# A Quick Linux VM on Windows with Vagrant ## Overview In [What is this "Linux", anyhow?](../../../what-is-linux/get-you-a-linux) we mention using Vagrant as a way to quickly configure a Linux **virtual machine** , and the [Raspberry Pi Kernel-o-Matic](../../../raspberry-pi-kernel-o-matic/overview) uses Vagrant to set up a VM for cross-compiling a custom Raspberry Pi kernel. Vagrant is a software package designed to let you easily create disposable VMs from a library of freely-downloadable images and connect to them, all with a few simple commands in a terminal. The idea is that you can continue to run your desktop OS like Mac OS X or Windows 7 or whatever, but then make a tiny new Linux computer in a window that you can connect to whenever you need to run Linux software Unfortunately this isn't quite as seamless on Windows machines as on GNU/Linux or OS X systems, but with a few minutes of effort you should be able to do this any time you feel like it: ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/023/466/medium800/hacks_hello_world.png?1424814791) This is a brief guide to installing the three moving pieces needed to make this work well on a Windows machine: 1. Vagrant itself 2. VirtualBox to run virtual machines 3. msysGit, a Windows distribution of Git and some other Unix tools, for cloning git repositories containing Vagrant configurations and connecting to your new VM with SSH # A Quick Linux VM on Windows with Vagrant ## Install Vagrant First, [hit the Vagrant site](https://www.vagrantup.com/) and look for a "DOWNLOAD" button. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/023/468/medium800/hacks_vagrant_site.png?1424815673) Click on the Windows installer link, and save the installer: ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/023/469/medium800/hacks_vagrant_download.png?1424815642) Then run the installer. Default choices should be fine. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/023/470/medium800/hacks_vagrant_setup1.png?1424815763) ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/023/471/medium800/hacks_vagrant_setup2.png?1424815773) ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/023/472/medium800/hacks_vagrant_setup3.png?1424815786) ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/023/473/medium800/hacks_vagrant_setup4.png?1424815800) ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/023/474/medium800/hacks_vagrant_setup_finish.png?1424815825) # A Quick Linux VM on Windows with Vagrant ## Install msysGit Next, we'll install **msysGit** , which is a distribution of the [git version control system](http://git-scm.com/). Git isn't strictly necessary for working with Vagrant, but it provides a version of the Bash shell, SSH, and other tools we'll find helpful.  Later on, if you have Git installed, you can use it to keep up to date with things like the [Kernel-o-Matic](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit-Pi-Kernel-o-Matic). Info: Again, visit the [msysGit site](https://msysgit.github.io/) and look for a "Download" button. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/023/476/medium800/hacks_msysgit_site.png?1424816167) Run the installer. Windows will likely ask you several times if you'd like to allow the installer to run and modify your system. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/023/477/medium800/hacks_git_setup.png?1424816264) For most options, the defaults should be acceptable. You may want to select "Use Git from the Windows Command Prompt", but it shouldn't make any real difference for our purposes. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/023/478/medium800/hacks_use_git_from_windows_prompt.png?1424816349) ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/023/479/medium800/hacks_msysgit_line_endings.png?1424817422) For convenience, you might want to choose "In the Quick Launch" and "On the Desktop" under "Additional icons". ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/023/480/medium800/hacks_msysgit_desktop.png?1424817548) # A Quick Linux VM on Windows with Vagrant ## Install VirtualBox Lastly, we need VirtualBox to actually _run_ the virtual machine we're going to configure. Head to [virtualbox.org](https://www.virtualbox.org/) and look for the [Downloads](https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads) link, then find the Windows installer. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/023/481/medium800/hacks_virtualbox_site.png?1424817921) ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/023/483/medium800/hacks_vbox_download.png?1424817855) As with Vagrant and msysGit, run the installer, and click through options. Defaults should be fine. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/023/484/medium800/hacks_vbox_setup.png?1424817878) If all has gone well, you should be ready to start up a Vagrant box. # A Quick Linux VM on Windows with Vagrant ## Run Bash and Fire up a New Vagrant Box First, look for the Git Bash prompt provided by msysGit. It's probably on your desktop, but if you can't find it there, have a look in the Start Menu. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/023/485/medium800/hacks_git_bash.png?1424818894) This is a version of Bash, which is a standard shell on GNU/Linux systems (for shell basics, [start here](../../../../what-is-the-command-line)). Fire it up and enter the following commands: ```auto mkdir vagrant_demo cd vagrant_demo vagrant init hashicorp/precise32 ``` ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/023/486/medium800/hacks_start_making_vagrant_demo.png?1424818912) You should now have a folder containing a basic `Vagrantfile`. (There's a [lot of documentation](http://docs.vagrantup.com/v2/vagrantfile/) on Vagrantfiles.) Next, do `vagrant up`, which should download an image, set it up, and start a virtual machine running in VirtualBox. This will probably take a while. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/023/488/medium800/hacks_vagrant_up_finished.png?1424819012) ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/023/489/medium800/hacks_vagrant_i_have_prompt.png?1424819044) There you have it: A working Linux VM. What now? Well, you can: - Continue with the [Getting Started section](https://docs.vagrantup.com/v2/getting-started/index.html) of the official Vagrant manual. - Check out our ongoing series of introductory Linux tutorials: - [What is this "Linux", anyhow?](../../../../what-is-linux) - [What is the Command Line?](../../../../what-is-the-command-line) - [An Illustrated Shell Command Primer](../../../../an-illustrated-shell-command-primer) - [An Illustrated Guide to Shell Magic: Standard I/O & Redirection](../../../../basic-shell-magic/overview) - [An Illustrated Guide to Shell Magic: Typing Less & Doing More](../../../../an-illustrated-guide-to-shell-magic-typing-less-and-doing-more) Once you're done with a machine, you can remove it with `vagrant destroy`. If you're interested in trying other operating systems and configurations, [read the manual on boxes](https://docs.vagrantup.com/v2/boxes.html), then have a look at the [list of available boxes from HashiCorp](https://atlas.hashicorp.com/boxes/search) - you're not limited to these, but it's a good place to start. ## Featured Products ### Linux "Tux" Penguin - Skill badge, iron-on patch [Linux "Tux" Penguin - Skill badge, iron-on patch](https://www.adafruit.com/product/553) You hacked, modded or made something with Linux! Adafruit offers a fun and exciting "badges" of achievement for electronics, science and engineering. We believe everyone should be able to be rewarded for learning a useful skill, a badge is just one of the many ways to show and... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/553) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/553/guides) ### Linux "Tux" Penguin - Sticker [Linux "Tux" Penguin - Sticker](https://www.adafruit.com/product/663) You hacked, modded or made something with Linux! Adafruit offers a fun and exciting stickers to achievement for electronics, science and engineering. We believe everyone should be able to be rewarded for learning a useful skill, a sticker is just one of the many ways to show and share. No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/663) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/663/guides) ## Related Guides - [Adafruit Speaker Bonnet for Raspberry Pi](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-speaker-bonnet-for-raspberry-pi.md) - [Install bluez on the Raspberry Pi](https://learn.adafruit.com/install-bluez-on-the-raspberry-pi.md) - [Living Ventriloquist Dummy with MONSTER M4SK Eyes](https://learn.adafruit.com/living-ventriloquist-dummy-with-monster-m4sk-eyes.md) - [Use Apple HomeKit Devices with itsaSNAP and Adafruit IO](https://learn.adafruit.com/use-apple-homekit-devices-with-itsasnap.md) - [An Illustrated Guide to Shell Magic: Typing Less & Doing More](https://learn.adafruit.com/an-illustrated-guide-to-shell-magic-typing-less-and-doing-more.md) - [3D Printing on Diffraction Grating Sheets](https://learn.adafruit.com/3d-printing-on-diffraction-grating-sheets.md) - [Contribute to CircuitPython with Git and GitHub](https://learn.adafruit.com/contribute-to-circuitpython-with-git-and-github.md) - [Crayola Scented Candle](https://learn.adafruit.com/crayola-scented-candle.md) - [LEGO Set Lighting](https://learn.adafruit.com/lego-set-lighting.md) - [Adafruit Feather RP2040 with USB Type A Host](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-feather-rp2040-with-usb-type-a-host.md) - [Make Beautiful Fritzing Parts with kicad2fritzing](https://learn.adafruit.com/make-beautiful-fritzing-parts-with-kicad2fritzing.md) - [Stand-alone programming AVRs using CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/stand-alone-programming-avrs-using-circuitpython.md) - [Furby 2012 Teardown](https://learn.adafruit.com/furby-2012-teardown.md) - [USB to Eurorack Power Supply](https://learn.adafruit.com/usb-to-eurorack-power-supply.md) - [Dimmable Li-Ion Halogen Bike Light](https://learn.adafruit.com/dimmable-li-ion-halogen-bike-light.md)