Running out of hard drive space due to virtual machines you’ve created to run other operating systems? There is a solution that does not require increasing the internal hard disk space.
We have previously written about how to install Ubuntu in VirtualBox. We found VirtualBox is available in a portable version that you can install on a USB stick. Download Portable-VirtualBox from vbox.me. It is a self-extracting ZIP file.
Install VirtualBox Portable
Run the downloaded executable file and extract the contents of the file to an external USB drive.
A Portable-VirtualBox folder is created on your USB stick. Go to the Portable-VirtualBox folder and double-click the Portable-VirtualBox.exe file.
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The Portable-VirtualBox dialog box opens. Select the options you want (four check boxes) and click the Download VirtualBox installation file button.
The notification is displayed above the dialog box
and also on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen.
After the download is complete, a dialog box appears with information about the location of the downloaded file.
In the Portable-VirtualBox folder, you will see the VirtualBox.exe file. However, don’t run this file.
Double-click the Portable-VirtualBox.exe file again. The Portable-VirtualBox dialog box is displayed again. Select the options you want. However, this time click the Search File button and select the VirtualBox.exe file. Click OK.
The files and folders of the program are extracted to the Portable-VirtualBox folder.
Double-click the Portable-VirtualBox.exe file again. The main VirtualBox window will be displayed.
NOTE. First, you can see the registration screen. You don’t need to register, but the screen will be displayed every time you open VirtualBox until you register. There seems to be no way to prevent VirtualBox from asking you to register.
When you create new virtual machines, they are automatically saved in the data folder under the Portable-VirtualBox folder on your USB drive.
Now you can create virtual machines on a USB stick just like on an internal hard drive. Enjoy!
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