How to install Virtual Box on Windows

VirtualBox, also called Sun xVM, is a virtualisation program for x86 and x86-64 systems. It is used for the development of Blue Square Linux because it allows more than run virtual machine to be run at once and the ability to make snapshots that you can return too can be a life saver.

HomePage: www.virtualbox.org

Getting Virtualbox

On their homepage you will see a "Download" link on the left hand side. This will offer you various downloads of VirtualBox and the option of the user manual. In this guide I used the close source edition but you can download the opensource edition if you wish to. For the close source edition click on "Binaries (all platforms)" and this will take you to Sun's download centre.

It offers you a range of platforms to select but for this guide I used Windows (x86), there is a Windows (AMD64) option if you would prefer that. After you have read the PUEL (for the closed source edition) and agree with it you should then tick "I agree..." before clicking the Continue button.

It should now ask you if you wish to download the .msi file or run it straight away. I would recommend that you save it to your desktop before you run it. This way you know where the file is and can use it later if you want to. Each web client will look different but I am using IE6 in this guide.

Instaling

Once the download is complete you then double click on the .msi file it begin the installation.

It will ask you which features you would like to install and by default they are all selected. I have deselected USB support due to BSL's lack of it however you may want to keep it if you plan to VirtualBox for other VM machines.

An error will normally come up complaining about the drivers not being tested by Microsoft. These drivers are used for the USB and network support in VirtualBox so you should click on "Continue Anyway" to ignore this error.

Huzzah!

Your installation of VirtualBox on windows is complete. Enjoy :)

^{The copyright for VirtualBox (Sun xVM) is held by Sun Microsystems, inc 2008.}