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====== Installing VirtualBox ======

===== Installing VB on a Windows host =====

<note warning>Do not forget the **enable the //VT-x// setting** step below!\\ \\ Otherwise you will not be able to execute a 64bit Linux VB (and you will probably not even get an explicit error message about this)</note>

  * Reboot your computer, [[other:bios|enter the BIOS]] and **enable the //VT-x// setting**
    * if you are not used to making changes in the BIOS settings, ask somebody who knows...

  * Download the latest version of VB from the [[https://www.virtualbox.org/|VirtualBox web site]]
    * If the host where you are updating VB has no network connection, you probably also want to download the matching //VB Extension Pack//
    * You can also download the //User Manual// from the same page

  * Execute the VirtualBox-NN1234-Win.exe installer **as an Administrator** and accept the default settings.
    *  **Warning**, the host network will very temporarily be stopped during the installation, so be sure not to have anything needing a permanent network connection (eg connection to an interactive server with Putty, Cygwin/X, ...) during the installation!
    * Download and install the //VirtualBox Extension Pack// if VB tells you that a new pack is available

  * Change some basic Preferences:
    * If the VB is not already using English, change the language and restart VB if necessary\\ Fichier -> Paramètres -> Langue -> English
    * File -> Preferences -> Update -> Once per 2 weeks
    * Determine where the VB settings, the virtual disk files and the temporary files (when you //suspend// the execution of the VB) will be stored
      * **Warning**, you should be careful to choose a place where you have enough space! You need as much space as the main disk image (eg 30 Gb) plus a few Gb for storing the state of the VB when you suspend it...\\ File -> Preferences -> General -> Default Machine Folder: ''X:\some_path\VirtualBox VMs\''
      * We will use the following path in this tutorial: ''E:\VirtualBox VMs\''

===== Installing the copy of a existing Linux guest =====

Rather than creating a full Linux installation from scratch, it is convenient to use the copy of an existing (and working!) //VB machine//

==== Method 1: copy an existing disk image ====

  * Click on New to create a new virtual machine and use the following parameters\\ Name: Fedora Core 20 JYPclone\\ Type: Linux\\ Version: Fedora (64bit)

  * Choose a //Memory size// of 4096 MB. The memory size depends on the memory installed on the host and we suggest\\ Host = 4 Gb -> VB = 2 Gb\\ Host = 8 Gb -> VB = 4 Gb

  * Copy the //Fedora_Core_20_JYPclone.vdi// disk image file to the //E:\VirtualBox VMs\Fedora Core 20 JYPclone// directory that has just been created

  * In the //Hard drive// panel, select //Use an existing virtual hard drive file// and select the //Fedora_Core_20_JYPclone.vdi// disk image file, then click //Create//

  * Select the new //Fedora Core 20 JYPclone// machine by clicking on it **only once** in the left panel, then click on Settings and update the following settings
    * General -> Advanced:\\ Shared clipboard: Bidirectional\\ Drag'n'Drop: Bidirectional
    * System -> Motherboard:\\ Select only **Hard Disk**\\ Check that //Enable I/O APIC// is selected\\ Disable //Hardware clock in UTC Time//
    * System -> Processor: keep //Enable PAE/NX// **disabled**
    * System -> Acceleration: check that //Enable VT-x/AMD-V// (you may also have to check that //VT-x// is enabled in the [[other:bios|BIOS]] so that we can install a 64-bit version of Linux...) and //Enable Nested Paging// are selected
    * Display -> Video:\\ Select 24 MB of Video Memory. Specifying to little video memory may lead to major and random crashes of VB\\ Select //Enable 3D acceleration// (this may help getting rid of gnome-shell related errors)
    * Click //OK// to save the changes!

You are now ready to [[#basic_configuration_of_the_imported_linux_guest|start and configure your VB]]!


==== Method 2: import an appliance ====

=== Creating the appliance on the source host===

  * Start VB
  * [[other:vb:update#cleaning_up_things|Clean the virtual machine]] to reduce the size of the appliance that will be created
  * Make sure that the virtual machine is stopped (//Powered Off// state)
  * File -> Export Appliance
  * Select the //Fedora Core 20 JYPclone// machine
  * In the //Storage settings// window, select an output directory with **enough space** to store the exported //ova// (''FedoraCore20JYPclone.ova'' or a more explicit file name, with the VB version and the export date, e.g. ''FedoraCore20JYPclone_4.3.28_150602.ova'') file
    * A 30 Gb VM disk seems to produce a 11+ Gb compressed appliance file
    * OVF 1.0 works reliably, and OVF 2.0 has to be tested (by JYP). The difference between the 2 formats is detailed in the [[http://www.dmtf.org/sites/default/files/DMTF_OVF_2%200_FAQ__Final_1.pdf|OVF 2.0 FAQ]]
    * The appliance **can't** be stored on a FAT32 disk (where file size is limited to 2 Gb)!
  * Just click //Export// in the Appliance settings window... and wait (20-30 minutes)!

=== Installing the appliance on the target host ===

  * Copy the appliance //ova// file to the target host, or just have it on an external USB disk/stick connected to the host
  * File -> Import Appliance... : specify the //ova// (e.g. ''X:\some_path\FedoraCore20JYPclone_4.3.28_150602.ova'') file and import it\\ This will install a //Fedora Core 20 JYPclone// directory in //E:\VirtualBox VMs\// and you will get a //Fedora Core 20 JYPclone// machine in the left panel of the //Oracle VM VirtualBox Manager// window, with all the correct predefined settings. You may want to edit the settings to adapt the VM memory based on the memory available on the host!


===== Basic configuration of the imported Linux guest =====

  * Select the //Fedora Core 20 JYPclone// machine and then click on //Start//
    * Note: the first time you start VB, you will probably get some information message about the //Auto capture keyboard// and //mouse pointer integration//. Just click on the apropriate buttons so that these messages are not displayed the next time

  * Login with the root or an existing account

  * [[other:vb:update|Update VB]]:unless the imported appliance was really recent, you may have to update the linux guest (if the installed Linux had some packages updated) and or update the Linux guest additions (if the VB you have installed is more recent than the VB that was used for exporting the Appliance)

  * Create an account for the final user of this VB

  * Change the name of the VB?

  * Configure the shared folders?

===== Installing a Linux guest from scratch =====


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