VirtualBox is a powerful and popular virtualization software that allows users to run multiple operating systems on a single computer. This is particularly useful for software developers, testers, or anyone who needs to work with different operating systems without having to purchase and set up multiple physical machines.
If you’re a new Linux user, you may be wondering how to install VirtualBox on your Ubuntu/Linux system.
Fortunately, the installation process is simply straightforward and can be done using either the command line or the graphical user interface. In this article, I’ll walk you through the steps to install VirtualBox on Ubuntu/Linux.
Checking Your System Requirements
Before installing VirtualBox on Ubuntu/Linux, it’s important to make sure that your system meets the minimum requirements. The exact requirements may vary depending on the version of VirtualBox you’re installing, but in general, you’ll need at least:
- A 64-bit processor with hardware virtualization support
- 2GB of RAM (4GB or more is recommended)
- 20 GB or more free disk space
To check if your system meets these requirements, you can use the “lscpu” command in the terminal to see if your processor supports virtualization.
lscpu | grep Virtualization
Example output:
Virtualization: VT-x
You can also check your system’s RAM using the “free -h” command.
free -h
Example output:
total used free shared buff/cache available Mem: 15Gi 5.0Gi 165Mi 735Mi 10Gi 9.3Gi Swap: 2.0Gi 35Mi 2.0Gi
And to check available disk space, use the “df -h” command.
df -h
Example output:
Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on /dev/nvme0n1p2 98G 23G 71G 25% / /dev/nvme0n1p3 359G 246G 96G 73% /home /dev/nvme0n1p1 487M 32M 455M 7% /boot/efi
Keep in mind that if you’re planning to run multiple virtual machines simultaneously or run particularly resource-intensive applications, you may need more powerful hardware.
Download VirtualBox for Ubuntu/Linux
Once you’ve confirmed that your system meets the minimum requirements, you can download the latest version of VirtualBox for your Ubuntu/Linux distribution. You can download the latest Deb file from the VirtualBox website.
Visit the download page from the above link and choose the appropriate package for your distribution (e.g., Ubuntu 22.04) and download the .deb file. You can check the tutorial: How To Install A DEB File In Ubuntu? for a better understanding of the following section.
Install VirtualBox Using the Terminal
After downloading the DEB file from the VirtualBox website, you can install it using the terminal. I have downloaded the file in the Downloads directory. Now open up a terminal window by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T and navigate to the Downloads folder using this command.
cd Downloads
Now use this command to install the DEB file using the APT Package Manager.
sudo apt install <filename>.deb
Replace <filename> with the actual name of the file.
For example:
sudo apt install virtualbox-7.0_7.0.6-155176~Ubuntu~jammy_amd64.deb
This will install VirtualBox on your system.
Alternatively, you can use the package manager to install VirtualBox. On Ubuntu, you can use the “apt” command to install VirtualBox from the Ubuntu repositories:
sudo apt update sudo apt install virtualbox
This will automatically download and install VirtualBox for your distribution. But you may not get the latest version of VirtualBox.
Install VirtualBox Using the Graphical User Interface (GUI)
If you prefer a graphical interface, you can also install VirtualBox using the Ubuntu Software Center. Simply search for “VirtualBox” in the Software Center and click “Install“. This will automatically download and install VirtualBox on your system.
To install VirtualBox from the Ubuntu Software Center. Open the Software Center and search for “VirtualBox“. Click on “VirtualBox” and open its page.
Click the “Install” button, and it will ask you to enter your password.
Enter your password to authenticate the process.
Wait for the installation to be completed.
After installing VirtualBox, you can click on Show Applications from the Dock and search for VirtualBox to run it.
How To Install VirtualBox Extension Pack?
VirtualBox Extension Pack is a set of additional functionalities that extend the functionality of the VirtualBox virtualization software. It provides additional features that are not available in the VirtualBox base package, such as support for USB 2.0/3.0 devices, VirtualBox Remote Desktop Protocol (VRDP), and the ability to encrypt disk images.
The Extension Pack can be installed on top of the VirtualBox base package, and it is available for download from the VirtualBox website.
It is important to note that the VirtualBox Extension Pack must match the version of the VirtualBox base package that is installed on your system.
The VirtualBox Extension Pack is free to download and use for personal or evaluation purposes. However, if you are using VirtualBox in a commercial environment, you may need to purchase a commercial license.
To install the VirtualBox Extension Pack, follow the steps below.
Step 1. Open VirtualBox and click on Tools > Extensions.
Step 2. Click on the Install button.
Step 3. Select the VirtualBox Extension Pack that you have downloaded from the official VirtualBox website.
Step 4. Click Install and proceed.
Step 5. Scroll down to the end and accept the license.
Step 6. Enter your password and authenticate.
VirtualBox Extension Pack is successfully installed.
Alternatively, you can download and install VirtualBox Extension Pack from the Ubuntu repositories. This option is appropriate only if you have installed the VirtualBox base package from the Ubuntu repositories.
sudo apt install virtualbox-ext-pack
This will automatically download and install VirtualBox Extension Pack for your VirtualBox base package.
Don’t use it if you have installed the DEB file from the official website.
Configuring VirtualBox After Installation
After installing VirtualBox, you may want to configure it to suit your needs. This can include setting up virtual networks, changing the default storage location for virtual machines, or adjusting performance settings.
To access VirtualBox’s settings, open the VirtualBox Manager and click “File” > “Preferences“. From there, you can explore the various settings categories and make changes as needed.
Troubleshooting Common Installation Issues For VirtualBox
If you run into issues during the installation process, there are a few common troubleshooting steps you can try. For example, you may need to enable virtualization in your system’s BIOS or UEFI settings. You can also try updating your system’s packages and dependencies or checking for any conflicting software.
If you’re still having issues, you can refer to the VirtualBox documentation or seek help from the Ubuntu/Linux community.
How To Uninstall VirtualBox from Ubuntu/Linux?
If you need to uninstall VirtualBox from your system, you can do so using the terminal. Simply run the following command to uninstall VirtualBox:
sudo apt remove virtualbox
This will remove VirtualBox and any associated packages from your system.
Conclusion
VirtualBox is a powerful and popular virtualization software that allows you to run multiple operating systems on a single computer. If you’re a new Linux user, don’t worry, the installation process is simple. Just make sure that your system meets the minimum requirements before downloading and installing VirtualBox.
Also, don’t forget to install the VirtualBox Extension Pack to extend the functionality of the software. Keep in mind that if you’re planning to run multiple virtual machines simultaneously or run particularly resource-intensive applications, you may need more powerful hardware.
