This in depth guide will explain step by step how to install Ubuntu Linux on your Windows PC or laptop, by way of VirtualBox – a free (open-source!) app. Using this method you'll be able to run Ubuntu and Windows at the same time!
- How to install Ubuntu Linux on Windows 10 using VirtualBox In this tutorial, we shall walk through the steps needed to install the Ubuntu flavor of Linux OS on a Windows 10 (64-bit) machine. In order words, when we are done we shall have Ubuntu (the guest operating system) running as a virtual machine on Windows (the host operating system).
- On Windows 10 Pro, used latest VirtualBox 6, Ubuntu 18.04, extensions for windows, did all the step by step setup and waited an hour after starting the VM, nothing happened. Removed VDI Drive, Del.
This in depth guide will explain step by step how to install Ubuntu Linux on your Windows PC or laptop, by way of VirtualBox – a free (open-source!) app. Using this method you'll be able to run Ubuntu and Windows at the same time!
- How to install Ubuntu Linux on Windows 10 using VirtualBox In this tutorial, we shall walk through the steps needed to install the Ubuntu flavor of Linux OS on a Windows 10 (64-bit) machine. In order words, when we are done we shall have Ubuntu (the guest operating system) running as a virtual machine on Windows (the host operating system).
- On Windows 10 Pro, used latest VirtualBox 6, Ubuntu 18.04, extensions for windows, did all the step by step setup and waited an hour after starting the VM, nothing happened. Removed VDI Drive, Del.
Using the steps in this tutorial you'll be able to install and use Ubuntu right from within Windows itself. You won't need to setup a dual-boot system or restart your PC each time you want to switch from one operating system to the other. Another major benefit is that you can try out Ubuntu and if you don't like it, very easily get rid of it. Plus, it will not affect the other files on your computer at all. None of the data on on your PC is at risk of being deleted or altered. As if that wasn't enough, all of the software used in this guide is completely free and open-source.
Install Ubuntu on Virtualbox on Windows 10 Note:- This process is also applicable if you are installing Ubuntu on PC without using Virtualbox. But for that, you need to create a bootable USB drive for Linux. And to install it on PC, you need to plug in the USB drive and Start the CPU. Step 16: Successful completed the Ubuntu 20.04 LTS using virtual Box in Windows 10 operating system. The above steps are very simple to install of Ubuntu 20.04 LTS in Virtual Box in the Windows 10 OS for users.
We also have a macOS version of this guide, which can be found here.
- Start by downloading the VirtualBox App for Windows. While you're installing VirtualBox, start downloading Ubuntu – which comes packaged as an .iso file. Once you've got VirtualBox installed and Ubuntu downloaded, open VirtualBox and click the New button.
- In the Name: field enter Ubuntu (or something similarly descriptive). The Type: and Version: fields should auto-populate to Linux and Ubuntu (64-bit) respectively, but if they don't, make sure that's how they're set. Then click the Next button to continue.
- On the Memory size window make sure that you've allocated at least 1024 MB of RAM to the virtual machine (Ubuntu). The more memory your PC has the more you can assign to Ubuntu – but make sure to leave at least half for Windows. Click Next when you're ready.
- Select Create a virtual hard disk now on the Hard disk screen and then click the Next button to continue.
- Choose VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image) as the Hard disk file type and then click the Next button.
- Select Dynamically allocated and click Next.
- On the File location and size screen use the ‘slider' to decide the size of the virtual hard drive that Ubuntu will use. Make sure it's at least 10GB – if you plan to install a lot of Apps in Ubuntu you'll want it to be much larger than that. Remember that since you choose Dynamically allocated in the previous section it won't instantly be the size you configure, it will only be as large as it needs to be – up to the limit you set here. So don't be concerned about making it larger than you think you may need, it won't actually grow to that size unless you install lots and lots of software etc. Click the Create button to continue.
- Now that you've setup VirtualBox, it's time to start installing Ubuntu. Select your newly created Ubuntu VirtualBox from the column on the left side of the window and then click the Start button located in the top panel.
- You'll be asked to pick a start-up disk. Click the 'folder' button next to the pull-down menu (see screenshot below)
- Click the Add button.
- Navigate to the Ubuntu .iso file, select it by clicking on it once, and then click the Open button.
- Make sure the Ubuntu .iso file is selected and then click the Choose button.
- Finally, click Start.
- Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate to the language you want to use in Ubuntu and hit the Enter/Return key to select it.
- At some point a pop-up window will appear explaining how your cursor/mouse and keyboard interact with the virtual machine (Ubuntu) and Windows. In all likelihood you'll be able to just switch back and forth between the two without having to use it, but the Control key on the right side of the keyboard will act as your host key. That means if you're using Ubuntu and you want to switch your keyboard and mouse back to Windows, hit the right Control key.
- Back in VirtualBox, use the arrow key to move down to Install Ubuntu and select it by hitting the Enter or Return key on your keyboard.
- After a few moments (can be several minutes or longer depending on the speed of your PC), a graphical interface will appear. Once again select your language and then click the Continue button.
- Select the keyboard layout you want to use while Ubuntu is running and then click the Continue button.
- On the Install screen, make sure that Normal installation, Download updates while installing UbuntuandInstall third-party software for graphics and Wi-Fi hardware and additional media formats are all selected, and then – you guessed it – click Continue.
- Make sure that Erase disk and install Ubuntu is selected and then click the Install Now button. Note:nothing will actually be erased. You're creating a 'virtual hard drive' and that's what Ubuntu thinks it's erasing. Again, all of your Windows files and folders are completely safe and won't be touched.
- Click Continue on the confirmation screen.
- Select your Time Zone by clicking your location on the map, then click Continue.
- Enter the required info in each of the provided fields. Click Continue.
- At this point you may want to go grab yourself a cup of tea or coffee. The installation process will take at least a few minutes and up to half an hour – depending on the overall speed of your PC (hard drive, amount of memory, CPU speed etc).
- Once the installation has completed, click the Restart button to reboot Ubuntu. Again, this won't reboot your PC, just Ubuntu running inside of VirtualBox.
- You don't need to remove anything – just press Enter.
- Once Ubuntu reboots, sign in with the username and password you created back in step #23.
- Ta-da! You now have a fresh install of Ubuntu on your Windows computer! You'll probably have a couple of updates to install, and Ubuntu will notify you when it's ready to install them.
- Have fun! Going forward, each time you want to use Ubuntu, just open VirtualBox, select Ubuntu from the list of virtual machines, and click the Start button. That's it!
Summary :
If you are wondering how to install Ubuntu on VirtualBox like many other users, this post is worth reading. In this post, MiniTool will talk about the benefits, requirements, as well as detailed steps of installing Ubuntu on VirtualBox.
Quick Navigation :
An Overview of VirtualBox
VirtualBox, a cross-platform virtualization application, allows users to install operating system like Windows, MacOS, Solaris and Linux without changing your current computer system. By using VirtualBox, you can create and run a guest operating system (virtual machine) via a window of the host operating system.
As virtual machine (VM) has a self-contained environment, you can carry out some operations without the risk of damaging the host operating system. Based on that, VirtualBox has some other advantages. They are summarized as follows.
- Easy to install and use
- Free
- Run other systems safely
- Can test your own development projects in multiple system environment
- Can run on places ranging from embedded system to laptop
- Suitable for testing and disaster recovery
In a word, VirtualBox grants you lots of benefits.
Recommendation: Quick Fix VirtualBox Result Code: E_Invalidarg (0x80070057)
Why to Install Ubuntu on VirtualBox
You are required to install Ubuntu on VirtualBox on many cases. For instance, when you are going to try out some software without damaging your present operating system, migrate from Windows or MacOS to Linux, or test applications/network, you need to do that.
In addition, installing Ubuntu on VirtualBox as a virtual machine offers you some benefits. For instance, you are able to create a snapshot and roll back changes to the previous VM state if there's something wrong with environment.
It is easy to clone a VM, copy a VM on different VirtualBox supported by host operating systems. To sum up, it is useful to install VirtualBox Ubuntu.
Requirements to Install Ubuntu on VirtualBox
Installer Ubuntu Virtualbox Windows 10 Download
In order to install Ubuntu on VirtualBox successfully, you have to fulfill the requirements below. Otherwise, you may fail to install Ubuntu VirtualBox or encounter some errors.
# 1: Enough Memory and Disk Space
Installing Ubuntu on VirtualBox requires sufficient disk space and memory. This operation needs at least 4GB RAM and 30GB free disk space. Hence, you should firstly perform a PC full specs check to see the detailed information of RAM and available disk space.
If you find that RAM doesn't fulfill the requirement, you can add some RAM via the help of this guide. If the available free disk space is not enough, you need to take some actions to increase disk space. Well, you are able to enlarge disk via a professional partition managing program.
MiniTool Partition Wizard probably is what you are seeking for. It is a partition manage expert, which allows you to perform various operations associated with partition such as Surface Test, Disk Benchmark, Check File System, Extend Partition, Format Partition, as well as Wipe Disk, etc.
The Extend Partition is recommended in the following two cases. And you can refer to the steps below to increase disk space.
1. Extend a partition to non-contiguous unallocated or free space.
2. There is no unallocated or free space on the disk drive.
Step 1: Open MiniTool Partition Wizard to get its main interface, and then click on the partition to enlarge and click the Extend Partition option in the left pane.
Step 2: In the next window, choose a drive that you want to take free space from and move the handle to decide the space to extend. Then click OK and Apply to save and execute the changes.
To move/resize a partition, make sure that there is available contiguous unallocated space on the disk. Then, refer to this tutorial.
As the picture shows, choose the partition to move/resize and click on Move/Resize option in the left action panel. Adjust the size and location of the target partition by moving the handle in the prompted window. After that, click OK and Apply to save and carry out the changes you've made.
# 2: Good Internet Connection
A good Internet connection is also vital for installing Ubuntu on VirtualBox. You need a good Internet to download the software and Linux ISO.
# 3: Intel VT-x or AMD-v Hardware Virtualization Feature Is Supported and Enabled
Besides, the CPU (Central Processor Unit) of your computer must support Intel VT-x or AMD-v hardware virtualization feature. More importantly, you should ensure that the featured is enabled in UEFI/BIOS before installing Ubuntu on VirtualBox.
How to Install Ubuntu on VirtualBox
This section will show you how to install Ubuntu on Windows 10 using VirtualBox. As the whole process is complicated, we divide the whole process into 5 parts. Now, check them one by one.
You may also like this: How to Install Linux (Ubuntu) on Windows 10 [Ultimate Guide 2020]
Part 1: Download Ubuntu
You can start the Ubuntu VirtualBox installation operation by downloading and installing Ubuntu. Here are steps for that.
Step 1: Move to the official website of Ubuntu and click Download button to start downloading.
Step 2: Then store the ISO file as you are prompted.
Part 2: Download and Install VirtualBox on Computer
As VirtualBox is not a built-in program on the computer, you need to download and install it manually.
Step 1: Go to the official website of Oracle VirtualBox to download it.
1.Click here to move to the website. After entering this page, click Download VirtualBox button.
2.In the next page, click on Linux distributions.
3.From the listed packages, download a suitable one.
Step 2: Click on the file you just downloaded and then you will get the following window. Click Next to go on.
Step 3: In the prompted window, click the Next button.
Os x el capitan mega. Step 4: In the next window, click Yes.
Step 5: Once you click the Install button, the program will be installed automatically.
Step 6: After finishing the installation, click Finish.
Part 3: Set up a Virtual Machine
When the VirtualBox download and installation processes end, you should set up a virtual machine via VirtualBox. After completing the steps above, you will be prompted with the following window. Follow these steps to set up a virtual machine now.
Step 1: Click on New tab in the Oracle VM VirtualBox Manager window.
Step 2: In the elevated window, type Ubuntu in the Name section. Choose Linux as the Type and Ubuntu (64-bit) as the Version. Then, click Next.
Step 3: At this window, set the memory size. Generally speaking, the memory size will be set at an ideal value. If not, you need to set it by yourself. You can refer to the recommended size. Then, click Next.
Step 4: In the Create Virtual Machine window, click the Create button.
Step 5: You need to choose a hard disk file type in this window. Choose VHD (Virtual Hard Disk) and click on the Next button. This hard disk serves as the hard disk of the virtual Linux system that stores files in this system.
Step 6: If you are prompted with the window for choosing storage on physical hard disk, click Next directly. Either to choose Dynamically allocated or Fixed size is ok. In the File location and size window, you can configure the size or follow the default size. Then click Create to start creating.
Part 4: Enable the Ubuntu
Now, you can enable the Ubuntu on VirtualBox with the following steps.
Step 1: Double click the Ubuntu option in the left pane. Then a menu will open by itself.
Step 2: In the prompted window, click the icon at the right bottom of the window. Select the ISO file that you stored on the computer and click the Open button.
Step 3: Then click the Start button to continue.
Step 4: In the next prompted window, click Install Ubuntu.
Step 5: After choosing the two listed options, click Continue in the Preparing to install Ubuntu window.
Step 6: Check the Erase disk and install Ubuntu option and click Install now.
Part 5: Set up Ubuntu
After executing the steps above, you will install Ubuntu smoothly. To use Ubuntu, you are required to set up it. Now, follow these steps to do that.
Step 1: You will be prompted with a window after installing Ubuntu. Choose a time zone that matches with your present position and choose the Keyboard layout [ex: English (US)]. Then click Continue to start the process.
Installer Ubuntu Virtualbox Windows 10 64-bit
Step 2: In the next window, enter the corresponding information in the proper place such as 'Your name', 'password', 'username', etc. After that, click Continue to go on the process.
Step 3: Now, you need to wait patiently until the finish of the process. Then do as the on-screen instruction to restart the virtual machine. When the VM restarts normally, you can use it. From here, the whole Ubuntu VirtualBox installation process ends.
Conclusion
Up to now, this post introduces all the details of installing Ubuntu on VirtualBox including VirtualBox application, benefits, requirements and steps of installing Ubuntu on VirtualBox. This is a complete guide on How to install Ubuntu on Windows 10 using VirtualBox.
If you have any new thoughts on this topic – how to install Ubuntu on VirtualBox, please share them with us in the comment area. For doubts and questions about MiniTool, you can send us an email via [email protected].
Installing Windows 10 In Virtualbox
How to Install Ubuntu on VirtualBox FAQ
Here is the tutorial for installing Ubuntu on a virtual machine.
Download Virtualbox For Windows 10
- Open the VirtualBox by double clicking on it.
- Click on New to create a virtual machine.
- Type Ubuntu as the name and choose Linux as the type. Choose the Ubuntu (64-bit) version and click Next to go on. Then follow the prompted instruction to complete the installation.
- To do that, you should firstly choose virtual machine in the main menu of VirtualBox and click on the Settings button.
- Then click Storage tab in the Settings menu. After that, you will see an image of a disk and the word 'Empty' under the Controller section.
- Click on Empty and choose the CD/DVD icon. Click Choose a virtual CD/DVD disk file and move to the ISO file that you are going to import to the virtual machine. Do as the prompted instruction to finish the process.