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Setting up VirtualBox

   April 7, 2025

How to Install and Set Up VirtualBox on Windows: A Step-by-Step Guide

Whether you need to test a new operating system, run legacy software, or just safely browse the web in an isolated environment, virtualization is a fantastic tool to have in your IT toolkit. Oracle VM VirtualBox is a free, open-source, and incredibly powerful hypervisor that makes running a “computer within a computer” easy.

If you’re on a Windows machine and want to get a virtual machine (VM) up and running, you’re in the right place. Here is a straightforward, step-by-step guide to installing and configuring VirtualBox on Windows.

What You’ll Need Before Starting

  • A Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer with administrator rights.
  • At least 8GB of RAM (16GB recommended) to comfortably run both your host and guest operating systems.
  • An ISO file of the operating system you want to install (e.g., Ubuntu Linux, Windows 10, etc.).

Step 1: Download and Install VirtualBox

  1. Head over to the official VirtualBox download page.
  2. Click on the Windows hosts link to download the latest installer.
  3. While you’re there, it’s highly recommended to also download the VirtualBox Extension Pack (found at the bottom of the page). This adds support for USB 2.0/3.0 devices, NVMe, and more.
  4. Run the downloaded .exe file and follow the installation wizard. You can leave all the default settings as they are. Just keep clicking Next and accept the network interface prompts (it needs to install virtual network adapters to give your VM internet access).
  5. Once the main software is installed, run the Extension Pack installer you downloaded to add those extra features.

Step 2: Create Your First Virtual Machine

  1. Open VirtualBox from your Start Menu.
  2. Click the big blue star icon labeled New at the top of the manager window.
  3. Name and Operating System: Give your VM a name. VirtualBox is smart and will automatically select the correct Type (e.g., Linux or Windows) and Version based on the name you type. Select your downloaded ISO file in the “ISO Image” dropdown.
  4. Hardware: Allocate your memory (RAM) and CPU cores. A good rule of thumb is to never allocate more than half of your host machine’s total resources. (e.g., if you have 16GB of RAM, give the VM 4GB or 8GB).
  5. Virtual Hard Disk: Choose “Create a Virtual Hard Disk Now”. Set the size based on what your guest OS needs (25GB to 50GB is usually plenty for a basic Linux or Windows test drive).
  6. Click Finish to create the VM.

Step 3: Tweak the Display Settings (Crucial Step)

Before we boot up the machine for the first time, we need to make a quick adjustment to prevent graphical glitches or black screens.

  1. Right-click your newly created VM in the left pane and select Settings.
  2. Navigate to the Display tab on the left menu.
  3. Look for the Graphics Controller section.
  4. Set the Display Setting the “VBoxVGA”. (Note: While VBoxSVGA is the default for newer Windows guests, VBoxVGA is often much more stable for older OS installations and Linux distros, preventing the dreaded black screen on boot).
  5. Click OK to save your settings.

Step 4: Boot Up and Install the Guest OS

  1. Select your VM in the main window and click the green Start arrow.
  2. The virtual machine will boot from the ISO file you selected. Follow the standard installation prompts for the operating system you are installing.
  3. Once the installation is complete, the VM will restart. Remove the virtual “disc” by clicking Devices > Optical Drives > Remove disk from virtual drive if it doesn’t do it automatically, and let it boot into your new OS.

Step 5: Install Guest Additions

To get full-screen support, shared clipboards, and drag-and-drop functionality, you need to install Guest Additions.

  1. Once logged into your new guest OS, look at the top menu bar of the VirtualBox window.
  2. Click on Devices and select Insert Guest Additions CD image…
  3. Open the file explorer inside your virtual machine, navigate to the CD drive, and run the installer (usually VBoxWindowsAdditions.exe for Windows guests, or autorun.sh for Linux).
  4. Follow the prompts and reboot the virtual machine when finished.

Things to Note:

To ensure the smoothest experience and avoid common headaches, keep these specific settings in mind:

  • Display Settings: As mentioned in Step 3, always remember to Set the Display Setting the “VBoxVGA” in the VM settings before your first boot. This is the most common fix for graphical issues when starting a new VM.
  • Screen Resizing: After installing Guest Additions and rebooting, go to the top menu bar of the VM window and Set “VIEW > Auto-Resize Guest Display”. This allows the virtual machine’s resolution to seamlessly scale up or down whenever you resize the VirtualBox window on your host PC.

Wrapping Up

That’s it! You now have a fully functioning virtual machine running on your Windows PC. VirtualBox is an incredibly safe sandbox—no matter how badly you break the guest operating system, your actual host machine remains completely unaffected. Feel free to take snapshots, experiment, and break things!

Did you run into any snags during the setup process? Drop a comment below and I’ll do my best to help you troubleshoot.

Author: Jon-Paul Walton