Hyper-V

What is Hyper-V?

Hyper-V is a native type 1 hypervisor developed by Microsoft for the Windows family of operating systems, similar to Xen or VMWare ESXi.

Hyper-V was first released for Windows Server 2008, and is available without additional charge since Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8.

For more information on the difference between type 1 and type 2 hypervisors, click here.

Why Hyper-V?

Hyper-V allows Ubuntu to be run in parallel or in isolation on Windows operating systems. There are several use-cases for running Ubuntu on Hyper-V:

• To introduce Ubuntu in a Windows-centric IT environment.
• To have access to a complete Ubuntu desktop environment without dual-booting a PC.

• To use Linux software on Ubuntu that is not yet supported on the Windows Subsystem for Linux.

Enabling Hyper-V

Windows Editions

Ubuntu on Hyper-V can be enabled on the following Windows operating systems:

• Windows 10 Pro
• Windows 10 Enterprise
• Windows 10 Education
• Windows 10 Server

Hyper-V is not included in Windows 10 Home, which can be upgraded to Windows 10 Pro.

Hyper-V System Requirements

The following are additional system requirements for Hyper-V:

• A 64-bit processor with Second Level Address Translation (SLAT)
• CPU support for virtualization extensions and virtualization enabled in the system BIOS/EFI
• Minimum of 4 GB of memory, recommended 8 GB
• Minimum of 5 GB of disk space, recommended 15 GB

Hyper-V Graphical Install

1. Right click on the Windows Start button and select 'Apps and Features'
   

2. Select 'Programs and Features' on the right under Related Settings
   

3. Select 'Turn Windows Features on or off'
   

4. Select 'Hyper-V' and click OK
   

5. Restart when prompted
   

Hyper-V PowerShell Install

1. Open a PowerShell console as Administrator

2. Run the following command: Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V -All

3. Restart when prompted

Hyper-V Admin Center (Windows 10 Server)

See official Microsoft documentation.

Installing Ubuntu on Hyper-V

There are different methods for installing Ubuntu on Hyper-V depending on your use-case. Read each of the descriptions of the following methods and then determine the best for your needs

Using Quick Create

The recommended method for installing Ubuntu on Hyper-V is to use the curated Ubuntu image from the Hyper-V Quick Create Gallery. This method is ideal for desktop development on Ubuntu and for users interested in running a complete Ubuntu desktop environment. The Ubuntu image from the Quick Create Gallery includes pre-configured features, such as clipboard sharing, dynamic resolution display, and shared folders.

1. Enable Hyper-V as described above.
   

2. Open 'Hyper-V Manager' by:
   

   • Click on the Windows Start button, expand the 'Windows Administrative Tools' folder, and click 'Hyper-V Manager', or
   • Click the Windows key and type 'Hyper-V' and click 'Hyper-V Manager' or select with your keyboard arrow keys and press 'Enter'

   • In the future, the Quick Create tool can be accessed directly using the above methods, but it is useful to know where Hyper-V Manager is because it is where you will come back to manage your Ubuntu VM.
     

3. On the 'Actions' pane click 'Quick Create' and the Quick Create tool will open.
   

4. Select a version of Ubuntu from the versions on the left. A build of the most recent LTS version of Ubuntu and the most recent interim release are provided. If you are developing for Ubuntu server or an enterprise environment, the LTS version is recommended. If you would like to use the latest versions of software in Ubuntu, the interim release is recommended.
   

5. Click 'Create Virtual Machine' and wait for the VM image to be downloaded.
   

6. Click 'Connect' to open a connection to your VM.
   

7. Click 'Start' to run your VM.
   

8. Complete the final stages of Ubuntu install, including selection of a username.
   

Using an Ubuntu CD image (.ISO)

It is also possible to install Ubuntu on Hyper-V using a CD image .ISO. This is useful if you are running Ubuntu Server and do not require an enhanced desktop experience. Note that the enhanced features of the Quick Create images are not enabled by default when you perform a manual install from an ISO.

1. Download an Ubuntu ISO from an official Ubuntu source.

2. Enable Hyper-V as described above.
   

3. Open 'Hyper-V Manager' by:
   

   • Click on the Windows Start button, expand the 'Windows Administrative Tools' folder, and click 'Hyper-V Manager', or

   • Click the Windows key and type 'Hyper-V' and click 'Hyper-V Manager' or select with your keyboard arrow keys and press 'Enter'
     

4. On the 'Actions' pane click 'Quick Create' and the Quick Create tool will open.
   

5. Click 'Change installation source' and select the ISO file you downloaded before. If you want to give your virtual machine a more descriptive name, click the 'More options' down arrow on the bottom right and change 'New Virtual Machine' to something more useful, such as 'Ubuntu Server 18.04 LTS'.

6. Click 'Create Virtual Machine' and wait for the virtual machine to be created.
   

7. Click 'Connect' to open a connection to your VM.
   

8. Click 'File' in the menu bar, chose 'Settings', click the 'Security' tab and under Secure Boot select 'Microsoft UEFI Certificate Authority', then 'Apply' and 'OK' to return to your VM.
   

9. Click 'Start' to run your VM.
   

10. Complete the manual installation of Ubuntu.
    

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