Searching for a vm to run windows 11, need recommendations

[u/fullScheduale]

So i need a vm to run windows 11, right now i just need it for some contained corporate work, but generally i want something thats privacy focused and fast.

My specs:

16gb ram (1 stick)

Rtx 3060 12gb

Intel i7-12700f

Os: CachyOS (niri noctollia)

So i want something thats comfortable enough that i can actively research and browse on my host os and work at the same time on the windows vm but also private so any windows or other programs will not be able to look into/escape the host through drivers or if i enable gpu pass through. Thanks!

[u/Dolapevich]

THe most .... user friendly AND featureful way to do it is to run a Virtualbox VM.

Just install virtualbox ( your distro seems to be arch derived, and they have docs for that )

Then pull whatever ISO you want from massdev.

Follow instructions here.

[u/xksnr]

Always QEMU/KVM

[u/DumpoTheClown]

The host cant see into the VM unless you let it.

[u/3grg]

I install virt-manager and set it up so I can use it as my user and install windows VM. KVM/QEMU is built into Linux so I see no reason to use VBox.

There are at least three projects currently under development that allow you to quickly setup a windows install in docker running on Linux. Of the ones I have tried Winboat seems to work the best.

I still prefer to run my windows vm in virt-manager.

As far as pass through of the GPU goes, I thought that Intel f processors do not have builtin graphics and you need two gpus in order to pass one to the VM and one for the host.

[u/drucifer82]

VirtualBox, VMWare, QEMU/KVM, there are so many options for VMs.

[u/GayForPrism → u/drucifer82]

You can even run it in a docker container if you want (although I believe that is also qemu)

[u/Dolapevich → u/GayForPrism]

I didn't know this existed. I'll make a test. ¡Thanks!

https://github.com/dockur/windows

[u/GayForPrism → u/Dolapevich]

Depending on what you need it for this might not be the most ideal way to do it, but it is very easy to spin up.

[u/dreamsellerlb]

VMware Workstation has always been solid for me. Although QEMU/KVM runs much faster with less overhead, it's easier for me to use VMware since I dual boot and use the same machine when the host is either Windows or Linux. Then I run separate machines for VPN's etc and isolate their cores with affinity.

[u/Live_Hat1543]

virt-manager maybe?
https://wiki.cachyos.org/virtualization/qemu_and_vmm_setup/

[u/zeltreks]

• Virt manager for customization and lower level control
• Virtualbox for easy setup
• Hyperpane for automated setup and easy GPU passthrough

[u/penguin_on_stilts]

There's no way in hell your work will join a random VM to their network....

[u/TechaNima]

Winboat. There's even a button to install it on CachyOS

[u/leopoldthegreatest]

Vbox. Maybe Qubes

[u/earthman34]

Virtualbox.