[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":468},["ShallowReactive",2],{"en-post-45":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":12,"extension":461,"meta":462,"navigation":463,"path":464,"seo":465,"stem":466,"__hash__":467},"content/post/45.md","45",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":446},"minimark",[9,13,18,21,88,91,95,100,122,126,141,144,148,151,194,198,212,216,268,271,275,298,302,313,316,320,327,333,422,425,439,442],[10,11,12],"p",{},"Want to test suspicious software, run a clean copy of Windows, or spin up multiple systems for development without touching your real machine? Windows ships two free tools for this: Windows Sandbox and Hyper-V. This guide explains what they are, how to turn them on, how to use them, and how they compare with VMware, VirtualBox, and WSL.",[14,15,17],"h2",{"id":16},"three-kinds-of-isolation-explained","Three kinds of isolation, explained",[10,19,20],{},"The terms get mixed up, so here is a quick table.",[22,23,24,43],"table",{},[25,26,27],"thead",{},[28,29,30,34,37,40],"tr",{},[31,32,33],"th",{},"Option",[31,35,36],{},"What it is",[31,38,39],{},"Good for",[31,41,42],{},"Edition",[44,45,46,61,74],"tbody",{},[28,47,48,52,55,58],{},[49,50,51],"td",{},"Windows Sandbox",[49,53,54],{},"A throwaway, clean copy of Windows 11 that is destroyed on close",[49,56,57],{},"Quick software tests, opening shady links",[49,59,60],{},"Win10/11 Pro, Enterprise, Education",[28,62,63,66,69,72],{},[49,64,65],{},"Hyper-V",[49,67,68],{},"A real hypervisor that runs multiple persistent VMs",[49,70,71],{},"Long-lived VMs, dev and test, demos",[49,73,60],{},[28,75,76,79,82,85],{},[49,77,78],{},"WSL2",[49,80,81],{},"Runs a Linux command line or desktop inside Windows",[49,83,84],{},"Developers running Linux toolchains",[49,86,87],{},"Available on Home too",[10,89,90],{},"Home users have neither Sandbox nor Hyper-V, but they do have WSL2. For a full virtual machine on Home, use the alternatives at the end.",[14,92,94],{"id":93},"windows-sandbox-the-easiest-temporary-isolation","Windows Sandbox: the easiest temporary isolation",[96,97,99],"h3",{"id":98},"turn-it-on","Turn it on",[101,102,103,116,119],"ol",{},[104,105,106,107,111,112,115],"li",{},"Press ",[108,109,110],"code",{},"Win + R",", type ",[108,113,114],{},"optionalfeatures",", and press Enter to open Windows Features.",[104,117,118],{},"Check Windows Sandbox, click OK, and reboot when prompted.",[104,120,121],{},"Open it from the Start menu; a clean Windows desktop window appears.",[96,123,125],{"id":124},"how-it-behaves","How it behaves",[127,128,129,132,135,138],"ul",{},[104,130,131],{},"Ready to use. It has networking and you can copy files into it.",[104,133,134],{},"Disposable. Anything you install or change inside vanishes when you close the window; your real machine is untouched. Ideal for opening installers from unknown sources.",[104,136,137],{},"Fresh every time. Reopen it and you get a clean state again.",[104,139,140],{},"No persistence. You cannot save the sandbox state, which is where it trails Hyper-V.",[10,142,143],{},"The November 2026 update (KB5127936) fixed a prior Windows Sandbox crash, so the current build is more stable.",[14,145,147],{"id":146},"hyper-v-a-real-hypervisor-for-persistent-vms","Hyper-V: a real hypervisor for persistent VMs",[96,149,99],{"id":150},"turn-it-on-1",[101,152,153,165,168,191],{},[104,154,155,157,158,160,161,164],{},[108,156,110],{}," > ",[108,159,114],{}," > check Hyper-V (both Hyper-V Management Tools and Hyper-V Platform), OK, reboot. Or in an admin PowerShell run ",[108,162,163],{},"Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V -All",".",[104,166,167],{},"Open Hyper-V Manager from the Start menu.",[104,169,170,171],{},"On the right, Action > New > Virtual Machine, then follow the wizard.\n",[127,172,173,176,179,182,185,188],{},[104,174,175],{},"Name it and pick a location (prefer D or E, not C).",[104,177,178],{},"Choose Generation 2.",[104,180,181],{},"Assign memory (2 to 4 GB for testing; check Dynamic Memory to save).",[104,183,184],{},"Connect to Default Switch for internet.",[104,186,187],{},"Connect a virtual hard disk and create a .vhdx.",[104,189,190],{},"For installation, choose Install from ISO and point to your image.",[104,192,193],{},"Start the VM and install the OS.",[96,195,197],{"id":196},"useful-hyper-v-tips","Useful Hyper-V tips",[127,199,200,203,206,209],{},[104,201,202],{},"Checkpoints (snapshots). Capture a VM state any time and roll back with one click; safer than a real machine.",[104,204,205],{},"Enhanced session mode. Enables copy-paste and resolution scaling between host and VM.",[104,207,208],{},"Conflict with VirtualBox. With Hyper-V on, older VirtualBox or VMware Workstation builds may not run; use each tool's newer build (with Hyper-V backend) or turn Hyper-V off. Pick one.",[104,210,211],{},"Resource use. VMs eat memory and CPU; free up resources before starting one.",[14,213,215],{"id":214},"how-to-choose-among-vmware-virtualbox-and-wsl","How to choose among VMware, VirtualBox, and WSL",[22,217,218,228],{},[25,219,220],{},[28,221,222,225],{},[31,223,224],{},"Need",[31,226,227],{},"Pick",[44,229,230,238,246,260],{},[28,231,232,235],{},[49,233,234],{},"Test one app, fear malware",[49,236,237],{},"Windows Sandbox (wiped on close)",[28,239,240,243],{},[49,241,242],{},"Run one Windows or Linux VM long term",[49,244,245],{},"Hyper-V (built into Pro) or VirtualBox (free, works on Home)",[28,247,248,251],{},[49,249,250],{},"Linux dev, Docker, command line",[49,252,253,254,259],{},"WSL2 (lightest, see ",[255,256,258],"a",{"href":257},"/post/46/","Install and Set Up WSL2 on Windows to Run Linux",")",[28,261,262,265],{},[49,263,264],{},"Free full VM on Home",[49,266,267],{},"VirtualBox (supports Windows Home)",[10,269,270],{},"In short, Sandbox is a disposable glove, Hyper-V is your own server room, and WSL is a Linux terminal inside Windows. They do not conflict and can run together.",[14,272,274],{"id":273},"common-errors","Common errors",[127,276,277,280,287,290],{},[104,278,279],{},"\"Virtual Machine Platform\" greyed out or Sandbox will not check. Usually the BIOS virtualization (VT-x/AMD-V, SVM) is off. Reboot into BIOS, enable Intel Virtualization Technology or SVM Mode, then return to Windows.",[104,281,282,283,286],{},"Sandbox fails to start with 0x80070002 or a black screen. Run ",[108,284,285],{},"sfc /scannow"," to repair system files and confirm the November 2026 cumulative update is installed.",[104,288,289],{},"Hyper-V holds a port so VMware will not start. They fight over the virtualization backend; turn one off.",[104,291,292,293,297],{},"Blue screen or freeze. Over-provisioned VM or driver conflict; start with ",[255,294,296],{"href":295},"/post/20/","Windows Blue Screen Error Codes Explained"," and reboot if needed.",[14,299,301],{"id":300},"home-edition-alternatives","Home edition alternatives",[101,303,304,307,310],{},[104,305,306],{},"VirtualBox (free from Oracle). Works on every Windows edition, full featured, good for long-lived VMs.",[104,308,309],{},"WSL2 (Microsoft, works on Home). A Linux dev environment.",[104,311,312],{},"Third-party sandboxes such as Sandboxie-Plus, which can isolate any program persistently or temporarily.",[10,314,315],{},"Download software only from official sites or trusted channels to avoid bundled modified builds.",[14,317,319],{"id":318},"customize-the-sandbox-with-a-wsb-file","Customize the sandbox with a wsb file",[10,321,322,323,326],{},"The default sandbox is always blank, but you can write a ",[108,324,325],{},".wsb"," config file so it starts with networking, shared folders, or preinstalled software already set up.",[10,328,329,330,332],{},"Create a text file, give it a ",[108,331,325],{}," extension, and use content like this.",[334,335,340],"pre",{"className":336,"code":337,"language":338,"meta":339,"style":339},"language-xml shiki shiki-themes github-light github-dark","\u003CConfiguration>\n  \u003CVGpu>Enable\u003C/VGpu>\n  \u003CNetworking>Enable\u003C/Networking>\n  \u003CMappedFolders>\n    \u003CMappedFolder>\n      \u003CHostFolder>C:\\Temp\\Sandbox\u003C/HostFolder>\n      \u003CReadOnly>true\u003C/ReadOnly>\n    \u003C/MappedFolder>\n  \u003C/MappedFolders>\n  \u003CLogonCommand>\n    \u003CCommand>explorer.exe C:\\Temp\\Sandbox\u003C/Command>\n  \u003C/LogonCommand>\n\u003C/Configuration>\n","xml","",[108,341,342,350,356,362,368,374,380,386,392,398,404,410,416],{"__ignoreMap":339},[343,344,347],"span",{"class":345,"line":346},"line",1,[343,348,349],{},"\u003CConfiguration>\n",[343,351,353],{"class":345,"line":352},2,[343,354,355],{},"  \u003CVGpu>Enable\u003C/VGpu>\n",[343,357,359],{"class":345,"line":358},3,[343,360,361],{},"  \u003CNetworking>Enable\u003C/Networking>\n",[343,363,365],{"class":345,"line":364},4,[343,366,367],{},"  \u003CMappedFolders>\n",[343,369,371],{"class":345,"line":370},5,[343,372,373],{},"    \u003CMappedFolder>\n",[343,375,377],{"class":345,"line":376},6,[343,378,379],{},"      \u003CHostFolder>C:\\Temp\\Sandbox\u003C/HostFolder>\n",[343,381,383],{"class":345,"line":382},7,[343,384,385],{},"      \u003CReadOnly>true\u003C/ReadOnly>\n",[343,387,389],{"class":345,"line":388},8,[343,390,391],{},"    \u003C/MappedFolder>\n",[343,393,395],{"class":345,"line":394},9,[343,396,397],{},"  \u003C/MappedFolders>\n",[343,399,401],{"class":345,"line":400},10,[343,402,403],{},"  \u003CLogonCommand>\n",[343,405,407],{"class":345,"line":406},11,[343,408,409],{},"    \u003CCommand>explorer.exe C:\\Temp\\Sandbox\u003C/Command>\n",[343,411,413],{"class":345,"line":412},12,[343,414,415],{},"  \u003C/LogonCommand>\n",[343,417,419],{"class":345,"line":418},13,[343,420,421],{},"\u003C/Configuration>\n",[10,423,424],{},"Double-click the file to open a sandbox built to that config. Common switches.",[127,426,427,430,433,436],{},[104,428,429],{},"VGpu. Set to Disable to turn off GPU virtualization, only if a rare app conflicts.",[104,431,432],{},"Networking. Set to Disable to cut the sandbox off the network, for isolation with no internet.",[104,434,435],{},"MappedFolders. Map a host folder into the sandbox; ReadOnly true is safer because changes inside cannot touch the host file.",[104,437,438],{},"LogonCommand. Runs a command the moment the sandbox opens, such as opening a folder.",[10,440,441],{},"Note this only simplifies startup. When the sandbox closes, its changes still disappear; it is still not persistent.",[443,444,445],"style",{},"html .default .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-default);background: var(--shiki-default-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-default-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-default-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-default-text-decoration);}html .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-default);background: var(--shiki-default-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-default-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-default-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-default-text-decoration);}html .dark .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-dark);background: var(--shiki-dark-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-dark-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-dark-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-dark-text-decoration);}html.dark .shiki span {color: var(--shiki-dark);background: var(--shiki-dark-bg);font-style: var(--shiki-dark-font-style);font-weight: var(--shiki-dark-font-weight);text-decoration: var(--shiki-dark-text-decoration);}",{"title":339,"searchDepth":352,"depth":352,"links":447},[448,449,453,457,458,459,460],{"id":16,"depth":352,"text":17},{"id":93,"depth":352,"text":94,"children":450},[451,452],{"id":98,"depth":358,"text":99},{"id":124,"depth":358,"text":125},{"id":146,"depth":352,"text":147,"children":454},[455,456],{"id":150,"depth":358,"text":99},{"id":196,"depth":358,"text":197},{"id":214,"depth":352,"text":215},{"id":273,"depth":352,"text":274},{"id":300,"depth":352,"text":301},{"id":318,"depth":352,"text":319},"md",{},true,"/post/45",{"description":12},"post/45","9sFZoladjB_Ade3EmJo6bfAmdlAC8Q3CbQSofHTftts",1794378303978]