Running Linux VM on HYPER - V --works !!!

jimbo45 · 07 May 2017

Hi there
@Kari particularly -- any experience with using the FREE 2016 server HYPER-V edition and any pitfalls as I want to try it later.

Try Active Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2016 | TechNet Evaluation Software

Best Practices for running Linux on Hyper-V | Microsoft Docs

I followed roughly these instructions - but used CENTOS rather than Ubuntu as the Guest OS and had Windows 10 Pro CU edition (1703) for the Host. Note ignore the couchbase additions - I just installed the GUEST OS as normal.

Hyper-V: How to run Ubuntu (or any Linux) on Windows - The Couchbase Blog

Works fine with a bit of messing around - and to get the best I/O pass direct RAW HDD's to the VM and use the Linux software RAID (mdadm).

Response time seems to be fine however I'm going to download the FREE 2016 HYPER-V server edition and have a go with that as the overhead will be minimal on the Windows system.

I hope I can concurrently run 3 VM's --W10, XP and Centos. from what I've seen -- no problems - have 16GB RAM on host with 2 physical NICs and OODLES of HDD space -- (> 20 TB).

Finally note the HYPER-V 2016 Server has NO GUI so you'll have to do quite a bit with the command line. The HYPER-V tools to manage remote server is available as well as RDP.

If you are a stranger to working without a GUI this isn't for the faintt hearted but a lot of fun and great learning . Once you get it right it's MINIMAL overhead compared to VMWARE workstation on a Host machine - and in any case it's designed to be run headless.

You DO need to manage your VMs remotely though so ideally you'll need a second computer (laptop for example) to do this.

Logging on to the VM's though isn't a problem.

For people who NEED a GUI you can download the evaluation full blown 2016 Server -- 180 days free trial.

Cheers
jimbo

Kari · 07 May 2017

I run my domain controller Windows Server Datacenter 2016 and all my Linux virtual machines on Microsoft Azure cloud where almost anything is possible. Never run Hyper-V server locally, other Windows Server versions only to get screenshots for tutorials and to make videos (Windows Server 2016 - Setup Local Domain Controller - Windows 10 Installation Upgrade Tutorials ).

Tonyb · 19 May 2017

Yes i was searching the internet how to setup ubuntu in hyper-v on windows pro i came here and first one i seen was your post awesome going to set this up now :) i wanted to play with it a bit and i got plenty of ram and hard drive space, whats a good amount of ram to give it and how much space should i allow it to have??

pparks1 · 19 May 2017

@jimbo45. You won't have any trouble running 3 concurrent VM's. The real limiting factor is always RAM. With a Core i5+ and 16GB of RAM, 4-5 VM's super easy. If you have the VM's running on SSD's, you will have enough IOPS to keep them quite happy.

Mystere · 20 May 2017

I'm not sure about Hyper-V Server 2016, but in the past Hyper-V Server was designed to assume membership in an Active Directory Domain, and required a bit of fiddling to get it to work properly if you're not in one. That may have changed in 2016, but I'm not sure.