Setting Up the Virtual Machine

• 1). Open VirtualBox.
  
  
• 2). Click "New" to create a new virtual machine.
  
  
• 3). Type in a name for your virtual machine, such as "Ubuntu." In the OS type boxes, select "Linux" and "Ubuntu." You may also choose "Ubuntu 64-bit" if you have a 64-bit processor. These settings have no permanent effect: they simply guide VirtualBox in selecting appropriate default settings.
  
  
• 4). Select a "base memory size" from the slider. The scale under the slider will provide an idea of suitable memory ranges based on the system you are installing and the hardware of your computer. Green values are suitable, yellow and orange are excessive and red is unsuitable.
  
  
• 5). Select "Boot Hard Disk" and "Create New Hard Disk." This will create a file on your hard drive that will represent the virtual hard disk for your Ubuntu installation.
  
  
• 6). Choose between "Dynamically expanding storage" or "Fixed-sized storage." Dynamically expanding storage will allow you to specify a maximum size for your Ubuntu installation, but the actual space consumed will be only what is needed. The downside is that this may lead to decreased performance over the long term. Fixed-sized storage allocates all the disc space in advance. This will improve performance over the long term, but will consume large amounts of unneeded disk space.
  
  
• 7). Select a default disk size. VirtualBox will recommend a value appropriate for your guest operating system, but it will not evaluate your existing system to determine appropriate sizes. Your virtual machine now exists.
  
  

Installing Ubuntu

• 1). Select your virtual machine from the list and click "Settings."
  
  
• 2). Click "Storage" and select the "Empty" CD-ROM listing. Click the folder icon and click the "Add" button. Select the ISO image file you downloaded from Ubuntu's website. Alternatively, if you purchased an Ubuntu disk, select your physical hard drive in the dialog.
  
  
• 3). Click "Start" to power on your virtual machine. After a few moments, Ubuntu's installation program should begin to run in a small window.
  
  
• 4). Select your language and choose "Install Ubuntu." Alternatively, you can just run Ubuntu directly off the disc image by clicking "Try Ubuntu."
  
  
• 5). Select your timezone by clicking the location on the globe where you live, and select your keyboard layout. "USA" will be the default.
  
  

Wrapping Up the Installation

• 1). Select your partitioning scheme. Most users will want the default, but advanced users can benefit from manually specifying the partition scheme. Click "Forward."
  
  
• 2). Enter your username, password, and computer name. Select whether you would like to be logged in automatically when the computer starts or be prompted for your password. Defaults for some information may be filled in automatically for you. Click "Forward."
  
  
• 3). Review the setup information to ensure that it reflects your specifications and click "Install." Depending upon the speed of your computer, the installation may take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.