Step-by-Step Guide to Install Debian on VirtualBox for Windows 11 Users

Debian is a reliable, secure, and open-source operating system belonging to the Linux family, created by a worldwide collaboration of volunteers. Oracle’s VirtualBox is a robust and intuitive open-source virtualization solution that allows users to run multiple operating systems on a single host machine. In this article, we will guide you through the process of setting up Debian on VirtualBox.

Installing Debian on VirtualBox on Windows 11

To install the Debian Linux distribution on VirtualBox in Windows 11/10, please adhere to the following steps.

1. Verify all necessary requirements
2. Create your virtual machine
3. Prepare your machine for Debian installation
4. Execute the Debian installation

Let’s delve into each of these steps.

1] Verify all necessary requirements

The initial step is to ensure that Oracle VirtualBox is installed. If you already have it on your system, you can skip ahead; otherwise, follow these steps to download and install VirtualBox.

1. Launch your web browser and navigate to virtualbox.org.
2. From the VirtualBox Platform Packages section, choose your desired platform for installation. This action will prompt your browser to commence the download of the installation file.
3. Once the download is complete, double-click the installation file to start the setup process, then follow the on-screen prompts to finalize the installation.

After completing the VirtualBox installation, proceed to the next step.

Debian is a cost-free Linux distribution. Therefore, visit debian.org to begin the download by clicking the appropriate link, which will retrieve the Debian ISO file.

Make sure you have at least 20GB of available storage on your hard disk and a minimum of 4GB RAM free for the optimal running of the system.

2] Create your virtual machine

The next step is to create a virtual machine where Debian will be installed. You can customize the specifications according to your system’s capabilities and any organizational guidelines.

To create the virtual machine, carry out the following steps:

1. Open Oracle VirtualBox.
2. Click on the New button to open the Create Virtual Machine wizard.
3. In the Name field, enter ‘Debian’.
4. Select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu next to the ISO Image option.
5. Locate the folder where you downloaded the ISO image, typically your Downloads folder.
6. Hit Next to continue.
7. Fill in the required credentials and click Next.
8. Adjust the slider to allocate base memory and the number of processors, with a recommended minimum of 4GB RAM.
9. Click Next.
10. Select Create a Virtual Hard Disk Now, allocate some disk space, and click Next.
11. Review the Summary and click Finish.

The virtual machine will be set up and initiated, but additional adjustments are needed, so please shut down the machine before moving on.

3] Prepare your machine for Debian installation

As stated earlier, we cannot install Debian immediately; we need to adjust some settings first. Follow the steps below:

1. Right-click on the newly created virtual machine and choose Settings.
2. In the General tab, access the Advanced section and set the Shared Clipboard and Drag’n’Drop options to Bidirectional.
3. Navigate to the System tab, and modify the Boot Order so that Optical is prioritized first, followed by Hard Disk, while deselecting all other boot options.
4. Head to the Processor section and check the Enable PAE/NX box.
5. Go to Display > Screen, adjust the Video Memory settings, and disable Enable 3D Acceleration.

Ensure that all the changes made are saved.

4] Execute the Debian installation

Now that we have configured the environment for the Debian installation, let’s proceed. Follow these steps:

1. Start the Debian virtual machine.
2. Utilize your keyboard to carry on with the installation process, which may take some time.
3. After completion, you will need to enter the credentials you established earlier to log into your system.
4. Select your preferred language, date, time, and region, and set up your user account.

Your Debian setup is now ready for use.

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