1)Download VirtualBox v2.2.4 from here (works for all Windows OSes as well as 32-bit and 64-bit)
http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbo...78-Win.exe
2)Install it like you would install any other application, no technical stuff here.
3)Open it up and click the "New" button on the top-left.
4)Click "Next", then enter a name for your virtual PC, and select the relevant operating system (Windows in this case) and Version (XP or Vista, which ever you want).
5)Now you get to assign how much RAM you want the virtual PC to have. You shouldn't assign more then 50% of your actual RAM as this might give a "low host memory" error while you're running the VM. I personally have 2GB and I installed XP, so I assigned 768MB memory to it, which is enough for XP to run smoothly. If you have Vista, you're gonna need at least 1.5 GB to run it smoothly.
6)Now you have to create a virtual hard disk, where the virtual OS, and all other files will go. Obviously as this is your first time, select "Create new hard disk"
7)Hit "Next" the first time, then you have to select the type of HD you want to create.
Dynamically expanding storage:In this, you assign a maximum size to your virtual HD, but it doesn't take up that much disk space as soon as you create it. It expands as the virtual PC demands more space. But it will stop expanding once it reaches its max size (which you specify in a later step).
Fixed storage:Simple; you assign, say, 5GB of space, and a 5GB file is created. All your virtual data will be stored in here.
I personally recommend you to choose the Dynamically expanding option, since it saves disk space as long as you don't need it.
Select your desired option, and click "Next"
8)This virtual hard disk is actually just a single file with a .vdi extension, you don't need a separate partition for it or anything. By default, this vdi file will be created in your system folder (C drive in most cases), but if you want to save it somewhere else, then click on the small folder icon to the right of the name bar and choose a desired location.
Also assign a max size for your virtual hard disk. Choose how much you want, and how much you have to spare. For an XP install, with some basic apps like Firefox and a bunch of hacking tools, 3.5GB should be enough. For Vista, you'll need at least 6-7GB.
9)Review the specs of the virtual HD and press "Finish" Hit "Finish" again.
10)Now just one last step: Your virtual machine should appear in the left pane. Select it, and click "Settings" Go into the "CD ROM" tab on the left, check "Mount CD/DVD drive"
Check "Mount CD/DVD drive" if you want to install it from a disc (also insert the disc). Alternatively, select "ISO Image File" if you want to install from an ISO file, browse and select the relevant OS ISO.
11)In the "General" tab, you can also assign the amount of video memory you want the guest OS to have (the OS installed on a VM is called a guest OS). Be default, its 4MB which is pretty low. Again, don't assign more then 50% of your real VRAM. I personally have 512MB and I assigned 128MB. Also check the "Enable Hardware Acceleration" option below if you have a dedicated gfx card (not ones that come built-in to the motherboard).
12)Click OK, and you're done. Select the VM from the left pane, and hit "Start". Install the OS as you would install it on a real PC, there's no difference.
13)Once you've done installing, there are few things to do. Firstly, go into the "Devices" menu of the VM window and click "Install Guest Additions". This is a 20MB ISO which will add more functionality to your VM like automatic mouse pointer integration and allow you to set a higher screen resolution for example.
14)If you've installed XP, then see whether or not the internet is working. There was a bug in v2.2.0 (the version I'm using) where internet via DSL and LAN didn't work with NAT. This has probably probably been fixed with the new v2.2.4, but in case it hasn't been:
a) Download this DLL file:
http://www.mediafire.com /?0qt3z2ozjyq(it is also present on Sun's website, but the link was very obscure so I just uploaded it elsewhere)
b) Copy it, and paste it in the VirtualBox folder i.e. C:\Program Files\Sun\xVM VirtualBox
Make a back-up of the original DLL just to be safe
c) Check if it works, if it still doesn't go into the VM's settings again, and in the network tab, make sure "Enable Network Adapter" is checked. If you're using LAN, also make sure that the "Attached to" is set to NAT.
d) If it still won't budge, ask for help at VirtualBox forums.
