How to install CentOS 8 with VirtualBox 6.1 on Windows 10

If you’re looking to run CentOS 8 on your Windows 10 machine without dual-booting or risking your existing setup, VirtualBox is the way to go. This guide walks you through setting up CentOS 8 using VirtualBox 6.1—step-by-step, no guesswork.

What You Need

Before starting, make sure you’ve got these:

• Windows 10 system (with at least 8 GB RAM and 20+ GB free disk space)
• VirtualBox 6.1 installed – Download it here
• CentOS 8 ISO image – Get it from CentOS Mirror

Step 1: Install VirtualBox 6.1

1. Download VirtualBox 6.1 for Windows from the official site.
2. Run the installer. Stick with default options unless you know what you’re changing.
3. Finish installation and launch VirtualBox.

Step 2: Create a New Virtual Machine

1. Click “New”.
2. Name it something like CentOS 8.
3. Set Type to “Linux” and Version to “Red Hat (64-bit)”.
4. Hit Next.

Step 3: Allocate Memory

• Recommended: 2048 MB (2 GB) minimum.
• If you have more RAM, give it more (4 GB is ideal).

Click Next.

Step 4: Create a Virtual Hard Disk

1. Choose Create a virtual hard disk now.
2. Choose VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image).
3. Choose Dynamically allocated.
4. Set disk size to 20 GB or more.
5. Click Create.

💡 Need to expand your virtual disk later? Here’s a guide on how to enlarge a Virtual Machine’s disk in VirtualBox or VMware.

Step 5: Mount the CentOS 8 ISO

1. Select your new VM and click Settings.
2. Go to Storage.
3. Under Controller: IDE, click the empty disc icon.
4. On the right, click the disc dropdown > Choose a disk file.
5. Find and select the CentOS 8 ISO you downloaded.
6. Click OK.

Step 6: Boot and Install CentOS 8

1. Click Start to boot the VM.
2. On the boot menu, choose Install CentOS Linux 8.
3. Follow the on-screen installer:
   • Choose language and keyboard layout.
   • Set time zone.
   • Under Installation Destination, select your virtual disk.
   • Accept defaults unless you want to manually partition.
4. Set a root password and optionally create a user.
5. Click Begin Installation.
6. Once done, reboot when prompted.

Step 7: Eject the ISO

After the first reboot:

1. Go to Settings > Storage.
2. Remove the CentOS ISO under Controller: IDE.
3. This ensures the system boots from the virtual hard drive, not the installer again.

Step 8: First Boot & Final Setup

1. Boot into CentOS 8.
2. Log in with your root or user credentials.
3. Update the system: sudo dnf update -y

Optional: install Guest Additions for better screen resolution and clipboard sharing between host and VM.

Done.

You’ve now got CentOS 8 running on your Windows 10 machine using VirtualBox 6.1. Use it to test software, practice server setups, or explore Linux—all without touching your main OS.

If you run into trouble, drop your issue in the comments. I’ll try to help.