VM Install On Windows

Introduction

In this course you will use a Unix environment. Specifically, you should use the latest LTS release of Ubuntu to ensure you are running the same system as the instructor. If you are using Windows, follow the instructions provided below to install Virtual Box and an Ubuntu virtual machine.

Downloads

Download and Install Oracle VM Virtual Box for your machine from the virtual box download page.
Download the Linux Ubuntu ISO (drive image) from https://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop

Creating the Virtual Machine

Open VirtualBox
Create a new VM with the following parameters and then click next.

    Name: CSC222
    Type: Linux
    Version: Ubuntu (64-bit) 
    # If you can’t find 64-bit in the list of options, enable hardware virtualization.

Base Memory: Give the VM about 25% of your system’s RAM. For example, if your computer has 4 GB of RAM, then give the virtual maching 1024 MB (1 GB). If your computer has 8 GB of RAM, then go with 2096 MB (2GB) for the virtual machine. For 16 GB on your computer, set 4192 MB (4 GB) of RAM to the VM. After setting the RAM, click next.

Virtual Hard Drive (VDI): If you have 100 GB to spare on your computer, give it 100 GB. Do not pre-allocate the full size. Leave it as dynamically allocated so that it only uses up as much space as it needs. Then click next and Finish.

Editing the VM

Select the VM and click settings.

Navigate to General > Advanced and set Shared Clipboard to Bidirectional.

Navigate to Storage on the left hand side and select 💿 Empty under Storage Devices > Controller : IDE
On the right hand side of the window, click the disk icon 💿 to choose a virtual CD/DVD disk file. Find the Linux Ubunut ISO that you downloaded earlier.

Navigate to Network > Adapter 1. Set Attached To to Bridged Adapter and select the proper network adapter to “connect” the virtual adapter.

Now click Ok.

Starting the VM

Start the VM and select Try or Install Ubuntu.

Once the Ubuntu ISO has booted, click the Install Ubuntu icon.

When prompted for the Installation Type, select Something Else and then continue.

Your hard drive should be referred to as something like /dev/sda. Select New Partition Table. A line with free space should appear.

Partitioning the Drive

Now we will add 4 partitions for /boot, swap, /, and /home to the free space. This setup will result in wiping /boot, /, and swap when updating the OS but /home will not be touched resulting in faster updates (~30 minutes).

The partition for /boot stores the Linux kernel images. Set the following parameters.

        size    2048 MB
        type    primary
    location    beginning
      use as    ext2
 mount point    /boot

The partition for the swap area is for memory swap space and hibernation.

        size    if RAM size >= 4 GB, size = RAM size.
                otherwise, size = 2x RAM size but no more than 8 GB.
                Ex: 
                    2 GB RAM: 4 GB swap
                    4 GB RAM: 4 GB swap

        type    primary
    location    end
      use as    swap area

Warning

The values in the following image may not match your values

The partition for / stores the OS, OS configuration files, and applications.

       size    ~35% of space left
       type    primary
   location    beginning
     use as    ext4
mount point    /

The partition for /home stores your files (application configuration, settings, pictures, etc)

       size    ~65% (the last portion of free space)
       type    primary
   location    beginning
     use as    ext4
mount point    /home

Click Install Now after creating the partitions.

Final Setup

Set the timezone to the Chicago timezone (for Central).

Set the user.

Example:
    name: zak
    computer name: zak-csc222
    username: zak
    password: something fairly strong that you will remember

    require my password to log in
    don't encrypt my home folder

After this it will start installing/copying files.
Reboot into Linux!
Go to the Additional Steps.