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With Hyper-V, it's easier than ever to take advantage of the cost savings of virtualization through Windows Server 2008. Optimize your server hardware investments by consolidating multiple server roles as separate virtual machines running on a single physical machine, efficiently run multiple different operating systems in parallel, on a single server, and fully leverage the power of x64 computing.
Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V, the next-generation hypervisor-based server virtualization technology, is available as an integral feature of Windows Server 2008 and enables you to implement server virtualization with ease. Hyper-V allows you to make the best use of your server hardware investments by consolidating multiple server roles as separate virtual machines (VMs) running on a single physical machine.
How can Microsoft products and services help your business succeed? Case studies provide the proof points you need to plan and deploy effective virtualization solutions. Learn from similar organizations in your industry, and see why they are choosing Hyper-V to achieve highly effective virtual environments.
Consolidating servers and enabling a high-performance virtual environment is the key to many high availability to mission-critical applications. Businesses are under pressure to ease management and reduce costs while retaining and enhancing competitive advantages, such as flexibility, reliability, scalability, and security. Discover the many benefits of the virtualization capabilities in Windows Server 2008 and access the technical resources and links to get your team started.
Whether you're considering which product and technologies to use, or need support for solutions you’ve implemented, find the right venue to learn from others like you. Community resources provide powerful options to learn from other IT professionals and developers who have implemented a wide range of Hyper-V solutions. Learn and participate with your peers, as well as the Virtualization development team.
This page lists the guest operating systems that are supported on Hyper-V RTM. While other operating systems might work on top of Hyper-V, at this point this list shows the set of supported guest OS on Hyper-V at RTM.
The following guest operating systems are supported on Hyper-V:
Windows Server 2008 R2 (VM configured with 1, 2, or 4 virtual processors)
Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard
Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise
Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter
Windows Web Server R2 2008
Windows Server 2008 x64 Edition (VM configured with 1, 2, or 4 virtual processors)
Windows Server 2008 Standard x64
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise x64
Windows Server 2008 Datacenter x64
Windows Web Server 2008 x64
Windows Server 2008 HPC Edition x64
Windows Server 2008 Standard without Hyper-V x64
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise without Hyper-V x64
Windows Server 2008 Datacenter without Hyper-V x64
Windows Server 2008 x86 (VM configured with 1, 2, or 4 virtual processors)
Windows Server 2008 Standard x86
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise x86
Windows Server 2008 Datacenter x86
Windows Web Server 2008 x86
Windows Server 2008 HPC Edition x86
Windows Server 2008 Standard without Hyper-V x86
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise without Hyper-V x86
Windows Server 2008 Datacenter without Hyper-V x86
Windows Server 2003 x86 (VMs configured with 1 or 2 virtual processors)
Windows Server 2003 Standard x86 Edition with Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2003 Enterprise x86 Edition with Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2003 Datacenter x86 Edition with Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2003 Web x86 Edition with Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2003 R2 x86 (VMs configured with 1 or 2 virtual processors)
Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard x86 Edition with Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise x86 Edition with Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2003 R2 Datacenter x86 Edition with Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2003 R2 Web x86 Edition with Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2003 R2 x64 (VMs configured with 1 or 2 virtual processors)
Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard x64 Edition with Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition with Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2003 R2 Datacenter x64 Edition with Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition (VMs configured with 1 or 2 virtual processors)
Windows Server 2003 Standard x64 Edition with Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2003 Enterprise x64 Edition with Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2003 Datacenter x64 Edition with Service Pack 2
Windows Server 2000 (VMs configured with 1 virtual processor)
Windows 2000 Server with Service Pack 4
Windows 2000 Advanced Server with Service Pack 4
Linux Distributions (VMs configured with 1 virtual processor)
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 with Service Pack 2 (x86 Edition or x64 Edition)
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 with Service Pack 1 (x86 Edition or x64 Edition)
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 (x86 Edition or x64 Edition)
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5.2 and 5.3 (x86 Edition or x64 Edition) (Emulated devices only)
Windows 7 x86 Edition (VM configured with 1, 2, or 4 virtual processors)
Windows 7 Business x86 Edition
Windows 7 Enterprise x86 Edition
Windows 7 Ultimate x86 Edition
Windows 7 x64 Edition (VM configured with 1, 2, or 4 virtual processors)
Windows 7 Business x64 Edition
Windows 7 Enterprise x64 Edition
Windows 7 Ultimate x64 Edition
Windows Vista x86 (VMs configured with 1 or 2 virtual processors)
Windows Vista Business x86 Edition with Service Pack 1
Windows Vista Enterprise x86 Edition with Service Pack 1
Windows Vista Ultimate x86 Edition with Service Pack 1
Windows Vista x64 Edition (VMs configured with 1 or 2 virtual processors)
Windows Vista Business x64 Edition with Service Pack 1
Windows Vista Enterprise x64 Edition with Service Pack 1
Windows Vista Ultimate x64 Edition with Service Pack 1
Windows XP Professional x86
Windows XP Professional x86 Edition with Service Pack 3 (VMs configured with 1 or 2 virtual processors)
Windows XP Professional x86 Edition with Service Pack 2 (VMs configured with 1 virtual processor)
Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
Windows XP Professional x64 with Service Pack 2 (VMs configured with 1 or 2 virtual processors)
Hyper-V includes a software package for supported guest operating systems that improves integration between the physical computer and the virtual machine. This package is referred to as integration services. You should verify that the management operating system (which runs the Hyper-V role) and virtual machines are running the same version of integration services.
Compatibility between versions
For optimal performance, we recommend that the management operating system and guest operating system run the same version of integration services.
If the management operating system runs a newer version of integration services than the guest operating system, we support all guests that are supported for the version of Hyper-V that includes the newer version of integration services.
If the management operating system runs an older version of integration services than the guest operating system, we support only the guests that have inbox integration services support.
The following table shows various combinations of versions that may be installed in the management operating system and guest operating systems, and what the support policy is for each combination of versions.
Integration Services Version in Management Operating System
Integration Services Version in Guest Operating System
Supported Guest Operating Systems
Windows Server 2008 + KB950050 (Hyper-V V1 RTM)
All supported guests on Windows Server 2008 + KB950050 (Hyper-V V1 RTM)
Windows Server 2008 with SP2
Windows Server 2008 with SP2 only
Windows Server 2008 R2
Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 only
All supported guests on Windows Server 2008 with SP2
All supported guests on Windows Server 2008 R2
Virtualization with Hyper-V
