Setting Up Debian 12 on VirtualBox: A Quick Guide

Some notes regarding my installation of Debian 12 on a virtual machine running on a MacBook Pro 16” 2020 (Intel). I wanted to move away from macOS for coding due to recurring issues with gfortran or ruby/bundler. Therefore, I aimed to set up a lightweight Linux VM on my laptop for these tasks.

After encountering issues while updating this website, I decided to try Debian 12. The following post contains quick notes regarding the installation of Debian 12 in VirtualBox, in case I need to redo it in the future, and perhaps others may find it useful too!

Step 1: Download Debian

Download the latest version of Debian directly from the Debian website. I used version 12.10.

Step 2: Install the Latest VirtualBox

Check the available images and instructions on the VirtualBox website. I installed version 7.1.6 along with the extension pack.

Step 3: Run the Automatic Installation

I used the automatic installation feature in VirtualBox, which was new to me and quite convenient. You can specify the username and password in advance.

Notes:

The automatic installation of the VBox Guest Additions asks for an ISO image, which I couldn’t find initially. However, this can be added later, so it’s nothing to worry about.
Indicate your preferred system settings in the options, then run the automatic installation.

Post-Installation Note: The keyboard layout wasn’t set up correctly. I had to change it after the first boot. The incorrect layout still appears briefly during boot, but I plan to resolve this later. I also added my username to the sudoer group to be able to use the sudo command.

Step 4: Install VBox Guest Additions

To avoid screen issues and enable shared folders, install the VBox Guest Additions.

Install Required Packages:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r) gcc make perl

Add User to vboxsf Group:
```
sudo usermod -aG vboxsf YOURUSERNAME
```
Insert VBox Guest Additions ISO:
- Shut down Debian.
- Insert the VBox Guest Additions ISO via VirtualBox settings.
- Start Debian again.
Run the Installer:
- Once Debian starts, you should see the VBox Guest Additions CD in the file browser. Run the installer and enter your superuser password when prompted.
Reboot:
- Reboot the system to apply the changes. Graphics and shared folders should now work correctly.

Ruby and Bundler Setup

I needed Ruby and Bundler to manage this website. Here are some tips to remember:

Set the Path for Bundle Gems:

bundle config set path /home/USERNAME/.gem

Install Required Libraries for nokogiri:

sudo apt-get install build-essential patch ruby-dev zlib1g-dev liblzma-dev

Install Gems:
```
bundle install
```

This should install the gems in your local folder without any issues.

Get Miniconda

Miniconda is excellent for managing Python environments. Follow the official instructions to install it.

Why Miniconda?

Miniconda allows you to create isolated environments for your Python projects, making it easier to manage dependencies and avoid conflicts.

Future Updates

I will update this post if I encounter any further issues or find additional tips worth sharing.