TEST-DRIVE UBUNTU IN VIRTUALBOX
If you’d like to give Ubuntu a thorough test drive without committing an entire PC to it, the next step is to run it inside a virtual machine (VM). The best tool for the job is VirtualBox ( www.virtualbox. org). You’ll also need a copy of the Ubuntu 21.04 install media in ISO format from www.ubuntu.com/download.
In VirtualBox, choose Machine>New. Type Ubuntu 21.04 into the Name field and you’ll see it automatically assigns its type (Linux) and version (Ubuntu 64-bit). Check the default Machine Folder and change the drive if necessary, to one that has at least 32GB spare. Click Next and allocate it a minimum of 2,048MB (2GB) RAM, though preferably more. Leave ‘Create a virtual hard disk now’ and click Create followed by Next twice, then set the size to 32GB and click Create.
Your new VM will be created. Next, click Settings to tweak its hardware settings. If your PC is powerful enough, select the System> Processor tab to allocate it between two and four CPUs. Select Display and tick Enable 3D Acceleration and allocate the maximum (128MB) amount of video memory you can. Finally, under Storage select the Empty DVD drive under Controller: IDE and click the disc button on the right to select your Ubuntu 21.04 install ISO file.
Once done, click OK followed by Start to launch your VM, then follow the steps to install Ubuntu. It’s a simple process in a VM: just leave ‘Erase disk and install Ubuntu’ selected under Installation type and click Install Now when prompted. At the end, it will automatically ‘eject’ the install disc, so press Enter to reboot.
When you boot into Ubuntu itself, the screen will initially be cramped. Skip through the first-run wizard, then open Settings>Screen Display to choose a more comfortable view, eg. 1,360x768.