How to install an Oracle VM VirtualBox on a Windows Host

Hi,

In this post we are going to see how to set the first step of the developement environnement:
How to Install the Virtual Machine on the Windows Host.

Here are the main sections of this post for a quick jump :

• Step 1 : Get the installation files
• Step 2 : Install the VirtualBox package
• Step 3 : Install the Extension Pack
• Step 4 : Create the Virtual Machine

Good to know :

What is a VirtualBox ?

As its name says, it is a virtualized environment running on a Host that can shelter a Virtual Machine. It is provided as a package to be installed in the Host Operating System as an application.

It will let the Virtual Machine access and reserve the hardware resources of the Host machine, like Processor memory, HDD size, peripherals, .... The Virtual Machine can run software on this virtual hardware, typically running a Guest OS will let you have another computer running in your Host computer !!!

In some cases, an Extension Package is available to add functionnalities to the VirtualBox.

Step 1 : Get the installation files

There are two files to get:

1 - The VirtualBox platform package
2 - The VirtuaBox Extension Pack. You MUST get the same version as the package version.

They are both reachable here :
https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

At this time version is 5.2.20.

So first click on Windows hosts, this will let you download the VirtualBox-5.2.20-125813-Win.exe file.

Next click on All supported platforms, this will let you download the Oracle_VM_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack-5.2.20.vbox-extpack file.

I stored both files in D:\Downloads\Windows.

Step 2 : Install the VirtualBox package

Stage 1

Launch the executable VirtualBox-5.2.20-125813-Win.exe to start the wizzard.
Click Next.

Stage 2

If needed, you can choose components and destination of the installation.
Otherwise click Next.

Stage 3

Make your choice for VirtualBox launch from Windows.
Then click Next.

Stage 4

Click Yes on network warnings.

Stage 5

Configuration is done, launch installation by clicking Install.

Stage 6

During installation, some sub installation confirmation requests may pop up.
Click Install.

Stage 7

Installation process will terminate with the following screen.
Click Terminate.

Step 3 : Install the Extension Pack

When you end the Package installation process, the VirtualBox Interface is launched.

The Extension pack will add functionnalities to the VirtualBox application. This will for example let you have access to the USB port of the Host from within the VirtualBox.


Now here is the procedure to Install the Extension Pack.

Stage 1

In the VirtualBox interface select File > Preferences.

Stage 2

In the extension section, click on the Add Symbol.

Stage 3

Then select the Extension Pack file you downloaded previously.
Click Open.

Stage 4

Confirm that you know what you're doing !!
Click Install.

Stage 5

Click Accept License.

Stage 6

Finalize the installation process.
Click Ok.

Step 4 : Create the Virtual Machine

Good to know :

A virtual machine is the virtual definition of the elements that define a physical computer:
- How much Processor memory (reserved from the Host's memory)
- How much hard drive space (reserved from the Host's HDD)
- What OS is running on the machine

A file is created on the Host's HDD which contains the same content that would be stored on the HDD of the equivallent physical machine (partitions, repositories, OS installation, installed applications, user data files, ......)

Stage 1

Start the Oracle VirtualBox Manager and click on New to create a VM.

Then is the VM creation pop up, provide the name of your VM.

Here I chose Ubuntu 16.04.03 for the version of Ubuntu used and PetaLinux 2018.2 for the PetaLinux used.

Stage 2

Set the amount of memory.
Click Next.
We've seen on the Xilinx's memory recommandations that for small Zynq devices less than 1.5GBytes is preferred. So I configured 4GBytes to have some convinient margin.

Stage 3

Now create the virtual HDD.
Select Create a Virtual HDD now.
Click Create.

Stage 4

The HDD will be created on the Host's HDD as a file.
Select the extension VDI (Virtual Disk Image).
Click Next.

Stage 5

This stage defines how the .vdi file size will be handled by the Host.

I chose Fixed Size as it has better performances event it requires more space on the Host's HDD, but on my dedicated machine I have a confortable margin.

Stage 6

First select the destination repository that will store the .vdi file.

Secondly set the size of the .vdi file.

Read This !

A file is created on the Host's HDD which contains the same content that would be stored on the HDD of the equivallent physical machine (partitions, repositories, OS installation, installed applications, user data files, ......).

In our environment we will install Ubuntu, several big Xilinx applications and store all the projects we will create !!!

Believe me that makes a final hugh size !!

I made several tries and for now 100GB are convinient.

=> Make the good choice now, because changing this size afterward is not easy !!!

Third, click Create.

Then you can have a break ! Creating a file of 100GB is not that fast......

Stage 7

Ok, welcome back !!

That's it, now you have your Virtual Machine ready in the VirtualBox environment.

Post Conclusion

Now we have :

- The VirtualBox environment running on the Host
- Our Virtual Machine is set and ready to be used !