How to run Windows In Ubuntu – Installing VirtualBox
Recommended Ubuntu book
Windows XP Virtual Box In Ubuntu
VirtualBox gives you the ability to run another operating system inside of your already existing operating system. First, you can download a copy here, but it is not needed as you can install it using synaptic package manager. VitualBox is very convenient. As stated before – it does run an OS inside of another OS, so make sure you got a bit of RAM for two systems. However, unlike with dual-boot system, you would not have to reboot the computer every time you need to use a different OS. You can also enjoy the convenience of easily running the applications that you can’t live without and completely give up one system over another. VirtualBox is just an easier way to have it, however, if you like to run Windows applications in Ubuntu, check out Wine project (a bit more complicated, more on it later).
Anyways, have a Windows CD handy and logged in to your Ubuntu, let’s start. Go to System > Administration and look for “virtualbox-ose”. Install the package. Next, use a terminal window to add yourself to vboxusers group. Type:
sudo adduser $USER vboxusers
or simply type in your username instead of $USER.
Next step is to enable USB support for your VirtualBox. Open terminal window once again and type:
sudo gedit /etc/init.d/mountdevsubfs.sh
This would open an editor to edit the file. Now find the section that says:
#
# Magic to make /proc/bus/usb work
#
Make sure that these lines are uncommented (no ‘#’ at the beginning), if they are, uncomment them (remove the starting ‘#’ sign). These 5 lines are starting with:
mkdir
obusmode
domount usbfs
ln -s .usbfs
mount
Save the file and reboot.
Now it is time to launch the VirtualBox. Go to Applications > System Tools > Innotek VirtualBox and click “New” as we are creating the new box. Now select OS Type you are trying to install – such as Windows XP and name the box. Select the memory you want to dedicate to the box and how to share the hard drive. Make sure you have enough disk space… a few gigs will do. 🙂
Time to install Windows. Put in your CD and go through the “settings”. Make sure you have some options such as “Mount CD/DVD Drive” for it to work, but also go through additional settings to set up your network and such. Click Next and Windows will start installing.
Once the install is complete – you should have a Windows VirtualBox. I would recommend going to “Devices > Install Guest Additions” next. This option will give you a lot more flexibility, such as running in full screen mode, seamless mode, share the folders and copy cut from one system into another. Pretty cool stuff. Now restart again and log into to your new VirtaulBox. Play around, check out Full Screen Mode by pressing Host Key, usually right ctrl unless you changed it, together with “F”. Also, check out Seamless Mode by pressing Host Key with “L”. To get out of the mode, just repeat the key combos.
You now have a system within a system. Good work. 🙂
