• VirtualBox virtual machine - configuration and application. Step-by-step installation and configuration of the Virtualbox virtual machine

    This article is devoted to the Oracle VM VirtualBox virtualization platform, its installation, configuration and preparation for work.

    VirtualBox is a completely free program and entirely in Russian, which makes it very attractive for use on both home and work computers. The system was first provided in 2007 by InnoTek in two versions - open and closed source codes, both of which were free for non-commercial use. In 2008, the platform was purchased by Sun Microsystems, which is currently developing it.

    The platform is a virtualization system for host systems Windows, Linux and Mac OS and provides interaction with guest operating systems Windows (2000/XP/2003/Vista/Seven), Linux (Ubuntu/Debian/OpenSUSE/Mandriva, etc.), OpenBSD , FreeBSD, OS/2 Warp.

    Key features of VirtualBox:

    • x86 virtualization (in this case, support for hardware implementation of Intel VT and AMD-V is optional);
    • support for multiprocessing and multi-core;
    • support for virtualization of audio devices;
    • support for virtualization of network devices;
    • USB-host virtualization support;
    • high performance and modest consumption of PC resources;
    • support for various types of network interaction (NAT, Host Network, Bridge, Internal);
    • the ability to save snapshots of the virtual machine, which can be rolled back from any state of the guest system;
    • setting up and managing the VirtualBox application and virtual system from the command line.

    To learn more about the Oracle VM VirtualBox platform, you can visit the manufacturer's website Welcome to VirtualBox.org!

    Installing the Oracle VM VirtualBox Platform

    You can download the platform suitable for your system using the link: http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

    Within the framework of this article, we will consider working with the VirualBox platform version 3.2.8 r64453 (download), the latest at the time of writing.

    After installation package appeared on your hard drive, you can begin installing the program. This article discusses installation and configuration VirtualBox platforms in the operating system environment Windows Vista Home Premium SP2.

    After launching the installer, you will see a welcome window. Click the “Next” button and in the new window, agree to the terms of the license agreement by checking the “I accept the terms in the License Agreement” checkbox. In the next window (Fig. 1) you will be asked to select components to install and specify the location executable files. By default, all components are installed on hard drive(and we need everything), and the program itself is installed in the “Program Files” folder on the system drive. If you want to specify a different location, click the Browse button and select new folder to install the application.

    Note. When installing the application on operating system Windows XP a message may appear stating that the platform has not been tested for compatibility with this OS. You can ignore the warning and continue installation - you will not encounter any problems during operation. When installing an application on the Windows Vista/Seven operating system, after installation is complete, you should enable compatibility mode. To do this, go to the folder with installed program, find the file VirtualBox.exe, use the right mouse button to call up the context menu, select “Properties” and on the “Compatibility” tab, check the box “Run the program in compatibility mode for”, selecting “Windows XP (Service Pack 2)” as the operating system )".

    Creating and initial configuration of a virtual machine

    Let's launch the Oracle VM VirtualBox application (when installing the platform, a shortcut is created on the desktop that you can use). A window will open in front of us, and in it (which is very pleasant) everything will be in Russian. To create your first virtual machine, click the “Create” button:

    Fig.2: Main window

    Note. In my virtualization platform, there are already created virtual machines, and therefore, when you first create yours, you will not see a list of virtual operating systems.

    A new window will open in front of you, in which there will be a message about starting the virtual machine creation wizard. Click the “Next” button and see a new window asking you to select the name of the operating system, its family and version. In Fig. 3 shows my choice, but you can choose any of the available systems to your liking.

    Fig.3: Initial parameters

    After clicking the “Next" button, you will be asked to determine the size RAM allocated to the virtual machine (Fig. 4). I choose 1024MB, but for stable operation with the Windows XP virtual system, 512MB will be enough.

    Fig.4: Memory allocated

    Next you need to create virtual hard disk (Fig. 5). If you have already created virtual disks, you can use them, but we will look at the process of creating a new disk. Let’s confirm that the hard drive we are creating is bootable, check the “Create a new hard drive” checkbox and click the “Next” button.

    Fig.5: Creating a hard drive

    Next, a new window will appear, which will inform you that the running wizard will help you create virtual disk, click the “Next” button to continue working. In a new window (Fig. 6) you will be asked to select a type the disk being created- “dynamically expanding image” or “image fixed size" The difference is explained in the help of this window, but I would like to note that it is more convenient to create a boot disk of a fixed size - this will allow you to automatically limit its size, simplify and speed up storage, recovery and creation backup copies disk. In addition, you can create several hard drives and now those that will not be bootable, it is more convenient to create dynamically expanding ones.

    Fig.6: Creating a hard drive - selecting the type

    In the next window (Fig. 7) you will be required to select the location of the created virtual hard disk and its size. For boot hard The default size of a disk with Windows XP (10 GB) is sufficient, but it is better to place it outside your system partition, because You should not overload your real boot disk and create files of this size on it.

    Fig.7: Creating a virtual hard disk - selecting size and location

    After this, the “Result” window will appear (Fig. 8), which will indicate the type, location and size of the hard drive you are creating. If you agree to create a disk with these parameters, click “Finish” and watch the process of creating the hard disk.

    Fig. 8: Creating a hard drive - the creation process

    Once the creation of the hard disk is complete, a new “Result” window will appear (Fig. 9), which will indicate the parameters of the virtual machine you are creating. If you have not changed your mind on any of the points described, click “Finish” and proceed to setting up the hardware of your virtual machine.

    Fig.9: Creating a hard drive - Finish

    Setting up virtual machine hardware

    So, you have created a virtual hard disk, now it’s time to assemble our virtual computer completely. To do this, return to the main VirtualBox window (Fig. 10), in it you can already see the newly created WinXP-2 virtual machine, and in the field on the right side its description is presented, which does not yet resemble the description of a full-fledged PC.

    Fig. 10: Hardware setup - start

    In the column on the left, select our WinXP-2 and open its properties (Fig. 11), where the column on the left side resembles the device manager. On the first tab of the “General” section we see the main parameters of our virtual machine:

    Fig. 11: Hardware setup - general, 1

    Let's go to the advanced tab (Fig. 12) and see what system settings we can make:

    • "Folder for pictures." If you have placed your hard drive in your own location, then it is better to move this folder there too, because pictures have a lot of weight and, again, you should not overload your system disk. My recommendation is to create snapshots before each significant change you want to make in the virtual system, and even for one virtual machine you can create several snapshots containing different settings and installed applications;
    • “Shared clipboard” is a definition of how the clipboard will work between your host system and the virtual machine. There are four options for buffer operation - “off”, “only from the guest OS to the main OS”, “only from the main OS to the guest OS”, “bidirectional”. We will choose the last option, because... this will provide us maximum convenience at work;
    • “Removable storage media remember changes during operation”, here we check the box as a sign of consent, because This option will allow the system to remember the state of CD\DVD drives;
    • “Mini toolbar” is a small console containing virtual machine controls. It is better to use it only in full screen mode, because... it is completely duplicated by the main menu of the virtual machine working window. It is really better to place it on top simply because you can accidentally click on some control element when trying, for example, to maximize a window from the taskbar of a virtual machine.

    Fig. 12: Hardware setup - general, 2

    Let's go to the system section and on the first tab, motherboard (Fig. 13), make the following settings:

    • If necessary, we will adjust the size of the RAM of your virtual machine, although you will be able to finally be convinced of the correctness of the selected volume only after starting the virtual machine. You can choose the size based on the amount of available physical memory installed on your PC. For example, if you have 4GB of RAM, the optimal allocation would be 1GB, i.e. one fourth part, which will allow your virtual machine to work without the slightest freeze;
    • let's adjust the boot order - the floppy drive ("floppy disk") can be completely disabled, and be sure to install the CD/DVD-ROM first to ensure the ability to install the OS from the boot disk. In this case, either a CD or an ISO image can act as a boot disk;
    • all other settings are described in the dynamic help below, and their application depends on the hardware of your real PC, and if you set settings that are not applicable to your PC, the virtual machine system simply will not start;

    Fig. 13: Hardware setup - motherboard

    Let's move on to the “Processor” tab (Figure 14), here you can select the number of processors installed on your virtual motherboard. Please note that this option will only be available if AMD-V or VT-x hardware virtualization is supported (Fig. 15), and the OI APIC option is enabled on the previous tab.

    Fig. 14: Hardware setup - processor

    Here I will again draw your attention to the AMD-V or VT-x hardware rendering settings. Before enabling these settings, you need to find out whether your processor supports these features and whether they are enabled by default in the BIOS (they are often disabled).

    Fig. 15: Hardware setup - acceleration

    Let's move on to the “Display” section (Fig. 16). In this section, on the “Video” tab, you can set the memory size of the virtual video card, as well as enable 2D and 3D acceleration, and enabling 2D acceleration is desirable, but 3D is optional. On the “Remote Display” tab, you can enable the option in which your virtual machine will work as a remote desktop server (RDP).

    Fig. 16: Hardware setup - display

    Let's move on to the media section (Fig. 17). Here you can see the previously created virtual hard disk and the position labeled empty. We select this position and make adjustments (Fig. 18).

    Fig. 17: Hardware setup - media, 1

    There are two ways to configure a virtual CD drive:

    • first option - in the “Drive” drop-down menu, select your real or virtual CD/DVD-ROM (existing in real system) and load it into it physical disk With Windows distribution XP or ISO image if it is an emulator;
    • second option - click the icon as shown in the figure below (Fig. 18) and in the window that opens (Fig. 19) add an ISO image of the boot Windows disk XP, this is the way we will go.

    Note. At this point, you can no longer select a distribution kit of another operating system, because the OS version was already determined at the very beginning of the virtual machine setup process.

    Fig. 18: Hardware setup - media, 2

    The figure below shows the procedure for adding ISO images to the Virtual Media Manager. You can add any number of images to it for various purposes, for example, games, application distributions, databases, etc., which you can then quickly switch through the main menu of the VirtualBox virtualization window.

    Fig. 19: Hardware setup - media, 3

    Fig.20: Hardware setup - media, 4

    Next (Fig. 21 and 22) you can configure the drive connection slots; to simplify the description, I provide screenshots from which you can perform the configuration steps. Out of habit, I set the CD drive as the "IDE Primary Master", the hard drive containing boot partition, as “Secondary IDE Master”, and the additional virtual hard disk as “Primary IDE Slave”.

    Fig.21: Hardware setup - media, 5

    Fig.22: Hardware setup - media, 6

    Setting up a network and network interaction is not covered within the scope of this article, so I will only note that the NAT type network adapter (Fig. 23) is enabled by default, and this is already enough to provide your virtual machine with access to the Internet. The type of adapter you select must be “Pcnet-Fast III (Am79C973)”, because Only for this adapter there are drivers in Windows XP.

    Fig.23: Hardware setup - network adapter

    I do not describe the COM section in detail, because... connect to ports of this type there's nothing left. If you still need to connect a device with an RS-232C interface, then the most convenient way would be to enable the COM port of the virtual machine in the “host device” mode, and use the name of the actual port of your PC as the “path to the port”, which you you can look in device manager.

    Let's go to the USB section (Fig. 24), here we check both available checkboxes, and then, using the button with the image of a USB “plug” and “plus”, we add all available controllers.

    Fig.24: Hardware setup - USB controller

    Go to the “Shared Folders” section (Fig. 25) and select the folders that need to be made available to the virtual machine.

    Fig.25: Hardware setup - Shared folders

    Note. Pay attention to the dynamic help below - this is how, through the command line window, you can connect shared folders to your virtual machine.

    This completes the configuration of the hardware of your virtual machine, and you can proceed to installing the operating system.

    Setting up the virtual machine operating system

    The description of installing the operating system is not described in the article, because The site provides enough information about the methods and intricacies of this operation, so I will indicate the first step - return to the main VirtualBox window and click the “Start” button.

    Fig. 26: Setting up the operating system - the first step

    After completing the action described above, you will see the following window:

    Fig. 27: Setting up the operating system - installation process

    This means that you have made all the settings correctly, and all that remains is to install and configure the operating system. This window is most likely familiar to you (if you have at least once installed the OS yourself Windows family), and the installation process is no different from installing the OS on your real computer. After the system is installed and loaded (Fig. 28), you can begin setting up the operating system of your virtual machine.

    Fig. 28: Setting up the operating system - installed system

    First, we need to install drivers for all virtual hardware components of our virtual PC. To do this, in the main menu (Fig. 29) select the item “Devices” - “Drives” optical disks" - "VboxGuestAdditions.iso". Subsequently, in the same way, you can connect a physical CD-ROM to your virtual machine or download an ISO image.

    Fig. 29: Setting up the operating system - downloading “VboxGuestAdditions.iso”

    After connecting the “VboxGuestAdditions.iso” image in the My Computer folder, you will see that this virtual disk is loaded into the CD drive - all you have to do is launch it by double-clicking the left mouse button.

    Fig. 30: Setting up the operating system - installing VboxGuestAdditions.iso

    The installation process itself occurs practically without your participation and only if you have previously enabled 3D acceleration, then you should select the appropriate component (Fig. 31) for additional installation.

    Fig. 31: Setting up the operating system - selecting add-ons

    During installation, two warnings will be issued about the lack of test results for this software in the operating room Windows system XP, and both times you can safely continue with the installation - installed drivers and additional software will work great. In the last window of the installation process, you will be asked to reboot the virtual machine - agree, after the reboot you will see that the image has become clearer, the size of the virtual machine window changes dynamically, the mouse integration function is enabled and there is Internet access.

    Let's now connect shared folders to be able to transfer the files needed for work and install applications to the created virtual machine. This can be done using the command line by following the VirtualBox help, but I'll give a method using Windows Explorer. To do this, open the My Computer folder, in the main menu select “Tools” - “Map network drive” and in the window that opens, in the folder field, enter \\vboxsrv\shared_folder_name, i.e. in our case:

    \\vboxsrv\WinXP-2-Share

    After these steps, your shared folder will appear in the “My Computer” folder, available as a network drive.

    Let's now check if you have Internet access. To do this, open: “Start” menu - “Programs” - “Accessories” - “ CMD command line"and in the window that opens (Fig. 32) enter the following command:

    Ping ya.ru

    If, as a result of executing the command, you see that the packets are sent and received, even partially, then everything worked out for you, and Internet access is provided to the virtual machine.

    Fig.32: Setting up the operating system - checking the Internet connection

    Quick access and comfortable work

    Shortcut for quickly starting a virtual machine

    To make it faster and more convenient to launch your virtual machine, we will create a shortcut specifically for it. You can do this as follows:

    1. By right-clicking on the desktop, call up the context menu and select “Create shortcut”;
    2. In the window that opens, in the “Specify object placement” field, enter
    "C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage.exe" startvm WinXP;
    1. In the next window, enter a name for the shortcut, for example, “WinXP” and click the “Finish” button;
    2. The created “WinXP” shortcut appears on your desktop, right-click on it;
    3. In the opened context menu select "Properties";
    4. In the window that appears, select change icon and in the icon source file selection field, enter
    C:\WINDOWS\System32\WinFXDocObj.exe;
    1. Click OK and then Apply.

    After these operations, your shortcut will look like this:

    Fig.33: Creating a shortcut for a virtual machine

    Display Integration Mode

    In display integration mode, you can easily organize access to the desktop and virtual machine controls from your desktop, i.e. all windows you open in the virtual machine will be displayed on your desktop, and not in a separate VirtualBox window. This function significantly simplifies access to the virtual machine, its controls and applications installed on it. To enable this mode, you need to select an item with the appropriate name in the main menu of the VirtualBox visualization window or press the key combination “HOST + L”, where the “HOST” key is the left “Ctrl” (default).

    Fig.34: Display integration mode

    Conclusion

    In this article, we reviewed the main points in installing and configuring the Oracle VM VirtualBox virtualization platform; I would like to additionally note the ease of setup and ease of use of the platform, as well as many additional functions, For example:

    • built-in proxy module;
    • custom launch;
    • automatic collection of statistics;
    • management and configuration using the command line;
    • the ability to save and quickly apply various configuration options;
    • different ways of organizing network interfaces.

    In addition to these advantages, I will add that the cost-effectiveness of use system resources The VirtualBox application is beyond praise - on my home laptop (2.5 Hz 2-core CPU, 4GB of RAM) I can simultaneously run up to three virtual machines without any freezes (simply because different operating systems are installed on them).

    The material presented above will allow you to create your own virtual machine without any difficulties, but nevertheless, if you have questions or difficulties, do not forget to refer to the help of this software- it is quite complete and detailed. Moreover, you can always refer to the “online help” for this platform UserManual, located on the official VirtualBox website.

    Benefit VirtualBox programs cannot be overstated. It is perfect for those cases when you need to test new operating systems or get acquainted with them. By the way, she gained great popularity for good optimization and flexible configuration of many parameters. With its help, you can easily launch a new operating system even inexperienced user. But, unfortunately, not everyone knows how to use VIrtualBox, so in this article we will try to clarify the main points.

    Installation

    Before using the VirtualBox program, you first need to download and install it on your computer, so we’ll start the article with that.

    1. It is important to download the installer from the official website to avoid getting viruses.
    2. After downloading the installer, run it.
    3. In the welcome window, click Next to move to the next step.
    4. In the Custom Setup window you can remove or, conversely, add additional components for installation. This is done in the appropriate window. To change the decision, you need to click on the drop-down list next to the element name and select the action that will be applied to it. By the way, you can learn more about the element in the adjacent area, where a brief description is given. After selecting the components, click Next.
    5. Now you need to choose where program shortcuts will be added and set or remove file associations. The first item places a shortcut on the “Desktop”, the second - in the panel quick launch, and the third sets virtual disks. Having selected the necessary items, click Next.
    6. In some cases, a notification appears that when installing the application, the Internet connection will be disconnected. If you are happy with everything, click Yes.
    7. Now all that remains is to click the Install button to start the program installation process.
    8. During the installation process, a window will appear asking you to install USB controller drivers. This needs to be done, so give permission.

    Once the installation is complete, a window will appear notifying you about this. In it, you can check the Start... item so that after clicking the Finish button, the program will start. If you do not want this, then do not check the box, but simply click the Finish button.

    Settings

    We installed the program, but it’s too early to talk about how to use VirtualBox: it needs to be configured. This is exactly what we will talk about now.

    1. First, you need to go directly to the application settings menu. To do this, you can press the key combination Ctrl+G or select the item of the same name in the “File” menu.
    2. A window will appear in which the “General” section will open - let’s start with that. Here you can specify the directory in which the program files - virtual machine images - will be stored. Please note: these files are quite large, so take this into account when choosing a storage folder. Leave the VRDP authentication library as default.
    3. In the "Input" section, you can view and change the program's hotkey combinations.
    4. In the “Updates” section, you can set the interval for checking the release of new versions of the program, as well as their edition.
    5. In the “Language” section everything is simple, you can define the language into which the program will be translated.
    6. Sections "Display" and "Network" on at this stage can be skipped, since these settings can be specified when creating the virtual machine.
    7. In the “Plugins” tab you can install them. Please note that their version must match the VirtuakBox version.
    8. Well, in the “Proxy” section you can specify a proxy server.

    Having dealt with all the settings, you can proceed directly to how to use Oracle VM VirtualBox.

    Operating system installation

    To create a new virtual machine, you need to first download the operating system image into ISO format. After that do the following:

    1. In the main menu of the program, click the “Create” button.
    2. In the window that appears, specify the machine name, select the OS type and specify its version, then click Next.
    3. Now select the amount of RAM that will be allocated for the program. Please note that the recommended volume is indicated just above the slider. Click Next.
    4. At creating a tough disk, it is recommended to select the second item, and then define its type as VDI.
    5. Set the storage format to “Dynamic” and click Next.
    6. Now you need to specify the folder in which the disk image will be stored and set the amount of memory for it. After that, click “Create”.
    7. So, the disk has been created. To launch it, click the button of the same name on the panel.
    8. A window will appear in which you need to select an operating system image to run. Do it.

    The OS installer will launch. All you have to do is install it, after which you can use the system as normal.

    Creating shared folders

    Now let's talk about how to use them, but first create them.

    1. Having launched the OS in the program, click on the “Machine” button and select “Configure”.
    2. Go to the “Shared Folders” section and click on the plus sign icon.
    3. In the new window, select “Other” from the “Folder Path” list.
    4. In the Explorer window, select the folder you want to share.
    5. Give it a name and click OK.

    This is how easy it is to create a shared folder in a virtual machine. Now it will be visible in the " Network connections”, which is located in “Explorer”.

    Creating Permanent Folders

    We already know a lot about how to use VirtualBox, but finally I would like to tell you how to create a permanent folder. The fact is that the previously created shared folder is temporary, that is, after restarting the program it will disappear.

    In fact, making a folder permanent is very simple. To do this, when creating shared folder Check the box next to “Create a permanent folder” and click “OK”.

    Now you know almost everything about how to use VirtualBox. We hope the article was useful to you and helped you understand many aspects.

    In order not to expose the OS installed on the computer to risk, but to be able to explore both various software and the functionality of any other OS, there is a special type of program on the software market for creating virtual computers. Such programs create a virtual environment with emulation computer hardware. And you can install the same virtual OS on this emulator. The most famous such program is VirtualBox from the American developer Oracle.

    1. Features of the program

    Free, functionality, cross-platform, Russification, intuitive interface, simplicity and clarity software processes and settings, a step-by-step guide for creating virtual computers - these are the main advantages of VirtualBox, thanks to which it seriously beats its competitors.

    Thus, one of the main competitors is the program VMware Workstation is a paid commercial software. You can only use VMware Player for free - this is a version that is greatly reduced in functionality Workstation programs. While VirtualBox provides full functionality for free. Plus, VirtualBox exists in versions for installation not only on Windows and Linux OS, like VMware Workstation, but the former can also be installed on Mac OS X and Solaris.

    And VMware Workstation does not have the ability to adjust video memory, like VirtualBox.

    Both of these programs also have a common competitor from Microsoft - Hyper-V, which is included in some Windows versions. And, naturally, you can only work with it as part of studying the ubiquitous Windows OS. The program does not support either Linux or Mac OS X.

    VirtualBox has the widest selection of systems that can be installed as a virtual OS - most versions of Windows, Linux, Mac OS X and Solaris, including both 32-bit and 64-bit. Some even manage to using VirtualBox create an Android emulator.

    As you can see, if you are determined to take the path of experimenting with virtual computer environment, VirtualBox is the perfect tool for this.

    2. Minimum system requirements

    As for installing VirtualBox not in active virtual computer mode, the program is not demanding on hardware resources - the bare minimum is required to install the program:
    — 512 MB of RAM,
    — 200 MB of hard disk space for installation,
    - a processor with a frequency according to the requirements of the OS itself, for example in the case of Windows XP it is a Pentium of at least 300 MHz or its analogue from AMD.

    But, again, this system requirements purely for installing VirtualBox on the physical (main) OS. The active virtual computer mode will require much more system resources, and the specific requirements will already be determined by that very virtual (guest) OS.

    VirtualBox creates a virtual computer based on the hardware characteristics of a physical PC, some of which are automatically emulated into the virtual computer - for example, a processor, video card, CD/DVD drive, USB ports. And part - RAM and occupied disk space - are emulated according to the settings that you set during the process of creating a virtual computer with the program. Some hardware characteristics of the virtual computer can later be changed by setting them to smaller boundary parameters that VirtualBox has the right to use. After all, a virtual computer in a working state will borrow the power of the processor, video card, and RAM from the physical PC.

    What part of the RAM and disk space can I give it to a virtual computer when it is created by VirtualBox?

    It is recommended to allocate no more than half of the available RAM on a physical PC to the virtual OS. But for the virtual OS to work, a minimum of 512 MB to 1 GB of RAM may be required. For example, for more or less normal functioning virtual Windows XP or Linux will require a minimum of 512 MB of RAM.

    And to install Windows 7 or 8 (8.1) on a virtual computer, the minimum RAM will be 1 GB.

    The virtual OS will permanently occupy space on the computer’s hard drive in the form of a program file. And if many people probably have an extra 4-5 GB minimum for Windows XP or Linux, then about 20-25 GB for full-fledged work OS Windows 7 or 8 (8.1), for example, owners of old PC builds with a hard drive of some 160 GB will have to take care in advance, saying goodbye to file junk that has not been used for a long time.

    3. How to download the program for free

    On the official website of the developer, the installer of the VirtualBox program in current version 4.3.8 can be downloaded absolutely free.

    4. How to install the program

    To install the program, just run the downloaded installer from the browser downloads. VirtualBox is installed as standard, although in English. Don’t worry if this language is not familiar to you: all you need to do is press “ Next" - i.e. " Next».

    Moreover, all the active components with which VirtualBox is installed will be needed for its full operation.

    The only thing is that during the installation of the program the connection with local network. This is required for installation network drivers so that the Internet works on the virtual computer. However, VirtualBox will issue a corresponding notification about this, albeit in English.

    No need to worry about this, you can safely press the installation command - “ Install».

    Windows 7 and 8 (8.1) are initially distrustful of third party software, so they constantly ask for administrator rights, permission to trust some developer, or give them permission to install individual components. Therefore, if during installation you additionally need to confirm the installation of the VirtualBox components - USB Support (USB port support) or VirtualBox Networking (network support), such confirmation, of course, must be given.

    After this, the program will complete the installation process, and if you do not uncheck the automatic start, immediately after pressing the end button – “ Finish“VirtualBox will appear before you in all its glory, with a Russian-language interface.

    That's it - the installation process of the program itself is completed. But what lies ahead is creating a virtual computer and installing the virtual OS of your choice on it.

    5. Create a virtual computer

    There is no mistake when creating a virtual computer using VirtualBox: after installation, the only active button will be visible in the main program window - “ Create", in fact, where you need to click. In the window that appears, you need to give the virtual computer a name, select the OS and its specific version.

    Click " Next».

    In the next VirtualBox settings window, you need to set the value of RAM that you give to the virtual computer for temporary use when it is active - in fact, what was mentioned above. Use the slider to set desired value or enter the exact RAM number in the box next to it.

    Do not go to the red line - this will transfer half the hardware power of a real computer to a virtual computer, and in cases with low-power machines there may not be enough performance to run the main OS, not to mention virtual environments. The minimum recommendations of VirtualBox itself are too small for full-fledged work, therefore, as mentioned above, you should not allocate less than 512 MB of RAM for running less resource-intensive operating systems, and less than 1 GB of RAM for more resource-intensive ones.

    Click " Next».

    « Select your hard drive" - this is exactly what you need to do in the next VirtualBox setup window. And here for most it would be advisable to leave the default item – “ Create a new virtual hard disk».

    Click " Create».

    The following window will appear with several virtual hard disk storage file formats that VirtualBox can work with. You must leave the default option – “ VDI».

    Click " Next».

    With the type of virtual hard disk - the next VirtualBox settings window - it is better to do the same as above - leave the option as default.

    A fixed hard drive of a virtual computer will be more efficient in operation.

    Click " Next».

    In the next window, VirtualBox will prompt you to set a name for the virtual hard drive. This is not so important, so you can leave the default name, taken from the name of the virtual computer itself. It is much more important to designate a folder to store the virtual hard disk file and correctly determine its size.

    The minimum size of a virtual hard disk was discussed above; we only note that here we need to proceed purely from the available space on the physical hard disk. Plus, you need to take into account that in addition to installing the virtual OS itself, a certain place will be occupied by various service environments and, in fact, the programs being tested.

    By default, the storage folder for the virtual hard disk file is registered on the system disk of the physical PC, where many may not have room for the “heavy” Windows 7 and 8 (8.1). And why clutter the system disk? It is better to choose a storage location on non-system drive. Click the folder icon and select a storage location.

    Click " Create».

    Wait while VirtualBox creates the virtual computer. After this, its name will appear on the left side of the main program window with the note “ Off", and on the right side of the window you can see the main hardware parameters.

    6. Installing the operating system on a virtual computer

    It is necessary to prepare the image in advance installation disk with the selected operating system or insert a boot disk into the CD/DVD drive of a physical PC.

    In the main VirtualBox window, launch the created virtual computer using the button Launch" Then, in the automatically appearing window for selecting removable media for booting, select either the installation disk image with the OS, or designate the boot disk located in the CD/DVD drive. To do this, click the browse icon that looks like a folder.

    When installing a previously unfamiliar OS for the first time, simply follow the installer's instructions.

    Did this article help you?

    Today we will look at:

    VirtualBox is a program that allows you to create, run and import one or more virtual machines simultaneously on your computers. That is, the user can install and work with any OS without installing it on his computer - all operating systems run in an isolated environment.

    Using VirtualBox, any user can test a wide variety of operating systems, work with them, record videos and perform other actions. It’s not difficult to use this program; let’s look at the first launch of VirtualBox and .

    Step 1. Download the operating system

    First, you need to download an image of the operating system that you plan to install in VirtualBox. Naturally, you don’t need to create any bootable flashes; you need the image itself, for example, . However, if you already have a ready-made bootable USB flash drive, you can install the OS from it.

    Step 2. Download and install VirtualBox

    Download VirtualBox from the official website of the program using this link. Download the program for your operating system (in most cases it is Windows).

    After the .exe file has been downloaded, you can proceed with the installation. This process is worth considering in more detail, as some users may have certain questions.

    Once the installation begins, the Custom Setup window will open. It asks you to select the location where VirtualBox will be installed, as well as the choice of volume. If you are not sure whether you need additional features, then we recommend skipping this step and leaving the program in full.

    In the next window the program will offer:

    • create a shortcut on the desktop;
    • create a shortcut in the Quick Launch panel;
    • register VirtualBox file extensions with the OS.

    Check the boxes next to the options you need.

    Next, another window will appear in which you will see a warning: “Warning: Network Interfaces”. This means that after you click "Yes", the installation will continue and the Internet connection will be lost for a few seconds. Therefore, before agreeing, it is recommended to shut down all applications that are actively using network connection(conversation on Skype, downloading files from the network, etc.), and then proceed to continue the installation.

    A window will then appear informing you that the preparatory processes have been completed and the installation of VirtualBox itself will now begin. Click on the “Install” button.

    As this window informs you, the installation process has started and the user needs to wait a few minutes.

    During the installation process, several more windows will appear asking you to install the software. VirtualBox will ask for confirmation to install: USB controller, network adapters, network services. It is recommended to install the requested software for correct operation programs.



    Through short time The installation of the program will be completed, all you have to do is click the Finish button, after which VirtualBox will start.

    Step 3: Create your first virtual machine

    In order to create your first virtual machine, click on the blue “Create” button. In the window that opens, set a name for the virtual system, and then select its type and version. After that, click “Next”.

    In a new window, the program asks you to specify the amount of memory. The size you specify is what VirtualBox will use. Most often, the size specified by default is enough, but if desired and if the computer is available, you can install more - this way, “heavy” and resource-intensive applications can be easily launched on the virtual machine.

    Next, you need to select the hard drive with which the virtual machine will work. At the first starting VirtualBox There are no created virtual hard disks, so you need to select the “Create a new virtual hard disk” option and click on “Create”.

    After that, select the file type that will be used when creating the virtual disk. It is recommended to leave the default selection unless the created disk will be used with other software virtualization products.

    Next, a window will open with advanced hard settings disk. Select the virtual disk type based on whether it will be used in other virtualization programs. Select the size that the program will use. It is worth noting that the allocated size will be occupied by VirtualBox on the physical hard drive, so first make sure that the allocated resources are available. Click “Create” and wait.

    If all actions were completed correctly, a new virtual machine will appear on which you can install the guest OS.

    Step 4: Install Guest OS

    After the first launch of the virtual machine, the OS installation will be automatic. To start the machine, you need to press the appropriate button (green arrow to the right, “Run”) and indicate the path to boot disk or image.

    Once the disk or image has been selected, auto-installation of the OS will begin. The installation process itself is no different from the actual installation on a computer. After installation, you can start working with the operating system.

    Other useful information

    Adding, starting and shutting down a virtual machine

    You can start virtual machines by selecting them with the mouse (the list is on the left side of the program) and clicking on the “Run” button on the toolbar.

    If the machine you need is not in the list, click “Machine” and select “Add”.

    There are several ways to shut down a virtual machine:

    Pausing the virtual machine

    The guest OS can be paused if you need to be away at some point, but it is very important not to miss any activity that is happening in it right now. To freeze a virtual machine, you need to click “Machine” and select “Suspend”. To resume work, you must perform this action again.

    This option has a higher priority than shutting down work while saving the state, if only because exiting the pause is instantaneous, and restart happens much longer.

    Connecting removable devices to the virtual machine

    You can connect USB devices to the virtual machine. To do this, on the toolbar, follow this path: Devices - USB devices and in the list window that opens, select required device. Working with removable device will happen in the same way as with a real car.

    It is important to note that when a device is connected to a virtual machine, it is “disconnected” and becomes unavailable to the real machine, resulting in the loss of unsaved data. Therefore, first make sure that you do not perform any important actions with the host OS (for example, copying).

    Switching between host and guest OS

    When you work in a virtual machine, the mouse and keyboard are captured. That is, all actions performed by these devices are relevant only for the virtual machine. When you need to switch to the real operating system (host), press the “Right Control” key.

    You can resume working with the virtual machine by clicking on any location in the VirtualBox window.

    Video on installing and configuring VirtualBox

    Creating a virtual machine in Virtual Box

    Installing Windows 7 x64 on a VirtualBox virtual machine

    Installing Ubuntu server on a Virtual Box virtual machine

    With VirtuaBox you can install various operating systems in a virtual environment. To do this, you do not need to reinstall the main OS. VirtualBox runs as a computer emulator and runs on your host OS. At the same time, all virtual system is stored in one file - a virtual hard disk that emulates the operation of a real hard drive. This file contains the operating system as well as user files.

    1. Distinctive features of the program
      1. The program is free and open source.

      2. Very simple and easy to use interface.

      3. Ability to install almost any operating system.

      4. Works with almost all virtual hard disk formats.

      5. Flexible configuration of the virtual environment.

    2. Installing the program.

      After you run the program installation file, the following window will appear in front of you:


      This is the initial window of the installer. To continue the installation, select components and installation directory, click on the “Next” button.


      In this window, you can select the installation path (by default it is %ProgramFiles/Oracle/VirtualBox,), as well as the components required for installation.
      • VirtualBox USB Support- From here you can enable/disable support for USB devices.

      • VirtualBox networks - Here you can enable/disable the installation of a network interface.
      After setting the necessary parameters, click the “Next” button.

      Next, you will see a window warning you about the need to install virtual network interfaces. They are required so that the virtual machine can connect to the network. To start the installation process, click the “Install” button.


      Ready. We installed VirtualBox. To close the installer, click the Finish button.


    3. VirtualBox - first launch.

      3.1 Overview of program functionality

      3.1.1 File menu

      • Settings (Ctrl + G) - From here you can make some basic settings for the program.

      • Import/export of configurations – the ability to load previously saved parameters or upload current ones.

      • Virtual Disk Manger (Ctrl + D) - With this tool you can manage virtual disks (HDD, CD-ROM, etc.).

      • Network Operations Manager – displays the network activity of the VM.

      • Exit (Ctrl + Q, Alt + F4) - exits the program.


      3.1.2 car
      • New (Ctrl + N) - Create a new virtual machine.

      • Settings (Ctrl + S) – Settings.

      • Delete - Delete the selected VM.

      • Start - Start the selected VM.

      • Stop - stop the marked VM.

      • Refresh (Ctrl + R) - Refresh the VM.

      • Show Log... (Ctrl + L) - Displays a log file with information about the operation of the virtual machine.


      3.1.3 Help


      3.2 Buttons on the virtual machine.

      These buttons are located on the toolbar, it is similar to the “Machine” menu, which we looked at above (see screenshot below).

      • New - Create a new virtual machine.

      • Settings - Settings of the current machine

      • Delete - Delete the VM.

      • Start - Launch the marked VM.

      • Stop - Stop the marked VM.
    4. How to create a virtual machine?

      The program developers have simplified the creation of a virtual machine to the maximum. To launch the New VM Creation Wizard, open the program and press “Ctrl + N”. Here is the first window that appears in front of us after we launch the wizard.


      Here you need to enter some information about the machine - this is the VM name (Field Name), as well as the type and version of the operating system that you plan to install. To proceed to the next step, click Next.

      The system will prompt you to set the required amount of RAM on your computer, which will be allocated for the virtual machine.


      Given your choice of operating system in the previous step, as well as the configuration of your computer, the program will automatically install the recommended amount of memory at which there should be no problems using the virtual operating system. Of course, you can adjust the memory up or down by simply moving the slider. It all depends on the capabilities of your PC. Having set the required volume, feel free to click “Next”.

      On next stage the wizard will offer to create a new hard drive or select an existing one (if you created it previously). In the latter case, simply specify the path to the virtual disk file, and the wizard will automatically mount it.


      If you are creating new disk, click "create new virtual hard disk". Let's look at this procedure in more detail.

      4.1 How to create a virtual hard disk?

      In the first window that opens, there is essentially nothing to configure. You can choose any type of hard drive. It's better to leave it as default. Feel free to click “Next”.


      In the next window, we can determine the type of virtual hard disk:

      Dynamic expansion – dynamic change in disk capacity. When selecting this value, hard file the disk will increase as it is loaded with information. For example, you created a dynamic disk with a size of 12 GB. Initially, the virtual hard disk file will only take up a few megabytes of real space. As the virtual machine is used (installing the OS, copying files, etc.), it will expand to the set limit. When deleting files, it will decrease.

      Fixed size – immediately allocates the required space on a real hard drive. When you select this value, the program immediately creates a file with a size corresponding to the size of the virtual hard disk.


      Select the type of hard drive that is convenient for you and click the “Next” button.

      At the next stage, the system will prompt you to specify a name for the hard drive and its storage location (if not specified, the default path will be used). To proceed to the next step, click Next.


      Set the virtual hard disk size. If you plan to install Windows 7 or higher, it is recommended to allocate at least 20 GB of virtual disk space.

      After making the necessary settings, click the “Next” button to continue.

      Before creating a VM, we recommend that you double-check that the configuration is correct. If you want to make any changes, click "Back" and return to the section where you need to change the settings. If everything is ok, click "Create". A new VM will be created and will appear in the main menu of the program.


    5. Setting up virtual machines.

      To configure the newly created VM, you must select your machine from the list and click the “Settings” button.


      The following window will appear:


      Now we will describe each setting item in detail.

    6. Starting a virtual machine

      To start a virtual machine, just double-click on it in the list of machines or select it and click the Start button located in the same list above.


      Note: in order to be able to use the cursor in a virtual machine, just click anywhere in the working window. A warning message will appear asking you to click Continue. After this, the cursor can only be used in a virtual machine environment. To “release” the cursor, simply press the right “Ctrl”.

      When you press the key, you will be able to use the cursor in a real machine, and when you press it again, it will be active only in a virtual one.


      After starting the machine, a launch window similar to a real machine will appear in front of you. If you are adding an operating system that you need to install, you will go through the same installation and setup steps as you would on a real PC.
    7. Menu of the virtual machine working window.

      In the menu of the VM working window, you have the opportunity to configure display parameters (the “View” tab),


      the machine itself (the “Machine” tab),


      as well as input mode


      and connecting devices (the “Devices” tab).


      6.1 Virtual machine indication buttons (starting from left):

      • shows virtual hard disk activity.

      • shows optical drive activity (or ISO file if you are using it instead of an optical drive)

      • shows floppy drive activity

      • network activity.

      • USB device activity.

      • shared folder activity.

      • shows the operation with the mouse cursor.

      • shows that on at the moment the keyboard is captured by the virtual machine.


    8. Conclusion

      The purpose of this article is to explain in as much detail and clearly as possible the principles of working with the VirtuaBox virtualization environment.

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