The best way for us to test everything that the new Windows 11 offers us is to create a virtual machine where we can use it, since, as you well know, there is still no final version, so the errors will be more than evident. If we want to enjoy Windows 11 Insider Preview, there is no doubt that we are facing the best solution.
There is a Microsoft program to test all the new functions and changes that your next operating system is experiencing, which is called Windows 11 Insider Preview.
Here you can enjoy the first steps of this new version of Windows, but the problem is that, of course, it has errors and it is not very convenient to have it as the main system on our computer.
Therefore, the most advisable thing is that we have our Windows 10 working in a normal way, as we normally do, but having Windows 11 in a virtual machine that allows us to test everything that they are incorporating from Redmond.
Install Hyper-V on Windows 10
The first thing we must do is have the Hyper-V virtualization platform on our Windows 10 operating system.
You must be the owner of the Pro version or higher of Windows, since this function does not work on Home.
Requirements for using Hyper-V
We must be clear about which computers can use Hyper-V, knowing that the minimum desirable characteristics are, a 64 bit processor that can support the extension of the mode monitor VM (VT-c on Intel) and a 4 GB minimum RAM memory.
In addition, we must meet two other requirements such as having the Virtualization technology Y Hardware Forced Data Execution Prevention enabled in our system.
To check it we carry out the following steps:
- We write the following in the part where you can do such an action on the taskbar: Command Prompt.
- When the window where the icon from Command Prompt, we must press it.
- Once open, we write systeminfo.exe and press the key Enter.
- The moment the check is finished we will see how at the end of the whole it verifies us with a yes or a no the two parameters that we have mentioned before. If everything is positive, you can move forward without problems.
Install Hyper-V
Once we meet all the requirements, it is time to enable Hyper-V on our Windows 10 operating system.
You can activate the hypervisor by following these steps:
- We open the Windows Control Panel by pressing the keys Windows + R and writing in the window that comes out Control Panel.
- Then we enter Programs and characteristics.
- Then click on Enable or disable Windows features.
- Now we must see if we have activated, inside the Hyper-V folder, the options Administration tools Y Platform. Remember that these options will not appear if you have Windows 10 Home.
- At this moment we must click on To accept Y Restart your computer.
Windows 10 virtual machine
To create a virtual machine from Windows 11 Insider Preview we must perform a few simple steps like these:
- Open the Start Menu and find where to put Hyper-V Manager to open the application.
- Now we go to the menu Action, we select New and then we click Virtual machine.
- Then click on Next.
- At this time we must put the name of the virtual machine.
- Let’s click again on Next.
- Then you have to choose Generation 2 and click again on Next.
- In the Startup memory configuration we must put at least 4096 MB, in addition to marking the option Use dynamic memory for this virtual machine and, how could it be otherwise, we click on Next.
- Now we will see the drop-down menu Connection where we must select the option of Switch Predetermined and then again to Next.
- Let’s click on Create a virtual hard drive. Here we must leave everything the same, except that we have to specify the storage size that we are going to use for the virtual machine. I put a value greater than 64 GB.
- We mark Install an operating system from a bootable CD / DVD-ROM, to then press on Examine, select the Windows 10 ISO file and click Next.
- Now click on Finalize.
- As you will see, we have returned to the main menu, where we must click with the right button mouse on the virtual machine we just created to select Setting.
- Click on Security (panel that comes out on the left) and then in the Safe boot section we mark Enable Secure Boot.
- In option Encryption support you have to mark Enable Trusted Platform Module (This is used to make the TPM operational).
- Then we mark Encrypt virtual machine migration traffic and health, to then press on Apply.
- We are going now Processor (left panel) and we put two or more cores to dedicate to the device. We must do this according to our own processor.
- It only remains to click on Apply and then in To accept.
Then it is the moment in which the virtual machine will be installed, to later have Windows 11.
Install Windows 11 on the virtual machine
The moment Microsoft releases an ISO of Windows 11, the installation step of Windows 10 in the virtual machine will no longer be necessary, since we can directly install the file with the new operating system. Meanwhile, the way to have it is to have the Windows 10 virtual machine previously.
To get Windows 11 in our virtual machine we must perform the following steps.
- We open the Hyper-V Manager that we will find in the start menu.
- We right-click on the newly created machine and select Connect.
- Now we click on the button Start.
- Now click on Next and later, when we see the Windows 10 installation system, click on Install Now.
- When it asks us for the key we must write it, and then select the version of Windows 10 that activates the key that we have put in it.
- After pressing Next, we accept the license agreements and click again on Next.
- We select the option Custom: Install Windows only (advanced) and click Next.
- Now we have to select an empty drive (Drive 0) and click again on Next.
- We must follow the instructions on the screen to complete the installation of Windows 10.
- Once the operating system is installed we open Setting and then Update and security.
- Then we click on Windows Insider and then we will see how on the right side we can click on Begin.
- Now click on Link an account and select ours, and then click on Continue.
- In the section Choose your Insider settings, we have to choose Dev Channel, and then click on Confirm, button that we press again to accept the terms.
- Now it’s time to click on Restart now.
- Once restarted we return to Setting and we are going to Update and security.
- In Windows update click on Search for updates.
- As soon as all the Windows 10 updates are installed, the Windows 11 update will skip, which will install like any other pre-release version of Windows.
In this way we will have Windows 11 on our computer and we will be able to test it without our Windows 10, let’s say original, being affected.
We will be able to experience all the changes that Microsoft is incorporating and everything from our virtual machine.