Walk me through installing Win10 in a VM from these images?

Ken g6

Programming Moderator, Elite Member
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Dec 11, 1999
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I need to get Windows 10 installed in a VM soon, or I won't be able to do the free upgrade. So, I need to figure out how to get there. I have:

- A new computer with 32GB RAM, among other things, running Xubuntu 16.04, with VirtualBox 5.
- An old, un-registered copy of Windows XP, 32-bit.
- A Windows 8 upgrade image (the $40 deal from a few years back), which I downloaded on a 64-bit Windows 7 machine, so it's a 64-bit image.

So, what steps do I need to take? Do I start by installing XP - or can I do that at all on the same VM for a 64-bit Windows? Can I somehow start from the Windows 8 image?

TIA! I probably won't start this tonight, but maybe tomorrow.
 

TheRyuu

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2005
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If you have a Windows 8 key you can just install from a Windows 10 install disk straight up. No need to install 8 first.
 

Ketchup

Elite Member
Sep 1, 2002
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If you have a Windows 8 key you can just install from a Windows 10 install disk straight up. No need to install 8 first.

Do this. The latest version of VMWare Workstation does have good hardware support for the latest supported devices, but as of a couple months ago, it's still not adequate to support the "upgrade" option to Windows 10. It does a clean install just fine though.
 

Ken g6

Programming Moderator, Elite Member
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Dec 11, 1999
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Thanks! I hadn't bothered with downloading a Win10 image yet. Now bothering...

My Internet connection is slow. I hope it's here by morning.
 

MongGrel

Lifer
Dec 3, 2013
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sdaBHte.jpg


Sorry, I couldn't resist.

I imagine you have it well under control.

The two I have upgraded I wish I had installed the opposite way, derp, I had 8.1 Home on the main rig, and Win7 Pro on the HTPC and they upgrade to those versions of course.

They both seem to kick along fine so not worried about it too much, the new insider Home version 14361.rs1 has kicked up the transfer rates about 20% in some areas it appears.

I had not upgraded the HTPC, but Red Stone is running nice enough on the main rig so far that I might tomorrow.

My Internet connection is slow. I hope it's here by morning.

:colbert:
 
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TheRyuu

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2005
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Hey, it worked! I entered my Windows 8 product key, and Windows 10 gave me a "digital entitlement". :)

Thanks for the help. That was much easier than I expected! :thumbsup:

And just in case you were wondering (or anyone else for that matter) that Windows 8 key will still work with Windows 8/8.1. It doesn't "disable" the key for Windows 8 after you've used it for Windows 10.