Guide | How To How to install Windows 10 in a VMware Workstation

[Jack]

Microsoft only unveiled Windows 10 to the world yesterday, but you can already download a preview version of the new operating system today. The Windows 10 Technical Preview is designed for enthusiasts, developers, and enterprise customers to evaluate the latest changes to Windows.
If you want to test this new operating system, and you don't know how, then this guide is for you.

1. First off, you will need to download Windows 10 (Technical Preview) ISO from the below link.
   • Download Windows 10 English 64-bit (x64)
   • Download Windows 10 English 32-bit (x86)
2. Now that you have the Windows 10 ISO, we will need a virtual machine in which you will install Windows 10. If you do have a virtual machine installed, you can skip this step, if not please download and install a virtual machine from the below links.
   • Vmware Workstation (Free 30 Days Trial)
   • Oracle VM Virtualbox (Free)
3. Open Vmware Workstation, click on "File", then select "New Virtual Machine".
   
   
   
   
4. In the "New Virtual Machine Wizard" select "Typical" configuration, then click on the "Next" button.'
   
   
   
   
5. In the next window, select to install your operating system from "Installer disc image file (iso)", then click on the "Browse" button, and navigate where you have downloaded the Windows 10 ISO. Once you have found the Windows 10 ISO, click on it, then click on the "Next" button.
   
   
   
   
6. Because Windows 10 was just released Vmware workstation does not automatically detect this operating system, so we will need to select "Microsoft Windows" as operating system, and "Windows 8 x64" (if you are installing the 64-bit version) or Windows 8 (if you are installing the 32-bit version) as version.
   
   
   
   
7. In the next window, you can add a name for your virtual machine, then click on "Next" button
   
   
   
   
8. In the next windows, we will need to specify the disk capacity. Depending on your hard drive you can select any amount as you see fit. We have added 20GB for our Virtual machine
   
   
   
   
9. In next windows, you can customize the hardware dedicated to the Windows 10, again this specs are up-to-you as it depends on how powerful your PC is, however the default settings are just fine . When you have finished with settings up the specs you can click on "Finish" button.
   This are the minimum requirements for Windows 10:
   • Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster
   • RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit)
   • Free hard disk space: 16 GB
   • Graphics card: Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver
   
   
   
   
10. After you have clicked on "Finished" button, you Windows 10 VM should start, if not you can click on the "Power on this virtual machine" button.
    
    
    
    
11. You Windows 10 VM will start, and you will need to go through the Windows 10 wizard to finish installing this operating system.
    
    
    

That's it! You should now have a Windows 10 working Virtual Machine. Happy Testing.

 

[HankTheCowDog]

Thanks, been putting this off for a while, but your tutorial got me motivated and I'm installing it now!

 

[HankTheCowDog]

Yup, that was painless. After downloading/installing the first round of updates - the coveted Start menu returned, with the apps bar attached. Nice. Installed using VMWare Workstation 9

 

[suma]

How to sync my DVD drive with Virtual Drive and copy a file/folder to test from Real OS to Virtual OS. plz guide..

 

[wiking76®]

i've this error

my SO is windows 8.1 64bit and that option is enabled

 

[jamescv7]

@wiking76® : Usually try to tick and untick that option on the BIOS itself where there's a configuration called 'Hardware Virtualization' to enable. That should be fix immediately. Follow the errors provided.

 

[xlkiller12]

is this a virtual system that i can test malware on?

 

[jamescv7]

@xlkiller12 : Any OS when you install on that virtual machine hence you can safely test those malware, don't mess any network configuration as per default is NAT (Network Address Translation) which isolates the network address to avoid any network infection related.

 

[Tabeer]

@Jack: Awesome, I was thinking to install windows 10 on Virtual Machine because before installing any software on my laptop, first I try to install it on virtual machine to check for the potential viruses or third party download junk. I can use VirusTotal.com as well but we don't know what changes it will make in os after we install them, so testing them on VM will be a good idea.

 

[Dan Malwarian]

And no license key is required to activate win 10 on virtual machine?

 

[SecretKeeper]

And no license key is required to activate win 10 on virtual machine?

A license key is probably required if you're installing a "public" version of Windows 10 on a VM. You won't need to input one if Windows 10 was already on a device before, however.

 

[Dan Malwarian]

A license key is probably required if you're installing a "public" version of Windows 10 on a VM.

By public you mean?

You won't need to input one if Windows 10 was already on a device before, however.

The VM by default assumes the identity of the license details as its own?

 

[SecretKeeper]

By public you mean?

As in the stable version (Build 10586).

 

[DJ Panda]

Other ways to get a Windows ISO can be found here Windows ISO Download Tool
You need a license key to activate. The media creation tool was having issues so I had to do it this way.

I am currently setting a VM up if I ever decide to go into MalwareHub testing.

 

[Dan Malwarian]

You need a license key to activate.

Do I need to pay for that license key? If so where do I buy license keys for windows OS for virtualization purposes?

 

[DJ Panda]

Do I need to pay for that license key? If so where do I buy license keys for windows OS for virtualization purposes?

I am not an expert of such things but I used one of my previously owned keys from a computer that no longer works and that one worked. Pretty sure there was a thread with a few involving activating Win 10..?

 

[woodrowbone]

And what will happen after the free upgrade is over, will the old Win 7, 8 key be non valid?

/W

 

[Kuttz]

I have used VM but decided I wanted to see what would happen with the actual physical hardware. Win 10 is installed on the same physical drive as Win 8.1. I wanted the boot manager to be active for a dual boot.

Just restart your PC after VMware installation and then try again will work.

 

[StopMalware!]

Thanks this helped a lot!

 

[c4ndym4n]

Thanx for the guide!!