In this post I will share how to install Ubuntu Desktop into VirtualBox and what versions worked for me.

Note: this post is a part of the series of posts about my experience using Ubuntu Desktop for software development.

 

UPDATE: after working with different combinations of VirtualBox and Ubuntu Desktop I found that the following versions/build work very well with each other:

• Virtual Box version 5.0.26 build 108824
• Ubuntu Desktop version 16.04.1

 

Downloading Guest Operating System – Ubuntu Desktop

The current version of Ubuntu Desktop at the time of writing is 16.04 LTS. LTS stands for “long term support” which means Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu distribution, will provide feature and security updates for a number of years. You can download Ubuntu Desktop following this link, and choose either 32- or 64-bit PC (AMD) desktop image (I’ve got 64-bit Ubuntu Desktop version 16.04.1).

 

Installing Guest Operating System Into Virtual Machine

Make sure that your VM is highlighted and then hit Start button on VirtualBox Manager.

You will be presented with the dialog where you have to provide the location to the Ubuntu Desktop image you downloaded earlier. For me it was ubuntu-16.04-desktop-amd64.iso file in Downloads folder. Hit Start button. The guest operation system (Ubuntu Desktop 16.04) installation process will start.

Hit Install Ubuntu button

Make sure Download updates while installing Ubuntu is checked. Since this is going to be my purely development machine – I do not install any additional software.

Keep default setting Erase disk and install Ubuntu. It will erase the disk in VM, not on your host operating system.

Hit Continue button.

Select your time zone.

Select your keyboard layout.

In Who Are You dialog provide information about the name of the host and who is the superuser (admin) going to be.

Your name: Developer – self explanatory
Your computer’s name: ubuntu1604dblog – the host name
Pick a username: developer – your logon name
Password: self explanatory

And let the install process do its work.

When it’s over – restart the operating system, which does not know that it runs in VM and thinks it runs on computer.

Finally will see your first logon screen!

You’ve just installed Ubuntu Desktop and is ready to do minimal configuration.

 

See Also

• Minimal Ubuntu Desktop Configuration