This video tutorial shows you the steps to install and configure Windows 8/8.1 on a new virtual machine using the VMware Workstation 16 Pro virtualization program on the Windows 10 operating system.
Microsoft Windows 8 or 8.1 was a widely used operating system before the release of Windows 10, but this operating system began to lose popularity as new computer hardware became available.
Microsoft will stop support for Windows 8.x versions in January 2023. In this case, users with this version must upgrade their system to a higher version.
VMware Workstation 16 Pro was released on November 19, 2020, and supports Windows 8.1 Update 3. Watch this video or follow the steps below to install the Win8 operating system on the virtual machine.
Step 1: To run a virtual computer on your Windows 10 computer, first install VMware 16 Pro.
Step 2: After installing VMware Pro, download the Windows 8.1 64-bit Professional ISO file used in this video tutorial from the link below.
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Step 3: Run the VMware virtualization program after downloading the Microsoft Win8 ISO file to your computer.
Step 4: First, create a new virtual machine on Workstation Pro. Click Create a New Virtual Machine on the program’s main screen.
Step 5: Click Next with the Custom (Advanced) option selected in the New Virtual Machine Wizard window.
Step 6: In the VMware Hardware Compatibility window, select the version (16.x) you installed on your computer and click the Next button.
Step 7: In the Guest OS window, select the I will install the operating system later option and click Next.
Step 8: Select the “Windows 8.x x64” version in the Guest Operating System window and click Next.
Step 9: In the Name and Platform window, type a name for your virtual PC and configure the installation to an external HDD or default location.
Step 10: In the Firmware Type window, select BIOS or UEFI and continue.
Step 11: Configure 1 processor and four core quantities for the virtual machine in the Processor window. If your host’s hardware performance is high, you can increase the values here.
Step 12: In the Memory window, set a minimum of 4 GB or 8 GB of RAM so Windows 8 can run more stable.
Step 13: Select the Use Bridged Networking or NAT option in the Network Type window and click Next.
Step 14: In the I/O Controller Types window, select the default option LSI Logic and click Next.
Step 15: In the Select a Disk Type window, select SATA or NVMe and click Next. NOTE: Windows 8/8.1 runs smoothly on the NVMe disk.
Step 16: Create a new disk for a clean installation in the Select a Disk window. Select the “Create a new virtual disk” option and click Next.
Step 17: In the Specify Disk Capacity window, configure the virtual disk size and check the Store virtual disk option to back up as a single file type instead of multiple files on your host and continue.
Step 18: After creating a new virtual machine for Win8, add the ISO file you downloaded to your computer and virtual device.
Step 19: Run the VM by clicking the Power on this virtual machine button, and when you encounter the Windows 8 installation screen, install it on the VM as if you were installing it on a physical computer.
Step 20: After installing Windows 8, click on VM / Install VMware Tools from the menu. When the installation wizard opens, click Next and then complete the installation by selecting the installation type as Complete and restart your VM.
Step 21: After installing VMware Tools, you can transfer files between your host and your virtual machine, use the host’s hardware, or create a Shared Folder.