VirtualBox is a virtualization open source software that runs on Linux, Windows and Mac OS.
- Download VirtualBox and VirtualBox Extension Pack here based on your platform (Windows in this tutorial).
- Install VirtualBox with default settings.
- Install VirtualBox Extension Pack.
For this tutorial Ubuntu Desktop Linux will be used.
If you want to use another distro check the Popular Linux Distributions list.
- Download the latest Ubuntu Desktop LTS
.iso
file here.
- Run VirtualBox.
- Click on the New button to create a new virtual machine (VM)
- Click on Expert Mode
- Set the VM Name, the machine folder to store the VM, type (
Linux
) and version (Ubuntu 64bit
). - Set the Memory size (RAM) at
4096 MB
(4GB) or use the default settings1024 MB
- Select
Create a virtual hard disk now
- Proceed with the Create button
- Set the File size (disk size) at
20 GB
- Set the Hard disk file type as
VDI - Dynamically allocated
- Proceed with the Create button to initialize the machine.
- Select the new VM in the manager windows and click on the Settings button.
-
Navigate to the Sistem tab and:
- remove Floppy from boot order
- set Chipset to
PIIX3
(default) Enable PAE/NX
in the Processor menu- check Acceleration menu to have
Default Paravirtualization
andEnable Nested Paging
checked
-
Navigate to the Display tab and increase the
Video Memory
to128 MB
-
Graphics Controller
must beVMSVGA
to be able to use VirtualBox Guest Additions
- Select the new VM and click on the Start button to start it
- Click on the file icon to open the Optical disk selector
- Use the Add button to select the
.iso
file previously downloaded, select it from the list and Choose it - Click on the Start button to start he machine with the mounted
ubuntu-22.04-desktop-amd64.iso
(in this case)
- Wait for the Ubuntu boot and installation menu
- Select your language and click Install Ubuntu
- Select your Keyboard layout and continue
- Choose
Normal installation
and check both Other options boxes (you must be connected to the Internet)
- Choose
Erase disk and install Ubuntu
and continue the installation without enabling encryption
- Select your Location and time zone from the map screen
- Create your login details as
hostname
,username
andpassword
- Proceed with the Continue button that will start Ubuntu installation
- Restart your VM once the installation has completed.
Guest Additions software unlocks some advanced features of VirtualBox to better integrate the VM and the host machine, as well as improved video support using VMSVGA graphics controller.
- Complete the VM boot and login to Ubuntu desktop
- On the VirtualBox menu select Devices - Insert Guest Additions CD image...
- Run the VBox_GAs disk inside the virtual machine desktop
- Run the installation when prompted
- If the prompt do not auto-start, open the disk, right-click on the
autorun.sh
file and Run as a Program - Enter your password to install it
- If the prompt do not auto-start, open the disk, right-click on the
- Restart the VM
- Right-click on the disk and Eject it
- Activate the shared clipboard from the
Devices - Shared Clipboard - Bidirectional
menu
Keep the Ubuntu O.S. updated using one of the next methods.
- Update it via the Software Updater app
- Open a Terminal window (
Ctrl+Alt+T
) and update the system with the next command.- This can be used when connected via SSH too.
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
📌 Check the official documentation of the distro for the installation of other Linux distributions.