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Last active February 21, 2026 09:00
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Setting up Hyper-V Enhanced Session Mode with Fedora 43
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hyperv-esm-fedora.md

Tested working on Fedora Workstation 39, 40, 41, 42, and 43.

(Commands prefixed with a # should be run as the root user or with sudo. Commands prefixed with a $ should be run as a regular/unprivileged user.)

  1. # dnf install xrdp (with Xorg session support: # dnf install xrdp xorgxrdp)
  2. If using GNOME: # $EDITOR /etc/pam.d/xrdp-sesman and comment and uncomment the appropriate lines.
  3. If using Xfce: $ echo startxfce4 > $HOME/.xsession and $ chmod +x $HOME/.xsession.
  4. Optionally, rename the shared drives mount: # $EDITOR /etc/xrdp/sesman.ini and set FuseMountName=shared-drives
  5. # $EDITOR /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini and set:
    • port=vsock://-1:3389 ([Globals] section)
    • vmconnect=true (uncomment)
    • security_layer=rdp
    • bitmap_compression=false
    • If you chose to install the xorgxrdp package: uncomment the whole [Xorg] section.
  6. $ systemctl enable xrdp xrdp-sesman
  7. Shut down the virtual machine (do NOT reboot) and close the Virtual Machine Connection window.
  8. On your host, in PowerShell (as admin or as a user in the "Hyper-V Administrators" group): Set-VM -VMName "Name of your Fedora VM" -EnhancedSessionTransportType HvSocket
  9. Connect to your VM by reopening the Virtual Machine Connection window, and boot it.

You can now enable Enhanced Session Mode.

@harahauk
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harahauk commented Feb 17, 2026

Newbie to Linux and trying various versions (Ubuntu, Mint, Fedora...) both on an old laptop and as Hyper-V VMs on Win10 Pro. Ubuntu was built-in (IIRC) and works in ESM no problems.

Trying Fedora 43 (KDE Plasma Desktop) today as a VM - works fine without ESM, but after entering credentials, just kills the session outright when using the instructions above. Same as @LantosIstvan

I removed xorgxrdp - just got a vnc login instead of xorg (I think). Same result.

Any ideas?

Hey @vikingau
I am not sure this will help, but I will try to explain my findings.

You say you have trouble with Fedora 43 (KDE Plasma). I'll assume that one is also using Wayland as graphics-backend which I don't think anyone has truly solved yet.

I have a solution that's not really a solution. You can't really call the resulting operating system Fedora Desktop anymore as Fedora Desktop is supported using Wayland, but the solution is really to run Xorg..

So if I want to run "pretend Fedora 43 Desktop" I install the Fedora 43 base-installation (no package-groups selected, but "Custom Fedora Operating System" or similar.
After that the solution is basically to install Xorg and Gnome and repeat the steps provided here by HarmfulBreeze.
I have automated this in my repo for i3, follow instructions for RHEL9 (tested on Fedora 43) if you're interested. Or just follow any other guide to install Xorg+(Gnome/KDE) and apply the instructions given above.

Best,

@vikingau
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vikingau commented Feb 21, 2026 via email •
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