After you create a virtual machine, you must install a guest Windows operating system.

Prerequisites

  • For the list of supported guest Windows operating systems, see the VMware Knowledge Base (KB) articles https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/78714 and https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/78715.
  • Verify that an ISO image file of the guest operating system is on a datastore on your ESXi server.
  • Verify that the CD/DVD drive in the virtual machine points to the ISO image file of the guest operating system and that the CD/DVD drive is configured to connect at power on.

Procedure

  1. In vSphere Client, log in to the vCenter Server system where the virtual machine resides.
  2. Right-click the virtual machine, select Power, and select Power On to start the virtual machine.
    Because you configured the CD/DVD drive to point to the ISO image of the guest operating system and to connect at power on, the guest operating system installation process begins automatically.
  3. Click the Console tab and follow the installation instructions provided by the operating system vendor.
  4. Activate Windows.

What to do next

Prepare the guest operating system for VMware Horizon 8 desktop deployment.