Parallels - Installing Windows 8 on Parallels Desktop 10

This document describes how to create a virtual machine and install Windows 8 on Parallels Desktop 10.

Self Help
Only
 NOTE: These products are not supported by the Help Desk. This document is provided for self help purposes only. Please contact the manufacturer or system developer for help.
  1. Before proceeding, you will need to install Parallels Desktop 10 on your computer. See the following article for instructions: Parallels - Installing Parallels 10 Desktop.
    • Important: The DoIT Tech Store only sells physical copies of Windows 8. If your Mac computer does not have a DVD drive, you will need to create an .iso image of the installation DVD in order to proceed. For assistance, please visit one of our Service Desks; alternatively, if you have access to a different Mac computer with a DVD, you can create the .iso image using the following instructions: How to Create a Windows Installation Image from a Bootable USB or DVD.
  2. After you have installed Parallels Desktop 10, insert your Windows installation DVD into your computer (or mount your .iso file). 
  3. From your Mac's Applications folder, launch Parallels Desktop.
  4. On the menu bar, open the File drop-down, and select New...
  5. In the Parallels Wizard, select the Install Windows or another OS from DVD or image file option before clicking Continue at the bottom right corner.
  6. Parallels Wizard will detect the installation media automatically. Verify that the correct media is highlighted, and click Continue.
  7. In the Windows Product Key window, leave Express installation checked; then enter the product key you received with your copy of Windows 8 into the Product Key text box.
  8. Click Continue.
  9. Select the way in which you will primarily be using Windows 8. Productivity is appropriate for most users, but there are the four available options: Productivity, Games only, Design, or Software development.
  10.  Specify a name and location for your virtual machine. 
    1. Name: The name can be anything you want, but it is generally best to assign it a name that is recognizable to its function (e.g., Windows 8). 
    2. Location: Though the default location path for Parallels' virtual machines is /Users/username/Documents/Parallels, this can be changed if desired.
  11. If you would like other user accounts on your Mac to have access to this installation of Windows, make sure to toggle the Share with others users of this Mac checkbox.
  12. If you want to change your default virtual machine settings, make sure to toggle the Customize settings before installation checkbox. These settings can also be easily changed after installation if desired. 
  13. Click Continue to begin the installation. 
  14. Once Windows is installed, you can launch it by opening a Windows application or by clicking the Power button in the Parallels Virtual Machines list. 
    • Important:: The first time you start Windows, Parallels Tools will be installed to allow seamless operation between Windows and OS X. Please do not cancel or stop the installation process. Once the Parallels Tools is installed, you will be prompted to restart Windows.
  15. For instructions on installing Microsoft Office on Windows, please see: Parallels - Installing Microsoft Office on a Windows Virtual Machine.

See Also


Keywords:
mac os x macintosh osx win8 installation create run virtual machine vm operating system 
Doc ID:
46043
Owned by:
Help Desk KB Team in DoIT Help Desk
Created:
2015-01-08
Updated:
2026-06-03
Sites:
DoIT Help Desk