How to Create a Linux Virtual Machine with VirtualBox

Install VirtualBox

1. Download the latest VirtualBox for your host operating system.
2. For Mac OS follow these steps:
   • Double click on the DMG package
   • Double click on the VirtualBox drive
   • Double click on the VirtualBox.pkg file
3. Otherwise double click on the Windows installation package.
4. In either case follow the installation instructions.

Get the CentOS 6.3 DVD ISO

Download either the LiveDVD ISO image for 32 bit CentOS or 64 bit CentOS. In my case I used the 64 bit ISO and it is the one I recommend. Most systems these days are 64 bit. However if you have a 32 bit host system, then you’ll have to use the 32 bit ISO since the 64 bit version can only run on a 64 bit host.

Create a Blank Virtual Machine

First we need to create a blank virtual machine onto which CentOS 6.3 will be installed.

1. Open VirtualBox.
2. Select Machine > New… in the top menu bar.
3. Set the name of the virtual machine to CentOS 6.3 64 bit.
4. Set the operating system type to Linux.
5. Set the operating system version for Fedora (64 bit). Since there is not version for CentOS, this is close enough.
6. Click Continue.

7. Set the VM memory size in the Memory size screen. I suggest 1 – 2 GB. In the example below I use 2048 MB (2 GB).
8. Click Continue.

9. Click on Create a virtual drive now radio button in the Hard Drive screen.
10. Click on Create.

11. Select the VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image) radio button in the Hard drive file type screen.
12. Click Continue.

13. The Storage on physical hard drive screen allows you to decide whether the hard disk you create for your virtual machine is Dynamically allocated, set to a minimum size and allocated as more hard disk space is needed, or set to a Fixed size meaning the all hard disk space is created up front. The fixed size option will allow your VM to run faster so I suggest selecting this option.
14. Click Continue.

15. Set the file size. I suggest 20 GB or greater.
16. Click Create.

Install the CentOS 6.3 ISO

Next let’s install CentOS 6.3 from the ISO image downloaded previously. The basic process is to specify the ISO as one a CD/DVD drive for the virtual machine. Since the ISO we are using is  Live DVD, CentOS will boot when the virtual machine is started. From there we can install the CentOS system onto the virtual machine hard drive.

1. Click on the CentOS 6.3 64 bit  virtual machine in the Oracle VM VirtualBox Managerscreen.
2. Click on Storage.
   

3. Click on the CD icon to the right of the CD/DVD Drive: IDE Secondary field.

4. In the file open dialog box that is produced, go to the location on your system where the ISO is located.
5. Double click on the ISO image file. The IDE Secondary should now point to the ISO as shown below. On my system the name of the ISO is CentOS-6.3-x86_64-LiveDVD.iso.

6. Click on the large green Start arrow in the  Oracle VM VirtualBox Manager screen to start the virtual machine.
7. When the CentOS LiveCD desktop shows up, double click on the Install to Hard Drive icon to install CentOS 6.3 on your virtual machine image.

8. At the CentOS screen click Next to continue.
9. Select the language you will use for CentOS.
10. Click Next.

11. Accept the default Basic Storage Devices then click Next.

12. The storage device warning below will be displayed.  Since you are creating the virtual har drive for the first time just click on Yes discard any data.
13. Click Next.

14. Enter a host name for the virtual machine, like CentOS-6.3.
15. Click Next.

16. Enter your time zone in the next screen. In my case it is Pacific Coast (Los Angeles) time.
17. Click Next.

18. Set the root password.

19. Accept the default installation option – Replace Existing Linux System(s) - in the next  screen, then click Next.

20. To write the changes so far to your virtual hard disk, click on Write changes to disk.
21. Click Next.

22. Then you’ll get a screen that indicates the live image is being written to the virtual hard disk. When this is done you’ll get the screen shown below.  Don’t click on Close.

23.  Instead shutdown the virtual machine by selecting Machine > ACPI Shutdown from the top menu bar.
    
24. Click on the Storage item in the Oracle VM Virtual Manager - see the illustration in step  2.
25. Click on the CD icon to the right of the CD/DVD Drive: IDE Secondary field - see the illustration in step 3 – then select Remove disk from virtual drive.
26. Click OK.

Configure CentOS 6.3

When you reboot the system you’ll then configure your CentOS virtual machine.

1. Click on Forward in the screen shown below.

2. Accept the license and click on Forward.

3. Create a standard user by entering a user name, full name for the user and password.
4. Click on Forward.

5. Set the date and time. You can either set it manually or synchronize with a time server.  I prefer synchronizing with a time server so click on Synchronize date and time over network.
6. Click Forward.

7. Click on Finish in the Kdump screen.
8. Click on the Yes to enable the Kdump facility.
9. Click on OK in the prompt to reboot the system.
10. After the CentOS virtual machine reboots you can login with the user credentials entered in step 3.