How to Install an Operating System on a Virtual Machine Using CD/DVD or ISO Image?

Installation steps of any operating system in a virtual machine are identical to those on any physical machine. However there are few steps which are to be followed in addition to the regular installation process of an operating system in virtual machine. The added advantage that you get while installing an operating system on a virtual machine is that you can use both CD/DVD installation media and an ISO image to install Windows or any other operating system on it. In order to do so first of all you need to configure your virtual machine to boot from CD/DVD and then you can install the operating system on it exactly as you would do on a physical machine. The steps given below will tell you how to use CD/DVD and/or ISO image to install Windows operating system on a virtual machine right from the scratch.

1. In Virtual PC Console box select the virtual machine on which you want to install the operating system and click on Start button.
2. In the opened window when the system starts its booting process press Del key repeatedly to enter BIOS setup of the virtual machine.
3. 
4. Configure your virtual machine to boot from CD ROM and press F10 key and Enter key to save your configuration exit BIOS and restart the virtual computer.
5. While restarting in the opened window from the menu bar click on CD menu and select Capture ISO image.... If you do not have an ISO image you can insert a CD/DVD in your physical drive and can select Capture Physical Drive D: to use the physical CD/DVD ROM present in the drive.
6. After this your virtual computer will start the installation process of the operating system normally.