. Like a Docker container, a virtual machine encapsulates an entire OS. But unlike containers, VMs provide each guest OS with its own virtual hardware, including a virtual CPU, memory, storage, and networking devices. Related: Creating Your First Docker Windows Server Container VMs provide many benefits, including:
To create a VM using Hyper-V Manager: 1. Select the connected server on the left pane (ADMIN) and click on New at the right panel under Actions —> Virtual Machine to initiate creating a new VM.
2. Next, provide the following information for your new VM’s name and location, and click Next.
This location stores all the VM files, including the configuration, virtual hard disk, and snapshots.
3. Keep the default generation option for your VM, Generation 1, and click Next.
4. Now, allocate a startup memory for your VM, and click Next. The amount of memory you assign will depend on the following:
You can assign from 32MB to 5902MB of memory, but the recommended memory to start with is at least 2000MB, then increase it as needed. After assigning a startup memory, tick the Use Dynamic Memory for this virtual machine option. This option allows the VM to automatically adjust its memory use as needed, based on the workload. Enabling this option reduces downtime and improves performance. 5. Select the Default Switch option since you’ll want your VM to have network access, and click Next. 6. Next, configure the virtual hard disk as follows, and click Next:
7. Configure the OS installation options with the following:
8. Finally, review the settings summary, and click Finish to create your VM. But if you need to change any settings, click on the Previous button instead. After creating your VM, you’ll see your VM listed in the Virtual Machines table in Hyper-V Manager, as shown below. Installing an Operating System on a Virtual MachineYou’ve now successfully created your VM using Hyper-V. But right now, your VM is empty and doesn’t even have an OS installed. Select your VM (server01), and click on Start (bottom-right panel) to run your VM. Once running, click on Connect to access your VM in a separate window.
Now, follow the on-screen instructions to install Windows on your VM as you would on a physical machine. Once the installation completes, you can begin using your VM! Install applications and run them inside your VM, but remember to back up your VM regularly to avoid data loss. Starting and Stopping VMsNow that your VM is completely running with an OS, it’s time to take a look at managing your VMs using Hyper-V Manager. Apart from creating VMs, Hyper-V Manager lets you configure and manage your virtual machines from a central location. You will need to perform a few basic tasks to keep your VMs running smoothly. These tasks include starting and stopping your VMs and taking snapshots. But for now, you’ll start and stop your VMS and see how Hyper-V behaves while performing these tasks. Select a VM from the list and click on either Start (Ctrl+S) or Shut down (Ctrl+P) on the right-side pane to start or stop the selected VM.
Saving a VM’s StateYou can save the state of a virtual machine at any time, similar to putting a physical machine into hibernation. This behavior is helpful if you need to close Hyper-V Manager or if you need to restart your computer. Select your VM from the list, and click on the Save button on the right-side pane to save your VM’s current state to disk, and you can resume from that state later. Creating a VM’s CheckpointA checkpoint is a snapshot of the current state of your VM, including your VM’s configuration, disk state, and memory state. Checkpoints are useful for taking snapshots of your VMs at different points in time. Suppose you’re testing a new software application. If so, you can create a VM checkpoint before installing the application. If the application doesn’t work as expected, you can revert to the checkpoint you created and start your VM from that point. Select the VM from the list, and click on Checkpoint (right-side pane) to create a checkpoint for your VM. Managing VMs via PowerShellHyper-V should be enough when managing your VMs, but you can also use PowerShell to manage your VMs. Why? This method is useful if you need to automate your VM creation or management. Your IaC and CI/CD pipelines will thank you for that! 1. Run the Get-Command below to see all available Hyper-V PowerShell cmdlets in a separate window (Out-GridView). Below, you can see a long list of PowerShell cmdlets you can use to manage your VMs. Scroll through the list, and pick one cmdlet you like to try running on PowerShell. 2. Run the cmdlet you picked from step one to PowerShell. For instance, the Get-VM cmdlet below fetches and prints information about your VM, as shown below. Note down the name of the VM you like to manage, in this case, server01. 3. Run the Checkpoint-VM command below to create a checkpoint for your VM (server01). 4. Finally, run the following Get-VMCheckpoint command below to get your VM’s (server01) checkpoint in list format (Format-List).
ConclusionIn this tutorial, you’ve learned how to create and manage your VMs with Hyper-V on Windows 10. You touched on some basic tasks you need to perform to keep your VMs running smoothly, such as starting and stopping your VMs. You’ve realized the importance of saving the state and creating checkpoints of your VMs as failsafe so you can revert to your VM’s good state. And at this point, you now have a sound knowledge of managing your VMs. This tutorial is just the beginning, though! You can do a lot more with Hyper-V. So, why not start creating virtual networks switch for your VM? Or configure your VM’s storage? How many virtual machines can I run on 8GB RAM?Generally speaking 8GB will be more than enough. How much RAM do I need to run 4 VMs? If you are running VM's with Windows 7, I would say at least 4 GB for each, plus enough memory for your actual machine. It will also depend on what those VM's are going to be used for.
How many virtual machines can a computer run at once?Assuming it has a good quad-core CPU that has a clock speed of 3.5GHz+ and 16Gb RAM, it could probably run three or four virtual machines at once while still remaining reasonably fast. If you are asking the max VM's that you could run until your computer locks up, mabye seven or eight max.
How much RAM do I need for multiple virtual machines?RAM Sizing for Specific Workloads and Operating Systems
A good starting point is to allocate 1GB for 32-bit Windows 7 or later desktops and 2GB for 64-bit Windows 7 or later desktops. If you want to use one of the hardware accelerated graphics features for 3D workloads, VMware recommends 2 virtual CPUs and 4GB of RAM.
How many virtual machines can I run on VirtualBox?You can install and run as many virtual machines as you like—the only practical limits are disk space and memory. Figure 3 shows Oracle VM VirtualBox installed on a Microsoft Windows 7 system running Windows XP and Ubuntu as guests.
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