Install & use Hyper-V on Surface Pro w/Windows 8.1

[lparsons21]

Thanks to Poke, and some really crappy cold weather, I'm taking a run at activating this and installing Ubuntu on my Surface Pro. I don't actually have any use for either the virtualization nor Ubuntu, but what the hell??

Here's a link that I followed to do this :
http://everythingsurface.org/how-to-set-up-a-virtual-machine-with-your-surface-pro

I did all on that page, downloaded a 64-bit version of Ubuntu and I was off to the races. But no joy!!

It would install, but locked up at the last screen every time I tried. So I re-read the article and got the 32-bit version downloading now. I'll post again after I finish that and give some thoughts about the process and useage.

 

[lparsons21]

Ok, the installation is started for the 32-bit Ubuntu. And I must say that it is a better start!

With the 64-bit the install would show no network connection though I had configured a virtual one for it. With the 32-bit it indicated that the network connection is there and so far in this install, it is working and updating via the internet as it goes.

A good sign!!

 

[lparsons21]

OK, had a few issues that I finally resolved.

1st is that the link shows the memory allocation at 512Mb which results in a lockup at the end of the install and nothing will fix that.

So I deleted that VM and reconfigured one for 2048Mb and things went very smoothly. No lock up at the end, in fact nothing out of the ordinary.

So here's a few thoughts.

1. This tech was server only tech until Win8 Pro and it is obvious. There is no full screen mode available, it will expand to no more than about 1/2 screen. On the 10" screen of the Surface that isn't so good. But in the server environment, it was never conceived that you would actually use it that way, you would remote in. So I did that. Used MS' Remote Desktop App and it showed up just fine on my 24" PS3 display that is connected to my MacBook Pro. Still won't take up the full screen, but it is perfectly useable that way.

2. It works very well on the Surface and the lag when using RDP it tolerable if not ideal. Fiddled with a few apps and all seemed to work well.

Personally I wouldn't think that it would be all that useful, but if you already use VMs for different OS' on your equipment, this is at least viable.

One caution is that you have to have a new enough machine to have BIOS support for virtualized memory. My older i3 equipped Acer doesn't so I couldn't do this on that laptop.

I probably will delete all of this as I don't actually have any need/want for it. Just something to fiddle with!!

 

[lparsons21]

One final thing. Touch is supported though of little actual value.

 

[Poke]

Cool! Glad that you got things going sounds like you just had to do some small modifications is all.

 

[lparsons21]

Yeah once you figure out what needs slight changes it all installs and runs well.

The one thing I found when digging around is that there is lots of info out there about it, but much of it is more esoteric and geared around using it on a butt-kicking server. On the desktop box it seems to be one of those 'oh yeah, we can do that' kind of things.

Could be handy for some relatively light use in that environment I suppose.