Windows

How to Install Hyper-V and Set Up Windows 11 on a Virtual Machine (With Nested Virtualization)

7 months ago

Overview

Hyper-V is a native virtualization feature in Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions, enabling you to create and manage virtual machines. This guide walks through enabling Hyper-V, setting up a Windows 11 virtual machine, and configuring nested virtualization.

Prerequisites

  • Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise, or Education
  • 64-bit CPU with SLAT (Second Level Address Translation)
  • 4 GB or more RAM
  • CPU virtualization support (Intel VT or AMD-V)

Step 1: Enabling Hyper-V on Windows 11

  1. Open Control Panel:
    • Go to Start > Control Panel > Programs > Turn Windows features on or off.
  2. Enable Hyper-V:
    • In the “Windows Features” dialog, check Hyper-V.
    • Ensure that both Hyper-V Management Tools and Hyper-V Platform are selected.
    • Click OK and restart your computer to complete the installation.
  3. Verify Installation:
    • After restarting, open Hyper-V Manager from the Start menu to confirm Hyper-V is installed.

Step 2: Configuring a Virtual Switch in Hyper-V

  1. Open Hyper-V Manager:
    • Launch Hyper-V Manager from the Start menu.
  2. Create a Virtual Switch:
    • In the Actions pane, click Virtual Switch Manager.
    • Select New virtual network switch and choose External to allow network access.
    • Click Create Virtual Switch.
    • Enter a name and select your network adapter from the dropdown.
    • Click Apply and OK.

Step 3: Creating a Windows 11 Virtual Machine

  1. Download Windows 11 ISO:
    • Download the Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft’s official site.
  2. Create a New Virtual Machine:
    • In Hyper-V Manager, select your PC’s name and go to Actions > New > Virtual Machine.
    • Follow the wizard:
      • Name and Location: Enter a name for the VM (e.g., “Windows 11 VM”).
      • Memory: Allocate at least 4 GB.
      • Networking: Choose the virtual switch you created.
      • Virtual Hard Disk: Set the size to at least 64 GB.
      • Installation Options: Choose to install from an ISO file and select the Windows 11 ISO.
  3. Enable Nested Virtualization (Optional):
    • If you plan to run virtual machines inside this VM, enable nested virtualization with the following
    • Replace "<VMName>" with the name of your virtual machine.
PowerShell
Set-VMProcessor -VMName "<VMName>" -ExposeVirtualizationExtensions $true
  1. Start the VM and Install Windows 11:
    • Click Finish to create the VM.
    • Right-click the VM, select Connect, and Start to boot from the ISO.
    • Follow the on-screen prompts to install Windows 11.

Step 4: Configuring and Using Your Windows 11 VM

  1. Integration Services:
    • Navigate to Action > Insert Integration Services Setup Disk within the VM to install Integration Services for improved performance and functionality.
  2. Start Using Nested Virtualization:
    • With nested virtualization enabled, you can install Hyper-V or another virtualization solution inside this VM and create additional virtual machines.
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