How To - Ubuntu 22.04 Desktop on Virtualbox
How-To how to / virtualbox / vbox / ubuntu 22 / desktop

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Summary

Steps on how to install and configure Ubuntu Server 22.04 running on a VirtualBox VM ("virtual machine").

  • host: is the PC that runs VirtualBox (Vbox).
  • guest: is the VM that is running in VBox.

Note I run VirtualBox (Vbox) on my host PC which is also Ubuntu 22.04. But it should work correctly on Windows or macOS.

Initial

  • download Ubuntu 22.04 Desktop https://ubuntu.com/download/desktop

Guest info

  • choose a username for your guest account: e.g. guest_userid
  • choose a password for your guest account: e.g. guest_password
  • choose a name for the guest VM: e.g. guest_name

Shared directory

  • a directory name to share e.g. "shared_dir"
  • choose a directory on your host PC for the shared directory e.g. /home/host_userid/shared_dir
  • choose a directory on the guest VM for the shared directory e.g. /home/guest_userid/shared_dir
  • you can have different names, but it is much easier to remember the same name on both host and guest.

Ethernet access

  • I assumed that you may want to connect to the VM from multiple PC's on your local internet e.g. on a second PC.
  • I also assumed you can assign a fixed IP address to the VM via your router e.g. 10.0.0.10

create VM

  • open vbox

    • click Machine
    • click New
      • name: guest_name
      • type: Linux
      • version: Ubuntu (64-bit)
      • click Next
    • memory, select 8192MB, click Next
    • Hard Disk, create virtual hard disk now, click Create
    • Hard disk file type, VDI, click Next
    • Storage, Dynamically allocated, click Next
    • File location and size, 30GB (minimum), click Create

  • right click, click Settings

    • General:
      • Advanced:
        • shared clipboard: Bidirectional
        • Drag'n'Drop: Bidirectional
      • other defaults are ok
    • System: defaults are ok
    • Display:
      • Screen: Acceleration, check Enable 3D Acceleration
      • other defaults are ok
    • Storage:
      • click Controller: IDE | Empty
      • click Live CD/DVD
      • click blue disk icon
      • choose a disk file: select in Downloads: ubuntu-22.04.4-desktop-amd64.iso
      • click Open
    • Audio: defaults are ok
    • Network
      • Adapter 1:
        • Attached to: Bridged Adapter
        • Name: en01
    • Serial Ports: defaults are ok
    • USB: defaults are ok
    • Shared Folders:
      • on host: open a terminal; mkdir -p ~/shared_dir
      • click Blue Folder+ icon
        • Folder Path:
          • right menu: select Other and then locate and select /home/$host_userid/shared_dir (this is on the host)
        • Folder Name: shared_dir
          • click Auto-mount
        • Mount-point: /home/$guest_userid/shared_dir (this is on the guest)
        • click OK
    • User Interface: defaults are ok
  • click OK

Install Ubuntu on VM

  • click Start

    • Get "GNU GRUB" menu; select Try or Install Ubuntu, wait for boot to finish takes about 1m
    • Get "Install" dlgbox; click Install Ubuntu
    • keyboard selection, click Continue
    • Updates and other software:
      • select:
        • Normal Installation: with browser, media players, games, etc.
        • Minimal Installation: excludes all those
      • select Download updates while installing Ubuntu
      • select Install third-party software
      • click continue
    • Installation type: "Erase disk and install Ubuntu" default okay, click Install Now
    • dlgbox: "Write the changes to disks?" click Continue
    • "Where are you?" select timezone, click continue
    • "Who are you?"
      • your name: $host_userid
      • server name: vm-2
      • username: $host_userid
      • pwd: yaknow
      • select "require my password" to log in
      • click Continue
    • wait... takes about 15m

  • dlgbox "Installation Complete", click "Restart Now"

  • logoff screen: "Please remove the installation medium"

    • click on Devices in top menu
    • Optical Drive, select "Remove disk from virtual drive"
    • click inside VM and press Enter

  • system reboots; wait 1m...

  • login screen: select $host_userid, enter pwd
    • dlgbox "Online Accounts", click skip
    • "Ubuntu Pro", click Next
    • "Help Improve Ubuntu", select No don't send, click Next
    • "Privacy", click Next
    • "Ready to go!", click Done

initial setup

  • Note: if you get the update software dlgbox, close it, going to do that below.

  • Open Terminal, add to favorites

  • check internet connection

# guest

ip address
# note the ip address 10.0.0.10 (for example)

# to test connection to internet
ping google.com
# should see ping responses from google

  • if it fails to connect to ethernet:

    • click Devices | Network | Connect Network Adapter
    • repeat: click Devices | Network | Connect Network Adapter

  • update to latest versions

cd ~
mkdir -p projects  # this is what I put all of my projects into on all my machines. YMMV.
mkdir -p shared_dir
sudo chown $USER:$USER shared_dir

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
# takes about 5m; may take more...
sudo apt autoremove
sudo apt autoclean 

sudo apt install build-essential
sudo apt install virtualbox-guest-utils
sudo usermod -aG vboxsf $USER
sudo reboot

# open a terminal
groups
# confirm vboxsf is a group

  • open Devices

    • Insert Guest Additions CD image...
    • the Guest Additions icon should appear
    • right click, select "New Window"
    • there should be an "autorun.sh" file; right click on it
    • click "Run as a program"
    • enter the root password (same as your password)
    • a terminal opens
      • "Do you wish to continue", enter "yes", press enter
      • wait 20s...
      • "Press Return to close this window", press enter

  • power off the guest either by closing the VM window or by click File | Close in the VM menu

    • dlgbox "Close Virtual Machine"
    • select "Power off the machine"
    • click OK
  • from vbox manager: start it up
  • login

  • the VBOX CD icon should still be there

    • right click, select unmount
    • right click, select eject
    • Or, you can also use Devices | Optical Drives | Remove disk from virtual drive

  • open terminal

check mouse cut-n-paste integration

  • cut-n-paste a line from the terminal onto your guest machine
    • if it doesn't work
      • re-install build-essential and virtual-guest-utils (in that order)
      • power off and power on the VM

check shared_dir permissions

cd ~
ls -al shared_dir
<snip>
drwxrwx---  1 root    vboxsf  4096 Dec 20 16:25 shared_dir/
# the key is the "vboxsf" group

check shared folder

  • in host terminal: touch ~/shared_dir/x.txt
# host:
echo from host > ~/shared_dir/host.txt
# host:
ls ~/shared_dir
# should see host.txt
cat ~/shared_dir/host.txt

# if fails, check Devices | Shared Folders | Shared Folder Settings
# ensure Auto-mount is selected; click OK
# then in the terminal "sudo mount -a"

# check the other direction
# host:
echo from host > ~/shared_dir/host.txt
# host:
ls ~/shared_dir/host.txt
# should see host.txt
cat ~/shared_dir/host.txt

set date/time and timezone

  • useful to have your guest VM and your host PC on the same date/time and timezone
sudo apt install -y ntpdate
sudo timedatectl set-ntp off
sudo timedatectl set-ntp on
# Note: change to your appropriate timezone
sudo timedatectl set-timezone America/Edmonton
date
# confirm the date-time is correct
#  open a browser and go to https://time.is 
#  should say "Your time is exact"

Take a VBox snapshot

  • Take a snapshot:

    • click Machine
    • Take Snapshot...
    • enter "base-os" for Snapshot Name
    • click OK
    • Use this snapshot to easily revert to this point.
    • Note: I use this ability to redo and recheck installation instructions

  • shutdown the VM window; select "Save the machine state", click OK

- John Arrizza

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