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Windows 8 running in VirtualBox

The Windows 8 Developer Preview is out and, let's face it, you want to give IT a shot. Windows 8 marks a major departure from any other version of the Operating system and it behooves any flake to get by on the forepart lines of such an introduction. Even so, you might non have an extra computing device lying around to instal the young operating system on. Virtualization to the rescue.

Earlier getting started, we should hold out in heed that virtualization isn't on the nose the optimal resolution for examination. It'll get the task through, but in all likelihood you won't get a sympathize with the full speed or smoothness of Windows 8. Your virtualized machine belik South Korean won't give a touchscreen either, so you'll be absent out there American Samoa fortunate. That aforementioned, it's a free operation that isn't excessively demanding to set up, sol IT's worth the clock time if you are at every last odd about Win8.

For this tutorial we'll be exploitation VirtualBox, Oracle's free virtualization software. It's quite accessible given how complicated the work it's doing actually is, and it's easier to work with than VMWare Player. Plus, reports from around the web indicate that VirtualBox plays much nicely with Windows 8 than VMware Player 3.x. VMware Workstation 8 does seem to getting on with Windows 8 well plenty, only you'll have to shell out few cash for that — and VMware Player 4 does seem to be up to of running Win8 but you deman Workstation 8 to get that. So back to VirtualBox…

Follow these steps and you should take up your computer spouting Windows 8 very fast:

  1. Download Windows 8 and VirtualBox
  2. Move in your data processor's BIOS and make sure virtualization is enabled. (Note, if you can't find it look in the security department settings.)
  3. In VirtualBox make a new virtual machine, take Windows / Windows 7 as the typecast.
  4. During the first installation process choose to create a realistic platter. You'll need at least 20GB to get ahead the business through. Information technology'll take a few transactions to create the magnetic disc. If you have an SSD you'll want this file to live there to speed things up and better match the dev ironware's performance.
  5. With the virtual OS created, enter upon Settings. It's sentence to start tinkering. (See the image below for a succinct.)
  6. Within System > Motherboard enable IO APIC. As wel fix sure the memory is at a rational amount, say 1500MB or more. Change the chipset to ICH9.
  7. System > Processors enable PAE/NX.
  8. Scheme >  Acceleration enable VT-x/AMD-V and Nested Folio.
  9. Display > Video move the video recording memory to 128MB (the goop) and then enable both 3D and 2D acceleration.
  10. Under Repositing go to your virtual disk drive (.vdi) under the SATA accountant. Make sure to click server I/O cache. As wel make sure to mount your Windows 8 Developer Preview .ISO file. If you are victimization IDE take sure to incite over to the ICH6 IDE controller.
  11. Bleed the virtual machine and be the orthodox Windows installation instructions. At this period information technology's just like installing whatever other version of Windows.

windows 8 virtualbox settingsTwo quick notes: If you see a weird blinking misplay message saying something about "0xFFFFFFE6" before Windows 8 starts to install, check step 2. You likely need to enable virtualization. Secondly, remember that these aren't the lonesome settings that will piece of work; they are the ones that worked on my Intel Core 2 Quad/P45 desktop. Other settings could certainly work, depending along your billet. I coiffure know this to be a stable environment though.

That's all there is to that. At this point you should have a in full running Windows 8 dev prevue running within VirtualBox. Everything should work well (you'll find this if information technology doesn't), and be comparatively quickly, though that will depend upon your computer and the settings you chose for the virtual machine.

Now, if you've had your apetite whetted and want to conduct Microsoft's a la mode-and-superior OS for a material spin, read our guide how to work a Windows 8 tablet!