Installing Ubuntu 20.04 LTS on VirtualBox: A Step-by-Step Guide
This article provides a detailed guide on installing Ubuntu 20.04 LTS as a guest operating system on VirtualBox, version 6.1.30 r148562 (Qt5.6.3).
Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure you have the following:
- A host operating system (e.g., Windows, macOS, or another Linux distribution) with VirtualBox installed.
- A minimum of 2 GB RAM and 20 GB of free disk space for the Ubuntu virtual machine.
- The Ubuntu 20.04 LTS ISO image.
Step 1: Create a new virtual machine
- Open VirtualBox and click on "New" to create a new virtual machine.
- Enter a name for the virtual machine (e.g., Ubuntu 20.04 LTS), select the type as "Linux," and version as "Ubuntu (64-bit)."
- Allocate at least 2 GB of RAM and 20 GB of hard disk space for the virtual machine.
- Click on "Create" to proceed.
Step 2: Configure the virtual machine's settings
- Select the newly created virtual machine and click on "Settings."
- Navigate to the "System" tab and ensure the "Acceleration" is enabled.
- Go to the "Storage" tab and add the Ubuntu 20.04 LTS ISO image as the CD/DVD drive.
- Click on "OK" to save the settings.
Step 3: Start the virtual machine and install Ubuntu
- Click on the green arrow to start the virtual machine. The Ubuntu installation process will begin.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to select the language, country, and keyboard layout.
- Choose "Install Ubuntu Server" or "Install Ubuntu Desktop" depending on your preference.
- Click on "Continue" to proceed with the installation.
- Select your location and click on "Continue."
- Enter your full name, username, and password for the Ubuntu system.
- Choose the time zone and click on "Continue."
- Select the partitioning scheme for your disk. For a beginner, it's recommended to use the "Erase disk and install Ubuntu" option.
- Confirm the changes and wait for the installation to complete.
- Once the installation is finished, click on "Restart Now" to reboot the virtual machine.
Step 4: Install VirtualBox Guest Additions
- Log in to the Ubuntu system.
- Open a terminal and run the following command to install VirtualBox Guest Additions:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install virtualbox-guest-x11
- After the installation is complete, restart the virtual machine for the changes to take effect.
Summary
This article walked you through the process of installing Ubuntu 20.04 LTS on VirtualBox. By following the steps outlined above, you should now have a fully functional Ubuntu virtual machine running on your host operating system.
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