Draft:Recommended VM configurations/Windows


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This page provides recommended configurations for installing builds in a specific emulator or hypervisor. This page is by no means exhaustive, and your mileage may vary, so you may have to adjust some settings to your liking as it sees fit.

Overview
For early DOS-based Windows releases (Windows 1.0 to 3.1x), Windows 9x releases (Windows 95 to Me), and early Windows NT releases (Windows NT 3.1 to 4.0 and early Windows 2000 builds), it is recommended to use 86Box to install these builds.

For later versions of Windows (Windows 2000 and above), it is recommended to use VMware or VirtualBox.

See Windows build FAQ § How do I run non-x86/x64 versions of Windows without having a machine that supports it? for installing non-x86/64 versions of builds.

Refer to Setting BIOS date for instructions on setting the BIOS date on the system.

Note that this page assumes you already know how to install Windows. For instructions on installing Windows, see Windows installation guide.

86Box

 * Use the x86 version of 86Box if possible. x64 versions of 86Box may have potential CPU emulation issues that can cause emulator crashes, particularly with Socket 7 and higher machines.
 * In order to properly configure networking, the proper addresses must be set in the network setup as described in the 86Box documentation.
 * Avoid using the default "RAM Disk [max. speed]" option for the ESDI or IDE hard drive speed, as it can cause problems on certain Windows versions due to performing instructions faster than some applications or drivers can support. Instead, use the RPM speed closest to the year of the build's compilation.
 * Unless mentioned, leave each other setting as their default values.
 * For best results, use the latest developer release of 86Box.
 * Certain component names may change or be removed in later versions of 86Box, so certain configurations may not be compatible with all versions of 86Box. Most configurations are also not interchangeable with PCem or VARCem.

VMware

 * For server counterpoints, use the same configuration mentioned with the client counterpoint, but set the operating system as the server equivalent. Refer to the operating system's version page to find the equivalent client counterpoint.
 * Guests for earlier versions of Windows tend to run better on earlier versions of VMware. Using later versions of VMware may break compatibility for certain virtualized version of Windows, such as Milestone 3 Longhorn's Desktop Composition Engine, and Windows Vista build 5231.
 * Not all builds will work with the latest version of VMware Tools. Use an older version specified in the notes of the virtual machine configuration if stated.
 * It is recommended to remove the floppy disk for Easy Install (or prevent it from connecting on power on) before starting the VM to install a beta build, especially if Easy Install detects the wrong operating system version, otherwise it may conflict with setup. This is especially notable for x64 builds of Longhorn, which Easy Install usually detects as x86 "Windows XP Professional" and thus will cause setup to throw errors due to attempting to install x86 drivers.
 * How the VM will run will greatly depend on your host's specs, particularly the host's processor and graphics adapter. For instance, Windows 9x will encounter increased system instability on VMware if run on AMD processors, whereas most x64 builds of Longhorn will become more unstable or refuse to run on Intel processors. Additionally, Desktop Window Manager may not work properly on all host systems, which may have the guest either crash, have DWM crash, or black screen upon starting Aero/DWM effects.
 * Unless properly turned off, installing VMware Tools will sync the system time to the current time.
 * The  file can be accessed by right clicking on the virtual machine on the Library and selecting "Open VM directory".

VirtualBox

 * For server counterpoints, use the same configuration mentioned with the client counterpoint, but set the operating system as the server equivalent. Refer to the operating system's version page to find the equivalent client counterpoint.
 * 3D acceleration is notably more limited on VirtualBox than on VMware:
 * It is completely unavailable for Windows XP and lower on VirtualBox versions starting with 6.1.0.
 * Longhorn's Desktop Composition Engine is not known to work, and Windows Vista build 5048's DCE can only be run via software rendering.
 * Most early builds of Windows 7 or Windows 8 will not properly install VirtualBox Guest Additions, and thus Aero will not work.
 * Avoid using unattended install for beta builds, as it may conflict with how setup will run. This is especially imperative for Longhorn builds.
 * Unless otherwise stated, the IDE controller to use is PIIX4 and the SCSI controller to use is LsiLogic.