Installing Sun's VirtualBox on Windows XP and setting up an
Ubuntu VM
laptop will need to have 10GB of free space to install
download the latest VirtualBox software from www.sun.com
make sure you pick the free version (NOT the open source version) install VirtualBox on Windows accepting the defaults
download the Ubuntu desktop ISO image and store it on laptop C:\ at the root
Installing Ubuntu
start/run VirtualBox
select “NEW” (sprocket icon on left)
this starts the Create New Virtual Machine wizard select “Next”
VM name and OS Type
type the name that you want to call the virtual machine ubun2
using the drop down, select the kind of OS Ubuntu in our case
Memory
Virtual Hard Disk select “New”
Welcome to the Create New Virtual Disk Wizard accept the default Image Type
“Dynamically expanding image” Virtual Disk Location and Size
Image File Name
accept the default (which will be the name of the machine entered earlier Image size
accept the default typically “20.0 GB” select “Finish”
select “Next”
review the data and select “Finish”
You will now be back at the main VirtualBox window. click on your VM and select “Settings”
the settings window opens. On the left side, select “Audio” check the “Enable Audio” box
Starting your VM the first time
Click on the green “Start” arrow
the “Welcome to the First Run Wizard!” appears click “Next”
“Select Installation Media” appears
In the lower section titled “Media Source” select the “Image File” radio button
use the “Folder” button on the right of the drop down to select the location of the Ubuntu.iso file previously downloaded. (C:\path\to\file)
Select “Next” Select “Finish”
The Ubuntu installer starts and waits for you to select a default language for 30 seconds. After that it defaults to English
Once the Installer loads, you will see a “Live Session” On the desktop, you will see an “Install” icon
double click on the “Install” icon the Ubuntu “Install” window opens
select “English” as the default language click on “Forward”
select “New York” as the time zone click on “Forward”
click on “Forward” to accept the default keyboard layout click on “Forward” to use the entire disk space
supply the user information requested using your WFU id as your login click on “Forward”
click on “Install”
Once installation is complete, click on “Restart now” you will need to press “Enter” when prompted
once rebooted, you will need to login using your WFU id and the passwd you supplied
after a few moments, a red down arrow will appear in the upper right hand corner. You will be prompted to install updates.
Click on the arrow to open the “Update Manager“ once it loads, click on “Install Updates”
you will be prompted to enter your passwd to installation enter your passwd and click “OK” or press “Enter”
The system will begin to download and install all updates. This will take some time. When prompted, reboot the system
Installing the Guest Additions
Along the top of the window frame, click on “Devices” click on “Mount “CD/DVD-ROM”
click on “CD/DVD-ROM Image...” the “Virtual Disk Manager” window appears
click on the green “Add” icon Navigate to:
C:\Program Files\Sun\xVM VirtualBox\VBoxGuestAdditions.iso select “Open”
make sure the VBoxGuestAdditions.iso is highlighted click on “Select”
this will place a CD-ROM on the Ubuntu desktop and open a window with the contents of the “CD-ROM” displayed. Close this window by clicking on the “X”
The Guest Additions must be added as the root user.
At the top of the Ubuntu window, select Applications/Accessories/Terminal This will open a command prompt window
Become the root user by typing: sudo su
-When prompted, type your passwd
Once you get the “#” prompt, you are the root user. BE CAREFUL! type the following commands as root (and press Enter after each one):
# cd /cdrom # ls
# ./VBoxLinuxAdditions-x86.run
When you reboot, you will notice better integration between Windows and Ubuntu
Creating the Shared Folder
In your Windows file system, create a folder called vbshare at C:\
On the Ubuntu machine, once again become root.
create a directory at the root level called winshare # cd /
# mkdir /winshare
click on the “Devices” menu at the top of the window click on “Shared Folders...”
click on the blue folder with the green + on the right click on the folder path down arrow and select “Other” navigate to C:\vbshare
click the “Make Permanent” check box click on “OK”
click on “OK” (again)
use the following command to mount the “Windows” folder to the “Ubuntu” filesystem # mount -t vboxsf vbshare /winshare
you may now move items back and forth between “Windows” and “Ubuntu” using the “shared” folder
In order to make the mount survive a reboot of the VM, the /etc/fstab must have the following entry added to the end of the file (may only be done as root user):
vbshare /winshare vboxsf rw 0 0
