linux - Can I have 'local root' accounts inside a VirtualBox guest OS?

08
2014-07
  • Momchil

    Do you know if I can get a local 'root' inside a VirtualBox guest OS (Linux)?

    I need this to install the "guest extensions". Should this be the same as my "host" OS root?

    • Answers
  • slhck

    The user accounts on a virtual machine have no connection to those from the hosting operating system.

    When you need to install guest additions with root permissions, then you need to have root permissions on the virtual machine. You can do that by

    • creating (or logging into) the root user account there, or
    • running sudo commands as a privileged user (if the Linux distribution does not have root accounts by default)

    • Related Question

    virtual machine - Can a 64-bit OS run as a guest on a 64-bit VirtualBox host?
  • Peltier

    Is it possible to run a 64-bit OS as a guest on a 64-bit machine with VirtualBox? I'm guessing it should be, but I'd like to make sure.

    Do some virtualization technologies allow a single guest machine to use multiple cores? I guess it should be possible, but my VirtualBox open-source edition doesn't seem to do it.


    • Related Answers
  • caliban

    Yes, you can run a 64-bit OS as a guest with VirtualBox on a 64-bit host.

    VirtualBox will definitely allow usage of multiple cores on guest machines, but it depends on your hardware - quintessentially your CPU.

    For example, on certain Intel CPUs - especially the Duo Core (Celeron) series, it does not support VT-x technology, and also does not support EMT64 technology, thus you are limited to running only on a single core, and 32-bit guest OSes.

    Check your processor, the defining factors are there.

    Intel Processor Spec Finder

  • Rowland Shaw

    Yes. Although, you need your BIOS to support virtualisation extensions