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== KVM System Requirements ==
Before embarking on the configuration outlined in this chapter it is important to understand some hardware requirements. Firstly, KVM virtualization of Windows guests is only available on certain processor types. The processors typical include Intel-VT or AMD-V technology.
To check for Intel-VT support , run the following command which checks for the presence of vmx:
<pre>
</pre>
To check for AMD-V support , run the following command which checks for the presence of svm:
<pre>
Note that the above commands only report whether the processor supports the respective feature, it does not indicate whether the feature is currently enabled in the BIOS. In practice virtualization support is typically disabled in the BIOS of most systems. It is recommended, therefore, that you check your BIOS settings to ensure the appropriate virtualization technology is enabled before proceeding with this tutorial.
Unlike a dual booting environment a virtualized environment involves the running of two complete operating systems concurrently on a single computer system. This means that the system must have enough physical memory, disk space and CPU processing power to comfortably accommodate both systems in parallel. Before beginning the configuration and installation process check on the minimum system requirements for both Fedora Linux and your chosen Windows version and verify that your system has sufficient resources to handle the requirements of both systems.
== Preparing Fedora for KVM Virtualization ==
Virtual systems can easily be configured using either the ''virt-install'' command-line tool, or the ''virt-manager'' GUI tool. For the purposes of this chapter we will use the ''virt-manager'' tool.
Begin by launching ''virt-manager'' either by selecting the ''Applications->System Tools->Virtual Machine Manager'' menu option or from the command-line by running ''/usr/sbin/virt-manager''. Once loaded, the virtual manager will display the following screen:
[[Image:kvm_virt-manager-main.jpg|The KVM Virtual Machine Manager Main Screen]]
[[Image:kvm_virtualization_method.jpg|Selecting a Virtualization Method]]
As KVM supports only full virtualization this is the sole option on this screen. The most important setting to note is the '''Enable kernel / hardware acceleration'' checkbox. If this option is disabled and cannot be selected then the appropriate virtualization technology for KVM is either missing from your CPU or is disabled in the BIOS (see the section above on system requirements for more information). Make sure this option is selected before pressing the ''Forward'' button.
== Configuring the KVM Virtual System ==