How to Install Debian 12 using VirtualBox

Would you like to learn how to install Debian 11 or 12 on a virtual machine using Oracle VM VirtualBox on your Windows computer? Debian is a popular type of Linux, which is a free operating system.

This helpful article will show you how to do it step by step. It doesn’t matter if you’re new to Linux or already know a lot about it; this guide will help you try it out on a virtual machine before putting it on your actual PC.

Credit: Debian

Discovering What Debian Can Do

Debian is a free operating system that’s made by lots of people working together. It’s famous for using tools from GNU, the Linux kernel, and other free software. People like to use this OS because it’s really steady and safe for both servers and regular computers.

One unique thing about it is how it handles software. It has an intelligent system for installing, updating, and removing programs. This keeps your system safe and up-to-date with the latest fixes.

In this OS, you’ll find a bunch of different programs, files, and instructions. It’s designed so you can decide what you want to install. Plus, there’s a massive collection of software available, both free and not free, that you can quickly get through Debian’s software system.

Another cool thing about it is that you can decide which programs get updated and which ones don’t. This is helpful if you need to keep specific programs the same for compatibility reasons.

All in all, it is a really flexible and trustworthy operating system. It’s got great tools for managing software, lots of programs to choose from, and a helpful community of people who use and develop it.

Installing Debian on a Virtual Machine using VirtualBox

If you want to try Debian Linux with VirtualBox, you can do it in two ways: either put it on your actual PC or use a virtual machine. It’s easier and safer to try it out on a VM because it won’t mess with your computer.

To do this, you can use a program called VirtualBox, which Oracle makes. Our video guide or written instructions are below to help you set it up.

To begin using Oracle VM VirtualBox, click on the “New” button. You’ll find this button inside the VirtualBox program. When you click it, a wizard will pop up. This wizard will ask you for some information to create a new virtual machine. It’ll walk you through each step, so it’s simple to set up and customize your VM the way you want.
When you’re making a new virtual machine using VirtualBox, choose “Debian” in the Name field. Make sure the Type is set to Linux and the Version is 64-bit. Checking these settings will help your virtual machine run smoothly without any problems.
For the best performance of your Debian system, set your virtual memory to at least 4GB. This helps your system handle memory better, so it doesn’t crash or lose data. Make sure to put it to 4GB or more, depending on what your system needs and how much memory you have.
When you’re putting Debian on your computer for the first time, make sure to create a new virtual hard disk in the settings. This ensures that Debian is installed correctly and works well on your system. Pay close attention to this step during installation to avoid problems or mistakes later on.
When you’re making a new virtual machine in VirtualBox, remember to pick VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image) as the file type for the hard disk. This helps the virtual machine run well and smoothly.
When you’re making a backup of your virtual disk, it’s a good idea to choose the Dynamically Allocated option. This stores the data on your physical disk in a way that lets it grow when necessary. This makes sure you have enough space for your backups without using up too much storage on your physical disk.
It’s best to keep the virtual disk where or how big it is to suit your needs. If you do, it could cause unexpected problems or mistakes. Before you make any changes to the virtual disk, it’s a good idea to talk to an expert or check the proper documents.
After making the Debian virtual machine in VirtualBox, you’ll have to go into its settings and adjust the Shared Clipboard and Drag’n’Drop settings. You can find these in the General / Advanced section of the settings. Change them to Bidirectional so those features work smoothly.
Turn off the Floppy disk in the Boot Order list under System / Motherboard settings. Then, move the Optical device to the top of the list.
Decide how many virtual processors to use based on how powerful your PC is. You can do this in the motherboard settings for the virtual machine.
To make the graphics better on your device, turn on 3D Acceleration. Go to Display/Screen settings and find where to enable it. Also, it boosts video memory to 128 MB for even better visuals. This helps the device handle high-quality graphics without any problems.
To make the changes needed, please take out the IDE drive from the Storage settings. Then, put in an empty SATA optical drive instead.
To make your system’s virtual disks work better, turn on the Host I/O Cache in the SATA controls settings. This lets the virtual machine use the host system’s memory to speed up reading and writing to the disk. Also, you can set up the virtual disk to be seen as an SSD. This makes it even faster to access data, boosting performance.
To get started, find and pick the optical drive on your computer. Then, click on the icon in the right area. A new window will show up. Choose “Choose a disk file.” You’ll see your computer’s files. Pick the Debian ISO image file you downloaded earlier. After you select the file, you can start the installation.
To turn on USB 3.0 (xHCI), go to the USB settings and choose to enable it. After you’ve done this, close the VM wizard to save your settings.
It’s best to run the VirtualBox Debian virtual machine to finish installing the system. This ensures that everything is set up correctly and that all the essential parts are installed for the system to work smoothly.

Installing Debian 12 in a New Virtual Machine

When you start the virtual PC, you’ll see the Debian GNU/Linux Installer Menu. To begin the graphical setup, click on the “Graphical Install” option on the menu.
Please pick the language you want for Debian and then change its location to match what you prefer.
Please select the Type of keyboard layout that matches what’s set up on your actual computer. This helps make sure that all software and apps work correctly for you.
To set your hostname, type the name of your device or computer. You don’t have to include the domain name.
To keep your system safe, make a strong password for your root account. This stops people from getting into your system and messing with important stuff.
Please type in the username you want, and then go to the next step to check if it’s available.
To start using your new user account, make a strong and unique password that follows the system’s rules. This password keeps your account safe and makes sure only you can use it. Take a moment to think of a good password with numbers, letters, and symbols mixed. Once you’ve got it, type it into the box to finish setting up your account.
Please tell us where you are so we can set the time on your system clock right for your time zone.
When you see the Partition Disks screen, pick the Guided option. Then, choose the whole disk you want to split into parts. This lets you set up the partitions how you wish. Just do what the screen says to finish.
To organize your files on the disk you picked, you can decide to use one partition as the structure for all your files. This makes it simpler to divide and take care of your files.
After you finish setting up the virtual disk, go ahead and choose the option to complete the partitioning and save all the changes you made to the disk.
Please check the changes you made on the Partition Tables screen. If you’re happy with them, please confirm so we can apply them to the disk.
To make the installation faster, you can choose to skip an extra media scan. Instead, you can confirm using a network mirror. This lets you install software straight from the internet, so you don’t have to put in installation disks manually.
For better internet speed on your Debian system, pick the archive country nearest to you and use deb.debian.org. This makes it faster and more reliable to access its archive so that you can download and install packages easily.
Please don’t type in any information about HTTP proxy setup or settings. We don’t need them for this task, and adding them could cause unexpected problems.
You can choose to send package statistics to developers. If you want to help them improve the package management system and offer better service to users, select Yes.
When you’re picking software, you’ll be asked to choose a desktop environment. This decides how your computer’s graphical interface looks and works, including the tools and apps you’ll use. Think about what you like and pick the desktop environment that fits you best.
To put the GRUB Boot Menu on your virtual disk, pick the right option. After it’s done installing, please take out the image from your virtual machine and restart it. This makes sure the changes work right and your virtual machine runs well.
Once your Debian operating system starts up in VirtualBox, please log in using your user account details. This lets you access your settings and files.
If you want to know what Version of Debian you’re using, open the terminal and type “lsb_release -a”. This will show you all the details about your OS, like the version number and codename.

lsb_release -a

Conclusion

If you want to test out Debian without messing with your actual computer, you can use something called a virtual machine. Oracle VM VirtualBox is a good tool for this job. In this guide, we’ve laid out simple steps for getting your virtual machine set up just right.

We’ve also highlighted essential things to remember while doing it. With Debian’s safe and steady system, plus its easy-to-use software and helpful community, you’ll have a blast trying out this popular Linux.

If you want to learn about another kind of Linux, check out our easy guide on How to Install Kali Linux using VirtualBox. It is a strong and flexible operating system. People usually use it to test PC security and solve digital mysteries. This guide will help you set it up on a pretend device inside your real one using Oracle software. That way, you can try it out without any risk on your regular Windows PC.