For this new release of Microsoft®
Windows®, Microsoft is making available a virtualization technology
known as Hyper-V. With Hyper-V on Windows 8 Pro, you will be able to
run Windows in a virtual machine just using the software that is
included in the box. Windows Virtual PC and XP Mode will not be
supported in Windows 8.
This section provides an overview of
Hyper-V in Windows 8 and provides information that you can use to answer
questions about Virtual PC and XP Mode no longer being supported.
Client Hyper-V® is the virtualization technology built into Windows® 8.
Client Hyper-V is the same virtualization technology previously
available only in Windows Server®. A similar functionality in Windows 7
is called Windows XP Mode.
Client Hyper-V enables you to run more than one 32-bit or 64-bit x86
operating system at the same time on the same host computer. But instead
of working directly with the computer’s hardware, the operating systems
run inside a virtual machine (VM).
Hyper-V enables developers and IT professionals to easily maintain
multiple test environments and provides a simple mechanism to quickly
switch between these environments.
Installing or Enabling Hyper-V
Hyper-V is installed in the add features section of the add or remove programs dialog. To get there we need to open a run box by pressing Win+R, now type appwiz.cpl and press enter. You could also get to the Programs and Features box through Control Panel or the Start search, but this is easy.
Once the Programs and Features dialog opens, select the Turn Windows features on or off link on the left hand side.
When the Windows Features open, check the Hyper-V option. Then click Ok.
Windows will now add the Hyper-V binaries to your Windows installation.
You can now launch the Hyper-V manager from your dashboard.
Enjoy!
