Virtual Machines Lecture Notes

Introduction to Virtual Machines

• Definition: Virtual machines (VMs) are computers within a computer, created through virtualization technology.
• Benefits: Great for learning hacking, Linux, IT, and understanding virtualization.
• Installation: Setting up a VM is quick, simple, and free.

What is a Virtual Machine?

• Concept: A VM acts as a separate computer but runs on the existing hardware of the host machine (laptop/desktop).
• Components of a Computer:
  • CPU
  • RAM
  • Storage
  • GPU
  • Network Interface Card
• Operating System Requirement: A VM requires an operating system to function.

Hypervisor

• Definition: A hypervisor is an application that runs on the host operating system to create and manage VMs.
• Types of Hypervisors:
  • Type 1 Hypervisor: Runs directly on hardware (e.g., VMware ESXi).
  • Type 2 Hypervisor: Runs on top of an existing OS (e.g., VirtualBox).
• Popular Hypervisors: VirtualBox is favored for being free and feature-rich.

Why Use Virtual Machines?

1. Learning Hacking: Safest way to learn hacking techniques with minimal risk.
2. Exploring Different OS: Experiment with various operating systems without needing extra hardware.
3. Safe Testing Environment: Allows breaking and testing configurations without affecting the host OS.

Setting Up a Virtual Machine

Requirements

• A computer (preferably less than 10 years old).
• At least 4GB RAM.
• Enable hardware virtualization in BIOS.

Installation Steps

1. Download OS: Download the desired OS (e.g., Kali Linux, Ubuntu) in .iso format.
2. Download VirtualBox: Install VirtualBox from its official site.
3. Extension Pack: Install VirtualBox extension pack for better functionality.
4. Creating a VM:
   • Name the VM and select the OS type and version.
   • Allocate resources (CPU, RAM).
   • Create a virtual hard disk (size and type).

Configuring Settings

• Adjust CPU Allocation: Ensure that you don’t allocate too many resources to avoid slow performance.
• Networking Settings: Choose between NAT or bridged mode depending on desired network accessibility.
• Shared Clipboard: Enable clipboard sharing for copying and pasting between host and guest OS.

Features of VirtualBox

• Pause/Resume: Pause the VM to save resources while performing other tasks.
• Snapshots: Save the state of the VM for easy restoration after changes.
• Cloning: Create copies of VMs for backup or testing.

Conclusion

• Virtual machines are essential for learning IT skills, hacking, and experimenting with OS safely.
• Further knowledge in virtualization can lead to learning advanced topics like Docker and WSL2.
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