QEMU is an open source emulator that allows you to run virtual machines on your Windows computer. It can be useful if you want to test out different operating systems or run software built for other platforms without having to dual boot or wipe your current Windows installation. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to install and configure QEMU on Windows 10.
Installing QEMU
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Go to the QEMU download page and get the latest Windows installer. Make sure to pick the 64-bit version if you have a 64-bit version of Windows.
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Run the QEMU installer once downloaded. Keep clicking "Next" and accept the license agreement when prompted.
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Choose the destination location to install QEMU. The default location is fine for most users. Click "Install" to begin the installation process.
Configuring QEMU
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Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the QEMU installation directory. The default location is C:\Program Files\qemu.
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Copy the full path to this directory. We will need to add it to the system path.
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Open the System Properties window by right-clicking on This PC and selecting Properties.
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Click on the Advanced system settings link in the left pane.
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Switch to the Advanced tab and click the Environment Variables button near the bottom.
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Under System Variables, scroll down and find the Path variable. Double click on it to edit.
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Click New and paste the full path to your QEMU directory that you copied earlier. Click OK to close the windows.
Creating Your First Virtual Machine
With QEMU installed and configured, you‘re now ready to create your first virtual machine!
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Download an OS installation image file (ISO) you want to run, such as Ubuntu. Place this ISO file in your QEMU directory for easy access.
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Open the Command Prompt and change to your QEMU directory (e.g cd C:\Program Files\qemu).
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Type the following command to launch Ubuntu, replacing "ubuntu.iso" with your actual ISO filename:
qemu-system-x86_64 -boot d -cdrom ubuntu.iso -m 2048- A new QEMU window running Ubuntu should now launch. You can play around in Linux now or proceed to install it if you want.
That covers the basics of getting up and running with QEMU virtual machines on Windows 10. There are many more advanced options you can tweak and configure to optimize performance. But hopefully this gives you a good base to experiment with different operating systems and platforms right from Windows!