If you’re looking for a lightweight, systemd-free Linux distro, antiX Linux 23.2 is a great choice. It’s designed to run on older hardware but works just as well in virtual environments like VirtualBox. This guide walks you through installing antiX 23.2 on VirtualBox from scratch.

What You’ll Need

Before you begin, make sure you have:

• VirtualBox installed (latest version recommended)
• antiX Linux 23.2 ISO (download from https://antixlinux.com)
• At least 512 MB RAM and 5 GB disk space (recommended: 1 GB RAM, 10 GB disk)

Step 1: Create a New Virtual Machine

1. Open VirtualBox
2. Click “New”
3. Name it: antiX 23.2
4. Set Type to Linux
5. Set Version to Debian (32-bit) or Debian (64-bit) depending on your ISO
6. Click Next

Step 2: Configure VM Resources

• Memory size: Set at least 1024 MB
• Hard disk: Choose Create a virtual hard disk now
• Click Create

Hard disk settings:

• Type: VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image)
• Storage: Dynamically allocated
• Size: 10 GB or more

💡 Need more space later? You can enlarge a virtual machine’s disk in VirtualBox or VMware after installation.

Step 3: Mount the antiX 23.2 ISO

1. Select your new VM
2. Click Settings > Storage
3. Under Controller: IDE, click the empty disk icon
4. Click the disk icon on the right and choose “Choose a disk file…”
5. Select the antiX 23.2 ISO
6. Click OK

Step 4: Boot and Start the Installation

1. Start the VM
2. When the boot menu appears, select:
   • antiX-23.2 Full 64-bit (or 32-bit)
3. Press Enter

Let it boot into the live desktop. It may take a minute.

Step 5: Install antiX to the Virtual Hard Drive

1. On the desktop, double-click “Install” or run the installer from the menu
2. Choose language and keyboard options
3. When prompted for install type, select Auto Install using entire disk
4. Choose the virtual hard disk (should be sda)
5. Follow the prompts to set:
   • Time zone
   • Hostname
   • User account and root password

After installation finishes, shut down the system.

Step 6: Remove the ISO and Boot from Disk

1. Go to Settings > Storage
2. Remove the ISO file from the virtual optical drive (click the disk icon and select “Remove disk from virtual drive”)
3. Start the VM again

You should now boot into your freshly installed antiX Linux 23.2 system!

Optional: Improve Performance and Enable Full Screen

• Install VirtualBox Guest Additions: antiX doesn’t use systemd, so full support might not work out of the box, but you can still enable basic integration like:
  • Shared clipboard
  • Drag and drop
  • Fullscreen mode

📺 Want antiX Linux to run in full screen on VirtualBox? Follow this same process used for Ubuntu:
👉 How to Make Ubuntu Full Screen on VirtualBox in Windows 10 and Windows 11 — it works for antiX too.

Final Thoughts

antiX is ideal for lightweight desktops, privacy-focused users, or those just curious about non-systemd Linux. Installing it in VirtualBox lets you explore without touching your main system.