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I have VirtualBox up and running on my Linux machine.

I've installed Apache and PHP, and have http://sourceforge.net/projects/phpvirtualbox/ up and running.

I created a new virtual machine using phpVirtualBox (which mimics Oracle's VirtualBox GUI and is nice for headless machines).

I added the Linux user which VirtualBox uses to the "cdrom" group.

I slapped my Windows 7 CD into my Linux machine (32 bit as the 64 bit didn't work), and clicked Start on the VirtualBox interface.

All is progressing perfectly! The preview display shows Windows being loaded. Then it comes to the screen where I am prompted to input language/time/keyboard and click "Next".

Click Next? How do I click Next? Or more generally, how do I interact with the VirtualBox? My only machine with a GUI is Windows 7.

I appear to have the extension pack installed:

login as: Michael
[email protected]'s password:
Last login: Sat May 23 10:06:04 2015 from 192.168.1.10
[Michael@devserver ~]$ VBoxManage list extpacks
Extension Packs: 1
Pack no. 0:   Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack
Version:      4.3.10
Revision:     93012
Edition:
Description:  USB 2.0 Host Controller, Host Webcam, VirtualBox RDP, PXE ROM with                                                                                                                                                              E1000 support.
VRDE Module:  VBoxVRDP
Usable:       true
Why unusable:
[Michael@devserver ~]$
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2 Answers 2

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Assuming you have correctly set up your virtual machine, a remote desktop server should be up and running. It will provide direct access to the VM’s console.

Depending on which version of Virtual Box (OSE or proprietary) you have installed, it will be either VNC (OSE) or RDP (proprietary). To use RDP, you need to have the “Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack” installed.

The RDP server is also accessible on the “console” tab in the Web UI. Example screenshots are available here, I don’t want to steal them. :)

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  • Thanks Daniel, I am using the free Virtual Box. Does that mean OSE or proprietary/RDP?. Do you know what "Take mstsc of host server where VirtualBox is running." in your referenced link is all about?
    – user1032531
    Commented May 23, 2015 at 18:22
  • Hello again! Please see my original post regarding the installed extension pack.
    – user1032531
    Commented May 23, 2015 at 18:27
  • OSE means Open Source Edition AKA “free”. It should support VNC out of the box. But you have the extension pack installed, so you can use RDP. mstsc is Microsoft Remote (or Terminal) Desktop Connection, the default RDP client on Windows.
    – Daniel B
    Commented May 23, 2015 at 18:27
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There is an easy way to do this, which circumvents PhpVirtualbox, thus letting you use your keyboard for the installation.

Connect to your remote machine via ssh with either the -X or the -Y option:

  ssh -Y myuser@remotepc

Then start the Virtualbox GUI from the CLI,

  /usr/bin/VirtualBox &

and now you are free to use your local keyboard.

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  • Does this answer assume I have a Linux machine with a GUI which I am connecting from?
    – user1032531
    Commented May 23, 2015 at 18:16
  • It assumes you a have *Nix machine, not necessarily a Linux machine. But if the question is, Does the above apply to my Windows machine, then the answer is no because it does not have an X server to connect to, from the remote pc.
    – MariusMatutiae
    Commented May 23, 2015 at 18:26

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