3.0 Virtual Machine Setup

A customized virtual machine has been provided for all students that is fully configured.

Important

Virtualization must be enabled! If not by default, this will need to be updated in the computer’s BIOS.

Note

View tutorial video [1-2]

1. Please download the virtual machine(vm) by clicking here

  • The download will begin immediately or you may need to simply confirm to Download Anyway depending on your browser. Note the file is quite large ~2GB so it will take a few minutes to complete.
  • By default the file will be named blg-starter-vm.ova and will be saved within your Downloads folder.

2. Install VirtualBox-5.2 for your respective operating system, select the correct package for Mac, Windows and Linux distributions below

  • Mac users may download directly from here
  • Windows users may download directly from here
  • Linux users will need to find the correct package for their distribution here

Note

View tutorial video [3-5]

3. Once downloaded double-click on the package to open it and follow the simple steps to complete the installation

4. Once installed open VirtualBox

  • For Mac users VirtualBox will be located within the Applications folder and may be opened by clicking on the icon
  • Otherwise you may search for VirtualBox on linux or Windows machines to locate the installed application

5. Import the downloaded vm

  • Within the VirtualBox application click on File in the top left corner
  • In the dropdown menu click “Import Appliance…”, this will open a dialog window
  • In the dialog window, click the file icon beside the bottom text field to search for the location the vm was downloaded to, it will be named blg-starter-vm.ova by default and will be located in your Downloads folder, click on the vm to select it
  • Click the Import button in the bottom bar, this will take a few minutes
  • Once completed a new VM will be present within VirtualBox that is currently stopped with the name blg-starter-vm

Note

View tutorial video [6-7]

6. Start the vm!

  • Click on the new vm and then click the Start button
  • In the dropdown click Normal Start
  • This will take a few minutes, your vm is starting!
  • Note ONLY if the VM fails to start

Note

It is most likely due to virtualization not being enabled on your machine, this will need to be accomplished in the BIOS of your machine. The process to boot into BIOS is highly dependent on your specific computer and instructions will need to be sourced online. In many cases restarting the computer and holding the esc button may do so.

  • You will be prompted with the dialog below, simply ensure *Ubuntu is highlighted and hit the enter key
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Blockchain-Learning-Group/course-resources/master/vm-boot-window.png

7. Finally you will have a brand new Ubuntu 16.04 virtual machine up and running with all the required dependecies

Well done, you are all set!

8. Stop the vm

  • Prior to the beginning of the course you may wish to stop the vm
  • Within VirtualBox right-click on the vm that is running
  • In the dropdown menu click “Stop”, this will stop your vm which you can easily start back up when the course begins by following step 6 above