Direct installation of the operating system on a blank hard drive requires the allocation of a separate partition or device, which is often inconvenient for software testing. To isolate processes and safely launch questionable programs, virtualization technology is used, which allows you to emulate the operation of a full-fledged computer inside your main interface. Creation process virtual machine begins with checking the hardware resources of the host system and preparing the installation image of the desired operating system.
Before running the creation wizard, make sure that support for virtualization technologies is activated in the BIOS or UEFI of the motherboard Intel VT-x or AMD-V. Without enabling this option, the software will not be able to run 64-bit guest systems, limiting the user to only 32-bit versions or giving critical errors at startup. Checking for the presence of this function is done through the Windows task manager or special processor monitoring tools.
Preparing the environment and installing the hypervisor
The first step is to download the current version of the distribution from the official developer repository. Using older builds may cause unstable operation of USB controllers and network adapters, so always choose the latest stable version marked as Stable Release. After downloading the executable file, run the installer and follow the prompts of the installation wizard.
During the installation process, the system will warn you about a temporary interruption of the network connection. This is normal behavior, as virtual network drivers are installed, which are necessary for correct operation VirtualBox in network infrastructure. Ignoring this warning may result in the virtual machine being left without Internet access after creation.
⚠️ Attention: During installation, do not cancel the installation of network components, even if the antivirus software issues a warning about Oracle drivers. Without them, the network bridge will not work.
To expand functionality, it is recommended to immediately download and install Extension Pack, corresponding to the version of your hypervisor. This package adds protocol support USB 2.0/3.0, disk encryption and the ability to forward RDP, which is critical for comfortable work with peripherals inside the guest system.
Configuring settings for a new virtual machine
Launch the application and click the "Create" button in the control menu. In the window that opens, you must specify the name of the future system, which will automatically determine the type and version of the operating system, although these parameters can also be set manually for specific distributions Linux or Windows.
Pay special attention to the allocation of RAM. The slider shows a "green zone", however, setting the value at the upper limit of this zone can lead to a lack of resources for the main system, causing severe slowdown of the entire computer. The optimal solution would be to allocate no more than 50% of the total available RAM host machines.
When creating a virtual hard disk, select the file type VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image), if you do not plan to use the disk on other virtualization platforms. Dynamic file size will allow the disk to grow as it fills with data, without immediately taking up all the reserved space on the physical media.
Processor and storage configuration
After basic object creation, you need to configure the computing power. Go to the settings of the created machine and open the “System” section. On the Processor tab, you can increase the number of virtual cores, but it is not recommended to allocate more than half of the actual number of threads of your processor, so as not to cause overheating and throttling.
In the Acceleration section, make sure that interfaces are enabled VT-x/AMD-V and Nested Paging. These technologies significantly improve the performance of the guest OS by allowing it to directly access processor hardware functions, bypassing unnecessary layers of emulation.
I/O Cache Optimization
For SSD drives, it is recommended to enable the “Host I/O Cache” option in the storage controller settings, which will speed up data writing.
The best format to store guest system data is VDI with dynamic size. Static size allocates all the space at once, which speeds up work, but takes up disk space even if the virtual machine file system is empty.
Installing a guest operating system
To begin installation, you need to attach the installation ISO image. In the virtual machine settings, go to the “Media” section and select the image file of your operating system in the virtual drive. After that, click the “OK” button to save the settings.
Launch the virtual machine by double clicking. If the image is connected correctly, the standard OS installation procedure will begin, similar to installation on a physical computer. At this stage, the virtual disk is partitioned and system files are copied.
☑️ Ready to install
During the installation process, you may be required to enter a license key or create an account. All data entered at this stage will be stored exclusively within an isolated environment and will not affect the registry or main files. host systems.
Setting up network and shared folders
By default, NAT mode is used, in which the virtual machine gains access to the Internet through the host's IP address, remaining invisible to the external network. For a more complex configuration, for example, if the virtual machine must be accessible from other computers on the local network, the “Network Bridge” mode is used.
To share files between the primary and virtual systems, you must configure shared folders. In the virtual machine menu, select “Devices” -> “Mount shared directory”, specify the path on the host and specify the name of the mount point. In the guest system, this folder will appear as a network share or mounted drive.
| Network mode | Internet access | LAN Visibility | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| NAT | Yes | No | Safe surfing |
| Network bridge | Yes | Yes | Servers, tests |
| Virtual adapter | No | Yes (VM only) | Isolated tests |
| Internal network | No | Yes (between VMs) | Clusters |
⚠️ Attention: When using the “Network Bridge” mode, the virtual machine becomes a full-fledged node in your local network, which can create a security hole if the guest OS does not have a firewall installed.
Installing guest OS additions
After successful installation of the operating system, the interface may run in low resolution and the clipboard will not be available. To fix this, in the virtual machine menu, select “Devices” -> “Mount Guest OS Additions disk image.”
Run the installer inside the guest system and wait for the process to complete. Guest Additions install special drivers for the video adapter, network card and file sharing, which significantly improves performance and ease of use.
A reboot after installing add-ons is required to activate all drivers and integration features.
After rebooting, you will be able to use full screen mode, Drag'n'Drop and shared clipboard. This transforms the virtual machine from an isolated polygon into a full-fledged production tool integrated into your workflow.
Taking System Snapshots
One of the key capabilities of virtualization is the creation of snapshots. Before installing questionable software or making critical changes to the system configuration, take a snapshot of the current state. In case of failure, you can roll back to the previous restore point in seconds.
Snapshots are managed through the virtual machine manager. It is important to understand that snapshots take up disk space because they only store changes made since the previous state was created. Storing a chain of snapshots for a long time can lead to fragmentation of the virtual disk.
Regularly taking snapshots before experiments is the golden rule for working safely with virtual environments.
Use of technology snapshot allows you to test operating system updates without the risk of losing data. If the update is successful, the snapshot can be deleted, merging the changes with the main drive, which optimizes the space used.
Is it possible to run VirtualBox on a weak computer?
Launching is possible if the processor has support for virtualization, and the amount of RAM allows you to allocate at least 2 GB for the guest system. However, performance will be poor, especially when using GUIs.
How to forward a USB device to a virtual machine?
You need to install the Extension Pack, then add a filter for your device in the machine settings in the USB section. After that, when you connect a flash drive, it will be captured by the virtual machine automatically.
Why is the virtual machine slow?
The main reasons: hardware virtualization is not enabled in the BIOS, few processor cores are allocated, a dynamic disk is used on a fragmented HDD, or guest OS add-ons are not installed.
Is it possible to transfer a virtual machine to another PC?
Yes, virtual machine files (configuration and disks) can be copied to another computer with VirtualBox installed and imported through the “Machine” -> “Add” menu.