VirtualBox

Our Oden Institute desktop release uses VirtualBox for Windows virtualization. VirtualBox is open source and has more features than other virtualization solutions we have tried.

Disclaimer

This will be your operating system image and you are responsible for maintaining it. Unfortunately, we don’t have the time or expertise to maintain Windows virtual machines but we’re happy to provide you a way to do it yourself.

Also, please see the following about license information regarding Microsoft Software used through our license:

http://www.utexas.edu/its/products/microsoft/purchase.php

http://www.utexas.edu/its/products/microsoft/forms/handoutdept.php

Setting up a Windows virtual machine

Getting Windows

  • Windows 8.1 Disclaimer: Our current version of virtualbox does not support guest additions in Windows 8.1. This means you will be unable to run your virtual machine in fullscreen or seamless mode.

  • Download your favorite Windows Distribution from https://webdav.austin.utexas.edu/site-licensed/Microsoft%20Windows/

  • The images can be a bit large – 3-5GB. Don’t save it to your home directory. Save it somewhere in /workspace.

Setting It Up

  • Run VirtualBox by running virtualbox in your shell.

  • Machine ‣ New

  • Enter a name for the Virtual Machine and select the Operating System.

  • Click Next

  • Select 1024 for the base memory size

  • Click Next

  • Select Create a Virtual Hard Drive

  • Click Next

  • Select VDI (Virtual Disk Image)

  • Click Next

  • Select Dynamically Allocated

  • Click Next

  • Save the virtual disk image to your /workspace by clicking the folder icon to the right of the text box and navigating to the desired folder in your /workspace

  • The slider for the size of the virtual hard drive should be at 10.00GB. (Note: If you selected Dynamically Allocated above your drive will have the ability to allocate more virtual disk space as needed)

  • Click Create

  • Windows 8.1 Users

    • You will need to enable the CPU instruction CMPXCHG16B by running the following command vboxmanage setextradata [vmname] VBoxInternal/CPUM/CMPXCHG16B 1

    • You can retrieve the name of your virtual machine by running vboxmanage list vms

  • Windows 7 Users

    • You will need to enable APIC by navigating to Machine ‣ Settings ‣ System and ensuring the Enable IO APIC checkbox is checked.

  • Select your newly created Virtual Machine and click Start or selecting Machine ‣ Start

  • The machine will ask you to select a start-up disk. Click the folder icon to the right of the drop-down box and navigate to the iso you downloaded (probably SW_DVD5_SA_Win_Ent_*.ISO) earlier and click Open.

  • Click Start

  • Follow the installation instructions to install your new virtual machine.

Installing guest additions (fullscreen, seamless, etc.)

  • Start virtual machine

  • Devices ‣ Install Guest additions

  • Run the installer

    • Note: You may need to open up My Computer and run the correct setup file in the mounted guest additions drive manually.

Installing Microsoft Office

Installing Office in your virtual machine

  • Download Microsoft Office to your workspace from https://webdav.austin.utexas.edu/site-licensed/Microsoft%20Office/

  • Start your Windows virtual machine and login.

  • Devices ‣ CD/DVD Devices ‣ Choose a virtual CD/DVD disk file…

  • Select the Microsoft Office disk image you downloaded

  • Click Open

  • File ‣ OK

    • Note You may need to open up My Computer and run the correct setup file in the mounted drive manually.