Download and Install Ubuntu Server 18.04 in VirtualBox on MacOS

In the previous blog post I showed you how to download and install Ubuntu desktop version in VirtualBox in MacOS:

In a previous blog post I showed you how to install VirtualBox in MacOS. Please follow that post before continuing with this guide:
https://eyeteahero.blogspot.com/2019/04/installing-virtual-box-in-mac-os.html

In this blog I will be showing you how to download and install one of the most popular and free server operating systems, Ubuntu. This is version 18.04 which is the LTS (Long Term Support) version that will have security updates from Canonical for 5 years and is the recommended version to use.

Download Ubuntu Server 18.04

Go to https://ubuntu.com/download/server and click Download


Save the .iso file to your computer


Installing Ubuntu Server

When the download finishes open VirtualBox and click New


Name the VM Ubuntu 18.04 Server, leave the remaining default as shown and click Continue

Choose the memory size and click Continue, the default value is good for now and can be changed later


Leave the default to create a new virtual hard disk and click Create


Leave the hard disk file type as the default VDI and click Continue


Leave the default Dynamically allocated and click Continue


Click Start to start your new VM


Click the icon shown below to browse to the .iso file we downloaded in the first step


Select the .iso file you downloaded in the first step of this guide and click Open


Click Start


Ubuntu Server Installer

Select your prefer language with the keyboard keys and press Enter

Select your keyboard layout and use the arrow keys to highlight Done and press Enter


Configure your interface however you want (if you're not sure just leave the default) and use the arrow keys to highlight Done and press Enter


If you use a proxy address specify it here (if you're not sure leave this blank) then use the arrow keys to highlight Done and press Enter


Leave mirror address as default or specify a different mirror if you wish then use the arrow keys to highlight Done and press Enter


Highlight Use An Entire Disk and press Enter


Leave the default and press Enter


Confirm the settings and press Enter on the word Done


Confirm the action and press Enter on Continue


Fill out the following information and then highlight the word Done below and press Enter


Choose to install OpenSSH server if you like, if not leave it blank and highlight the word Done and press Enter


You can select different software/snaps to install on this screen. This is very convenient but everything can be installed at a later time and for the sake of this demonstration we will skip this and highlight the word Done by pressing the Tab key then press Enter


The installation continues, for the sake of this demonstration I will use the arrow keys to highlight Cancel update and reboot and press Enter


First Boot Ubuntu Server

The server will now reboot and prompt you to log in for the first time. It may seem like the server is frozen but actually it is waiting for you to type your user name and password that you specified during the installer. Type your user name and password and press Enter

You are now logged into your new Ubuntu Server


Join us in a future blog where we will be showing you some of the default tasks in Ubuntu Server such as changing your host name, ip address, installing updates and installing software.

 Additional Resources:
https://ubuntu.com/
https://www.virtualbox.org/