VirtualBox - Install Windows 8

How to Install Windows 8 and 8.1 in VirtualBox​

   Information

This will show you how to install either the 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) version of Windows 8 and 8.1 in the free program VirtualBox.

For FAQs and more information about VirtualBox, see: End-user_documentation - VirtualBox

   Note

In order to run VirtualBox on your machine, you need:

• Reasonably powerful x86 hardware. Any recent Intel or AMD processor should do.
• Memory. Depending on what guest operating systems you want to run, you will need at least 512 MB of RAM (but probably more, and the more the better). Basically, you will need whatever your host operating system needs to run comfortably, plus the amount that the guest operating system needs. So, if you want to run Windows XP on Windows XP, you probably won't enjoy the experience much with less than 1 GB of RAM. If you want to try out Windows Vista in a guest, it will refuse to install if it is given less than 512 MB RAM, so you'll need that for the guest alone, plus the memory your operating system normally needs.
• Hard disk space. While VirtualBox itself is very lean (a typical installation will only need about 30 MB of hard disk space), the virtual machines will require fairly huge files on disk to represent their own hard disk storage. So, to install Windows XP, for example, you will need a file that will easily grow to several GB in size.
• A supported host operating system (your computer). Presently, VirtualBox supports Windows (XP and later), many Linux distributions, Mac OS X, Solaris and OpenSolaris.
• A supported guest operating system (virtual machine). Besides the user manual (see below), up-to-date information is available at "Status: Guest OSes".

   Warning

64-bit guests Requirements:
VirtualBox supports 64-bit guest (virtual machine) operating systems, even on 32-bit host (your computer) operating systems, provided that the following conditions below are met. See page 166 in manual.

• You need a 64-bit processor (CPU) with hardware virtualization support.
• You must enable hardware virtualization in your motherboard's BIOS settings.
• If you want to use 64-bit guest support on a 32-bit host operating system, you must also select a 64-bit operating system for the particular VM. Since supporting 64 bits on 32-bit hosts incurs additional overhead, VirtualBox only enables this support upon explicit request.

On 64-bit hosts (which typically come with hardware virtualization support), 64-bit guest operating systems are always supported regardless of settings, so you can simply install a 64-bit operating system in the guest.

Here's How:

1. If you have not already, then you will need the 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 8 or 8.1 ISO file version you want, and save it to your desktop (ex: Windows 7 or Vista).

2. If you have not already, download and install the latest version of VirtualBox (Windows hosts), download and install the VM VirtualBox Extension Pack (All platforms), then run VirtualBox. (see screenshot below)

​

​

3. In the left side of the toolbar, click/tap on the New button. (see screenshot below)

​

​

4. Click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)

​

​

5. Type in a name (ex: Windows 8) for the virtual machine, select Windows 8/8.1 if have a 32-bit ISO (step 1) or Windows 8/8.1 (64-bit) if you have a 64-bit ISO, then click/tap on Next. (see screenshots below)

​

​

6. Select or type in how much of your computer's RAM (1024MB = 1GB) you would like for the virtual machine to use when it's running, then click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: I would recommend to use at minimum 1GB. Ideally, 3GB for 32-bit and 4GB for 64-bit would be the sweet spot if you have plenty of RAM (ex: 8GB+) installed on your computer and can spare it to be used by the virtual machine.

​

​

7. Click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)

​

​

8. Select (dot) VHD, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)

​

​

9. Select (dot) Dynamically allocated, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: You could use either fixed or dynamic, but I would recommend using dynamic to help save HDD space.

​

​

10. Select how large you would like the VHD file to be, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: The default size is 20 GB, and is fine if you are not going to be installing a lot on the virtual machine. For 64-bit, you might use 25 GB instead since 64-bit uses a bit more space.

​

​

11. Click/tap on Create. (see screenshot below)

​

​

12. Click/tap on Create. (see screenshot below)

​

​

13. In the left pane, double click/tap on the new virtual machine (ex: Windows 8). (see screenshot below)

​

​

14. Click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)

​

​

15. Click/tap on the browse folder icon, select the downloaded ISO from step 1, click/tap on Open, and click/tap on Next. (see screenshots below)

​

​

16. Click/tap on Start. (see screenshot below)

​

​

17. Now, you will just need to finish installing Windows 8. (see screenshot below)

​

​

18. When you are finished installing Windows 8, click/tap on Devices on the VirtualBox menu bar, and Install Guest Additions. (see screenshot below)

​

​

19. When the new CD drive notification pops-up at the top right corner, click/tap on it to open AutoPlay. (see screenshot below)

​

​

20. Click/tap on the Run VBoxWindowsAdditions.exe option. (see screenshot below)

​

​

21. If prompted by UAC, then click/tap on Yes. (see screenshot below)

​

​

22. Run the VBoxWindowsAdditions-amd64.exe (64-bit) or VBoxWindowsAdditions-x86.exe (32-bit) file that you selected in step 21 that is the same as the 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 8 ISO you are using, then click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)

​

​

23. Click/tap on Next. (see screenshot below)

​

​

24. Click/tap on Install. (see screenshot below)

​

​

25. When prompted twice, click/tap on Install each time. (see screenshot below)

​

​

26. When finished, select (dot) Reboot now, and click/tap on Finish. (see screenshot below)

​

​

That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Install Windows 8 and 8.1 on VMware Player
• How to Upgrade from Windows 8, Windows 7, Vista, or XP to Windows 8 or 8.1
• How to Download and Run "Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant" and "Windows 8.1 Upgrade Assistant"
• How to Create or Download a Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 ISO
• How to Do a Clean Install of Windows 8 or Windows 8.1
• How to Do a Clean Install with Windows 8 Upgrade
• How to Reset Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Do a Dual Boot Installation with Windows 8 and Windows 7 or Vista
• How to Create a Windows 8 VHD at Boot to Dual Boot with Windows 7 or Vista
• How to Boot from a VHD using Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Speed Up Performance of a Virtual Machine

 

[Brink]

In preparation for the Beta I made a trial installation of vBox 4.1.8. on my laptop. Both the Win8 DE and the extensions. What I am unable to install are the Guest Additions. It always hangs up on the PnP driver and aborts.

Because of that I also cannot set my screen to more than 800x600. Any bigger resolution works but then the screen shows only partly and the whole bottom of the screen disappears.

Anybody have an idea what I can try with that.

Hello Wolfgang,

Did you install with the 32-bit or 64-bit Windows 8 ISO? I'll be happy to test the vBox 4.1.8 on my system for this.

 

[whs]

My Win7 is 64bit but the Win8 .iso is 32bit. Do you think it would work better with the 64bit Win8 - if yes, it would be no problem to install that instead.

I usually have no problem with vBox. But up to now I only used the Win7 Beta and a bunch of Linux distros. This problem, however, baffles me a bit. Thanks for your help but I do not want you to have to make a whole test installation for me. You have more important things to do - like watching dumbug tutorial; posters - LOL.

 

[Brink]

No problem. If a issue is reported, I like to investigate it as much as possible.

Looks like there is an issue with not being able to install the "Guest Additions" in VirtualBox 4.1.8. Do to the error in the screenshot below, it will not finish and aborts. I got this error ony with the 32-bit Windows 8.

​

The "Guest Additions" for the 64-bit Windows 8 installed without issue. I have this running in 64-bit Windows 7 Ultimate, so it looks like in VirtualBox 4.1.8 you'll have to use a 64-bit Windows 8 (VM guest) with a 64-bit Windows 7 (host computer).



You might need to drag the borders of the VM to fit the screen resolution you set in the VM.

 

[whs]

Yeah, that was the exact same error sequence I got. I will use the 64bit. Thank you Shawn. You are a real friend.

 

[Brink]

You're most welcome Wolfgang. Hopefully the next release of VirtualBox will sort this minor issue.

 

[whs]

Now I got a bit further with the 64bit version. I was able to install the guest additions. But I am still on the 800x600 screen. When I set it bigger (which is possible), a big part of the screen disappears on the bottom.

The screen is described as a 'Generic non-PnP monitor'. I was trying to update the driver. But I got the usual message saying that the driver is up-to-date. Pulling on the sides did not help either. All I get is white spaces on the sides.

 

[Brink]

You might see how clicking on View (menu bar), and see how using Switch to Scale Mode (Right CTRL + C) may work for you.

Personally, I like VMware Player better.

 

[kado897]

There is currently a problem with the latest release of VMPlayer in that it cannot install any guest additions Linux or Windows.

 

[Brink]

Thank you Keith.

Hopefully they'll get it sorted soon.

 

[kado897]

You may want to monitor this SF thread. http://www.sevenforums.com/virtualization/213427-vmware-could-not-find-component-update-server.html

 

[Brink]

Will do.

 

[whs]

You might see how clicking on View (menu bar), and see how using Switch to Scale Mode (Right CTRL + C) may work for you.

Personally, I like VMware Player better.

Thanks Shawn. I will try that when I am back on my Laptop.

 

[Brink]

Tutorial updated for Windows 8 Consumer Preview.

I had no issues installing VirtualBox 4.1.8 guest additions with the 64-bit Windows 8 Consumer Preview on a 64-bit Windows 7.

However, it did error out when trying to install VirtualBox 4.1.8 guest additions with the 32-bit Windows 8 Consumer Preview on a 64-bit Windows 7.

 

[kado897]

Tutorial updated for Windows 8 Consumer Preview.

Had no issues installing guest additions with the 64-bit Windows 8 Consumer Preview on a 64-bit Windows 7.

However, it errored out when trying to install guest additions with the 32-bit Windows 8 Consumer Preview on a 64-bit Windows 7.

Yes. This is what I got.



Had no problems with VMPlayer though. Guest additions installed OK.

 

[Brink]

Hello Donald,

I'm wondering if it would be reversed if done on a 32-bit Windows 7. LOL

 

[kado897]

What I find interesting is that VMplayer doesn't even own up to windows 8. You have to install it as Windows 7 yet it seems to work better than VBox. Ho Hum!

 

[Brink]

LOL, go figure.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2899-vmware-player-install-windows-8-consumer-preview.html

 

[antares]

I have VirtualBox installed in a Windows XP 32bit OS machine with a 32bit CPU (old Pentium 4). Can I install Windows 8 (32bit) in the Virtual Box? Thanks

 

[Brink]

Hello Antares, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Yes, you should be able to.

 

[kado897]

Don't forget Shawn that there is a problem with guest additions with W8CP 32-bt in Virtualbox so it won't run very well.