How to Install Linux Mint on Hyper-V (Windows 11)

Installing Linux Mint as a virtual machine (VM) on Hyper-V in Windows 11 comes with many benefits. However, some users struggle with getting Linux Mint properly set up on Hyper-V. This comprehensive guide provides detailed step-by-step instructions for installing Linux Mint on Hyper-V on a Windows 11 PC.

Introduction to Linux Mint and Hyper-V

Linux Mint is one of the most popular Linux distributions available today. It is well-regarded for its elegant look and feel, ease of use, stability, and inclusion of proprietary codecs and drivers. Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu but has its own desktop environments called Cinnamon and MATE that help give it a more traditional desktop metaphor.

The latest long term support (LTS) version as of this writing is Linux Mint 21 “Vanessa” released in 2022. The 21.x versions come in three main editions catering to varied needs:

• Cinnamon Edition – uses a GNOME-based Cinnamon desktop making it a good Windows-like environment.
• MATE Edition – uses the MATE desktop oriented towards those who prefer a classic interface.
• XFCE Edition – uses the lightweight Xfce desktop focused on older systems.

The Cinnamon edition is arguably the most popular and makes Linux Mint feel like home for Windows users. It provides a familiar taskbar, system tray, start menu, and overall UI while still being Linux under the hood.

On the Windows side Hyper-V is Microsoft’s hardware virtualization tool built into Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise and Education editions. It allows users to create and run virtual machines locally similar to products like Oracle’s VirtualBox or VMware Workstation.

Hyper-V enables running another operating system isolated within Windows without dual boot or rebooting. This sandbox provides security, compatibility and the flexibility to test software risk-free.

Combining Linux Mint with Hyper-V therefore enables using the Linux environment seamlessly alongside Windows tools. Benefits of this combo include:

• Run Linux apps and tools without separate partitions or boot environments
• Test or use Linux software in an isolated VM container
• Added data protection and application security through VM sandboxes
• Quickly revert VMs to previous states in case of issues
• Easily move around and backup VMs using export/import

This guide focuses on addressing the common struggles faced when installing Linux Mint properly on Hyper-V virtualization in Windows 11.

Prerequisites for Installation

Before diving into the installation, we need to ensure we meet the requirements:

• Host Operating System – Windows 11 Pro, Enterprise or Education is required as Hyper-V is not included in Home editions. Running the latest feature updates is recommended.
• Hardware Virtualization Support – CPU and BIOS settings for virtualization need to be enabled. Intel VT or AMD-V will provide better performance.
• Available Resources – Check that there is enough RAM, CPU cores, and storage space available for virtual machines. 8GB RAM minimum is best for the host OS.
• Hyper-V Enabled – The Hyper-V role must be enabled within Windows Features before creating VMs.
• Linux Mint ISO Image – Download the correct 64-bit Cinnamon 21.x version ISO file ahead of installation.

With the prerequisites met, we can move forward with the installation steps beginning with enabling Hyper-V.

Enabling Hyper-V on Windows 11

Hyper-V is built into Windows 11 Pro and higher editions but needs to be explicitly enabled before it can be used to create virtual machines.

Here are the quick steps to enable the Hyper-V role:

1. Open the Windows start menu and search for “Turn Windows features on or off” and select the result
2. Check the box for Hyper-V
3. Click OK. Windows will prompt for a restart to finalize enabling Hyper-V.
4. After your computer reboots, Hyper-V will now be ready to use!

Now we can shift focus to setting up Linux Mint itself within a new virtual machine.

Step 1 – Download the Linux Mint ISO

To install Linux Mint, we first need to download the Linux Mint installer DVD ISO image from the official website.

Specifically for use with Hyper-V, follow these steps:

1. In your browser, go to the Linux Mint downloads page
2. Under the “Linux Mint 21.2” heading, click the link titled “Cinnamon Edition”
3. On the Downloads mirror page for Cinnamon, scroll down to the 64-bit ISO sections
4. Right beside the Torrent download method, click the Download button
5. This will download a small .torrent file for fetching the full DVD ISO (~2GB) via BitTorrent

The downloaded Linux Mint torrent file will allow getting the complete version 21.2 Cinnamon 64-bit installer image from the Mint repositories.

Using BitTorrent here helps by fetching the files quickly from additional seeders while reducing load on the main servers.

Once finished, we will have the .iso file for Linux Mint ready for installing to the Hyper-V virtual machine next.

Step 2 – Create A Generation 2 Hyper-V Virtual Machine

With the Linux Mint ISO image downloaded, now we can set up a new Generation 2 VM within Hyper-V manager.

1. Open the Hyper-V Manager application in Windows. Type “Hyper” in start menu search to find it.
2. In the right pane, right-click your local computer name and select New > Virtual Machine
3. This launches the New Virtual Machine Wizard – on the Specify Name and Location page, fill in details like VM name, storage paths, etc. and click Next
4. On the Assign Memory page, specify at least 2048 MB of startup RAM for best performance
5. For network connectivity select the existing Hyper-V virtual switch to connect the VM NIC to your local network & internet
6. On the Installation Options page, choose Install an operating system later
7. Lastly, on the summary page review your choices and click Finish to create the VM!

The wizard will now build and configure our new virtual machine ready for Linux Mint to be installed.

Some key points on the VM configuration:

• Generation 2 – This creates an UEFI-based Gen 2 VM required for Linux Mint 21+
• Dynamic Memory – Let the VM startup RAM grow/shrink as needed up to a max
• Virtual Switch – Absolutely pick an external switch connected to your network, NOT the default switch which has no connectivity

Leaving other settings like processor count, disk space, DVD drive as default is perfectly fine to start. These can be adjusted later on if needed.

With a basic Generation 2 VM created, we’re now ready to install Linux Mint!

Step 3 – Install Linux Mint on the Hyper-V Virtual Machine

Installing the Linux Mint operating system on the Hyper-V VM involves a few manual steps:

1. In Hyper-V Manager, right-click the new VM and select Connect…
2. The VM Connection window will appear – click Start to power on the virtual machine
3. If no boot menu appears initially, tap Enter a few times to boot from the virtual DVD drive by default
4. At the Linux Mint desktop, double click the “Install Linux Mint” icon to begin setup
5. Accept defaults and continue until the Installation Type screen
6. On Installation Type pick options like LVM or LUKS encryption if desired, otherwise accept Erase disk default
7. Ensure Download updates while installing Linux Mint box is CHECKED!
8. Click Install Now to begin – this process may take 10-15 minutes to finish
9. Finally click Restart Now when prompted to complete first boot tasks

That covers the most important aspects of the OS installation itself. There can certainly be more tweaking done here on partitioning or bootloader setup if you prefer. But for simplicity we’ll take the defaults.

After the VM reboots, the Linux Mint Welcome Screen will be the first thing you see. Read over this for basic usage tips, but we’ll still need to complete the install process fully before getting to the desktop.

Step 4 – Finalizing the Linux Mint Installation

With Linux Mint setup on the VM, rebooting after install leads to a few more steps needed:

1. A prompt will appear to remove the installation medium – click Continue Testing
2. If any errors show on first boot retry another reboot or two to see if it stabilizes
3. Close the Welcome screen finally arriving at the desktop
4. Check for Mint updates and install codecs for MP3/video as needed

Troubleshooting issues at boot is common and nearly always resolves on another restart or reinstalling GRUB. Don’t worry just yet!

But if successful you’ll now be able to starting using your Linux Mint virtual machine on Windows Hyper-V!

Install Guest Services for Added Features

To enable clipboard sync + drag/drop files between host and VM guest requires installing integration services:

1. Launch a terminal in Linux Mint and run: sudo apt update && sudo apt install linux-headers-generic build-essential
2. Install Hyper-V Guest Services by running: sudo apt install linux-tools-virtual
3. Reboot once more to ensure guest services start

Now you should have seamless mouse control, file copy/paste, shared folders, and video driver features accessible.

The Linux Mint VM is ready for anything!

Performance Optimization & Tweaking

Especially when running heavier desktops like Cinnamon getting smooth performance in a VM takes a few fixes:

• allocate more CPU cores for apps/multitasking
• assign an additional 1-2GB of RAM so Mint isn’t starved
• enable 3D GPU acceleration for VM manager in Hyper-V settings
• disable fancy Cinnamon visual effects under System Settings > Windows
• use Lite software versions when able – Chromium, VS Code etc.
• review running services with systemd-analyze blame to stop unneeded processes

Start conservative on resources and scale up as needed. Monitor CPU usage levels in Windows Task Manager while using Mint to spot lag.

For battery powered devices also consider:

• setting CPU to Low Power modes when on battery in power settings
• changing swapfile size from 100% RAM to 70% via swapoff then swapon commands
• lowering screen brightness, WiFi power etc. further through TLP Advanced Power Management

With several optimizations you can really make Linux Mint performance sing while virtualized on Windows 11 + Hyper-V!

Conclusion & Next Steps

In summary, getting Linux Mint installed on Hyper-V virtualization on a Windows 11 machine brings together a perfect combination of technologies.

This guide covered the A-Z process to install and configure Mint for best compatibility and performance in a Hyper-V VM.

Some key takeaways:

• Enable Hyper-V on Windows 11 Pro or higher editions
• Download the correct 64-bit Linux Mint Cinnamon torrent ISO image
• Create a Generation 2 virtual machine in Hyper-V manager
• Complete Linux Mint installation and guest services integration
• Tweak resources and services to improve VM efficiency

With clipboard and file sharing working between host and guest, you can seamlessly use Windows and Linux tools side-by-side.

Of course this just scratches the surface of everything possible with virtualization. Some next steps to continue your journey:

• Set up Shared Folders to easily access files between systems
• Create VM Snapshots to quickly roll back to previous states
• Clone your VM to make perfectly replicated copies
• Back up and export your VM to migrate it anywhere
• Practice advanced networking by joining virtual switches
• Automate VM maintenance with PowerShell Hyper-V modules

With so much flexibility having Linux Mint available in a window on your Windows desktop unlocks tremendous potential.

Let me know if any part of the installation process remains unclear or if you have suggestions to improve this guide! I welcome feedback to provide the most helpful directions possible.