Virtual Machines
📚 What Are Virtual Machines?
A Virtual Machine (VM) is a software emulation of a physical computer. It enables you to run multiple operating systems on a single machine, utilizing resources like RAM, CPU, and storage. In this lesson, we explore how to install, manage, and remove virtual machines using VirtualBox, a popular open-source virtualization software.
🛠️ Setting Up a Virtual Machine
To install a virtual instance (a single VM), follow these steps:
Download VirtualBox from the official site and install it.
Download an OS image, like Ubuntu, from its website.
Launch VirtualBox and click the New button to create a VM.
Name your VM and select the OS type (e.g., Ubuntu).
Allocate RAM for the VM (e.g., 1 GB is enough for simple tasks).
Allocate hard drive space (default 10 GB is sufficient).
Click Create to finalize the VM setup.
Select the OS image to install when starting the VM for the first time.
🔄 Adjusting VM Resources
One of the great features of VMs is the flexibility to modify hardware resources:
To increase RAM or adjust other settings, simply:
Right-click the VM.
Select Settings.
Adjust resources like RAM, storage, or network settings.
This is much easier than upgrading physical hardware on traditional machines.
🗑️ Removing a Virtual Machine
If you no longer need a VM:
Right-click the VM and choose Remove.
You can either remove it from the list or delete all files associated with it.
This process is much simpler than disposing of physical hardware!
💡 Key Takeaways:
VirtualBox simplifies creating and managing VMs.
You can easily adjust resources like RAM and storage to suit your needs.
Removing a VM is as easy as right-clicking and selecting Remove—no hardware recycling needed!
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