Virtualization with Sun VirtualBox

Virtualization with Sun VirtualBox
 
Many people feel intimidated by Linux. Linux is considered by many to be not meant for ordinary people who find the Windows operating system very simple and user friendly. Installation is perhaps the most difficult part of working with Linux, more so with the complexities of partitioning the hard disk, installing the boot loader, setting up the applications,
etc.
 
A major risk which most people face while installing Linux is overwriting the windows partition with Linux or overwriting the windows boot loader with the boot loader of Linux. Though these pitfalls can be avoided and Linux can be set up to dual boot with windows, it is not so easy.
 
A very efficient and risk-free approach to setting up Linux is virtualization. Virtualization allows you to set up Linux to run on windows. And that too without worrying about accidentally losing your windows installation.
 
There are various virtualization solutions available, most notably Microsoft Virtual PC, VMWare, Sun Virtual Box and Qemu.
 
Here I will give step-by-step instructions on how to set up Linux on Windows Operating System using Sun Virtual Box.
 
Here the Host Operating System is Windows Vista and the Guest Operating System is Ubuntu Linux 9.04 (Jaunty Jackalope)
 
After starting Sun Virtual Box, you get the following screen:
 


Clicking the New button will show the welcome screen as follows:



Click the Next button and enter the values as shown.

 

Choose the Operating System and Version and click the Next button. The following screen will be displayed:

Select the appropriate Base Memory Size and click the Next button. The following screen will be displayed:



Choose the Boot Hard Disk and 'Create new hard disk' options and click the Next button. The following screen will be displayed:



Clicking the Next button will display the following screen:

 

Choose the 'Dynamically expanding storage' option and click the Next button. The following screen will be displayed:



Choose the location and the size of the virtual hard disk and click the Next button. The following screen will be displayed:



Clicking the Finish button will display the following screen:

 

Clicking the Finish button once again will display the following screen:

 

Now click on the Start button at the top of the screen. The following screen will be displayed:



Clicking the Next button will display the Select Installation Media screen as follows:

Select the Media Type as CD/DVD-ROM Device and Media Source as the drive automatically selected.

If you have an ISO file of the OS you can browse to the location of the ISO file by clicking on the browse button on the side, otherwise click the next button with the Linux installation CD/DVD in the CD/DVD drive.

If you choose to browse to the location of the ISO file, you will get the following screen:

 

Click the Add button and choose the ISO file as follows

Clicking the Select button will display the following screen with the Media Source selected as follows:

 

Clicking the Next button will display the following screen:

Clicking the Finish button will display the following screen:

 

Choosing the language and pressing the Enter key will display the following screen

Selecting the Install Ubuntu option and pressing the Enter key will allow you to proceed with the installation as if you are installing Ubuntu on a real hard disk.

You have to follow the steps of installation according to the Installation Wizard. While choosing the partition to install Ubuntu, choose the 'Use the entire disk' option as follows:

The default values can be kept for all options including boot loader installation in the next few screens of the installation wizard. Finally the installation will start.

Following is the installation screen:

After installation is complete and you start Sun Virtual box you will see the following screen:

Click the settings button, select the Storage option and remove the iso file attachment and click OK button as follows:

Now clicking on the Start button will display the following Login screen of Ubuntu Linux:

After entering your user name as password, you get the following desktop of Ubuntu Linux running on your Windows Operating System.

I hope that this post will be helpful for Linux enthusiasts who want to work with Linux without risking damage to their Windows installation.