Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

This article will tell you how to install a Linux distribution on a Mac OS without having to format a disk or partition.

Steps

1. 1 Download the latest version of the Linux distribution you want.
2. 2 Download VirtualBox for Mac OS X.
3. 3 Install VirtualBox.
4. 4 Launch VirtualBox and create a new virtual machine by clicking New in the upper left corner of the VirtualBox window.
5. 5 Give a name to the virtual machine and click Next.
6. 6 Select "Linux" as the operating system and specify the distribution kit of this system.
7. 7 Check "Bootable hard drive (Primary Master)" and "Create new hard drive". Click Next.
8. 8 Select "Dynamic Virtual Disk".
9. 9 After completing the process of creating a virtual machine, start it; the system installation wizard will open.
10. 10 To select the downloaded disk image with the Linux distribution, click "CD-DVD ROM" - "Image" (at the bottom of the window). To find the image (ISO file) of a Linux disk, click on the folder with the green arrow.
    • Once this process is complete, the virtual machine will start and you can proceed to install Linux on it.

Tips

• More information on installing VirtualBox can be found here.
• When you're done with Linux, you don't need to shut down the system — just press the pause button.
• Give the virtual machine an appropriate name, for example, if you are going to use Ubuntu 8.04, name it “Ubuntu 8.04”.
• Look for the downloaded ISO file in the download folder.

Warnings

• If your hard drive does not have enough free space, you will not be able to install VirtualBox and Ubuntu.

What do you need

• MacBook (Intel)
• At least 8 GB of free hard disk space
• Internet access
• Image (ISO file) of the selected Linux distribution
• VirtualBox (from Sun Microsystems)