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INSTALL AND USE AN OPERANDING SYSTEM ON A VIRTUAL MACHINE: VIRTUALBOX
by Francesco Palmisano


Exist many software to make a virtual machine, someone closed source and other open source. The most populars are Xen, VMware, VirtualBox and Qemu.
The Linux kernel support virtualization extensions of newest CPU (Intel VT-x and AMD-V).

The software that we going to consider in this tutorial is VirtualBox: a free program based on Qemu project, that can use virtualization extensions of CPU and that, thanks to the GuestAdditions (not present in his "father" Qemu), makes a better integration of the guest operanding system.

virtualbox-1

First of all, two important thing:

1) Host system is the operanding system installed on your "real" PC (for us is Debian/GNU Linux).
2) Guest system is the operanding system installed on the virtual machine.

virtualbox-logo VirtualBox is develop by Sun Microsystems and is installable with your packages manager.
Add this line to your /etc/apt/sources.list file:

#VirtualBox
deb http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian lenny non-free

For install the public key of Sun Microsystems repository digit, as root:

wget -q http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian/sun_vbox.asc -0- | apt-key add -

Now install virtualbox!
The program will install also the kernel module.

IMPORTANT: Don't install the virtualbox-ose version!

If you want use VirtualBox as normal user, add, as root, the user in the vboxusers group using for example kuser program (in KDE).

Now open VirtualBox:

vb1

Let's proceed to configure it:

From File menu select Preferences and enable Enable VT-x/AMD-V as here:

vb2

On Input select Auto capture keyboard.
Now create a new virtual machine:

vb3

Select a name and a type for the guest O.S.:

vb4

Select how much RAM do you want for the virtual machine:

vb5

Select the virtual hard drive size:

vb6

Now enable the virtual machine to use the USB ports present in your PC.
As root add to /etc/fstab file the line:

none /proc/bus/usb usbfs devgid=46,devmode=664 0 0

Save and close the file.
Now in the Setting of the virtual machine select how much video memory do you want for that virtual machine:

vb7

Enable the audio support:

vb9

Active the network:

vb8

Enable Guest system to use USB 1.0 and USB 2.0:

vb10

Now add (if you want) one or more folder from your PC that will be share with the Guest operanding system:

vb11

Ok, now you can install your Guest system (for example Windows XP with original CD) clicking on start and proceed like a "normal" installation:

vb13

Now you need to install GuestAdditions package for your Guest system.
Select from Device menu the voice Install Guest Addictions:

vb15

If you don't have one in your hard drive, it ask you to download from Internet and then will begin to install the Guest Additions; at the end you need to reboot your virtual machine (reboot Windows).
With Guest Additions you have better integration of keyboard, mouse and full screen.
In the sys tray you can see a new icon:

vb14

Ctrl right+F for full screen mode:

vb16

You can use your PC shared folder by using network tree:

vb17

Now you can create how much virtual machine do you want: Windows, Unix, Linux, etc...

IMPORTANT 1: for each kernel's upgrade you need to rebuild the Virtualbox kernel module with the command(as root):

/etc/init.d/vboxdrv setup

IMPORTANT 2: Guest 64 bit operanding system  work only on Host 64 bit operanding system. Remember that it's illegal install MacOS system as Guest!

Link: Ufficial VirtualBox website

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