how to use virtualbox select start up disk

How to Use VirtualBox to Select Startup Disk for Raspberry Pi

Are you tired of switching between your Raspberry Pi and PC or Mac? Do you want to run the Raspberry Pi Foundation's desktop operating system, Debian with Raspberry Pi Desktop (Raspberry Pi Desktop), on your PC or Mac without the need for a separate device? If so, VirtualBox is here to help. In this article, we'll show you how to use VirtualBox to select startup disk and run Raspberry Pi Desktop on your PC or Mac.

For those who are new to VirtualBox, it's an open-source virtual machine software that allows you to create and run multiple virtual machines (VMs) on a single physical host. This means you can install multiple operating systems, including Raspberry Pi Desktop, on your PC or Mac without the need for multiple devices.

To get started with VirtualBox and Raspberry Pi Desktop, follow these steps:

1. First, download and install VirtualBox from the official website.

2. Once installed, create a new virtual machine by going to 'File' > 'New' in the VirtualBox menu bar.

3. Choose 'Linux' as the operating system and select 'Debian with Raspberry Pi Desktop' (Raspberry Pi Desktop) from the dropdown list.

4. Set up the VM's settings, such as the RAM allocation, CPU core count, and network configuration.

5. Click 'Create' to create a new virtual hard disk for your VM.

Now that you have created your VM, it's time to select the startup disk. To do this:

1. Go back to the VirtualBox main menu and select the VM you just created.

2. Click on 'Settings' > 'Storage' in the right-hand side panel.

3. In the Storage settings window, click on the 'Add new storage controller' button.

4. Select 'SATA' as the storage controller type and then click 'Create new virtual hard disk.'

5. Choose a location to save your virtual hard disk file and set its size according to your needs.

6. Click 'Finish' to complete the creation of the virtual hard disk.

Now that you have created and selected the startup disk, you can start your VM and run Raspberry Pi Desktop on your PC or Mac. To do this:

1. Go back to the VirtualBox main menu and select the VM you just created.

2. Click on 'Start' > 'Start' in the right-hand side panel to start your VM.

3. Once your VM is started, log in using the default username 'pi' and password 'raspberry.'

4. You can now use Raspberry Pi Desktop as if it were running on a physical Raspberry Pi device.

In conclusion, VirtualBox provides an easy way to run Raspberry Pi Desktop on your PC or Mac without the need for a separate device. By following these steps, you can create a virtual machine and select the startup disk to run Raspberry Pi Desktop. This is useful for testing out projects when your Pi isn't handy or if you want to use your PC or Mac as a substitute for your Raspberry Pi.

How to use virtualbox select start up disk