VMware: Install Windows 8 - Here's how

In this practical tip, we will show you how you can virtually install Windows 8 on your PC using VMware.

Windows 8 in VMware - why virtualization?

In today's world, virtualization is becoming increasingly important in IT. Virtual work environments are easy to set up, maintain and can be repaired in a few simple steps in the event of an error. Many manufacturers already offer preconfigured virtual "images" for download so that you as a customer can test software products without installing them on your client.

Preparing for the virtual machine

In our practical tip, you will learn how to configure a virtual machine with VMware and install Windows 8 on it. You can also find details on the configuration in our picture gallery.

If you do not yet have VMware, you can purchase the current version of VMware Workstation here or download the current version of VMware Player (freeware) free of charge. For our example we use VMware Workstation.

Install Windows 8 virtually - how it works

After VMware is installed on your PC, you can start the setup.

Open VMware.
Open the setup wizard via the menu selection "File - New virtual Machine".
The setup wizard offers the "Typical" and "Custom" options for installation. Beginners should choose the "Typical" type, experienced users have more configuration options via "Custom".
In the next dialog you can select the source of the operating system to be installed. Your DVD drive, an "image file" or the later selection of the medium is available. You can download a 90-day trial version of Windows 8 for free. In our example, we select "Installer disc image file (iso)" and select the downloaded "Image file".
The wizard recognizes the selected image and offers you a few selection criteria. In "Typical" installation mode, you already have the option of specifying your Windows 8 product key as well as your user name and password. This is configured automatically during installation. The fields "Product Key" and "Password" are optional, only the user name has to be entered.
In the next step, you have the option of specifying the name of your virtual machine and the location. Then the size of the virtual hard disk is determined. 60 GB are standard for Windows 8, but you can still adjust the value. You can also choose whether the hard disk should be created as one or more files on your PC. For our example, select the option "Store virtual disk as a single file".
Now you can complete the wizard with a click on the "Finish" button, or make adjustments to the settings of the virtual machine using "Customize Hardware". After the configuration is complete, the installation of Windows 8 starts automatically.

In another practical tip, we will show you how to synchronize your Windows 8 settings on multiple devices.