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Use Portable VirtualBox to Take Virtual Machines With You Everywhere

Install Portable VirtualBox to an External Drive

First, get started by downloading the Portable VirtualBox installer from vbox.me. Run the downloaded file and extract it to an external drive or wherever else you want to store your portable VirtualBox system. You can always move it later, if you like.
extract-portable-virtualbox-to-usb-drive
Launch the Portable-VirtualBox.exe program from here and you’ll be prompted to download and install VirtualBox’s program files on your external drive. The tool can automatically download VirtualBox’s files for you. After it does, click the OK button to unpack them.
If the full version of VirtualBox is already installed on your computer, you won’t see this screen and VirtualBox will just open instead. You’ll want to uninstall VirtualBox first or set this up on a computer without VirtualBox installed.
portable-virtualbox-setup[4]
Launch the program again after it finishes unpacking files. After you agree to a UAC prompt, you’ll see the standard VirtualBox window.
virtualbox
A VirtualBox system tray icon will appear while Portable VirtualBox is running. If you don’t see it, click the up arrow in your system tray to access the rest of the icons.
Right-click this icon and select Settings or press Ctrl+5 to modify Portable VirtualBox’s settings.
portable-virtualbox-system-tray-icon
Note that USB and Network support are disabled by default. To use these features, select the appropriate tab in the configuration window and enable either option. You’ll be prompted to install the appropriate drivers on the current system every time you open Portable VirtualBox.
Settings you change here are saved in Portable VirtualBox’s directory so they’ll follow you between computers.
enable-network-support-in-portable-virtualbox

Create and Run Virtual Machines

Creating a virtual machine is simple. Just click the New button in Portable VirtualBox and go through the wizard to create a new virtual machine and install an operating system in it. Run Portable VirtualBox on another PC and your virtual machines will appear in the window, ready to use.
By default, Portable VirtualBox will save your virtual machines to the Portable-VirtualBox\data\.VirtualBox\Machines directory. You should be able to your external drive open them in Portable VirtualBox.
portable-virtualbox



Be sure to quit VirtualBox and allow Portable VirtualBox to clean up before unplugging your USB drive. You should also safely remove your USB drive before unplugging it from your computer. If you yank the USB drive out of your computer while a virtual machine is running, that virtual machine’s files may be corrupted.
exit-portable-virtualbox
Portable VirtualBox can also be installed on a live Linux USB drive. You can then use it to run the Linux system on the USB drive from within Windows without even restarting your computer.
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