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How to install Windows 8 Release Preview on Oracle VM VirtualBox

Posted Date: 01 Jun 2012 |Updated: 01-Jun-2012 |Category: Windows 8 |Author: |Member Level: Gold |Points: 100 |


If you like to install Windows 8 Release Preview on Oracle VM Virtual Box, read the step by step instructions here. You can follow the easy steps given here, illustrated with screenshots to install Windows 8 on VirtualBox.

It is always a good idea to install new and pre release software on virtual machines rather than testing it on your primary computer. It is possible that the new software could break your computer and make it unusable. If you lose your work computer, you would lose your ability to find solutions online. So, I always recommend people to use good vitualization software like Oracle VM VirtualBox.

Windows 8 Release Preview is a pre release software and is available for free download. Read instructions to download Windows 8 Release Preview. You need to download the .ISO image if you like to install it on VirtualBox using the instructions below.

How to install Windows 8 Release Preview on Oracle VM VirtualBox?


See step by step instructions to install Windows 8 Release Preview on Oracle VM VirtualBox:

Step 1: Go to Oracle website and download Oracle VM VirtualBox. The download file is about 90MB size.

Step 2: Install VirtualBox on your host computer. You could use your Windows 7 computer or any other compatible computer to install the VirtualBox. Installation of VirtualBox is a straight forward process and would take only a few minutes.

Step 3: Launch VirtualBox program after the installation. You will see a welcome screen with an empty list of virtual machines on the left side.

Windows 8 on Oracle VM VirtualBox

Step 4: Click on the "New" icon on the toolbar. This will guide you through the process of creating a new virtual machine to install Windows 8 Release Preview on the VirtualBox.

Step 5: Click "Next" on the new virtual machine welcome screen.

Step 6: In the next screen, give a friendly name for the new virtual machine you are creating. The below screenshot shows the name "Techulator", but you can choose any name you like. You may choose names like "Windows 8 Test".

Windows 8 on Oracle VM VirtualBox

Since you are installing Windows 8 Release Preview, remember to choose the operating system as "Microsoft Windows" and version as "Windows 8". The Oracle VM VirtualBox is smart and it would try to automatically pick an OS selection for you based on the name you choose for the virtual machine you are creating.

If you are installing 64-bit Windows 8 OS, remember to choose the 64-bit version in the OS version list.

Step 7: In the next screen, choose the RAM for your new virtual machine. Windows 8 Release Preview require 1GB RAM for 32-bit OS and 2GB RAM for 64-bit OS. I suggest you choose higher amount of RAM than the minimum requirements for good performance.

Remember to read the minimum system requirements for Windows 8 Release Preview.

Step 8: Choose the hard disk in the next screen. Since you are going for a new installation, you may want to create a new disk. Choose "Create New Disk" option in the screen and click Next to proceed.

Windows 8 on Oracle VM VirtualBox

Step 9: The Oracle VM VirtualBox wizard will now guide you through the process of creating a new virtual disk. In the first step, choose the disk type. You may choose the default options and proceed to next step.

Windows 8 on Oracle VM VirtualBox

Step 10: In the next step, you will be prompted to choose a fixed size disk or dynamically growing disk. I usually pick a dynamically growing disk since I do not know what are the applications I am going to install and how much space I will be using in future.

Windows 8 on Oracle VM VirtualBox

Step 11: In the next step, choose the disk space you want to allot initially to your new virtual machine. Even though Windows 8 Release Preview require only 20Gb space, I suggest you choose some extra space so that you can easily install some apps without having to expand your virtual hard drive.

Windows 8 on Oracle VM VirtualBox

Step 12: The last screen is a summary screen where the Oracle VM VirtualBox will show a summary of the configuration you selected to install Windows 8 Release Preview in the VirtualBox. Click "Create" to create the virtual machine for Windows 8 Release Preview.

Windows 8 on Oracle VM VirtualBox

It would take only a second to create the new virtual machine based on the configuration you selected.

You will be returned to the Oracle VM VirtualBox Manager where it will show you the virtual computer you just created.

Remember you have just created a blank computer and no Windows 8 is installed in it. In order to install Windows 8 Release Preview on the VirtualBox, you need to start your computer and install Windows 8 from the .ISO image you have.

Windows 8 Release Preview on Oracle VirtualBox

Follow the steps below to install Windows 8 on VirtualBox



Step 1: Double click on the icon that represent your new virtual machine on the VirtualBox manager.

Step 2: In the first run wizard, you will be promoted to choose the CD/DVD drive to install Windows 8 from. Click on the folder icon to navigate and select the Windows 8 Release Preview .ISO image.

Windows 8 on Oracle VM VirtualBox

Step 3: Click "Next" to proceed to the Windows 8 installation. You may see some warnings which you can ignore and proceed to Windows 8 installation.

If everything worked correctly, you will see Windows 8 installation screen as shown below:

Windows 8 installation on Oracle VM VirtualBox

From this point, you can continue the installation like normal Windows 8 installation.


Article by Tony John
Tony John is a professional blogger from India, who started his first Weblog in 1998 at Tripod.com. Tony switched to blogging as a passion blended business in the year 2000 and currently operates several popular web properties including IndiaStudyChannel.com, Techulator.com, dotnetspider.com and many more.

Follow Tony John or read 700 articles authored by Tony John

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Comments

Guest Author: Win8 help01 Jun 2012

Please help! I downloaded the ISO file and wanted to install to Virtualbox but it had an error. I went to this website, followed all the instructions but the same happens! It has an error message instantly at loading:
"Windows" title appears and then this message:
"Your PC needs to restart.
Please hold down the power button.
Error Code: 0x0000005D
Parameters:
0x03062E05
0x756E6547
0x49656E69
0x6C65746E"

Note: Consumer and Developer Preview worked on my virtualbox before.

Guest Author: Madoxx01 Jun 2012

Yep! I got the same error when i Try to boot up the VM for the first time with the 32-Bit-ISO-Image mounted. Consumer and Developer Preview works also fine. VirtualBox V 4.1.16 r78094

Guest Author: GC01 Jun 2012

exact same problem :(

Guest Author: Esteban01 Jun 2012

To install Windows 8 Release Preview on your PC, the processor (CPU) must support the following features: Physical Address Extension (PAE), NX, and SSE2. Most CPUs have support for these features, so if you receive this error, it is likely because the NX feature is not enabled on your system.

To resolve this error, follow manufacturer guidelines to enable NX (“No eXecute bit"), or the equivalent XD (“eXecute Disabled") feature, within the BIOS security settings.

If the BIOS setting for the NX support option is not available on your system, you may need to contact the manufacturer for updating the BIOS. Note that some older processors may not contain these features and will be incompatible with Windows 8 Release Preview.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-windows_install/error-when-installing-windows-8-release-preview/a2c11f2c-d43b-44fc-9bc0-61805a2d95ef

Guest Author: TopShoeter06 Jun 2012

OK, Now I give up! After two days trying to install W8 RP in Virtual Box I have finally given up the ghost. I have tried the 32 bit ISO, the 64 bit ISO, burning to DVD but to no avail. Most installation attempts freeze at 4%. Sometimes 5% and once at 98% (YEA!) but mostly 4% and not once did it finish. Task manager shows zero activity in Virtual Box. I have downloaded the latest version of VB but it doesn't help. The consumer preview installed fine so it doesnt seem to be my computer which is a few months old Medion Razer with i7-2600K processor, 12GB mem. and a NVDIA GeForce GTX 570.
Any ideas, anyone?

Guest Author: martinjones08 Jun 2012

Solved the 0x0000005d error in VM Box in XP:


Go to System Settings/Advanced/Performance "settings"/Data Execution Prevention/"Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select"


Now installing, seems happy enough, will advise if complete success.

Not sure what impact this setting will have on XP, but can be turned off easily enough I guess once I've done playing with the preview.

Guest Author: dubno27 Nov 2012

TopShoeter,, I had the same problem. Install would run until crashing randomly, usually around 9% whilst "getting files for install". I think I fixed it by Enabling IO APIC under System-Processor tab.

Anyway see here http://www.addictivetips.com/windows-tips/how-to-install-windows-8-on-virtualbox/



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