How to Install Windows 10 on VMware ESXi 8.0

In this article, we will examine how to set up and use the Microsoft Windows 10 operating system in a new virtual machine using the VMware vSphere Hypervisor ESXi 8.0 virtualization infrastructure on a physical server.

How to Install Windows 10 on ESXi

How to Run Windows 10 in a Virtual Machine on VMware vSphere Hypervisor ESXi 8.0

By using vSphere ESXi, a great virtualization technology developed by VMware, you can use a powerful physical server with multiple virtual systems instead of using a single operating system. The benefit of this is to obtain maximum efficiency from a physical server and to minimize the company’s IT costs.

A company may have more than one server or computer in IT coordination. It can make a physical server more efficient with ESXi to use DHCP service to assign automatic IP addresses by managing all computers used by users from a single server or to perform remote management control with Active Directory service. You can also run services such as DHCP and Active Directory on different systems by installing the Windows Server system on separate VMs.

One of the widely used end-user operating systems today is Windows 10. Due to licensing costs, in some cases, you can transfer one of the Windows Server services to Windows 10 and run it.

VMware ESXi is installed on a physical server in the real world, but if you have budget problems or want to gain experience, you can test it by installing it on a virtualization program. We recommend you buy a secondhand server and install ESXi on it.

How to Create a New VM for Windows 10

First, type your server’s IP address in the URL address line of the Google Chrome or Opera web browser and connect. Upload the Windows 10 ISO file to the Datastore section, and then proceed to the steps to create a virtual machine.

Step 1

After connecting to ESXi Host Client, click Virtual Machines on the left panel.

ESXi Host Client Interface

Step 2

Click on Create / Register VM as in the image below to start the new virtual machine wizard on the Virtual Machines screen.

Create / Register VM

Step 3

When the New Virtual Machine wizard opens, you need to continue by creating a new disk to prepare a new virtual computer. Therefore, select Create a New Virtual Machine on the Creation Type screen and click Next.

Create a New Virtual Machine

Step 4

Since you will be running Windows 10 on the virtual server, type the name of the relevant system or a different name in the Name field. Next, configure the Compatibility setting to 8.0, the Guest OS Family setting to Windows, and finally the Guest OS Version to Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit) and continue.

Compatibility: ESXi 8.0 Virtual Machine
Guest OS Family: Windows
Guest OS Version: Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit)

Selecting the Guest OS Name, Family, and Version

Step 5

On the Select Storage screen, select the Datastore where you will install the virtual PC and click Next.

Selecting the Storage Device

Step 6

On the Virtual Hardware screen, configure the CPU number to 1 or the desired amount for Windows 10. Also, if you want to use the virtualization feature of the host machine on the guest machine, check the Hardware Virtualization option and enable the IOMMU feature for better memory management in the VM. Finally, you can use the Performance Counters feature to view information about the VM’s processor performance.

  • Hardware Virtualization: Expose Hardware Assisted Virtualization to the Guest OS
  • IOMMU: Expose IOMMU to the Guest OS
  • Performance Counters: Enable Virtualized CPU Performance Counters

Configuring CPU Count and Enabling Hardware Virtualization

Step 7

Before you can run Windows 10 on an NVMe virtual disk, you must remove the default SCSI Controller and the disk attached to it. Click X to remove SCSI Controller and Hard Disk 1 from the VM as in the image below.

Removing SCSI Controller and HDD

Step 8

To add a new disk controller, click Add Other Device and then NVMe Controller.

Adding an NVMe Controller

Step 9

After adding the disk controller, expand the Add Hard Disk option and click New Standard Hard Disk.

Add New Standard Hard Disk

Step 10

To mount the ISO file you added Datastore to the VM, expand the CD/DVD Drive 1 device option and click Datastore ISO File.

Adding Windows 10 ISO File to Virtual Machine

Step 11

When Datastore Browser opens, open the location where you downloaded the ISO file and click SELECT after marking the file.

Selecting Windows 10 21H2 ISO File from Datastore

Step 12

To better adapt the screen resolution of the Windows 10 guest machine, expand the settings of the Video Card device and enable the Total Video Memory size of 256 MB, enable the 3D Graphics, and configure the 3D Memory size to 1024 MB. Depending on the graphics card of your host server, you can set the video memory sizes here to a higher value.

Configuring Graphics Card Settings

Step 13

After configuring the Windows 10 hardware settings in the vSphere virtual machine well, continue.

Completing the Preparation of the Virtual Machine

Step 14

Finally, check the hardware settings of the virtual operating system again and click FINISH to close the wizard.

Checking the Guest Machine Hardware Settings and Closing the Wizard

Step 15

Click Power on to start installing the operating system on the virtual computer you have prepared.

Running Windows 10 VM

How to Install Windows 10

When you run the Windows 10 VM, it will boot with the installation media, and press any key on your keyboard to start the setup wizard on this screen.

Step 1

After starting the installation wizard, select the system display language you want to use for Win10, choose the language you use in the same way for the time and region settings to work correctly, and finally select the keyboard layout you will use on the guest machine and click Next.

Choosing Windows 10 System Language, Keyboard Layout, and Time Zone

Step 2

After adjusting the important system settings, click the Install Now button in the wizard and continue.

Install Windows Now

Step 3

If you are going to use a licensed Win10 system on your virtual computer, enter the product key you purchased on this screen and then click Next. If you only want to test the system, continue with the I don’t have a product key option.

Skipping Entering a Windows Product Key

Step 4

Choose the Home, Home N, Home Single Language, Education, Education N, Pro, or Pro N versions of Windows 10 that suit you and your infrastructure. Usually, Windows 10 Pro has advanced features compared to others, so you can choose it and continue.

Windows 10 Pro Edition

Step 5

If you accept the Windows Operating System license terms, which were finally updated in June 2021, select the relevant option and click Next.

Accepting the Operating System License Agreement

Step 6

If you want to install a Windows 10 from scratch in the window containing the installation type options, select Custom: Install Windows Only (Advanced).

Proceed with Advanced System Setup

Step 7

If you have specified the size of the virtual disk in a higher size, you can create a partition according to your needs on the partition screen. If you want to copy the system files directly without configuring the disk, you can click Next.

To edit the unallocated disk space, click New and activate the Size section. Then click the Apply button to confirm using the automatically determined size and finally allow the additional partitions to be created so that all Windows features can work correctly and continue.

Creating a New Partition and Confirming Additional Spaces in Virtual Disk

Step 8

After configuring the disk, select Drive 0 Partition 3 logically and click Next.

Initiating System Installation to Drive 0 Partition 3

Step 9

Wait while the wizard copies all the system files of Windows 10 onto the partition you selected.

Preparing System Files for Installation

Step 10

After the copying process of the necessary files is finished, you can wait for the specified time or restart your virtual system directly.

Restarting the Virtual System

Step 11

At the first startup of Windows, wait for a while at the “Getting devices ready” screen.

Preparing Devices

Step 12

When you reach the personalization screen, first select the location you live in from the list and continue.

Country Selection for the Region

Step 13

If you want to change your keyboard layout at this stage, select the layout that suits you from the list and click Yes.

Keyboard Layout for VM

Step 14

If you don’t need a second keyboard layout, you can skip this step.

Skip Adding a Second Keyboard Layout

Step 15

You can choose the purpose for which you will use your guest machine from this screen. If your current network environment has Active Directory, we recommend continuing with Set Up for an Organization, otherwise, continue with Set Up for Personal Use for normal setup.

Set System for Personal Use

Step 16

Using a Microsoft account, you can back up your files online and work in sync across your devices. However, you can choose to continue with the Offline Account.

Skip Adding an Online Account

Step 17

Microsoft again emphasizes the importance of using an online account, but click Limited Experience to confirm using an offline account.

Limited Experience

Step 18

For example, if you only want to provide DHCP server service with a Win10 guest machine, you can create a user named Win10DHCP.

Typing User Account Name

Step 19

Create a strong password for your user name in accordance with your company policies.

Creating a Rememberable Password

Step 20

Adjust the privacy settings of your device in accordance with your company policy and continue.

Editing Privacy Settings

Step 21

You can choose the purpose for which you will use your virtual guest operating system on the personalization screen.

PC Experience Category

Step 22

After a short time after making system settings and personal features, Windows 10’s desktop screen will welcome you.

Windows 10 Desktop Environment

How to Install VMware Tools

After installing Windows 10 with VMware vSphere ESXi, you need to install VMware Tools to install the drivers for a Windows, Linux, or macOS virtual system you run on the virtual server.

Step 1

Click Actions / Guest OS / Install VMware Tools from the tool panel to install the drivers for any operating system you have installed.

Installing VMware Tools on ESXi Win10 VM

Step 2

When the image file of VMware Tools is mounted on your virtual system, click the Autoplay window and click Run setup64.exe in the disk content window that opens.

Running the Setup File

Step 3

When the driver installation wizard opens, click Next after reading the information provided.

VM Tools Installation Wizard

Step 4

If you want to use the virtual machine running in vSphere in other virtualization platforms developed by VMware, check Complete and click Next.

Installing All VMware Features

Step 5

After editing the installation options, click Install to start the installation.

Starting Installing VM Drivers

Step 6

Wait while the video drivers and other virtual hardware drivers of the Win10 system are installed.

Installing Drivers for Video Driver and Other Devices

Step 7

After installing the necessary drivers of the guest operating system, click Finish to close the wizard and restart your system for the changes to take effect.

Restarting the Virtual System

Step 8

You can see that the VMware SVGA 3D device has been successfully installed under Display Adapters in the device manager of your Windows 10 virtual system, and you can also use your VM in full-screen resolution.

Checking the Graphics Adapter in Device Manager

Video

Installing Old Versions

ESXi Version
YouTube Video
Slide
8.0 (NEW)

 

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How to Add a Disk to a Virtual Machine
How to Create a New VM on vSphere
How to Install Linux with ESXi
♦ What is Virtualization Technology?
♦ What is Hypervisor?

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