Install Windows 7 on Virtual Machine with Virtual Box
Few months back, Microsoft made the Windows 7 beta operating system available for everyone; you can download and also have a test on it. Testing new operating system on your computer may be a bit inconvenient towards your computer system. It is also possible to have a dual boot Windows 7 operating system with Vista or XP operating system, you can also choose to install on a separate machine if available. Virtual Box is a typical example of separate machine you are searching for, and to add more is it's free. But you may think that what are the procedures to follow while insatlling Windows 7 on a virtual machine with the help of Virtualbox?
Virtual Box can be explained as a free and open source program for virtualizationapllivation. Basically, it is a total and different computer within your available computer. You are also able to install any version or type of operating system on it which also includes Windows 7. The newest version of VirtualBox is 2.1.2 which can support for Windows 7 operating system, which will help you to create easily and conveniently the installation of Windows 7 operating system in your computer system.
Re: Install Windows 7 on Virtual Machine with Virtual Box
Initially download VirtualBox software and make it install on your computer. VirtualBox is a kind of software which is available for many platforms operating systems such as Windows, OS X, Linux, and Solaris. When you are about to install this software on Windows system, you will receive a message saying that it is a not tested software which you are going to install. Ensure to click on continue as this message appears, as per essential components for VirtualBox to function properly are being installed during installation procedure.
DOWNLOAD VIRTUAL BOX:
As the micrsoft has stopped the online download of Windows 7 beta, so You can try from a friend of yours or any source who ha this version. It is a very huge file, so it will take sometime to download as it depends on your internet connection. The file you downloaded is an image format file. Luckily, as you will be going to use it on virtual machine, you have have to actually burn it on a medium known to be CD in order to use.
As have completely installed virtualbox software in your computer system and you now consists of Windows 7 beta CD image, you have to create your virtual machine through installation of Windows 7 beta operating system. Open VirtualBox software and try to create a new machine. Ensure to choose Windows 7 as your operating system for this procedure.
Then Click on Next. A screen will appear in which you have to select memory requirements as you are providing for the virtual machine. I also think that the least requirement of memory for Windows 7 operating system is 1GB of RAM, so ensure before setting approximately at 1024MB.
Then Click on Next. A window will apear saying that you have to create a new virtual drive for this operating system. I will ask you to select the default option of a Dynamically expanding storage for this operating system. This will help you to reduce more disk space on your main computer system than actually it is needed. As you will be going to use a dynamically expanded drive, the size of the disk is should be on arbitrary mode. You also should be sure of not making too small space, so make it set it to 100GB to be on a safer side.
As you are finished with creation of the virtual machine memory, you have to configure it in order to use the Windows 7 operating system to use disk image which you downloaded. Also you have to select virtual machine just by clicking on settings, and then navigate to the CD or DVD-ROM option. You can also check the mount CD or DVD Drive checkbox and then click on the ISO Image File available on radio button. Click on the folder icon and then browse as to where you have saved your ISO disk image and then select it.
If your computer system consists of a multi core processor, then there will be an option as to enable in order to speed things on the virtual machine operating system. Enter the General section and Enable the Enable VT-x/AMD-V checkbox on the available tab. This will help you to allow VirtualBox in order to take benefits of machine virtualization capabilities of your system processor, and thus helps you to improve the performance of the virtual machine.
You can also add various sounds to the virtual machine. Enter the Audio tab, and then click on the Enable Audio checkbox and then select Windows DirectSound for the Host Audio Driver. As you have now configured the virtual machine, just click on the Start button in order to turn on the virtual machine.
You will see the Windows 7 operating system installation starting. You just have to follow the instructions and install Windows on your virtual machine. If you want to roll back to your actual computer at this time, then there is a hotkey in order to release or control virtual machine, just press Ctrl key on the right side of your keyboard for few seconds.
As you are completed with the installation of Windows 7 operating system, you are now able to install the guest addition feature. The guest addition feature will help you to make better video and audio support for the new virtual machine. The guest addition feature also provides better integration of the virtual machine with your actual main system.
In order to install the guest addition feature, just press the right Ctrl key on your keyboard, enter the Devices menu and select for Install Guest Additions
When you are installing the guest additions, you are prompted with a message in order to install drivers, by just clicking the Install button. As you have installed the guest additions, make your computer reboot at the virtual machine. As after rebooting, all of the virtual devices will be actually start to work.
As you have the guest additions installed, you will be now be able to share the clipboard, or access to files on the main operating system, and just move the cursor continuously in and out of the virtual machine. You can also press the right Ctrl-F in order to view the virtual machine entire screen.
Re: Install Windows 7 on Virtual Machine with Virtual Box
Thus the insatllation procedure ends as per above provided step. So i hope this article will help you to create a windows 7 virtual machine with the help of virtualbox software. Please provide your views regarding this guide and od share it with your friends and colleagues.
