🚀Day 16 – Intro to Virtualization on Windows using VirtualBox | 100 Days of DevOps
Ritesh Singh
Welcome to Day 16 of my 100 Days of DevOps journey!
Today, I learned how to create virtual machines using VirtualBox on Windows — a critical skill for testing DevOps tools, creating isolated environments, and running multiple OSs safely.
🧠 What is Virtualization?
Virtualization allows you to run multiple OS environments (called virtual machines) on a single physical machine by abstracting hardware resources.
🧾 Key Terms
| Term | Explanation |
| Hypervisor | Software that manages VMs (e.g., VirtualBox, VMware, KVM) |
| Host OS | The physical machine's operating system |
| Guest OS | The virtual machine's operating system |
| VM (Virtual Machine) | A simulated computer inside another computer |
| Snapshots | Saved states of a VM to roll back if needed |
🧠 What is a Virtual Machine (VM)?
A Virtual Machine (VM) is a simulated computer running inside your actual computer (called the host).
It has its own virtual CPU, RAM, storage, and OS, all managed by a hypervisor like VirtualBox.
✅ Step-by-Step Guide: Create Your First VM on Windows
1. Install VirtualBox on Windows
🔗 Download from: https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads
Install the version for Windows hosts
(Optional) Install the Extension Pack for better device support
2. Download a Guest OS ISO
Choose your virtual OS:
Ubuntu Desktop ISO: https://ubuntu.com/download/desktop
Ubuntu Server ISO (lighter): https://ubuntu.com/download/server
Save it in your Downloads folder.
3. Create a New Virtual Machine
Open VirtualBox → Click New
Name:
DevOpsLabType:
LinuxVersion:
Ubuntu (64-bit)Assign 2048 MB (2 GB) RAM
Create a VDI disk, dynamically allocated (20 GB recommended)
4. Boot the VM and Install Ubuntu
Select the VM → Click Start
Browse and select your
.isofileInstall Ubuntu just like you would on a real machine
Set username, password, and timezone
Reboot once done
5. Update & Install DevOps Tools
Once Ubuntu is running:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install git curl vim docker.io
You now have a fully working Linux lab inside Windows!
6. Optional: Enable Clipboard and Guest Additions
To improve your experience:
Go to Devices > Insert Guest Additions CD Image
Follow the on-screen instructions to install
📚 Key Terms
| Term | Description |
| Host OS | Your main OS (Windows in this case) |
| Guest OS | The OS inside the VM (e.g., Ubuntu) |
| Hypervisor | Software that manages VMs (e.g., VirtualBox) |
| VM Snapshot | Save point to restore system state |
🔗 Useful Links
🔗 VirtualBox: https://www.virtualbox.org/
🔗 Ubuntu ISO: https://ubuntu.com/download
🔗 VirtualBox Manual: https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/
✅ Summary
✅ Installed VirtualBox on Windows
✅ Created a new VM with Ubuntu
✅ Installed DevOps tools in an isolated test lab
✅ Learned key concepts of host, guest, hypervisor, and snapshots
📘 GitHub Repo: DevOps Journal
📝 Hashnode Blog: ritesh-devops.hashnode.dev
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Written by
Ritesh Singh
Ritesh Singh
Hi, I’m Ritesh 👋 I’m on a mission to become a DevOps Engineer — and I’m learning in public every single day.With a full-time commitment of 8–10 hours daily, I’m building skills in: ✅ Linux✅ Git & GitHub✅ Docker & Kubernetes✅ AWS EC2, S3✅ Jenkins, GitHub Actions✅ Terraform, Prometheus, Grafana I post daily blogs on Hashnode, push projects to GitHub, and stay active on LinkedIn and Twitter/X. Let’s connect, collaborate, and grow together 🚀 #100DaysOfDevOps #LearningInPublic #DevOps