Create a VMware Virtual Machine for Windows 11

In this blog I will describe the steps to create a Virtual Machine for VMware Workstation to install Windows 11 in.

I’ve tested this both with VMware Workstation 15 and 16. This blog includes screen captures of version 15. Here we go:

• Download a Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) from the Microsoft’s Software download page, MSDN Visual Studio Subscriptions or the Volume Licensing Service Center. Only 64-bit is supported.

• In VMware Workstation select File, New, Virtual Machine from the main menu:

• Select ‘Custom (Advanced) Configuration’ and click ‘Next’:

• Leave the ‘hardware compatibility’ to ‘Workstation 15.x’ and click ‘Next’:

• Select ‘I will install the operating system later’ and click ‘Next’:

• Select ‘Microsoft Windows’ as Guest operating system and ‘Windows 10 x64’ as Version and click ‘Next’:

• Use ‘Windows 11 x64’ as the Virtual Machine name and click ‘Next’:

• Select ‘UEFI’ for the Firmware type, check the ‘Secure’ Boot’ checkbox and click ‘Next’:

• Set the number of ‘Number of processors’ to ‘2’ and ‘Number of cores per processor’ to ‘2’, per and click ‘Next’:

• Set the ‘memory size’ to ‘4096’ and click ‘Next’:

• Select ‘Use NAT networking’ and click ‘Next’:

• Select the ‘LSI Logic SAS’ SCSI controller for the I/O controller and click ‘Next’:

• Select the recommended Virtual disk type and click ‘Next’:

• Select ‘Create a new virtual disk’ and click ‘Next’:

• Set the disk size to 100 GB and click ‘Next’:

• Review the default Disk file name and click ‘Next’:

• Click’ Customize Hardware’:

• Select ‘Sound card’ device, click ‘Remove’:

• Select the ‘Printer’ device, click ‘Remove’. Then click ‘Ok’:

• Click ‘Finish’:

• Click ‘Edit virtual machine settings’:

• Click the Options tab:

• Click ‘Access Control’ on the left. Then click ‘Encrypt’ in the ‘Encryption’ panel shown at the right:

• Set the password for this virtual machine and click ‘Encrypt’:

• Click the ‘Hardware’ tab and add a ‘Trusted Platform Module’. Then click ‘Finish’:

• Click the ‘CD/DVD (SATA)’ device and browse for the Windows 11 ISO. Then click ‘Ok’:

• Click ‘Power on this virtual machine’:

• In order to test the configuration, I’m running a manual installation of Windows 11. Press any key to boot from the ISO:

• Click Next in the Windows Setup screen:

• Click Install Now:

• Setup is starting:

• Enter a license key or click ‘I don’t have a product key’ when you want to enter this later:

• Select the OS you want to install and click ‘Next’:

• Accept the EULA and click Next:

• Click ‘Custom’ and click ‘Next’. The Next again:

• Side note. I still don’t understand why the option ‘Upgrade’ is even provided when you start with an empty disk. Because if you select that option you end up with:

• Windows 11 will be installed after that ….
  
  Do grab a cup of coffee during the installation. Be nice and don’t forget to get one for your colleagues too.

• To avoid adding a Microsoft Account, read this quick tip.

• And voila: