[Gt403cyl]

Here is quick tutorial to show you how to install Windows onto a VirtualBox virtual machine.

There are only 2 things you need to install Windows on a VM:

• VirtualBox: Download the latest version here
  
• Windows:
  • Windows 10 creation tool
    
  • Windows 7 32/64 .iso

For the purposes of this tutorial I will be using Windows 10.
Note: Both VirualBox setups are the same (substitute Windows 7 where 10 is used) once you run the creation tool and have your .iso file.

Once you have them downloaded you can go ahead and install Oracle VirtualBox.

Once installed you start by making a new VM:
Spoiler (Click to View)

Then name your machine, set the type and version accordingly:
Spoiler (Click to View)

Determine how much system memory (RAM) you want the VM to have (I don't suggest using more than 4GB of the host PC's ram unless you have more than 16GB installed) for 32bit Windows 7 max is 4GB and doesn't matter for Windows 10:
Spoiler (Click to View)

Now we can create the virtual hard drive:
Spoiler (Click to View)

Leave the drive type as is:
Spoiler (Click to View)

Choosing how the VM deals with the drive capacity is up to you, for basic use I prefer a fixed size:
Spoiler (Click to View)

Set the drive location to where you like, for my use I usually place them on my larger HDD rather than my smaller SSD and I tend to set the capacity to approximately 60GB as this will leave about 40GB free after the OS installed However for the purposes of this tutorial I am making it 30GB:
Spoiler (Click to View)

Once you click Create, Vbox will take a few minutes depending on your host machine to setup your new VM:
Spoiler (Click to View)

Once it's done you will essentially have a bare PC with no OS installed:
Spoiler (Click to View)

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Now I like to go through the settings before working with the OS.
Go down the list checking the tabs out and setting it up as you please, there are only a few settings I will go over here.

• Boot order - as with any new installation set the first device to optical drive:
  Spoiler (Click to View)
  
• Processor count - This depends on you but minimum I would use is 2 and maximum is 4:
  Spoiler (Click to View)
  
• Storage - This is where we will mount the .iso (virtual optical disk file):
  Spoiler (Click to View)
  Spoiler (Click to View)
  
• Networking - This is important if you are testing your R.A.T. setting it to Bridged Adapter will allow for testing without using "localhost" or "127.0.0.1" if you are on a VPN with your main PC:
  Spoiler (Click to View)
  

Once you are done with the settings you can click Start and install your OS of choice. For now I'm going to skip the Windows OS installation as there are more than enough of those around.

Once the installation is done the first thing you want to do is insert the Guest Additions CD Image in the Device drop down menu and install it, this will help to merge the VM controls with your peripherals and get the background setup between them done, just leave everything as is during the installation.

Next run Windows update.

Congrats, you have a new VM you can test with!

I suggest keeping a "Clean VM" that you do not run anything on except updates and Clone a new one for testing purposes, you can leave everything alone here as well make sure you choose "Full Clone" though NOT linked as this can cause issues if you remove or delete a VM:
Spoiler (Click to View)

If you have any questions feel free to post below and I will do my best to answer them.

[TheChiеf]

A great tutorial for quickly creating a VM. Great work GT 🤝

[Coton Pker]

did you know microsoft offers a fully legal and free VM version of windows7 with a 30day license that can be renewed like 5 times?
it's somewhere on their site, but it's a smaller DL of the win7 OS made specifically for VMs.

it's pretty cool :)

[Gt403cyl]

A great tutorial for quickly creating a VM. Great work GT 🤝

Thanks

did you know microsoft offers a fully legal and free VM version of windows7 with a 30day license that can be renewed like 5 times?
it's somewhere on their site, but it's a smaller DL of the win7 OS made specifically for VMs.

Yes I did, I have the link saved somwhere.
it's pretty cool :)

[bzrΚ]

Nice tutorial Gt403cyl, very handy indeed. :)

[Seany]

Very noob friendly. Nice post OP

[Gt403cyl]

Updating the Windows download link:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software.../windows10

[TooQuick]

Nice tut for creating a VM.

[rkellyslovechild69]

Nice tutorial, loads of users will benefit from this! :)

[Hopsin]

Thanks, can come in handy for people who don't know about this. Have a nice day!

[Mi2414]

Really nice tutorial man, I personally have used both and VirtualBox is pretty solid.

[Gt403cyl]

Really nice tutorial man, I personally have used both and VirtualBox is pretty solid.

Thanks, I too have used both, I just prefer VBox maybe it's because I used it first, no real reason I can think of, just preference.

[Cimex]

Nice tutorial my man. I prefer VMWare though!

[TheChiеf]

Bumping this back up incase someone needs it.

[gokusaiyan]

Nice tutorial OP, thanks for sharing this 👍