VMware Workstation Player is free and available as an evaluation version non-commercial, personal, and home use. VMware is also happy for students and non-profit organizations to benefit from the free version. In terms of functionality, VMware Workstation Player includes everything you could need for the standard virtual machine tasks. A standard installation wizard will guide you through, with the option of installing an Enhanced Keyboard Driver.
This feature offers better handling of international keyboards. Proceed through the installation wizard, and restart Windows when prompted. You probably know which Linux OS you want to try. Read More , but others are not. This is because ARM cannot be virtualized with the x86 and x However, it can be emulated. Unless you read our list of the best Linux operating systems for gaming, Raspberry Pi, and more.
Start by launching VMware Workstation Player and inputting your email address when prompted. This is part of the deal of getting the software for free: you accept addition to the VMware email list. Once this is done, the main VMware Workstation Player app will load. Click Create a New Virtual Machine to proceed. Select the default option, Installer disc image file iso. It is possible to simply create a virtual system with a blank hard disk using the I will install the operating system later option.
In the next screen, enter your preferred name, username, and password, click Next , and give the VM a name. You can also select a location for the VM. You can choose either option. Meanwhile, a recommended size will be used for your virtual HDD, which you can choose to accept or alter. Increasing is a safer option than shrinking!
Click on this, and as long as Power on this virtual machine after creation is checked, the VM will start. You have options for the Memory , Processors , Network Adaptor configuration, and much more. By default, this is set to Automatic. In most cases, this should be fine certainly for Linux , but if you run into any problems, try setting this to one of the alternatives such as Intel VT-x.
Address performance issues in the Memory screen. Finally, spare a moment to check the Display settings. Graphics memory can also be adjusted — as with system memory for the guest OS, a recommended amount is displayed. Using the Easy Install method will completely automate this, using your Windows host OS configuration to apply regional settings in the virtual, guest OS. Everything you could possibly need to get started with the latest version of Ubuntu is right here, written in easy-to-understand, plain English.
Run Linux in Windows 10 with a Bash shell terminal instead! If you want to keep a Linux distro within easy reach, the best option is to install it in a virtual machine in Windows. VMware Workstation Player provides the best tools for doing just that.
Better still, the process is straightforward:. It really is that simple. Choose from hundreds if not thousands of Linux distros, which you can install in a VMware-based virtual machine. Wrong way round. Even better, you can set up a virtual machine on your system for free. And for that, you might have to get a little creative. For Windows, you can grab the Windows media installation tool and use it to download an image.
You can also download one of the free virtual machine images Microsoft offers , which expire after 90 days. OVA file you unzipped. If you only see bit options, you might have to do a little troubleshooting to unlock bit versions. It might be worth investigating, however, as a bit version of your virtualized OS can use more than 4GB of memory if you plan to dedicate that much to your OS-in-an-OS.
If you can get to 8GB, even better. But not quite. You can adjust these settings now via the System and Display menus. A snapshot allows you to save and restore the state of the virtual machine at any point.
