What is a VirtualBox
Oracle VirtualBox is a free and open-source hosted hypervisor that allows you to run different operating systems virtually on your host OS, which in this case is Windows 11. That means you can install operating systems like Ubuntu or Windows 10 without affecting your main system.
If you’re new to VirtualBox, the first thing to do is get yourself set up. Here’s how you go about that.
Before You Begin
Before you get started using VirtualBox there is a little bit of housekeeping needed to make sure your system is ready for it.
First up, if you’re on Windows 11, then your system should be using a CPU up-to-date enough to have no troubles running virtual machines. However, there may well be settings in your BIOS that you need to make sure are enabled first. Each BIOS is different, so you’ll need to refer to documentation for your hardware if you need to know how to get into it and how to navigate it.
Settings could well be labelled clearly as relating to hardware virtualization. Or, you could be looking for Intel VT-x or AMD-V. In any case, it’s worth checking first before you get further along.
You also need to ensure you don’t have Microsoft’s Hyper-V set up on your PC already. If you do, you’ll need to get rid of it before dabbling with VirtualBox.
Also read: How to Convert Virtual Machines from VMware to VirtualBox?
Installation Steps
Download VirtualBox
VirtualBox isn’t available in the Microsoft Store, but there are two different locations to get it.
- Open your favorite browser and search for “VirtualBox.”
- Now, click on the first link from virtualbox.org to access the download page.
- Click the download button for the Windows host to download the installation package.
However, if you use the Windows Package Manager (winget) you can also get it here. Enter the following command into your PowerShell window:
winget install oracle.virtualbox
Winget will go and fetch the installer and instantaneously run it for you.
Run the Installer
Once the .exe file is downloaded, click on it to start the installation.
Follow the setup wizard:
Click Next on the first setup window.
Leave the default installation location unless you have a particular reason to change it.
In the custom setup window, keep all options checked to create desktop icons and shortcuts, then click Next.
Complete Installation
- Click Yes when prompted to allow the installation.
- Wait for the installation to finish. If you receive a warning about installing device software, click Install.
- Once completed, ensure the checkbox to launch VirtualBox is checked and click Finish.
How to Create a Virtual Machine
Open VirtualBox
- After installation, launch VirtualBox.
Create a New Virtual Machine
- Click on the New button or go to Machine > New.
- You will need the ISO file of the operating system you wish to install (e.g., Ubuntu or Windows 10). Download the ISO from the relevant website.
Also read: 3 Methods to Upgrading to Windows 11: A Step-by-Step Guide
Key Points to Remember
- VirtualBox allows virtualization of multiple operating systems on a single host.
- Always download the correct version for your host OS.
- Keep default settings during installation unless specific changes are needed.
We hope these notes helped you understand the process of installing and setting up VirtualBox on Windows 11 effectively. Happy learning…
