How to setup VBox and Run Linux on your Windows System

[MindCrime]

Sorry if I haven't read all the details but I do this stuff quite frequently. For instance I have my t5500 with 4 boinc instances, 1 windows (host) 3 linux vms.


When you are in vbox manager and tell it where your linux iso is and begin the install/setup you're essentially starting a live disc. Depending on the ISO, you'll need to "install" that live disc. (I use virtual dynamic disk btw with about 16gb preset to be safe). Once you've "installed" your linux it'll probably ask you to reboot and remove the media. You don't have to remove the "media" from the vbox disc, it knows what you're doing. Now you can treat it like another computer and just shut it down within linux, or if you'd like you can use vbox to shut it down with it's various options.

In my experience the most troubles I've had are with the setup and storage part. I'll just make this little list incase it helps at all
Vbox > new name/os
memory size > you can change this but think about 1gb per crunching thread you can adjust later
virtual disk> Create virtual disk > VDI > Dynamic > then something bigger than 16gb should be good
Now it should be in VBOX list and "powered off" > right click it go to settings
System > set cpu/memory you want
Storage > click the disc in "storage tree" then click the disc on attributes "optical drive" this is where you locate the .iso

Vbox is gonna treat that .iso like a bootable disk, it should boot up and be "operational" but you'll need to "install" the OS before you install anything else or else it won't be saved. I think a lot of us run Linux Mint and when I luanch it for the first time from vbox i'll have an icon on the desktop that says "Install Mint" or something. Do that and you should be good to go from now on. And once you get it the way you like it you can "export" that vdi and have it all setup for other VMs.

I remember Duke used to run completely live, so every time his computer shut down he would have to reinstall on boot up. I can't remember who but someone sent him a bootable linux dvd and he ran that for a couple years. If it were on a USB 3.0 drive I imagine it could be very fast, you'd just have to install boinc every time, unless your live .iso already had boinc installed, which I think his did.