Setting Up a VirtualBox Environment with Ubuntu

Are you a student or professional looking to complete coursework and assignments in a Linux environment without the need for a dedicated Linux PC? VirtualBox offers a convenient solution. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of setting up a VirtualBox instance with Ubuntu 20.04, providing you with a versatile and customizable environment for your tasks.

Steps to Bring Up VirtualBox with Ubuntu 20.04.2

• Download Oracle VirtualBox: Begin by downloading Oracle VirtualBox suitable for your host PC from the official website.
• Download Ubuntu 20.04: It’s crucial to use Ubuntu 20.04 for compatibility. Head over to the Ubuntu website and download the 20.04 LTS version.
• Install VirtualBox: Follow the installation instructions provided in the VirtualBox installer.
• Create New Virtual Machine: Launch VirtualBox and create a new virtual machine. Name it “Ubuntu” and select the Ubuntu 20.04 image you downloaded earlier.

• Setup Username and Password: Customize the username and password for your VM as preferred.

• Allocate Resources: Allocate at least 4 GB of RAM and 4 CPUs to your virtual machine. Higher allocations are recommended for smoother performance.

• Create Virtual Hard Disk: Create a virtual hard disk with a minimum of 100 GB of space. Aim for 200GB or more for optimal storage capacity.

• Verify Settings: Before finalizing, review the settings to ensure they reflect your preferences accurately.

Steps to Setup Sudo on Your VM

Setting up sudo access on your Virtual Machine is essential for administrative tasks. Here’s a summary of the steps involved:

1. Open Terminal: Launch the terminal within your Ubuntu VM.
2. Run Command: type su - to switch to the root user. Your prompt should change to a ‘#’ explanation: VirtualBox automatically sets the root passwords as the same as your user password. It’s not great behaviour, but that is what it does.
3. Add User to Sudo Group: type sudo adduser [username] sudo Where [username] is your user name. This adds your user to the sudo users list.
4. Test Sudo: Reboot your VM and test sudo access by running a command prefixed with sudo.

By following these steps, you’ll have a fully functional VirtualBox environment with Ubuntu 20.04, equipped with sudo access for seamless administrative tasks. Enjoy the flexibility and convenience of working in a Linux environment without the need for dedicated hardware. Happy virtualizing!