Windows Virtual Machine Installation on Linux

(Per the assignment guidelines, pages for installing Windows VMs are also required, so I made this page for Linux users)

Environment

Guide is written for Ubuntu 20.04, 64 bit machine

Downloading

Follow this page's wizard to generate a download link for an official Windows ISO. This guide uses the Windows 10 ISO.

1. Select applicable edition of windows and press the Confirm button (guide uses Windows 10 Multi-edition ISO )
2. Select applicable language (guide uses English )
3. Select 32 or 64 bit download (guide uses 64-bit Download , if 32 bit is chosen, guide may need to be modified)
4. Download the ~5GB iso file, note the location saved. While file is downloading, proceed to next section

Setting up the the Virtual Machine

1. Open a terminal and type into the CLI

sudo apt update

sudo apt upgrade

sudo apt install virtualbox

Guide uses Version 6.1.26_Ubuntu r145957 . To check version, go to Help > About VirtualBox...

1. Create a virtual hard disk for Windows 10 install

   • navigate to File > Virtual Media Manager...
   • Select Hard disks... tab, then select Create in toolbar
   • Select Next until the size is requested, guide uses 64GB, windows recommends minimum of 32GB
   • Select Create You should see the disk in the textbox

2. In VirtualBox main menu, Select New

3. Populate name, and select Use an existing virtual hard disk file select created hard disk. Recommended to turn up memory to at least 4GB

4. Select Virtual Machine, and select Settings in main menu

5. Select Storage and click the "disk with a plus sign" logo

6. Select Add and navigate to downloaded file in previous step

7. Hit OK and start up the machine

Troubleshooting

1. If VM is not starting up, with error similar to

Failed to load ring-0 module 'VBoxEhciR0.r0' for device 'usb-xhci' (VERR_SYMBOL_VALUE_TOO_BIG).

first update extension packs.

sudo apt install virtualbox-ext-pack

2. If adding the ISO media after creating the VM is too difficult, you can select "create a virtual hard disk now" as you create the VM. VirtualBox will ask you for a startup disk when you try to start the VM. You can then select the Windows ISO file acquired in the first step.

Windows Installation Tips

• For the most part, there will be only one option in each step, so you'll have no choice but the defaults
• You can select "I do not have a product key" to skip activation during install
• Having an active internet connection (usually under Devices -> Network Adapter in VirtualBox) will allow updates to be installed during install, which may be desired...
  • ...However, this will prompt you to sign in or create a Microsoft account
  • This is likely undesired behavior, so you can opt to skip this requirement by disconnecting from the internet and hitting the back arrow in the upper left corner
• At some point, Windows will likely request that you activate it with a paid license or create a Microsoft account
  • Means of outright bypassing this are... not advisable
• It is generally good advice to create a VM snapshot for any OS you have in a working state. Now would be an excellent time to do so!