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On VirtualBox, if you are creating a virtual machine or you want to install an application on the guest machine, you will probably need to mount an ISO file to access the setup files.
An ISO file is a container (also referred to as a “disk image”) that contains an exact copy of all the contents available on a physical disc, and it has become the most common medium to ship software and other information since it can be transmitted over the internet.
If you are using VirtualBox, you can connect ISO files in at least two ways through the VirtualBox Manager or from the virtual machine interface when the guest operating system is running.
In this guide, you will learn two ways to insert an ISO file to a VirtualBox virtual machine on Windows 10.
Mount ISO to a virtual machine with VirtualBox Manager
To mount an ISO file to a VM through the VirtualBox Manager, use these steps:
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Open VirtualBox.
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Right-click the virtual machine and select the Settings option.
VirtualBox context settings -
Click on Storage.
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Under the “Storage Drives” section, select the disc (Empty) item.
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Under the “Attributes” section, click the disc icon and select the Choose a disk file button.
Connect ISO option -
Select the ISO file.
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Click the Open button.
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(Optional) Check the Live CD/DVD option to keep the ISO mount even when the guest operating system tries to eject it.
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(Optional) Check the Hot-pluggable option to make the virtual drive appear as a hot-pluggable peripheral.
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Click the OK button.
Once you complete the steps, the ISO file will mount into the virtual machine. If you mounted an installation media, the operating system setup should start on the screen when the guest device starts. If you mounted the ISO file on a virtual machine already with an operating system, then the disk will appear in the operating system.
If you want to unmount the ISO file, then click the Choose a disk file button while in the “Storage” settings and then select the Remove disk from virtual drive option.
Mount ISO to a running virtual machine on VirtualBox
To mount an image file while the VirtualBox guest machine is running, use these steps:
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Open VirtualBox.
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Right-click the virtual machine, select the Start submenu and choose the Normal start option.
Start virtual machine option -
Click the Devices menu.
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Select the Optical Drives submenu and select the Choose a disk file option.
Mount ISO file running VM -
Select the ISO file.
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Click the Open button.
After you complete the steps, the ISO file will mount to a virtual drive, and you will be able to access its content.
If you want to unmount the ISO file and you use Windows 10, open File Explorer and right-click the disk drive in “This PC,” and select the Eject option.
Alternatively, on VirtualBox, you can open the Devices menu, select the Optical Drivers submenu, and then choose the Remove disk from virtual drive option.
If the optical device feature is not working, you could alternatively mount the image to the host operating system, extract its content, and then make it available to the guest machine using a shared folder.
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