If you would like to give your hands quick and dirty, and wish any kind of new OS will not become your primary OS, it’s always a good idea to give it a try on a Virtual Machine first if possible. Unfortunately, for this Developer Preview, which is just released today, the only solution that works is the Virtual Box. VMware Workstation maybe work as well but we haven’t tried, as it’s not a free solution. The reason might be because this Windows 8 version requires IO APIC enabled to run on VMs, and that only VirtualBox got this feature in the program. However, make sure you download the latest version of VirtualBox 4.1.2.
***UPDATE*** be sure to checkout the updated list of what’s working and what’s not working on Installing Windows 8 as Virtual Machine.
Let’s begin Install Windows 8 Developer Preview inside VirtualBox on Windows 7
Assuming you’ve already downloaded the Windows 8 Developer Preview ISO and installed VirtualBox on your machine.
First fire up VirtualBox, Click “New”
Now follow the Wizard, and Click “Next”
Here you want to make sure select “Other Windows” as the Version
Give it a 2GB of RAM (more if you wish)
Select “Create new hard disk” and make sure “Start-up Disk” is checked
And it’s always a good idea to select the native “VDI” format for VirtualBox
It’s also a good idea to make the disk “Dynamically allocated”
Give it enough hard drive space for your own needs, you can always change this number later
Create the new Virtual Disk. And Go ahead power on the new VM. You will see the below Wizard after first power on.
Click “next”
It’s here make sure you select the Media Source to be the ISO image that you’ve just downloaded.
Now let the Windows 8 fly in the Virtual world.
Very soon you will see this License term agreement. Accept whatever Microsoft wants you to accept, at this point why even bother
Here the first Windows Metro UI will let you set the machine name, give it a good name for this new Windows 8 baby
And yeah, “Use express settings” at this point really, I don’t even know what to Customize
Now this is new to Windows 8, every machine, every user will need to use Windows Live ID to log-in into the machine. This way your new Windows 8 is now tight together with the cloud, and will be the foundation for many of the future apps to work.
Enter your live ID and password.
And here you are ! It knows your name !
And this is what you will see after the first login.
Enjoy discovering your new Windows 8.
Bonus: quick tip for starters, press the “Windows” key to launch and toggle the Metro UI.
[Update on Spet. 16, 2011]
Check this post for how to add additional screen resolution that is not listed in the virtual machine.
I keep getting (your computer needs to restart) after the Developers Preview screen. Any ideas?
For a working LAN, in advanced configuration lan, put card typa : Ontel PRO /1000 MT Desktop.
For the sound use windows direct sound and Intel Audio HD
these settings for network adapter does not seem to work for me. Do you have any other suggestions for me? thank you very much
your real device is Intel PRO /1000 MT Desktop? or it is the device emulated for the virtual box?
i tried to put this device, but it won’t worked..
my real device is Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller but it won’t work too
have ant idea to it works?
Thanks
there’s also way to boot from VHD file Win8 parallel to Win7, Scott Hanselman has article on that. Also it should work on Hyper-V at Windows Server
Please help! The solution is not working, the virtual machines boots and displays an error that my computer does not have a 64-bit processor (that is not true, i’m running windows 7 64-bit).
I found this article but they give no solution:
http://www.mywindowsclub.com/resources/5074-Windows-installation-error-This-bit.aspx
Your cpu and motherboard must support virtualization and you need to activate VT-x/AMD-V virtualization or something like that in your bios.
Same error here…
Thanks for this !
The only problem I’m having is the drivers… For me Virtual Box doesn’t set up my Sound, Screen and Network in Windows Dev Preview (it’s the Windows basic drivers in Device Manager). How to make that work as you have ?
Thanks for the guide! I don’t suppose you’ve figured out a way to install VirtualBox guest additions? I keep getting told that it doesn’t support this version of Windows.
you’re right Install Guest Additions not working, no native screen resolutions at this moment
You need to run the guest addtions in compatibility mode with win7 selected. Then it will work!
doesn’t work on lenovo t500. error right after boot, both 64 and 32. bios enabled.
After the ‘Personalization’ step, I am getting a black screen – no display 🙁
Tried changing the display settings with no luck…
The same problem on 32 bits image
I had to explicitly enable the IO APIC setting before it would boot. Settings -> System, Extended Features – Enable IO APIC checkbox. I believe it’s the lack of this very feature that made Virtual PC 2007 not work and which drove me to VirtualBox.
I got the developer preview to install with enabling PAE/NX in Processor settings. I wrote a short set of instructions here:
http://www.shawnmclean.com/blog/2011/09/getting-windows-8-developer-preview-to-work-in-virtualbox/
I kept getting an error on install until I changed the chipset to ICH9. Now it is working.
GUYS, TO FIX THE “This 64-bit application couldn’t load because your PC doesn’t have a 64-but processor.” ERROR… GO INTO YOUR BIOS AND LOOK FOR SOMETHING IN YOUR CPU SETTINGS CALLED EITHER “VIRTUALIZTION” OR “HARDWARE VIRTUALIZATION” AND ENABLE IT. THEN INSTALL WIN8 ON VIRTUALBOX NOT VMWARE…
Sorry for caps, I had this problem too and took a sec to fix it. but that was the fix and i just want people to see it! lol.
-SOLUTION TO NOT BOOTING-
In VMware, open the settings for the virtual machine, go to system tab, motherboard, and change “CHIPSET” to ICH9, also enable IO APIC.
Your welcome 😀 Worked like a charm
i have wmware workstation 7.1 and i do not see “system, motherboard” anywhere. where are you finding this?
Anybody knows how to set up a 16:9 or a 16:10 resolution? I´m running Windows 8 x86 and everything works fine but the resulution. I can only set it up on sqare sesolutions.
i was getting same error then i changed CPU to 2 processors and it worked for me. try to delete it and create new then change to 2 processors.
now i have different problem, i can’t click on tiles to open that app only some tiles work for some reason
I am having this issue too. I installed Windows 8 on a Lenovo Ideapad and while it mostly functions, I can’t click or tap to open applications.
You may want to try the VHD native boot on your ideapad to experience the native windows 8. It works better and doesn’t compromise your current Windows 7 installation at all.
http://www.windows7hacker.com/index.php/2011/09/native-vhd-boot-to-windows-8-developer-preview-with-windows-7/
Cheers.
Hi I am installing Windows 8 developer 64 bith on i5 Windows 7 64 bit 4 GB RAm, everthing goes through when I hit Install Windows 8 after first screen I get drivers error and i get option to browse to select drivers but it does not search anything and I cannot install Windows 8
I am having exactly the same problem. I click install now and it brings up the installer windows and then an error message.
Load Driver
A required CD/DVD drive device driver is missing. If you have a driver floppy disk, CD, DVD, or USB flash drive, please insert it now.
Note: If the windows installation media is in th CD/DVD drive, you can safely remove it for this step.
PLEASE HELP!
Same for me. Any suggestions? Any one?
I’m getting the following error message:
VT-x/AMD-V hardware acceleration has been enabled, but is not operational. Your 64-bit guest will fail to detect a 64-bit CPU and will not be able to boot.
Please ensure that you have enabled VT-x/AMD-V properly in the BIOS of your host computer.
What does this mean? How do I fix this? I have a 64-bit system with a i5-2410M processor, which supports VT-x.
You nedd to choose
OS Type: Operating System- Microsoft Windows and MOST important VERSION – Windows 7 64 bit. Then at least 1.8 GB memory and 50 GB HD.
Check my blog gonna post some videos(three) parts running the entire instalation.
Always get blank screen after boot and can’t see anything. I’m using win8 32 bit on virtualbox 64bit.
Using VHD Native Boot.
Just installed windows 8 32bit,can’t install intel graphics
This is the awesome guideline for installing Window 8. Thank You..
I managed to get my 32 bit iso working after this:
http://www.shawnmclean.com/blog/2011/09/getting-windows-8-developer-preview-to-work-in-virtualbox/#comment-519
It was posted above, however I just want to re-enforce it.
You say 8 *MIGHT* work on VmWare’s pay-version.
Then you say it can’t due to IO APIC.
Then you say *NOTHING* about it working (or not working) on VmWare’s free version.
Great “info”.
i have a problem and this is error… [[ VT/AMD-V hhardware acceleration is not on your system. certain guests(e.g. OS/2 and QNX)require this feature and will fail to boot without it.]]]
….please someone help me how i can solve this problem
It doesn’t recognize a harddrive to install windows on
Hi,
Thanks for the
information!!
I am getting
following error when I am starting the newly setup VirtualBox::
“VT-x/AMD-V
hardware acceleration is not available on your system. Certain guests (e.g.
OS/2 and QNX) require this feature and will fail to boot without it.
”
> System -> Acceleration tab is disabled in my
machine.
OS on my machine is
Windows – 7 Ultimate (32 Bit)
Thanks!!