How to upgrade VirtualBox to the latest version?

Question

I am currently using VirtualBox 3.2. I would like to upgrade it to latest version without losing any operating systems in it. How can I achieve this?

score 22 · Accepted Answer · edited Feb 15 '11 at 18:44

22

Head on over to this page and download the Ubuntu package for your version / architecture.

Be sure to get the VirtualBox extension pack too. (This provides USB 2.0 and RDP support.) The most recent version can be found on the VirtualBox Downloads page.

edited Feb 15 '11 at 18:44

Lekensteyn

answered Dec 29 '10 at 17:11

Nathan Osman

3

+1 From experience I know that you won't loose your Virtual Machines when you do this – 8128 Dec 29 '10 at 17:12
3

I can confirm this. VBox 3.2 needs to be removed before installing 4.0 but you will not loose any vdi :) – Takkat Dec 29 '10 at 18:46
i can also confirm this. I have upgraded to virtualbox 4 yesterday. working fine with compiz. – aneeshep Dec 30 '10 at 05:21
The link to the VirtualBox extension pack is outdated. The current version is 4.0.2 which can be found at http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads – Lekensteyn Feb 15 '11 at 14:48
@Lek: You can edit my answer. – Nathan Osman Feb 15 '11 at 18:38
@George Edison: Done :) – Lekensteyn Feb 15 '11 at 18:43

score 8 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 29 '10 at 17:17

8

Add one line to your /etc/apt/sources.list:

deb http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian maverick contrib

The Oracle public key for apt-secure can be downloaded here. You can add this key with

wget -q http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian/oracle_vbox.asc -O- | sudo apt-key add -

To install VirtualBox, do

sudo apt-get update 
sudo apt-get install virtualbox-4.0

answered Dec 29 '10 at 17:17

hhlp

It's better to add the repo if you can. I have updated my own machine without problems. – Javier Rivera Dec 30 '10 at 08:15

Martin Owens -doctormo- · Answer 3 · 2012-08-29T04:15:00.730

4

You should be able to upgrade virtualbox from the ppa available from virtualbox directly.

There is also a good ppa if you want to make sure you keep the open source edition (ose):

edited Aug 29 '12 at 04:15

answered Dec 29 '10 at 17:12

1

broken links, -1 – Henrik Aug 26 '12 at 16:48
3

You could have just asked me to fix it. – Martin Owens -doctormo- Aug 29 '12 at 04:15
2

+1 Or easier still, just edit the answer with the new link... – Tom Brossman Aug 29 '12 at 06:55
Tom: not sure Henrik could edit the answer. – Martin Owens -doctormo- Sep 03 '12 at 03:53
@MartinOwens-doctormo- Anyone can suggest an edit. Even unauthenticated people. – Oli Sep 05 '12 at 00:34

3 Answers3