🖥️ Your Home Lab - VMware/VirtualBox Installation Guide

1️⃣ System Requirements

• ✅ Operating System: Windows 10/11 (64-bit) or Linux (Ubuntu, CentOS, RHEL)
• ✅ Processor: 64-bit CPU with virtualization support (Intel VT-x or AMD-V)
• ✅ RAM: Minimum 4GB (8GB recommended)
• ✅ Storage: At least 1GB of free disk space
• ✅ Additional Requirements: Enable virtualization in BIOS and install system updates

2️⃣ Download VMware/VirtualBox

• 🔗 Download VMware Workstation
• 🔗 Download VirtualBox

1. Select version for your OS:
   • Windows ➜ Download for Windows
   • Linux ➜ Download for Linux
2. Save the installer in an easy-to-find location.

3️⃣ Install VMware/VirtualBox on Windows

🔹 Step 1: Run the Installer

• 📌 Locate the installer file
• 📌 Right-click ➜ Run as Administrator
• 📌 Click Yes if prompted by UAC

🔹 Step 2: Follow Installation Wizard

• 📌 Click Next on the welcome screen
• 📌 Accept the EULA
• 📌 Choose installation location
• 📌 Select options:
  • ✔️ Enhanced Keyboard Driver (VMware)
  • ✔️ USB & Network features (VirtualBox)
• 📌 Click Install

🔹 Step 3: Enter License Key (VMware Optional)

• 🔑 If you have a license key, enter it now. Or continue in trial mode.

🔹 Step 4: Finish Installation

• ✅ Click Finish
• ✅ Restart if prompted

4️⃣ Install VMware/VirtualBox on Linux

🔹 Step 1: Install Dependencies

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y build-essential linux-headers-$(uname -r)

RHEL/CentOS:

sudo yum install -y kernel-devel gcc make

🔹 Step 2: Run the Installer

VMware:

chmod +x VMware-Workstation-Full-*.bundle
sudo ./VMware-Workstation-Full-*.bundle --eulas-agreed --console

VirtualBox:

sudo apt install virtualbox

🔹 Step 3: Post-Installation Setup

VMware:

vmware-modconfig --console --install-all
vmware

VirtualBox:

virtualbox

5️⃣ Download and Install Guest Operating Systems

🔹 Step 1: Download ISO

• 🔗 Windows ISO
• 🔗 Ubuntu, CentOS, RHEL

🔹 Step 2: Create a New Virtual Machine

• 📌 Open VMware/VirtualBox
• 📌 Click Create a New Virtual Machine
• 📌 Select Typical (VMware) or Guided Mode (VirtualBox)
• 📌 Choose ISO file and browse to it
• 📌 Configure VM (memory, CPU, disk)
• 📌 Click Finish

6️⃣ Create and Install Linux Virtual Machine

• 📌 Open VMware/VirtualBox
• 📌 Click Create a New Virtual Machine
• 📌 Select Linux ISO (e.g., Ubuntu)
• 📌 Choose Linux OS type (Ubuntu 64-bit)
• 📌 Name VM and choose storage location
• 📌 Configure memory (e.g., 2048MB), CPU (e.g., 2), disk (e.g., 20GB)
• 📌 Click Finish
• 📌 Follow on-screen Linux setup instructions

8️⃣ Verify Installation

📌 For Windows (VMware only)

Get-Service -Name "VMware*" | Select-Object Name,Status

📌 For Linux (VMware only)

systemctl status vmware

9️⃣ Troubleshooting Installation Issues

Issue	Solution
Installation fails	Run as Administrator or use sudo
Cannot start VM	Enable VT-x/AMD-V in BIOS
Missing dependencies	Install build-essential and linux-headers (Linux)

🔟 Next Steps

• ✔️ Create more VMs
• ✔️ Install VMware Tools or VirtualBox Guest Additions
• ✔️ Optimize performance settings

🚀 Your VMware/VirtualBox home lab is now ready!

💡 Need help? Visit the VMware KB or VirtualBox Manual

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