VirtualBox guest Windows 11 system requirements

[Aaron Rainbolt]

On Wed, May 25, 2022 at 4:23 AM Ralf Mardorf via ubuntu-users
<ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> the downloaded ISO fits to the _not_ signed checksum. An unsigned
> checksum is what Microsoft considers a secure check. I don't expect
> something else from Microsoft.
>
> $ sha256sum /.tmp/Win11Pro/Win11_English_x64v1.iso
> 4bc6c7e7c61af4b5d1b086c5d279947357cff45c2f82021bb58628c2503eb64e  /.tmp/Win11Pro/Win11_English_x64v1.iso
>
> After providing the product key, which is seemingly a valid key, the
> Windows 11 installer returns
>
> "This PC can't run Windows 11
>
> This PC doesn't meet the minimum system requirements to install this version of Windows. For
> more information, visit https://aka.ms/WindowsSysReq "
>
> Screenshot: https://i.imgur.com/2U1Gk6n.png
>
> I don't expect that Microsoft mentions which requirement test/s failed.
> I visited the page, but I'm to stupid to see what requirement/s is/are
> missing.
>
> I already installed Windows 10 and other Windows releases on the same
> machine as VirtualBox guests. I don't want to update the Windows 10
> install to Windows 11.
>
> Has somebody already installed Windows 11 as VirtualBox guest on a Linux
> host?
>
> Now I need to go to work. Later I will ask the Oracle ;) and probably on
> other mailing lists, too. Currently I tried to install it on an Arch
> Linux host, so it's not an Ubuntu related issue. However, I tend to
> share VMs by different Linux hosts on a multi-boot Linux machine.
>
> Regards,
> Ralf

Running Windows 11 in VirtualBox is somewhat tricky, as Windows 11
requires UEFI firmware with Secure Boot enabled, as well as a TPM 2.0
chip, in order to install properly. I don't know whether or not
VirtualBox supports these components yet, but I bet those are the
requirements you're getting hung up on.

Thankfully, Microsoft allows you to circumvent these requirements via
a registry modification that you can make from within the Windows 11
installer, and it appears that a high-ranking employee of Oracle
actually recommends that you use these settings. Here's his guide on
getting Windows 11 to work in VirtualBox:
https://blogs.oracle.com/virtualization/post/install-microsoft-windows-11-on-virtualbox

You might also be able to try using Windows 11 in virt-manager.
Virt-manager actually supports Secure Boot and TPM 2.0, which may
allow you to install Windows 11 without having to mess with the
registry.