It was another dilemma attempting to create VirtualBox as a solution to my many problems, which for a short time, became part of them. There are plenty of problem solving threads online and yet I was forced to create my own thread @ the VirtualBox forum to ask for help because my machine just wouldn't launch.
Here is a good tutorial for installing VirtualBox based on a Windows Host computer, but the steps are basically identical for Ubuntu, and I'll go over each step for you with links. Once you read my post you can put them together.
Installing VirtualBox from a Windows computer good tut http://lifehacker.com/5204434/the-beginners-guide-to-creating-virtual-machines-with-virtualbox
Ok now I will go over what I did, what confused me, and how I fixed it.
Terminology:
In VirtualBox we call the Host- the OS on your computer installed as your desktop. So if you're using the Ubuntu OS installed on your computer, which is where your VirtualBox is installed, this is called the Host OS. 2nd is the guest OS is the ISO you are trying to install into VirtualBox, whether it be via USB, CD/DVD, or an ISO in your Home folder- the OS you want to use in VirtualBox is known as the guest OS.
The way I originally installed VirtualBox was through the Software Center which was a mistake. In the Software Center VirtualBox is the outdated v4.1 and that just completely resulted in an issue including a waste of time. 1st thing I should have done was go directly to the Oracle site and download the latest updated version of VirtualBox as step 1.
1. Once you download the latest version of VirtualBox, you need to download the extension pack that goes with that version of VirtualBox and that is at the bottom of the page of the VirtualBox downloads. I was not aware of this and I was trying to install a new extension pack version with an outdated version of VirtualBox. When I discovered this I tried to just "update" VirtualBox, and then install the extension pack again = Mentally challenged.
2. Uninstall everything- and when I say uninstall 'everything' I mean finding all of the files that might not just delete themselves when uninstalling VirtualBox. (If you're this far back like I was you'll need to Google yourself an explanation of where some of those remaining files can be because I am not going to dig around for another link in this post. If I remember well enough the files will be somewhere in your Home folder labeled something related to VirtualBox...and just delete.) >>(re)Download correct versions. Install. You should now have a pretty VirtualBox machine, up and ready, looking much like all the other times you have seen VirtualBox correctly installed on any other computers.
3. Open VirtualBox and create a NEW machine. Name your OS of choice and select the correct type. I just left the memory settings as the default, that is a good idea if you are a novice, and also if you already tried to set something up fancy and then it did not work like I did =S Now heres the part where I flubbered everything up. When I created a new hard disk space I am presented with several different abbreviated options and no explanation. So of course I wanted to select the best option for my machine and I asked Google for answers, who then suggested, http://superuser.com/questions/360517/what-disk-image-should-i-use-with-virtualbox-vdi-vmdk-vhd-or-hdd which I blindly followed for my decision of VMDK because that is "a good option for Linux installations". Well that little mishap will show up later. The correct format is VDI which is the default selection and goes to show again the default settings are probably not a bad idea to roll with on a trial run. You can choose dynamically allocated HDD space, but I liekd the way Fixed space sounded, so I just went with the default set size of the Fixed space, but Im sure dynamic could be a suitable option as well.
5. Now we should go to the Software Center and download an app called, "Users and Groups". This does not come preinstalled with 12.04 and you need to change a setting to begin. Once downloaded choose "Manage Groups", and then scroll down to "vboxusers". You should see your desktop username there unchecked. Check it. Close.
6. Now we will go to our new machine SETTINGS and go to Storage tick the icon of a disc labeled "Empty" then to the right of that, again tick the icon of a disc and set your desired guest OS to the storage tree. You may also need to select the USB icon and 'Enable USB 2.0', but since I cannot actually boot yet I'll have to leave that up for you to decipher in the mean time.
I'll come back and update the rest of this in a couple days once I complete getting this officially up and running.
I'll come back and update the rest of this in a couple days once I complete getting this officially up and running.
***Finished Installation***
Very simple huh? Well that took alot of trial and error for me. I still need to actually set up the rest of my VirtualBox because my ISO was corrupted and redownloading takes a long time with my poor data connection. So for now this is going to be the end of the post and you can follow my last few links here to complete installation if you haven't already also you can see my thread posted at the VirtualBox forums >>
Best Guest Additions ISO download tut 12.04 http://xmodulo.com/2013/07/how-to-install-virtualbox-guest-additions-for-linux.html
Installing Guest Additions 12.04 (have not completed this step yet myself) http://complete-concrete-concise.com/ubuntu-2/ubuntu-12-04/ubuntu-12-04-installing-virtualbox-guest-additions
This is also another little pretty cool project I have not completed for Linux yet, but the tut for Windows looks like this would be a fun project to use VirtualBox in a portable USB that can also save data onto your pendrive when using the VirtualBox whenever you want on your USB to create a portable VirtualBox USB http://www.pendrivelinux.com/boot-a-usb-flash-drive-in-virtualbox/
My VirtualBox forum thread http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=57042
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