Running Linux on a Virtual Machine in Windows

Safely Install Linux in a VM Without Giving Up Windows (Yet)

A VM is a self-contained environment, complete with it's own operating system, drivers, utilities, and programs, all running in a sub-process of the host computer. The VM software isolates the processes running in the VM from the hardware and software of the physical host computer. Since VM software can be downloaded for free, users can test-drive any of the Linux distributions, install software, and learn the user interfaces without impacting their underlying Windows installation.

Choosing Virtual Software

There are a number of virtualization products with free versions available. VirtualBox from Sun is one of the easiest to use. It also supports a large number of guest operating systems, including most Linux distributions, FreeBSD, and various versions of Windows itself. Other options include Virtual Server from VMWare, and Xen (xen.org). One option that does not support Linux is VirtualPC from Microsoft. This article focuses on using VirtualBox.

VirtualBox can be downloaded from virtualbox.org. "VirtualBox for Windows hosts x86/amd64" is the correct choice (version 3.0.8 at the time of this writing). The file should be saved on the hard drive for installation later, because configuration is easier if the Linux distribution is downloaded first.

Download Ubuntu Linux

Ubuntu offers a powerful Linux desktop installation, which comes complete with a web browser, office productivity software, games, email, etc.- pretty much everything computer operators use most. Also, Ubuntu is known to be an easy Linux distribution for people making the switch from Windows. The software can be downloaded from ubuntu.com. Any mirror site can be chosen, but the download will complete sooner if a close mirror is selected.

Installing VirtualBox