How to install Windows 10 on Oracle VM VirtualBox?

VirtualBox is a powerful and free virtualization software that enables users to test or install an operating system without affecting their host operating system. VirtualBox allows the guest operating system to run simultaneously with the host operating system, and any software installed on the guest OS will not affect the host OS. This makes VirtualBox a safe and secure option for testing new operating systems or applications.

VirtualBox supports a wide range of host operating systems, including Windows, Linux, Macintosh, and Solaris, and a variety of guest operating systems, such as Windows (NT 4.0, 2000, XP, Server 2003, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10), DOS/Windows 3.x, Linux (2.4, 2.6, 3.x and 4.x), Solaris and OpenSolaris, OS/2, and OpenBSD.

In this article, we will guide you on how to install Windows 10 on a virtual machine using VirtualBox. The host operating system used for this installation guide is Windows 10. With the help of this step-by-step guide, you can easily install Windows 10 on a virtual machine using VirtualBox.

How to install Windows 10 on Oracle VM VirtualBox?

Follow these steps to install Windows 10 on Oracle VM VirtualBox:-

Step 1. To install Windows 10 or any other operating system on VirtualBox, first install the VirtualBox on the host machine. You can download and install VirtualBox freeware from here.

Step 2. Run the VirtualBox from the Desktop shortcut.

Step 3. Click on the New button to create a new virtual machine.

Step 4. Under the “Create Virtual Machine,” write a useful name of the virtual machine, select the folder’s location where you want to store the new virtual machine, and select the operating system type and version.

Step 5. Once the new virtual machine’s details are filled in as above, click the Next button.

Step 6. On the next window, specify the RAM size of the virtual machine. You can use the slider to increase or decrease the RAM size of your virtual machine.

Note: 2 GB RAM is recommended for a 64-Bit OS, and at least 1 GB of  RAM is recommended for a 32-Bit operating system. However, you can increase or decrease the RAM size according to your PC capacity.

Step 7. Once you have specified your virtual machine’s RAM size, click on the Next button.

Step 8. On the next screen, select “Create a virtual hard disk now.”

Step 9. On the next screen, you can leave the default option VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image) as the hard disk type.

Step 10. Click on the Next button.

Step 11. Under the “Storage on physical hard disk,” you have two options: Dynamically allocated and Fixed size. You can choose any of them. If you choose Dynamically allocated, it depends on your virtual machine’s size; it will keep increasing or decreasing the virtual hard disk’s size automatically. You may notice a performance issue, but it is good for those running out with storage problems. The Fixed size option will fix the size of your virtual hard, which you will specify.

Step 12. Once you have decided which option to select for your virtual hard disk, click the Next button.

Note: We have selected the Dynamically allocated option for my virtual hard disk.

Step 13. On the next screen, you can specify the maximum size of your virtual hard disk. VirtualBox will not occupy more than the specified storage by you. You can increase or decrease the maximum allocated hard drive size using the slider.

Step 14. Once the above steps have been completed, click the Create button to create the virtual hard disk drive.

Step 15. Now, according to your selection, a virtual hard disk will be created, and it will show the details of your virtual machine.

Step 16. Till now, we have specified the Windows version to install and created a virtual hard disk drive to install the Windows 10 operating system. Now we will proceed with Windows 10 installation on VirtualBox. To install Windows 10 on a virtual machine, we need a bootable Windows 10 USB flash drive, or Windows 10 Bootable DVD, or a bootable ISO. To install Windows 10 on a virtual machine, we prefer to use a bootable ISO of Windows 10. If you don’t have a bootable ISO file of Windows 10, you can download it from here.

Once you are ready with a bootable ISO of Windows 10, click on the VirtualBox Setting icon.

Step 17. On the Settings window, click on Storage from the left side options.

Step 18. Under Storage, click on Empty.

Step 19. Click on the CD icon next to Optical Drive.

Step 20. From the available options from CD Icon, click on “Choose/Create a Virtual Optical Disk.”

Step 21. Under the Optical Disk Selector window, click on Add from the menu.

Step 22. Select your bootable ISO file of Windows 10 from your PC.

Step 23. Click on the Choose button after clicking on the Windows 10 ISO file to attach the ISO file to your virtual Windows 10 operating system.

Step 24. Now, you should see something like the below image under Settings.

Now, the place of Empty has been filled with Windows 10 ISO files.

Step 25. Click the OK button.

Step 26. Now, you are ready to install Windows 10 on your virtual machine. Click on the Start button.

Step 27. Click the Start button.

Step 28. Now, your virtual machine will be booted from the selected ISO, and installation of Windows 10 OS will be started on your virtual machine.

Step 29. Select language and other details and click on the Next button.

Step 30. Click the Install now button to install a fresh Windows 10.

Step 31. On the next screen, it will prompt for a key. Either type the genuine product key if you have or if you don’t have a valid key for Windows 10, click on the link “I don’t have a product key.”

Step 32. Select Windows 10 Edition, which you want to use on your virtual machine, and click the Next button.

Step 33. Click on the “I accept the license terms” and then click the Next button to continue installing Windows 10.

Step 34. Since you are installing a fresh Windows 10 OS on your virtual machine, click on the second option, “Custom: Install Windows only (advanced).”

Step 35. Select the virtual hard drive you want to install your Windows 10 and click the Next button.

Step 36. Now, you should see the installation progress of your Windows 10.

Step 37. Select your country using the slider from the countries’ available list and click the Yes button.

Step 38.  Select your keyboard layout using the slider from the countries’ available list and click the Yes button.

Step 39. Windows 10 will offer to add a second keyboard layout; click on the Skip button.

Step 40. On the next screen, click “Set up for personal use.”

Step 41. Click on the Next button.

Step 42. Under the “Let’s add your account” window, click the “Offline account” link to create a local account.

Step 43. Click on the Limited experience link.

Step 44. Write a name and click on the Next button.

Step 45. On the password text box, type the password and click on the Next button.

Step 46. Type the same password as above on the “Confirm password” textbox and click on the Next button.

Step 47. On the security questions windows, select any three from the available questions and reply to them and click on the Next button.

Step 48. On the privacy settings window, click on the Accept button.

Step 49. Click the Accept button on the Cortana window.

Step 50. Finally, you will have a running Windows 10 on a virtual machine.

You can start using your virtual Windows 10 as a normal operating system. It will not affect your host operating system.

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