Creating A Virtual Machine

Virtual Machine

A virtual machine is a software computer that runs like a physical computer. It runs an operating system and applications. Virtual Machine consists of a set of specifications and configurations that are the same as that of the host. The devices with the physical machine will be functional in virtual machines as virtual devices.

Creating a VM in Hyper-V

Follow the steps below to create a virtual machine in Hyper -V.

Open Hyper-V.

Method 1

Go to Start menu and start writing in Hyper-V Manager. 

Tip: Pin it to the Taskbar.

Go to Action > New > Virtual Machine.

Clicking on the Virtual Machine will open a wizard. Click "Next" for the first screen.

Name the Virtual Machine, for instance, "Server1".

You can store the Virtual Machine in a different location, your custom one. This is the best solution if your default drive C:\ is running out of space.

Secondly, if you want to store your VM on a different location so that if your OS corrupts at a certain point or needs to be reinstalled, you don't lose your VM and they remain there as they are:

"Choice of Generation" is a critical decision. Critical decisions are the ones that once taken can't be changed after the creation of your VM.

Generation1

A generation that supports both 32-Bit and 64-Bit Operating Systems.

Genration2

A generation that supports only 64-Bit Operating Systems.

For instance

Select Generation 1 and click "NEXT".

Now, we need to set the startup memory. The Startup Memory is the amount of free memory required to change the state of your VM. To understand best let's say we have to turn On the VM from being turned Off and the amount of memory that should be free for it is 1024 MB == 1 GB within the base system, according to the screenshot above. The same goes for every state change.

Use of Dynamic Memory is a fantastic concept of memory management. What enabling the dynamic memory will do is that the VM will be using the only required memory. The rest that's specified for it will be returned to the system based OS, until and unless it's required by the VM for any processes.

Suppose VM is using 512 MB memory out of 1024 MB memory. While dynamic memory is enabled, the rest of the memory is returned to the system until it is required by the VM again.

Now, we will be connecting a network adapter in VM.

Note: If you don't know about adapters, I have a blog on that as well.

For now, select a switch and click "Next".

Now, we are creating a virtual Hard-Disk and connecting to the Virtual Machine. Click "NEXT" with the settings as shown in the below screenshot.

Creating a virtual Hard Disk means a separate virtual drive will be there allocated to this VM.

If you have a VHD already, you can attach one to embed in VM. HyperV gives you this flexibility.

Hyper-V allows you to attach a virtual hard disk later on; not at the time of creation.

You can specify operating systems in multiple ways.

1. You can install the OS from DVD/CD or Specify Image ISO via browsing to the setup within the system.
2. You can install OS from the Floppy Disk (this is one of flexibility given by HYPER-V)
3. You can install OS via network installation. This option is helpful, when installation is to be done in network at multiple systems.
   
   
   

After selecting the options as in the above screenshot, click NEXT.

This is the summary page. It enlists all the selections we made in the process of creating a VM in Hyper-V.  This is only meant for you to review all the options and change any option at this stage.

After reviewing click NEXT.

Congratulations -- you have learned how to create a VM in Hyper-V.