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Setting up a virtual machine with VirtualBox for local testing

Virtual machines allow you to safely test website configurations in a controlled environment on your local computer. VirtualBox is a popular virtualization application that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux and provides a user-friendly interface for creating and managing virtual machines.

About Virtual Machines

Section titled “About Virtual Machines”

Virtual machines emulate a computer, letting you install an entire operating system within your existing OS. They run in an isolated environment, enabling you to test new features, applications, and configurations without affecting your main system.

By creating a virtual machine that mirrors ruachost.com servers, you can safely develop and test websites locally before deploying them live.

Installing VirtualBox

Section titled “Installing VirtualBox”

Windows

Section titled “Windows”
  1. Go to VirtualBox Downloads.
  2. Click Windows hosts and download the .exe file.
  3. Run the file and follow the installation prompts.

macOS

Section titled “macOS”
  1. Go to VirtualBox Downloads.
  2. Click OS X hosts and download the .dmg file.
  3. Double-click the .dmg file and follow the installation prompts.

Linux

Section titled “Linux”
  1. Go to VirtualBox Downloads.
  2. Click Linux distributions and download the package for your distribution.
  3. Use your package manager to install the downloaded package.

Creating a Virtual Machine and Installing an Operating System

Section titled “Creating a Virtual Machine and Installing an Operating System”

Creating a New Virtual Machine

Section titled “Creating a New Virtual Machine”
  1. Start VirtualBox and click New in the Machine menu.
  2. Enter AlmaLinux as the name. VirtualBox should automatically select Linux for Type and AlmaLinux for Version.
  3. Click Next.
  4. Allocate RAM to the virtual machine and click Next.
    Tip: Allocate at least 512 MB of RAM.
  5. In the Hard disk dialog, select Create a virtual hard disk now, then click Create.
  6. Select VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image), click Next.
  7. Choose Dynamically allocated, click Next.
  8. Specify the file location and size for the virtual hard disk, then click Create.
    Tip: Allocate at least 5 GB of disk space.

Installing AlmaLinux

Section titled “Installing AlmaLinux”
  1. Download the AlmaLinux Minimal ISO from AlmaLinux Downloads.
  2. In VirtualBox, select your virtual machine and click Start.
  3. In the Select start-up disk dialog, click the folder icon and select the .iso file you downloaded, then click Start.
  4. On the AlmaLinux installation page, select Install AlmaLinux.
  5. Choose your language and click Continue.
  6. Complete any items marked with a yellow warning icon on the Installation Summary page, then click Begin Installation.
    Tip: Set the root password and create a regular user during installation.
  7. After installation, click Reboot to start your virtual machine. You now have a fully functional AlmaLinux environment on your local computer.

More Information

Section titled “More Information”

For additional guidance on VirtualBox, visit https://www.virtualbox.org.