Installing Your First Virtual Machine Using VMware Workstation

It's completely understandable to feel a bit intimidated when you first start using a Virtual Machine. However, you should rest assured that it's not as complicated as it may initially appear. In fact, once you get the hang of using it, you'll find that it can be an extremely valuable tool for a wide range of tasks. One popular use case for Virtual Machines is to install operating systems that are based on Debian, such as Ubuntu and Linux. Keep in mind, however, that in order to ensure smooth and efficient performance, your system resources may need to be allocated in a certain way. By taking the time to properly configure your Virtual Machine, you can maximize its potential and make sure that it's working as effectively as possible. Let's move on to setting up your first virtual machine, no matter what type it is.

Basic requirements -

A Sandbox Environment - One of the most fundamental requirements for creating a sandbox environment is to install an application such as VirtualBox or VMware Workstation. For those who are new to this, I suggest using VMware Workstation as it offers a user-friendly interface and I am going to show the steps of installation for VMware Workstation in this post.

ISO File Of the OS -In order to successfully install the operating system of your choice, it is imperative that you obtain an ISO file as it is obviously the core of your OS.

System Resources - Now comes the bold part about installing a virtual machine, it's speed obviously depends on the RAM you allocate to the virtual machine you created and low RAM can reduce the speed to such an extent that using the OS may seem annoying which has happened many times to me and how much storage you can give to the virtual machine's filesystem also depends how much data can your VM store but luckily you can change the allocated storage or RAM at any time.

Now let's move on to the steps of installation -

Step 1: Install VMware Workstation

VMware Workstation can be installed from its official website and you can just download it by installing the VMWare Workstation Pro Installer, after it is done you can follow the on-screen instructions to proceed with installing the OS.

Step 2: Create a new Virtual Machine

After completing the task, locate the option to create a new virtual machine on the left panel and click on it without hesitation.

The Installation Wizard will open and you can either choose to create a custom VM or use the Easy Install Option if it is available. For this post, I will select the custom option for maximum flexibility and control.

Just select the custom option and then click on the next option to proceed with the Installation of the OS.

Step 3: Choose the Hardware Compatibility

When it comes to setting up your virtual machine, it's crucial to carefully consider the hardware compatibility that will best meet your needs. One key factor to keep in mind is the amount of RAM you allocate to the VM. If you allocate too little, you risk facing issues that can be a real headache. On the other hand, allocating more RAM will allow for smoother operation, making everything feel as smooth as butter. Additionally, it's important to remember that allocating enough space is just as crucial as allocating sufficient RAM. So, take the time to carefully evaluate your needs and choose the right hardware configuration for your virtual machine.

Ensure optimal RAM and storage allocation settings before selecting your preferred OS from the ISO file.

Step 5: Select the Installation Source and the Guest OS

To proceed with your installation select the ISO file that you have downloaded from the official website of the operating system. Afterward, choose the guest operating system that matches the one in your ISO file. If you cannot find the exact match, please select the closest match, particularly if it is a Debian-based or Windows-based operating system. This will ensure that you can successfully install your desired operating system without any issues.

You can now run your virtual machine by clicking on the run option and then doing it's setup.

You see, It only takes five simple steps to install a virtual machine. Hopefully, you have one by now. 

Comment down which virtual machine you installed for the first time!