Setting Up Hyper-V and Windows 2016 server

What is Hyper-V?

Hyper-V is Microsoft’s virtualization technology.
It lets you create and manage virtual machines (VMs) on a physical computer or server. Think of it like this: One physical machine → Many virtual computers running inside it.

With Hyper-V you can:

Create multiple Windows or Linux virtual machines
Test servers without buying new hardware
Create isolated environments for labs
Manage virtual networks
Allocate CPU, RAM, and storage to VMs

Configuration Steps

STEP 1: Open Task Manager

Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to launch Task Manager or search using the start menu

STEP 2: Check If Virtualization Is Enabled

In Task Manager, go to the Performance tab.
Look under CPU to see if Virtualization is marked as Enabled.

If not enabled, reboot your PC and enable it from the BIOS/UEFI settings

STEP 3: Enable Hyper-V Features

Search for “Turn Windows features on or off” in the Start menu.
In the Windows Features window, look for Hyper-V

STEP 4: Enable Hyper-V and Restart

If Hyper-V is not checked, enable it by ticking the checkbox.
Click OK, then restart your computer to apply changes.

STEP 5: Launch Hyper-V Manager

After rebooting, search for Hyper-V Manager in the Start menu and open it.

STEP 6: Create a New Virtual Machine (VM)

In Hyper-V Manager, go to the right panel and click New > Virtual Machine.
Follow the wizard:
- Name your VM.
- Choose a location for storage.
- Select Generation 1 or 2 depending on your needs.
- Assign at least 2 GB of memory.
- Configure your network or use the default.
- Create a virtual hard disk with at least 40 GB.
- Choose the .ISO image file for the server OS (e.g., Windows Server 2016, 2019……).