Microsoft has released the Windows 11 Enterprise virtual machine, allowing you to start building Windows applications quickly. While other versions of Windows 11 are available for download and installation on various virtual boxes, this particular virtual machine is targeted at developers. This will allow you to run the operating system without having to change the current system and test applications as needed.
Here’s what you need to know when installing Windows 11 Enterprise in VirtualBox and common problems you might encounter at launch.
How to download and install a Windows 11 Enterprise virtual machine in VirtualBox.
Before you install this virtual machine, you need to make sure that you have enough physical hardware resources. Microsoft does not mention any requirements, but the article recommends having at least 4GB of memory and enough unused local storage to hold the entire Windows installation, applications, and other files (32GB or more).
You can also follow the minimum system requirements for installing Windows 11 to ensure that it runs smoothly. Finally, if your computer can handle virtual machines, follow the steps below to install the Windows 11 Enterprise VM:
1. Download and install VirtualBox
First, download and install VirtualBox. The software is free to download and available for non-commercial use. Once the.exe file has been downloaded, double-click it and follow the on-screen instructions to properly install it on your system.
Optional step: Download and install the Virtualbox extension pack from the VirtualBox Downloads page. You can skip this step, but this installation can improve and add additional features to the Virtualbox virtual machine. Through this package, you can get features like mouse integration, Internet connectivity, USB support, and other great features. You can install the package by clicking on the downloaded file and following the instructions.
2. Download the Windows 11 Enterprise Virtual Machine
Next, download a copy of the Windows 11 installation files in OVA format. You can get these files from Microsoft’s Virtual Machine download page. Make sure to download a Virtual Disk Image for VirtualBox.
3. Import OVA files
Open and extract the downloaded files. Next, double-click the extracted file to open it. VirtualBox and the Import Virtual Appliance dialog box will automatically open. Here you can change the settings and location of the Machine Base Folder. Make sure you check the box that says Import hard drives as VDI. If you are satisfied with the settings, click Import.
Wait for the virtual machine to upload in VirtualBox. Once done, you should now be able to open and use the Windows 11 Enterprise Virtual Machine.
Common problems opening a Windows 11 Enterprise Virtual Machine in VirtualBox
Finally, you have successfully installed the Windows 11 development environment in VirtualBox. Unfortunately, however, you cannot open the virtual machine and run the operating system. This can be frustrating, especially after following the steps mentioned above correctly.
But don’t worry, the article has listed below some common problems when opening Windows 11 Enterprise virtual machines in VirtualBox and how to fix them.
The session could not be launched due to a virtual machine problem.
If you get the error “Cannot enable nested VT-x or AMD-V without nested-paging and unrestricted guest execution!” it means that Hyper-V, a native virtual machine in Windows 10, is already enabled. In some cases, disabling this virtual machine will help in fixing the error. Here’s how to fix this problem:
1. Press Win + S to open the Windows search bar, type cmd, then right-click the Command Prompt search result and select Run as Administrator.
2. In the Command Prompt, type bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype off and press Enter. Close this window.
3. Next, disable the Windows “Virtual Machine Platform” feature. To do this, press Win + S to open Windows Search. Type Windows Feature and press Enter. Now look for the Virtual Machine Platform option and make sure that there is no check mark next to it. Restart the computer.
4. After restarting the computer, open VirtualBox and the Windows 11 Enterprise virtual machine. Your machine should be running normally now.
UEFI Interactive Shell will open instead of the Windows 11 boot window
Another problem you may encounter when opening this virtual machine is getting the UEFI Interactive Shell window instead of starting the system. Do not worry. There is nothing wrong with the virtual machine you have installed. You may have accidentally enabled EFI settings on your machine. To work around this issue, follow the steps below:
1. Select the Windows 11 virtual machine and click the Settings icon.
2. Uncheck the box next to Enable EFI (for special OSes only) in System Settings on the left panel. Click OK.
3. Restart the virtual machine. This will boot your Windows 11 Enterprise system.
This virtual machine is created specifically for developers so they can start creating applications for Windows 11. Non-developers can also download and install this virtual machine so that they can view and experience Microsoft’s latest operating system. However, this virtual machine will expire on January 9, 2022. This means that you will not be able to use this VM image and may have to set up a new virtual machine.
If you want to safely continue using Windows 11 without changing your primary system, you can still do so by downloading and installing the Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft’s download page in VirtualBox. However, you need to prepare a product key to continue using this operating system, even as a virtual machine.
