VirtualBox Setup Guide for STT Project Testing¶

This guide provides the recommended steps for setting up a stable and performant Ubuntu 24.04 virtual machine in VirtualBox. Following these instructions will create a consistent environment for testing the STT application and avoid common issues like installation slowness, system freezes, and missing clipboard functionality.

Prerequisites¶

VirtualBox installed on the host machine.
An Ubuntu 24.04 Desktop ISO file downloaded.

Reference Host Hardware¶

This configuration was tested and validated on the following host system. Performance may vary on other hardware, but the stability settings should apply universally.

Operating System: Manjaro Linux
Kernel: 6.6.94
Processor: 16 × AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
Memory: 31.3 GiB of RAM
Graphics Processor: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti

Part 1: VM Creation and Configuration¶

These settings are critical for performance and stability.

Step 1.1: Create the New Virtual Machine¶

In VirtualBox, click New.
Name: Ubuntu STT Tester (or similar).
ISO Image: Leave this field blank.
Check the box: “Skip Unattended Installation”.
Click Next.
Hardware:
- Base Memory: 4096 MB or more.
- Processors: 4 or more.
Click Next.

Step 1.2: Create the Virtual Hard Disk (CRITICAL)¶

This is the most important step for fast installation and performance.

Select “Create a Virtual Hard Disk Now”.
Set the disk size to 40 GB or more.
On the next screen, change the storage type to “Fixed size”.

Why? A fixed-size disk is pre-allocated and prevents the massive I/O bottleneck that occurs when a “Dynamically allocated” disk constantly resizes during installation.
Click Create and wait for the process to finish.

Step 1.3: Final VM Settings¶

Select the newly created VM and click Settings. Configure the following:

System -> Motherboard:
- Chipset: ICH9
- Check “Enable EFI (special OSes only)”.
Display -> Screen:
- Graphics Controller: VMSVGA
- Uncheck “Enable 3D Acceleration”.
Why? 3D acceleration is a common cause of system hangs and freezes in Linux guests. Disabling it significantly improves stability.
Storage:
- Select the SATA Controller. Check the box “Use Host I/O Cache”.
- Select the virtual disk file (.vdi). Check the box “Solid-state Drive”.
- Select the Empty optical drive. Click the CD icon on the right and “Choose a disk file…” to attach your Ubuntu 24.04 ISO.

Click OK to save all settings.

Part 2: Ubuntu OS Installation¶

Start the VM.
Proceed through the language and keyboard setup.
When you reach “Updates and other software”, select:
- Minimal installation.
- Uncheck “Download updates while installing Ubuntu”.
Continue with the installation until it is complete.
When finished, reboot the VM. At the prompt, remove the installation medium (press Enter).

Part 3: Post-Installation (Guest Additions)¶

This step enables clipboard sharing, drag-and-drop, and automatic screen resizing.

Step 3.1: Install Guest Additions ISO on Host (If Needed)¶

On your host machine, ensure the Guest Additions ISO package is installed.

On Arch / Manjaro:
```
sudo pacman -S virtualbox-guest-iso
```

On Debian / Ubuntu:

sudo apt install virtualbox-guest-additions-iso

Step 3.2: Install Guest Additions Inside the Ubuntu VM¶

Perform these steps inside your running Ubuntu VM.

Prepare Ubuntu: Open a terminal and run the following commands to install build dependencies.
```
sudo apt update
sudo apt install build-essential dkms linux-headers-$(uname -r)
```
Insert the CD: From the VirtualBox top menu, go to Devices -> Insert Guest Additions CD Image….
Run the Installer:
- A dialog may pop up asking to run the software. Click Run.
- If no dialog appears, open the File Manager, right-click the VBox_GAs... CD, choose “Open in Terminal”, and run the command:
```
sudo ./VBoxLinuxAdditions.run
```
Reboot: After the installation completes, reboot the VM.
```
reboot
```
Enable Features: After rebooting, go to the Devices menu and enable Shared Clipboard -> Bidirectional and Drag and Drop -> Bidirectional.

Your stable, performant testing environment is now ready.