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How to Use
VirtualBox:
User’s Guide
Written by Ben Stegner
Published October 2017.
Read the original article here: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-use-virtualbox/
This ebook is the intellectual property of MakeUseOf. It must only be published in its original
form. Using parts or republishing altered parts of this ebook is prohibited without permission
from MakeUseOf.com.
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Table of contents
What Is VirtualBox and Why Use It?
4
Getting Started With VirtualBox
5
Install Windows 10 in a Virtual Machine
7
Creating the Virtual Machine
7
No 64-Bit Option?
8
Allocating RAM
9
Add a Virtual Hard Disk
10
Download the Windows 10 Installer
12
Mounting the Install Disc
13
Installing Windows 10
15
Configure Windows 10 Options
19
Installing Guest Additions
23
Windows 10 Basics
25
Install Ubuntu in a Virtual Machine
26
Create the Virtual Machine
27
Download Ubuntu
29
Attach the Ubuntu Installer to Your VM
30
Installing Ubuntu
32
Installing Guest Additions
35
Ubuntu Basics
37
Install macOS in a Virtual Machine
38
VirtualBox Tools
38
Insert Key Combinations
38
Take a Screenshot
39
Using Snapshots
39
Share Folders and Clipboards
41
Shutdown Options
42
Editing VM Properties
43
How Do You Use Virtual Machines?
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44
With a virtual machine like VirtualBox you can virtually install multiple operating systems,
without having to buy any new hardware.
Maybe you’ve heard of virtual machines (VM), but never tried one out yourself. You might be
scared that you won’t set it up correctly or don’t know where to find a copy of your preferred
operating system (OS). VirtualBox is the best virtual machine for home users, and you can use this
virtualization software with our help.
In this guide to using VirtualBox, you’ll learn why you should use the software, how to install an
OS, and advice to make it work for you. We’ll explain everything and share tips along the way so
you won’t get lost. Let’s jump in!
What Is VirtualBox and Why Use It?
VirtualBox is a piece of software published by Oracle. It allows you to emulate an operating
system on your own PC and use it like it’s running on real hardware. You’ll discover tons of uses
for virtual machines.
If you want to try Linux, you can install it in a virtual machine without any risk of screwing up an
install or dual-boot. Or, you can mess with risky software or hacks without jeopardizing your
computer. Maybe you need to run a virtual copy of an older operating system for compatibility
reasons.
Watch the Youtube video here: Why Should You Use a Virtual Machine?
Whatever your reason, VirtualBox is the easiest and safest way to install a “new computer” on
your own machine with no risk. And it’s free for home users.
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Getting Started With VirtualBox
To start, head to VirtualBox’s download page. You can use the software on Windows, macOS, and
Linux. We’re using Windows for this tutorial, but it’s nearly identical on all three platforms. Look
under the VirtualBox X.X platform packages and download the copy for your operating system.
Run the installer as normal — there’s nothing you should change during the process. Do note that
the installer will temporarily stop your internet connection, so don’t install VirtualBox when
running a critical download. If you see a Windows dialogue asking you to install a driver, go
ahead and allow it.
When you’re done, you’ll see VirtualBox’s main screen.
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Since you don’t have any virtual machines installed yet, you’ll need to create one. In this guide,
we’ll run through two common scenarios — installing Windows 10 and installing Ubuntu. But
before you start, we recommend you check one setting.
By default, VirtualBox saves virtual machine information in your user folder. If you only have
one drive in your PC, this works fine. But if you have a second hard drive, you may prefer to save
your virtual machines there to save space on your primary drive. In a few minutes, you’ll create a
virtual hard disk that’s 20GB or more in size. On a small SSD, this could be too much space to
use up.
To do so, go to File > Settings in VirtualBox. On the General tab, you’ll see a Default Machine
Folder field. If you don’t like where it’s at by default, click Other in the drop-down box to change
it now.
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Install Windows 10 in a Virtual Machine
Whether you want to use Windows on your Mac or Linux machine or want a secondary copy of
Windows to mess around in, here’s how to get a full version of Windows 10 running in
VirtualBox. If you want to install Windows 7 or 8.1 instead, you can still follow along as it’s a
similar process. With a bit of extra work, you can even install Windows XP in a VM.
Creating the Virtual Machine
Start by clicking the blue New button on VirtualBox’s main page. You’ll need to give your VM a
name. Choose something unique so you can identify it among your machines. After you enter a
name, VirtualBox will automatically change the Type and Version fields to match what you
entered. If it isn’t correct, make sure to set Type to Microsoft Windows and Version to Windows
10 (64-bit). Click Next when you’ve confirmed this.
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Note: Whether you install the 64-bit or 32-bit version of Windows will depend on your own PC. If
your computer is less than a few years old, it’s almost certainly 64-bit and you should thus
install 64-bit Windows in your VM. VirtualBox automatically installs the correct version of its
software for you.
No 64-Bit Option?
If you’re using a 64-bit PC and don’t see any 64-bit options in the Version list, you need to fix
that problem before moving on.
First, try disabling Hyper-V, which is Microsoft’s platform for virtual machines.
Type Windows Features into the Start Menu and open the Turn Windows features on or
off option. In the resulting dialogue, scroll down and make sure the box by Hyper-V isn’t
checked. If it is, uncheck the box, click OK, and restart your PC.
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Still don’t have 64-bit options in VirtualBox after this? You next need to reboot into your BIOS.
Once inside, look for a Virtualization option. Common names include Intel VT-x, Intel
Virtualization Technology, and Virtualization Extensions. You may find these under
the Processor or Security menus. If you can’t find it, try a Google search for your computer’s
name plus enable virtualization.
Once you’ve enabled virtualization in the BIOS and saved the settings, reboot and try to create a
64-bit VM again. You should be good to go. If not, chances are that your processor doesn’t
support 64-bit virtualization and you’ll have to continue with a 32-bit flavor.
Allocating RAM
Picking back up on creating your VM, you’ll next need to specify the amount of RAM to give the
virtual OS. VirtualBox will provide a recommendation here, but it’s probably too low. With too
little RAM, your VM will suffer from poor performance. But give the VM too much RAM, and your
host PC might become unstable.
The exact amount to allocate depends on how much RAM you have. As a general rule of thumb,
giving half your system RAM to the VM should suffice. Windows 10 will work well enough with
4GB of RAM.
Use the slider or type the value of RAM you want to give the VM in megabytes. Since computers
calculate bytes differently than humans, multiply the GB of RAM you’re providing by 1,024. So if
you want 4GB of RAM in the VM, enter 4,096, not 4,000.
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Add a Virtual Hard Disk
Next, it’s time to add a hard disk so the VM can store data. On this screen, select Create a
virtual hard disk now to make a new one. Next, VirtualBox asks you to choose the type of hard
disk file. Leave the default VDI selected and click Next.
VirtualBox can create two different types of virtual hard drives — dynamic and fixed.
A Dynamically allocated disk only takes up space on your actual drive as it’s filled. So if you
create a 100GB virtual disk but only use 30GB, it only uses 30GB of space on your PC’s drive. But
if you free up space in the VM, it won’t shrink the virtual disk.
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The other option is a Fixed size disk. This creates the disk at its maximum size from the start.
It thus takes up more space initially, but could feature some slight speed increases compared
to a dynamic disk. You can decide which you prefer; we’ll go with Dynamic in this example. That
way, if you don’t install much in your VM, you won’t waste space with a fixed disk.
To finish the disk, specify a save location and a size. You can leave the name as the default,
which matches your VM’s name. The default location is inside the Default Machine Folder you
set up earlier. For sizing, Microsoft states that 20GB is the requirement for 64-bit Windows 10. If
you can spare it, 40GB is a good minimum to leave some breathing room for a few programs
and files. Feel free to increase this if you have lots of free space.
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When you’re done, click Create, and your VM is ready to install Windows!
Download the Windows 10 Installer
Now you’ve created a virtual machine, but you need an operating system to install. For that, you
should visit Microsoft’s Windows 10 download page. Click the Download tool now button to grab
a copy of the Windows 10 media creation tool.
After the tool downloads, launch it and you’ll have a choice of upgrading your own PC or
creating installation media. Choose the Create installation media option, then double-check
the options on the next page. Make sure the Edition is Windows 10 and the Architecture is 64bit (x64). If these aren’t right, uncheck the Use the recommended options for this PC box and
fix them.
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Your last choice is whether to create a bootable USB drive or create an ISO. Choose the ISO file
option and specify a place to save it, then the tool will begin downloading Windows.
Mounting the Install Disc
An ISO is a disc image file. If you were installing Windows on a physical computer, you’d have to
burn the ISO to a DVD and place it in your PC to start installing Windows. But we can skip that
step and mount the ISO file into our virtual machine directly.
To do so, highlight your VM in VirtualBox’s main menu and click Settings. Visit the Storage tab
on the left and you should see a CD icon in the Storage Tree box. Click that icon, then the CD
with an arrow next to it on the right side. Select Choose Virtual Optical Disc File and then
browse to where you saved the Windows.iso file.
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Then, jump to the System tab. Under Boot Order, click the Optical entry and use the arrows to
move it above Hard Disk. For some reason Floppy is enabled by default — though Windows 10
does support floppies, feel free to uncheck that.
Click OK, and you’re ready to boot into the Windows installer.
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Installing Windows 10
On the VirtualBox main menu, choose your Windows VM and click the Start button to boot it.
After a moment, you’ll see the Windows 10 install screen. Make sure your regional settings are
correct, then hit Next. On the next screen, click the Install now button.
Windows will then ask you for a product key to activate it. However, you actually don’t need a
product key to use Windows 10.
If you have one (a valid Windows 7 or 8 product key will work too), you can enter it now. If not,
just click I don’t have a product key. Using a copy of Windows 10 that’s not activated has a few
limitations, but it will work fine for light VM use.
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Next, you’ll choose the edition of Windows 10 you want to install. If you have a product
key for Windows 10 Home or Pro, select the matching version.
But if you don’t plan to activate the OS, go ahead and install Windows 10 Pro so you gain
access to its extra features. Accept the license terms, and continue on with the installation.
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Next, you’ll have a choice between Upgrade and Custom installations. You can’t select Upgrade
since you’re installing Windows on a blank virtual disk, so choose Custom.
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You’ll see the virtual drive you created, named Drive 0 here. Click it to select it. Once you
choose Next, the Windows 10 installation begins. Sit tight for a bit — the install process can
take a while.
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Configure Windows 10 Options
Once the install finishes, you’ll hear Cortana start talking. She’ll guide you through the
installation process of Windows 10. Click the microphone icon in the lower-left corner of the
screen to keep her quiet if you like.
Confirm your region and keyboard, then click Yes after each one. Click Skip if you don’t type
with a second keyboard layout or language.
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After this, the virtual Windows installation will check for updates. Wait for them to install, then
Cortana will ask if your PC is your own or belongs to an organization. Select Set up for personal
use.
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Windows wants you to sign in with a Microsoft account, so you’ll see a prompt to enter your
email address or create a new account. While there are benefits to using a Microsoft account, you
might not want to use one for your VM. In that case, select Offline account in the bottom-left
corner. It will nag you to create a Microsoft account anyway; click Maybe later.
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Enter a name for your account, then create a password. Recovering a lost password is a huge
pain, so make sure you save this somewhere. Create a password hint if you want, then
click Next.
Now, you’ll have to decide whether to use Cortana. She can do a lot, and if you’re new to Windows
10 you might want to check it out. Choose Yes or No to proceed.
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Windows will then throw privacy settings at you. You can select how much info you’re comfortable
with sharing. Uncheck as needed, then click Accept.
Finally, you’re done. Let Windows complete the setup. Once you see the desktop screen, your VM
is ready.
Installing Guest Additions
You can now use Windows inside VirtualBox, but you should install another important
component right away. They’re called Guest Additions, a group of drivers and other utilities that
let VirtualBox better interface with your host machine. After you install them, you can
dynamically resize the VM window, enable bi-directional drag and drop, and more.
VirtualBox installs these via a virtual CD. Since you still have the Windows install image
mounted, you need to remove that first. From the VM window, right-click the CD icon and
choose Remove disk from virtual drive.
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Then, mount the Guest Additions CD by visiting Devices > Install Guest Additions CD Image on
VirtualBox’s menu bar. To launch it, open the File Explorer from the Taskbar at the bottom of the
screen, then click This PC on the left. Double-click on the CD Drive icon to install the Guest
Additions. Click Yes when you see a prompt for administrator permissions.
After a moment, you should see a new icon for the setup in the Taskbar at the bottom. Click this,
then click Next to continue through the steps. If you see a prompt for installing device software,
click Install.
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You’ll see a prompt to reboot to complete the installation. Go ahead and do that now so you can
take advantage of the new features. Without them, you’ll be stuck using a low-resolution
screen.
After you boot back in, you’re all set. Feel free to expand your VirtualBox window to take
advantage of your full screen size. Don’t forget to right-click the CD icon and remove the Guest
Additions CD.
Windows 10 Basics
In case you’re trying Windows 10 from Linux or otherwise using it for the first time, we’ll cover a
few quick usage tips so you know your way around. Check out our tips for Windows
newcomers and the coolest new features of Windows 10 for more.
• Click the Start button in the bottom-left and then click on the Gear icon to open
the Settingsmenu. This is where you can configure most aspects of Windows 10.
• To install updates, visit the Update & security tab in Settings, then the Windows
Update tab on the left side. Updating makes sure you get the newest features, important if
you’re using a VM to evaluate Windows 10.
• Windows 10 includes a built-in antivirus, Windows Defender, so you don’t have to worry about
installing one for your VM.
• Use the search box in the bottom-left to look up programs, files, and settings in Windows.
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• You can browse the Windows Store for new Modern apps, but it’s a bit underwhelming. We
recommend downloading the best Windows software from a reputable download siteinstead.
• To shut down Windows 10, click the Start button in the bottom-left of your screen. Then hit
the power icon, followed by Shut down. Windows will shut down and then VirtualBox will
automatically close the VM.
Watch the Youtube video here: Windows 10 - Beginners Guide [Tutorial]
Other than this, feel free to have fun! Mess around, explore, and don’t be afraid to break
something. It’s just a VM, and you can easily restore it using a snapshot if something goes
wrong. See the tips section below for information on these.
Install Ubuntu in a Virtual Machine
If you already use Windows, you probably don’t have much use for installing it in a virtual
machine. But giving Linux a try in a VM is a great option. It’s a lot easier than dual-booting — you
can test the waters without worrying about breaking anything.
As you might know, there are hundreds of versions of Linux — known as distributions. We’ll install
Ubuntu, one of the most popular, for this example. But if you want to experiment, try one of the
other great VM-ready Linux flavors.
The initial work of creating a VM in VirtualBox is almost identical for Ubuntu as it is
for Windows 10. We’ll run through it here quickly; check above in the Windows section if you
need more help.
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Create the Virtual Machine
Open VirtualBox and click the blue New button to start making a new machine. Give the new VM
a unique name — Ubuntu is fine. If the Type and Version don’t automatically change with the
name, make sure they’re set to Linux and Ubuntu (64-bit) respectively before clicking Next.
The Windows discussion on 32 and 64-bit OSes also applies here — you should install the 64-bit
flavor of Ubuntu if you’re using a 64-bit machine.
Next, decide how much RAM to give the VM. Like Windows, providing half of your system RAM
should be enough. You shouldn’t use any less than 2GB or the VM’s performance will probably
suffer. Additionally, to save RAM, make sure to close as many running programs on your PC as
you can when using your VM. Multiply the GB of RAM you’d like to use by 1,024 — so 2GB of RAM
is 2,048MB here.
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Now you’ll need to create a virtual hard disk for Ubuntu. Leave the default Create a virtual hard
disk now checked and click Create. VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image is fine for the file type;
click Next again.
Then, you’ll need to decide whether you want a dynamic or fixed disk. A dynamic disk grows as
you use it up to a maximum size, while a fixed disk is set from the beginning. If you’re just
playing around in a VM, Dynamically allocated will work fine. Click Next.
You can keep the disk name matching the name of your VM. Then you just need to choose the
disk size. Ubuntu doesn’t take up as much space as Windows 10, so you don’t need as large of a
disk. If you don’t plan on installing lots of programs and using this VM all the time, 40GB is a
good size if you can spare it. But if not, Ubuntu’s recommended 25GB is fine.
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Click Create and your VM is ready for an OS.
Download Ubuntu
Next, you’ll need to grab a copy of Ubuntu. Head to the Ubuntu download page to do so. You’ll
notice that there are two versions on offer –the older LTS (long-term support) and a newer
version.
LTS, the excellent 16.04 at the time of writing, is more stable and the company keeps it current
with security updates for five years. The newer version, 17.04 at publication time, includes the
latest features but only receives security updates for nine months.
Unless you’re a Linux enthusiast, it makes more sense to install the LTS edition in your VM. This
means you won’t have to worry about upgrading in a few months and you won’t miss the few
cutting-edge changes.
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Watch the Youtube video here: LTS or Not LTS Linux Beginners?
Click the Download button next to the LTS edition. Ubuntu will ask you for a contribution,
but Linux is completely free, so click continue to the download. Consider supporting open-source
softwareif it’s important to you, though.
If you’d like, you can click the Alternative downloads and torrents text to download Ubuntu via
BitTorrent instead. This could speed up your download, but use the standard download button if
you don’t have a BitTorrent client installed or aren’t sure.
Attach the Ubuntu Installer to Your VM
Once the download finishes, you’ll have an ISO file to install Ubuntu with. In VirtualBox’s menu,
click your Ubuntu VM and then the Settings button. Select the Storage tab and click the CD
icon that says Empty next to it. On the far right side, click the other CD icon with an arrow next
to it, and pick Choose Virtual Optical Disc File. Browse to where you saved the Ubuntu ISO and
double-click to select it.
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Flip over to the System tab and in the Boot Order list, click the Optical entry. Use the arrow
keys to move it to the top above Hard Disk, and uncheck Floppy while you’re here. Click OK to
save your settings, then select your VM on the main menu and click Start to load it up.
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Installing Ubuntu
Now you’re getting to the fun part — installing Ubuntu in your VM just like you’d install it on a
real computer. After you click Start, give your VM a moment to load the Ubuntu installer.
The first screen you see asks if you want to Try Ubuntu or Install Ubuntu. You want to install it,
so choose that option.
Next, you can check two boxes to save some time. The top will download the latest updates for
Ubuntu while it installs. The second box offers to install third-party software like graphics and
network drivers, along with plugins for Flash and other common formats.
Unless you’re trying to live a completely open source life (as some of this is proprietary), you
should check both of these boxes to save some time. Click Continue to proceed.
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Because your VM is blank, Ubuntu next asks how you want to install it. The default Erase disk
and install Ubuntu is what you want. You can also select to encrypt the installation and use LVM
if you want. Since this is a VM, neither is really necessary. Click Install Now, then Continue at
the prompt.
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Confirm your time zone, then click Continue. Next, select your keyboard layout
and Continue again.
Finally, you’ll need to set a username and password. Enter your name and specify a name for
the VM — this lets you identify it from others. Specify a username, which can be the same as
your own name. Then pick and confirm a password. Don’t forget it!
If you select Log in automatically, Ubuntu will automatically log your account in as soon as you
boot up. Since this is a VM, you might want to check this option for convenience. If not, you’ll
have to enter your password to log in, like with any other computer. You can also choose to
encrypt your home folder if you want more security, though you don’t need to do this for a VM.
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After you click Continue, you’ll get a little slideshow of its features while you wait for Ubuntu to
install. When it’s complete, you’ll see a message prompting you to reboot. Do so, and Ubuntu
will ask you to remove the installation medium. Right-click the CD icon at the bottom and
choose Remove disk from virtual drive, then press Enter. If the disc is grayed out, just
press Enter anyway.
Your VM will reboot and place you at the Ubuntu desktop.
Installing Guest Additions
Just like with Windows, you should install the Guest Additions right away to enable all of
VirtualBox’s features. Choose Devices > Install Guest Additions CD Image and you’ll see a
prompt asking if you’d like to run this. Click Run and enter your password.
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You’ll see a Terminal window pop up and run through the installation. When you see Press
Return to close this window, press Enter. Then you need to reboot. Click the gear/power icon in
the top-right of your desktop and choose Shut Down, then hit the Restart button.
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Now you’re all set to dive into Ubuntu.
Ubuntu Basics
In case you’ve never used Linux before, you should know a few things about how Ubuntu works to
get around your new VM. Check out our tips on customizing Ubuntu and must-have software for a
new installation for more.
• Click the Settings button on the left Dock to open Ubuntu’s System Settings menu. This is
where you can change your wallpaper, adjust sound options, add accounts, and more.
• The Ubuntu icon at the top of your Dock is like the Start Menu in Windows. Click it to open
a search bar that lets you search for files, apps, and more.
• You don’t have to be scared of the Terminal — it’s not necessary for casual use of Ubuntu.
Once you get used to it, typing commands is a lot faster than navigating visual menus.
Check out some ways to learn Linux Terminal if you want to dip your toe in.
• To install software, click the Ubuntu Software icon on the Dock — it looks like a shopping
bag. This is your one-stop place to install software for Linux. Check the Updates tab at the
top to install updates for your apps as well as OS updates.
Ubuntu is a great distribution of Linux for beginners, so have a look around and see what you
think.
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Install macOS in a Virtual Machine
Looking to install Apple’s macOS in a VM? It’s a lot more involved than setting up Windows or
Linux because macOS is designed to only run on Apple hardware. Diving into the complete
process is beyond the scope of this article, so please check out our guide to installing macOS in
VirtualBox if you want to embark on that quest.
VirtualBox Tools
Now that we’ve walked through the installation of two popular operating systems, let’s go over
some of VirtualBox’s useful tools and a few other incidentals you should know about.
Insert Key Combinations
Certain key combinations are always captured by your own computer. For example, there’s
a critical Windows process devoted to catching when you press CTRL + ALT + DEL. If you try to
press that key combo for your VM, it will only activate on your host OS.
To insert these key combos, go to the Input tab on VirtualBox’s menu. Select Keyboard and you
can choose to send a few different key combos, like CTRL+ ALT+ DEL and Print Screen.
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Take a Screenshot
You probably have a screenshot tool installed already on your own computer. But you can grab a
screenshot of your VM without fiddling to get the exact dimensions. Just press the
right CTRL key (which VirtualBox calls the Host key) and E together to capture a full-screen
screenshot. Then you can choose where to save it.
Using Snapshots
Given the nature of VMs, you’ll probably want to do some potentially dangerous activities in
them from time to time. Next time you want to test a suspicious file or perform a Registry hack,
take a snapshot of your VM first. This lets you easily return to a clean state without having to
reinstall your OS.
You can take a snapshot whether the VM is running or not. To snapshot a running VM, go
to Machine > Take Snapshot in the VirtualBox menu bar. Add a name of the snapshot
(like Before testing fake antivirus malware) and a description if that will help you remember
more about it. Click OK to save your snapshot.
To snap a closed VM, select it from the VirtualBox main menu. On the right side, click
the Snapshots button. Then, click the camera button to add a new snapshot. You’ll have to add
a name and description here, too.
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Once you’ve saved a snapshot, you don’t have to do anything more until you want to restore it.
Let’s say you’re testing something for malware and your VM becomes corrupted. Shut down the
machine, then select its entry in VirtualBox’s main menu.
Click the Snapshots button on the right side again, and right-click the snapshot you want to
restore. Choose Restore Snapshot. You’ll see a notice offering to save another snapshot of the
current state. Chances are that if you’re restoring a snapshot, the current state of the machine
is screwed up. If this is the case, uncheck the Create a snapshot of the current machine
state box and hit Restore.
After restoring a snapshot, next time you load up your VM, it will be exactly as you had it when
you took the snapshot. It’s pretty handy.
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Share Folders and Clipboards
For better compatibility, you can enable a few features that let you easily move information
between your own PC and the VM. Click Settings on a VM, then on the General category, open
the Advanced tab.
Here, you can enable two options: Shared Clipboard and Drag’n’Drop. Sharing your clipboard
lets you copy and paste items between your host OS and the VM. Enabling the second option
lets you drag a file from one machine to the other to copy it.
Both provide four choices: Disabled, Host to Guest, Guest to Host, and Bidirectional. If you
want to use this, there’s no reason to pick anything other than Bidirectional as it’s the most
convenient. Once you save the preference, simply drag a file from your own PC to the VM to
make a copy.
VirtualBox also offers a Shared Folders option. With this, you can allow access to specific
folders on your PC from your VM. For the casual user, though, dragging and dropping should
suffice.
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Shutdown Options
You can shut down or restart your VM using the OS’s built-in shutdown option. But you can also
visit File > Close for some additional shutdown options. You have three:
• Save the machine state: Selecting this option will “freeze” the VM’s current state to your
hard drive and close it. Next time you start the VM, VirtualBox will pick up exactly where
you left off. This is a bit like to putting your computer to sleep, except the saved state will
persist until you re-open the VM.
• Send the shutdown signal: This is equivalent to clicking Shut Down in the VM’s OS.
Choosing this option will tell the VM to shut down and execute a clean shutdown cycle.
• Power off the machine: Powering off the machine is like pulling the plug on a real PC,
instantly killing it. You can use this if a VM is frozen, but don’t do so unless you have to. The
system will have to inspect the virtual disks and pulling the plug when the OS is busy
could result in lost data.
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Editing VM Properties
Most of your VM’s properties aren’t permanent. Click a machine in the VirtualBox main menu
and choose Settings to review its options.
In the System category, you can adjust a VM’s RAM. If its performance stutters, try giving it a bit
more assuming your PC has enough. On the Processor tab, you can dedicate additional CPU
cores if you really want your VM to soar.
On the User Interface left tab, you can change the options that VirtualBox provides in its
menus. You might want to enable the few that are left off by default so you have every control at
your fingertips, or remove some to reduce clutter.
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How Do You Use Virtual Machines?
Now you know everything you need to use VirtualBox effectively. We’ve covered installing and
configuring the software, creating virtual machines, downloading new operating systems, and
setting them up for first-time use.
At this point, you’re only limited by your own creativity. What will you use virtual machines for?
Test a new operating system, have fun breaking everything, or just try some OS-specific
software you’ve never experienced. VirtualBox makes it easy, and we hope you have fun with
virtual machines.
For a totally different use of VMs, try creating a VM clone of your PC’s hard drive.
What virtual machines have you installed? What’s your favorite use of a virtual machine?
Let us know if you found this guide helpful; weigh in down in the comments!
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