Welcome to Oracle VM VirtualBox. Show
Oracle VM VirtualBox is a cross-platform virtualization application. What does that mean? For one thing, it installs on your existing Intel or AMD-based computers, whether they are running Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, or Oracle Solaris operating systems (OSes). Secondly, it extends the capabilities of your existing computer so that it can run multiple OSes, inside multiple virtual machines, at the same time. As an example, you can run Windows and Linux on your Mac, run Windows Server 2016 on your Linux server, run Linux on your Windows PC, and so on, all alongside your existing applications. You can install and run as many virtual machines as you like. The only practical limits are disk space and memory. Oracle VM VirtualBox is deceptively simple yet also very powerful. It can run everywhere from small embedded systems or desktop class machines all the way up to datacenter deployments and even Cloud environments. The following screenshot shows how Oracle VM VirtualBox, installed on an Apple Mac OS X computer, is running Windows Server 2016 in a virtual machine window. Figure�1.1.�Windows Server 2016 Virtual Machine, Displayed on a Mac OS X Host In this User Manual, we will begin simply with a quick introduction to virtualization and how to get your first virtual machine running with the easy-to-use Oracle VM VirtualBox graphical user interface. Subsequent chapters will go into much more detail covering more powerful tools and features, but fortunately, it is not necessary to read the entire User Manual before you can use Oracle VM VirtualBox. You can find a summary of Oracle VM VirtualBox's capabilities in Section�1.3, “Features Overview”. For existing Oracle VM VirtualBox users who just want to find out what is new in this release, see the Chapter�15, Change Log. 1.1.�Why is Virtualization Useful?The techniques and features that Oracle VM VirtualBox provides are useful in the following scenarios:
1.2.�Some TerminologyWhen dealing with virtualization, and also for understanding the following chapters of this documentation, it helps to acquaint oneself with a bit of crucial terminology, especially the following terms:
1.3.�Features OverviewThe following is a brief outline of Oracle VM VirtualBox's main features:
1.4.�Supported Host Operating SystemsCurrently, Oracle VM VirtualBox runs on the following host OSes:
Note that any feature which is marked as experimental is not supported. Feedback and suggestions about such features are welcome. 1.4.1.�Host CPU RequirementsSSE2 (Streaming SIMD Extensions 2) support is required for host CPUs. 1.5.�Installing Oracle VM VirtualBox and Extension PacksOracle VM VirtualBox comes in many different packages, and installation depends on your host OS. If you have installed software before, installation should be straightforward. On each host platform, Oracle VM VirtualBox uses the installation method that is most common and easy to use. If you run into trouble or have special requirements, see Chapter�2, Installation Details for details about the various installation methods. Oracle VM VirtualBox is split into the following components:
1.6.�Starting Oracle VM VirtualBoxAfter installation, you can start Oracle VM VirtualBox as follows:
When you start Oracle VM VirtualBox for the first time, a window like the following is displayed: Figure�1.2.�VirtualBox Manager Window, After Initial Startup This window is called the VirtualBox Manager. The left pane will later list all your virtual machines. Since you have not yet created any virtual machines, this list is empty. The Tools button provides access to user tools, such as the Virtual Media Manager. The pane on the right displays the properties of the currently selected virtual machine. Since you do not have any machines yet, the pane displays a welcome message. The buttons on the right pane are used to create and work with VMs. The following figure gives an idea of what Oracle VM VirtualBox might look like after you have created some VMs. Figure�1.3.�VirtualBox Manager Window, After Creating Virtual Machines 1.7.�Creating Your First Virtual MachineClick New in the VirtualBox Manager window. A wizard is shown, to guide you through setting up a new virtual machine (VM). Figure�1.4.�Creating a New Virtual Machine: Name and Operating System On the following pages, the wizard will ask you for the bare minimum of information that is needed to create a VM, in particular:
NoteAfter becoming familiar with the use of wizards, consider using the Expert Mode available in some wizards. Where available, this is selectable using a button, and speeds up the process of using wizards. 1.8.�Running Your Virtual MachineTo start a virtual machine, you have several options:
Starting a virtual machine displays a new window, and the virtual machine which you selected will boot up. Everything which would normally be seen on the virtual system's monitor is shown in the window. See the screenshot image in Chapter�1, First Steps. In general, you can use the virtual machine as you would use a real computer. There are couple of points worth mentioning however. 1.8.1.�Starting a New VM for the First TimeWhen a VM is started for the first time, the First Start Wizard, is displayed. This wizard helps you to select an installation medium. Since the VM is created empty, it would otherwise behave just like a real computer with no OS installed. It will do nothing and display an error message that no bootable OS was found. For this reason, the wizard helps you to select a medium to install an OS from.
After completing the choices in the wizard, you will be able to install your OS. 1.8.2.�Capturing and Releasing Keyboard and MouseOracle VM VirtualBox provides a virtual USB tablet device to new virtual machines through which mouse events are communicated to the guest OS. If you are running a modern guest OS that can handle such devices, mouse support may work out of the box without the mouse being captured as described below. See Section�3.5.1, “Motherboard Tab”. Otherwise, if the virtual machine detects only standard PS/2 mouse and keyboard devices, since the OS in the virtual machine does not know that it is not running on a real computer, it expects to have exclusive control over your keyboard and mouse. But unless you are running the VM in full screen mode, your VM needs to share keyboard and mouse with other applications and possibly other VMs on your host. After installing a guest OS and before you install the Guest Additions, described later, either your VM or the rest of your computer can "own" the keyboard and the mouse. Both cannot own the keyboard and mouse at the same time. You will see a second mouse pointer which is always confined to the limits of the VM window. You activate the VM by clicking inside it. To return ownership of keyboard and mouse to your host OS, Oracle VM VirtualBox reserves a special key on your keyboard: the Host key. By default, this is the right Ctrl key on your keyboard. On a Mac host, the default Host key is the left Command key. You can change this default in the Oracle VM VirtualBox Global Settings. See Section�1.16, “Global Settings”. The current setting for the Host key is always displayed at the bottom right of your VM window. Figure�1.7.�Host Key Setting on the Virtual Machine Task Bar This means the following:
As this behavior is inconvenient, Oracle VM VirtualBox provides a set of tools and device drivers for guest systems called the Oracle VM VirtualBox Guest Additions. These tools make VM keyboard and mouse operations much more seamless. Most importantly, the Guest Additions suppress the second "guest" mouse pointer and make your host mouse pointer work directly in the guest. See Chapter�4, Guest Additions. 1.8.3.�Typing Special CharactersSome OSes expect certain key combinations to initiate certain procedures. The key combinations that you type into a VM might target the host OS, the Oracle VM VirtualBox software, or the guest OS. The recipient of these keypresses depends on a number of factors, including the key combination itself.
1.8.4.�Changing Removable MediaWhile a virtual machine is running, you can change removable media in the Devices menu of the VM's window. Here you can select in detail what Oracle VM VirtualBox presents to your VM as a CD, DVD, or floppy drive. The settings are the same as those available for the VM in the Settings dialog of the Oracle VM VirtualBox main window. But as the Settings dialog is disabled while the VM is in the Running or Saved state, the Devices menu saves you from having to shut down and restart the VM every time you want to change media. Using the Devices menu, you can attach the host drive to the guest or select a floppy or DVD image, as described in Section�3.7, “Storage Settings”. The Devices menu also includes an option for creating a virtual ISO (VISO) from selected files on the host. 1.8.5.�Resizing the Machine's WindowYou can resize the VM's window while that VM is running. When you do, the window is scaled as follows:
1.8.6.�Saving the State of the MachineWhen you click on the Close button of your virtual machine window, at the top right of the window, just like you would close any other window on your system, Oracle VM VirtualBox asks you whether you want to save or power off the VM. As a shortcut, you can also press Host key + Q. Figure�1.8.�Closing Down a Virtual Machine The difference between the three options is crucial. They mean the following:
The Discard button in the VirtualBox Manager window discards a virtual machine's saved state. This has the same effect as powering it off, and the same warnings apply. 1.9.�Using VM GroupsVM groups enable the user to create ad hoc groups of VMs, and to manage and perform functions on them collectively, as well as individually. The following figure shows VM groups displayed in VirtualBox Manager. Figure�1.9.�Groups of Virtual Machines The following features are available for groups:
1.10.�SnapshotsWith snapshots, you can save a particular state of a virtual machine for later use. At any later time, you can revert to that state, even though you may have changed the VM considerably since then. A snapshot of a virtual machine is thus similar to a machine in Saved state, but there can be many of them, and these saved states are preserved. To see the snapshots of a virtual machine, click on the machine name in VirtualBox Manager. Then click the List icon next to the machine name, and select Snapshots. Until you take a snapshot of the machine, the list of snapshots will be empty except for the Current State item, which represents the "now" point in the lifetime of the virtual machine. 1.10.1.�Taking, Restoring, and Deleting SnapshotsThere are three operations related to snapshots, as follows:
1.10.2.�Snapshot ContentsThink of a snapshot as a point in time that you have preserved. More formally, a snapshot consists of the following:
1.11.�Virtual Machine ConfigurationWhen you select a virtual machine from the list in the VirtualBox Manager window, you will see a summary of that machine's settings on the right. Clicking on Settings displays a window, where you can configure many of the properties of the selected VM. But be careful when changing VM settings. It is possible to change all VM settings after installing a guest OS, but certain changes might prevent a guest OS from functioning correctly if done after installation. NoteThe Settings button is disabled while a VM is either in the Running or Saved state. This is because the Settings dialog enables you to change fundamental characteristics of the virtual machine that is created for your guest OS. For example, the guest OS may not perform well if half of its memory is taken away. As a result, if the Settings button is disabled, shut down the current VM first. Oracle VM VirtualBox provides a wide range of parameters that can be changed for a virtual machine. The various settings that can be changed in the Settings window are described in detail in Chapter�3, Configuring Virtual Machines. Even more parameters are available when using the VBoxManage command line interface. See Chapter�8, VBoxManage. 1.12.�Removing and Moving Virtual MachinesYou can remove a VM from Oracle VM VirtualBox or move the VM and its associated files, such as disk images, to another location on the host.
For information about removing or moving a disk image file from Oracle VM VirtualBox, see Section�5.3, “The Virtual Media Manager”. 1.13.�Cloning Virtual MachinesYou can create a full copy or a linked copy of an existing VM. This copy is called a clone. You might use a cloned VM to experiment with a VM configuration, to test different guest OS levels, or to back up a VM. The Clone Virtual Machine wizard guides you through the cloning process. Figure�1.11.�The Clone Virtual Machine Wizard Start the wizard by clicking Clone in the right-click menu of the VirtualBox Manager's machine list or in the Snapshots view of the selected VM. Specify a new Name for the clone. You can choose a Path for the cloned virtual machine, otherwise Oracle VM VirtualBox uses the default machines folder. The Clone Type option specifies whether to create a clone linked to the source VM or to create a fully independent clone:
The Snapshots option specifies whether to create a clone of the current machine state only or of everything.
The following clone options are available:
The duration of the clone operation depends on the size and number of attached disk images. In addition, the clone operation saves all the differencing disk images of a snapshot. Note that the Clone menu item is disabled while a machine is running. You can also use the VBoxManage clonevm command to clone a VM. See Section�8.39, “VBoxManage clonevm”. 1.14.�Importing and Exporting Virtual MachinesOracle VM VirtualBox can import and export virtual machines in the following formats:
1.14.1.�About the OVF FormatOVF is a cross-platform standard supported by many virtualization products which enables the creation of ready-made virtual machines that can then be imported into a hypervisor such as Oracle VM VirtualBox. Oracle VM VirtualBox makes OVF import and export easy to do, using the VirtualBox Manager window or the command-line interface. Using OVF enables packaging of virtual appliances. These are disk images, together with configuration settings that can be distributed easily. This way one can offer complete ready-to-use software packages, including OSes with applications, that need no configuration or installation except for importing into Oracle VM VirtualBox. NoteThe OVF standard is complex, and support in Oracle VM VirtualBox is an ongoing process. In particular, no guarantee is made that Oracle VM VirtualBox supports all appliances created by other virtualization software. For a list of known limitations, see Chapter�14, Known Limitations. Appliances in OVF format can appear in the following variants:
NoteOVF cannot describe snapshots that were taken for a virtual machine. As a result, when you export a virtual machine that has snapshots, only the current state of the machine will be exported. The disk images in the export will have a flattened state identical to the current state of the virtual machine. 1.14.2.�Importing an Appliance in OVF FormatThe following steps show how to import an appliance in OVF format.
You can use the VBoxManage import command to import an appliance. See Section�8.10, “VBoxManage import”. 1.14.3.�Exporting an Appliance in OVF FormatThe following steps show how to export an appliance in OVF format.
You can use the VBoxManage export command to export an appliance. See Section�8.11, “VBoxManage export”. 1.15.�Integrating with Oracle Cloud InfrastructureThis section describes how to use the features of Oracle VM VirtualBox to integrate with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. Integrating with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure involves the following steps:
1.15.2.�Creating an API Signing Key PairTo use the cloud integration features of Oracle VM VirtualBox, you must generate an API signing key pair that is used for API requests to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. Your API requests are signed with your private key, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure uses the public key to verify the authenticity of the request. You must upload the public key to the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Console. NoteThis key pair is not the same SSH key that you use to access compute instances on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.
1.15.3.�Uploading the Public Key to Oracle Cloud InfrastructureUse the following steps to upload your public key to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.
1.15.4.�Creating a Cloud ProfileOracle VM VirtualBox uses a cloud profile to connect to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. A cloud profile is a text file that contains details of your key files and Oracle Cloud Identifier (OCID) resource identifiers for your cloud account, such as the following:
You can create a cloud profile in the following ways:
1.15.5.�Using the Cloud Profile ManagerThis section describes how to use the Cloud Profile Manager to create a cloud profile. To open the Cloud Profile Manager click File, Cloud Profile Manager in the VirtualBox Manager window. Figure�1.14.�The Cloud Profile Manager You can use the Cloud Profile Manager in the following ways:
Perform the following steps to create a new cloud profile automatically, using the Cloud Profile Manager:
Perform the following steps to import an existing Oracle Cloud Infrastructure configuration file into the Cloud Profile Manager:
1.15.7.�Exporting an Appliance to Oracle Cloud InfrastructureOracle VM VirtualBox supports the export of VMs to an Oracle Cloud Infrastructure service. The exported VM is stored on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure as a custom Linux image. You can configure whether a cloud instance is created and started after the export process has completed. Use the following steps to export a VM to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure:
You can also use the VBoxManage export command to export a VM to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. See Section�8.11.2, “Export to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure”. 1.15.7.1.�Preparing a VM for Export to Oracle Cloud InfrastructureOracle Cloud Infrastructure provides the option to import a custom Linux image. Before an Oracle VM VirtualBox image can be exported to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, the custom image needs to be prepared to ensure that instances launched from the custom image can boot correctly and that network connections will work. This section provides advice on how to prepare a Linux image for export from Oracle VM VirtualBox. The following list shows some tasks to consider when preparing an Oracle Linux VM for export:
For more information about importing a custom Linux image into Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, see also: https://docs.cloud.oracle.com/iaas/Content/Compute/Tasks/importingcustomimagelinux.htm 1.15.8.�Importing an Instance from Oracle Cloud InfrastructurePerform the following steps to import a cloud instance from Oracle Cloud Infrastructure into Oracle VM VirtualBox:
You can also use the VBoxManage import command to import an instance from Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. See Section�8.10.2, “Import from Oracle Cloud Infrastructure”. Importing an Instance: Overview of EventsThe following describes the sequence of events when you import an instance from Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.
1.15.9.�Creating New Cloud Instances from a Custom ImageYou can use Oracle VM VirtualBox to create new instances from a custom image on your cloud service. Section�1.15.7, “Exporting an Appliance to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure” describes how to create a custom image when you are exporting a VM to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. Using a custom image means that you can quickly create cloud instances without having to upload your image to the cloud service every time. Perform the following steps to create a new cloud instance on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure:
You can also use the VBoxManage cloud instance command to create and manage instances on a cloud service. See Section�8.45, “VBoxManage cloud”. 1.15.10.�Using VBoxManage Commands With Oracle Cloud InfrastructureThis section includes some examples of how VBoxManage commands can be used to integrate with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure and perform common cloud operations. Creating a Cloud Profile To create a cloud profile called VBoxManage cloudprofile --provider "OCI" --profile="vbox-oci" add \ --clouduser="ocid1.user.oc1..." --keyfile="/home/username/.oci/oci_api_key.pem" \ --tenancy="ocid1.tenancy.oc1..." --compartment="ocid1.compartment.oc1..." --region="us-ashburn-1" The new cloud profile is added to the Listing Cloud Instances To list the instances in your Oracle Cloud Infrastructure compartment: VBoxManage cloud --provider="OCI" --profile="vbox-oci" list instances Exporting an Oracle VM VirtualBox VM to the Cloud To export a VM called VBoxManage export myVM --output OCI:// --cloud 0 --vmname myVM_Cloud \ --cloudprofile "vbox-oci" --cloudbucket myBucket \ --cloudshape VM.Standard2.1 --clouddomain US-ASHBURN-AD-1 --clouddisksize 50 \ --cloudocivcn ocid1.vcn.oc1... --cloudocisubnet ocid1.subnet.oc1... \ --cloudkeepobject true --cloudlaunchinstance true --cloudpublicip true Importing a Cloud Instance Into Oracle VM VirtualBox To import a cloud instance and create an Oracle VM VirtualBox VM called VBoxManage import OCI:// --cloud --vmname oci_Import --memory 4000 --cpus 3 --ostype FreeBSD_64 --cloudprofile "vbox-oci" --cloudinstanceid ocid1.instance.oc1... --cloudbucket myBucket Creating a New Cloud Instance From a Custom Image To create a new cloud instance from a custom image on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure: VBoxManage cloud --provider="OCI" --profile="vbox-oci" instance create \ --domain-name="oraclecloud.com" --image-id="ocid1.image.oc1..." --display-name="myInstance" \ --shape="VM.Standard2.1" --subnet="ocid1.subnet.oc1..." Terminating a Cloud Instance To terminate an instance in your compartment on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure: VBoxManage cloud --provider="OCI" --profile="vbox-oci" instance terminate \ --id="ocid1.instance.oc1..." For more details about the available commands for cloud operations, see Section�8.45, “VBoxManage cloud”. 1.16.�Global SettingsThe Global Settings dialog can be displayed using the File menu, by clicking the Preferences item. This dialog offers a selection of settings, most of which apply to all virtual machines of the current user. The Extensions option applies to the entire system. The following settings are available:
1.17.�Alternative Front-EndsAs briefly mentioned in Section�1.3, “Features Overview”, Oracle VM VirtualBox has a very flexible internal design that enables you to use multiple interfaces to control the same virtual machines. For example, you can start a virtual machine with the VirtualBox Manager window and then stop it from the command line. With Oracle VM VirtualBox's support for the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), you can even run virtual machines remotely on a headless server and have all the graphical output redirected over the network. The following front-ends are shipped in the standard Oracle VM VirtualBox package:
If the above front-ends still do not satisfy your particular needs, it is possible to create yet another front-end to the complex virtualization engine that is the core of Oracle VM VirtualBox, as the Oracle VM VirtualBox core neatly exposes all of its features in a clean API. See Chapter�11, Oracle VM VirtualBox Programming Interfaces. 1.18.�Soft KeyboardOracle VM VirtualBox provides a soft keyboard that enables you to input keyboard characters on the guest. A soft keyboard is an on-screen keyboard that can be used as an alternative to a physical keyboard. See Section�1.18.1, “Using the Soft Keyboard” for details of how to use the soft keyboard. CautionFor best results, ensure that the keyboard layout configured on the guest OS matches the keyboard layout used by the soft keyboard. Oracle VM VirtualBox does not do this automatically. Figure�1.18.�Soft Keyboard in a Guest Virtual Machine The soft keyboard can be used in the following scenarios:
By default, the soft keyboard includes some common international keyboard layouts. You can copy and modify these to meet your own requirements. See Section�1.18.2, “Creating a Custom Keyboard Layout”. 1.18.1.�Using the Soft Keyboard
1.18.2.�Creating a Custom Keyboard LayoutYou can use one of the supplied default keyboard layouts as the starting point to create a custom keyboard layout. NoteTo permananently save a custom keyboard layout, you must save it to file. Otherwise, any changes you make are discarded when you close down the Soft Keyboard window. Custom keyboard layouts that you save are stored as an XML file on the host, in the
Which methods can you use to install Windows 10 in a VM?Using a feature called Hyper-V, a hardware-based hypervisor for virtualization, you can install Windows 10 and other operating systems in VMs running in Windows 10. You can think of it like running a computer inside a computer; where the host is usually a physical device and the guest OS is virtual.
What must be considered after installing Windows 10 select all that apply?8 Important Things to Do After Installing Windows 10. Run Windows Update and Configure Update Settings. ... . Make Sure Windows Is Activated. ... . Update Your Hardware Drivers. ... . Install Essential Windows Software. ... . Change Default Windows Settings. ... . Set Up a Backup Plan. ... . Configure Microsoft Defender. ... . Personalize Windows 10.. Which methods can be used for installing the Windows operating system?You can install an operating system using a hard drive, optical disk, USB drive, or PXE. During the boot process, the device containing the operating system program is loaded in the RAM or computer's main memory and executed.
What are the most common installation methods for Windows 10?The three most common installation methods of Windows are? DVD Boot installation, Distribution share installation , image based installation.
|