How to Install Ubuntu 24.04 on VirtualBox

Ubuntu 24.04, codenamed “Noble Numbat,” has been released. You can now explore Ubuntu with enhanced security and an improved desktop experience using GNOME 46. It also includes other useful features. You can try all these in your virtual environment. Installing Ubuntu 24.04 LTS on VirtualBox allows you to use the latest Ubuntu features while keeping your main operating system. 

In this guide, we will provide step-by-step instructions to install Ubuntu 24.04 on VirtualBox.

Prerequisites

Here are the prerequisites for installing Ubuntu 24.04 on VirtualBox:

1. VirtualBox must be installed on your system.
2. Ubuntu 24.04 LTS ISO file must be downloaded from the official website.
3. Your system should have a minimum of 4 GB RAM, with at least 2 GB assigned to the virtual machine.
4. Minimum 25 GB free disk space for the virtual hard disk.
5. Processor with virtualization support enabled in BIOS/UEFI.

Installing Ubuntu 24.04 on VirtualBox

Once you meet the prerequisites, you can install Ubuntu 24.04 on VirtualBox by going through the following steps:

Step 1: Download ISO Image

You can visit the official Ubuntu website to find and download the ISO file for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. This file is needed to install Ubuntu on your virtual machine:

Step 2: Create a Virtual Machine

Click the “New” button to begin setting up a new virtual machine where you will install Ubuntu:

Let’s specify a name for your virtual machine, choose the Ubuntu ISO file you downloaded, and then move to the “Unattended Install” section to continue creating the virtual machine.

You can change the username, password, and hostname to set up the automatic installation of the guest operating system without needing to enter details during setup:

Next, we configure the virtual machine’s hardware by choosing how much RAM and how many CPU cores it will use:

After that, we create a virtual hard disk for the virtual machine and set its size to 30 GB:

Step 3: Set Up Network Settings

We can set up the network so the virtual machine can connect with other devices and work properly. For this purpose, go to the “Adapter2” section, enable Network Adapter, and select “host-only adapter”. This lets your main computer (the host) communicate with the virtual machine:

Step 4: Start the Virtual Machine

Now, choose your virtual machine from the list and click the Start button to power it on and begin using it:

When the GNU GRUB menu appears, select the “Try or Install Ubuntu” option to begin installing Ubuntu 24.04:

Step 5: Graphic Error

During the Ubuntu installation, you might see this error message. You can ignore it because it will go away on its own after a short while:

Step 6: Customize Installation Settings

Now, set up the installation options as you like. Start by selecting your preferred language, then click the Next button to continue:

Next, follow the instructions on the screen to adjust accessibility options, choose your keyboard layout, set up your internet connection, and select the type of installation you want:

After that, choose the installation type and pick any applications you want to have installed from the start:

Improve your computer’s performance by installing the recommended proprietary software, then click the Next button to continue:

Step 7: Install Ubuntu 24.04

Now choose the option to erase the disk and install Ubuntu on your selected virtual hard drive:

After this, specify your name, machine name, username, and password, then hit the Next button to create your account. Finally, select your timezone, review your choices, and then hit the “install” button to begin the installation:

The screenshot below shows that the installation has started and is in progress:

Ubuntu 24.04 is now installed and ready to use; just click the “Restart now” button to finish the installation process:

Step 8: Set up Additional Settings 

After restarting the system, you’ll be navigated to the following window. Just follow the on-screen steps to finish the setup, and then you can start using Ubuntu smoothly on VirtualBox:

Congratulations! You have successfully installed Ubuntu 24.04.

Step 9: Verify Distribution Details

Let’s run the hostnamectl command without any options to view the details of your Ubuntu system:

hostnamectl

Consequently, the output confirms that Ubuntu 24.04 LTS is running on VirtualBox:

This completes the installation of Ubuntu on VirtualBox.

Conclusion

To install Ubuntu 24.04 on VirtualBox, download the ISO from the official website, create a new VM, configure hardware and network settings, and follow the installation steps. Once you complete the setup, reboot the virtual machine and follow the prompts on the screen to finish the installation. In this article, we explained how to easily set up a virtual machine, configure its settings, and install Ubuntu 24.04 on it.

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