Install VirtualBox on Windows 10

What is virtualization

With VirtualBox you can run another operating system inside a window on your PC. You can:

• Run Linux or older Windows versions next to your main system.
• Test software in a sandbox without risk to your PC.
• Keep legacy apps that do not run on your current system.
• Give each virtual machine its own RAM and CPU share.

Requirements

1. A 64-bit processor.
2. At least 4 GB of RAM, with 2 GB or more for the virtual machine.
3. About 300 MB of disk for VirtualBox, plus space for each virtual disk.
4. Hardware virtualization (Intel VT-x or AMD-V) turned on in the BIOS.

Install VirtualBox

1. Open the official VirtualBox website and download the Windows installer.

   

2. Open the installer from your Downloads folder and click Next.

   

3. The next screen lets you customize the features and the install folder. The defaults are fine for most people.

   

4. The options include a desktop shortcut, a Start menu entry and file associations.
5. A warning says the network connection will briefly drop. This is normal because VirtualBox installs its network adapters.

   

6. Click Install, then Finish.

   

   

Create a virtual machine

1. Click New.
2. Enter a name and choose the OS type and version.
3. Set the memory (RAM) size.

   

4. Choose the hardware settings.

   

5. Create a virtual hard disk and set its size.

   

6. Click Start and select the ISO file of the guest system to install it.

   

Quick recap

• Enable virtualization in BIOS first.
• Install VirtualBox, create a VM and boot from an ISO.