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Xubuntu 18.04 Bionic Installation Guide

This guide covers the installation of Xubuntu 18.04 (Bionic Beaver) in VirtualBox. Xubuntu uses the XFCE desktop environment, offering a lightweight and high-performance alternative to standard Ubuntu.

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Why Xubuntu?

Xubuntu provides a simple, high-performance desktop environment that isn’t affected by the resource requirements of more visually intensive systems. It’s ideal for virtual machines and lower-spec hardware.

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Prerequisites

System Requirements
  • VirtualBox 5.2 or later
  • 64-bit processor with virtualization extensions enabled in BIOS
  • Minimum 2 GB RAM available for the VM
  • At least 20 GB free disk space
  • Xubuntu 18.04 ISO image (download from xubuntu.org)
If you only see 32-bit options in VirtualBox, your virtualization extensions (Intel VT-x or AMD-V) are disabled in BIOS/EFI.

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Creating the Virtual Machine

1

Download Xubuntu ISO

Download the Xubuntu 18.04 LTS 64-bit ISO from xubuntu.org.
For classroom environments, ISOs are available at http://172.29.0.254/
2

Create New VM

  1. Open VirtualBox and click New
  2. Configure:
    • Name: Xubuntu-Bionic
    • Type: Linux
    • Version: Ubuntu (64-bit)
3

Allocate Memory

Assign at least 2048 MB (2 GB) of RAM. Balance this with other running VMs to avoid performance degradation.
4

Create Virtual Hard Disk

  1. Select Create a virtual hard disk now
  2. Choose VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image)
  3. Select Dynamically allocated
  4. Set size to at least 20 GB
Dynamically allocated: File grows as needed, saving host disk space.Fixed size: Better performance for intensive operations but uses full space immediately.
5

Configure Network

  1. Right-click the VM → Settings → Network
  2. Enable Adapter 1 and set to NAT
Bridged Adapter mode can be used to connect directly to your physical network via Ethernet.
6

Attach ISO

  1. In Settings → Storage
  2. Select Controller: IDE → Empty optical drive
  3. Click disc icon → Choose a disk file
  4. Select your Xubuntu 18.04 ISO

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Installing Xubuntu

1

Boot Installation Media

Start the VM. You’ll see a purple/brown boot screen with a keyboard icon.
Press any key to change language or boot options. Otherwise, it auto-boots in English.
2

Select Language

Choose your installation language.
3

Configure Keyboard

Select your keyboard layout (e.g., Spanish - ES-es).
4

Third-Party Software

Optionally install third-party software for graphics and Wi-Fi hardware. This can help with certain wireless adapters.
5

Disk Partitioning

Select Erase disk and install Xubuntu for a new virtual disk.
For dual-boot scenarios on physical machines, carefully review partition operations. For this new VM disk, it’s safe to proceed.
Confirm when prompted.
6

Set Timezone

Select your geographic location for timezone configuration.
7

Create User Account

Set up the local administrator:
  • Your name: Full name (e.g., Pedro García García)
  • Computer name: Hostname (e.g., xubuntu-pc, servidor-xfce)
  • Username: Login name (e.g., adminiso, usuario)
  • Password: Recommended: admin1s0
  • Choose Require my password to log in
This user will be in the sudo and adm groups, granting administrator privileges.
8

Installation Progress

Wait for installation to complete. Xubuntu will display a slideshow of included applications.When finished: “Remove the installation medium, then press Enter”Press Enter to reboot.

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First Boot

1

Login with LightDM

The LightDM display manager shows available users. Click your username and enter your password.
2

Install Updates

Xubuntu will likely have many updates available since the 18.04 release (April 2018).
  1. Click Install Now when prompted
  2. Enter your administrator password
  3. Wait for updates to complete
Always keep your system updated for security patches and bug fixes.
3

Shutdown

After updates, you can shutdown the system. Pending updates may be applied during shutdown.

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Next Steps

Your Xubuntu 18.04 system is ready! Consider:
  • Installing VirtualBox Guest Additions for better display and performance
  • Configuring additional user accounts
  • Setting up shared folders with the host
  • Customizing the XFCE desktop environment
The lightweight XFCE desktop makes Xubuntu excellent for running multiple VMs simultaneously.

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