How to create and start VirtualBox VM without GUI

Suppose want to create and run virtual machines (VMs) on VirtualBox. However, a host machine does not the support X11 environment, or your only has access to a terminal in a remote host machine. And how can I create and run VMs on such a host machine without VirtualBox GUI? This can is a common situation for servers where VMs is managed from remotely.

In fact, VirtualBox comes with a suite of command line utilities, and you can use the VirtualBox command line interfaces ( CLIs) to manage VMs on a remote headless server. In this tutorial, I'll show you how to create and start a VM without VirtualBox GUI.
Prerequisite for starting VirtualBox VM without GUI

First, you need to install VirtualBox Extension Pack. The Extension Pack is needed to run a Vrde Remote Desktop server used to access headless VMs. Its binary was available for free. To download and install VirtualBox Extension Pack:
$ wget Http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/4.2.12/Oracle_VM_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack-4.2.12-84980.vbox-extpack
$ sudo vboxmanage extpack install./oracle_vm_virtualbox_extension_pack-4.2.12-84980.vbox-extpack

Verify the Extension Pack is successfully installed, by using the following command.
$ vboxmanage List Extpacks

Extension packs:1
Pack No. 0:oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack
version:4.2.12
revision:84980
Edition:
DESCRIPTION:USB 2.0 Host Controller, VirtualBox RDP, PXE ROM with E1000 support.
Vrde MODULE:VBOXVRDP
Usable:true
Why unusable:

Create a VirtualBox VM from the command line

I assume that the VirtualBox ' VM directory was located in ' ~/virtualbox\ VMs '.

First create a VM. The name of the VM is ' TESTVM ' in this example.
$ vboxmanage createvm--basefolder/opt/vm--name "TESTVM"--register

Specify the hardware configurations of the VM (e.g., Ubuntu OS type, 1024MB memory, bridged networking, DVD booting).
$ vboxmanage MODIFYVM "TESTVM"--memory 1024x768--acpi on--boot1 DVD--nic1 bridged--bridgeadapter1 eth0--ostype Ubuntu

Create a disk image (with size of 10000 MB). Optionally, you can specify disk image format by using "--format [vdi| vmdk| VHD] "option. Without this option, VDI image format is used by default.
$ vboxmanage createvdi--filename ~/virtualbox\ VMS/TESTVM/TESTVM-DISK01.VDI--size 10000

ADD an IDE controller to the VM.
$ vboxmanage storagectl "TESTVM"--name "IDE Controller"--add IDE

Attach the previously created disk image as well as CD/DVD drive to the IDE controller. Ubuntu installation ISO image (found In/iso/ubuntu-12.04.1-server-i386.iso) is then inserted to the CD/DVD drive.
$ vboxmanage Storageattach "TESTVM"--storagectl "IDE Controller"--port 0--device 0--type HDD--medium ~/virtualbox\ VM S/testvm/testvm-disk01.vdi
$ vboxmanage Storageattach "TESTVM"--storagectl "IDE Controller"--port 1--device 0--type dvddrive--medium/iso/ubuntu -12.04.1-server-i386.iso
Start VirtualBox VM from the command line

Once A new VM is created, you can start the VM headless (i.e., without VirtualBox console GUI) as follows.
$ vboxheadless--STARTVM "TESTVM" &

The above command would launch the VM, as well as Vrde Remote Desktop server. The Remote Desktop server is a needed to access the headless VM ' s console.

By default, the Vrde server was listening on TCP port 3389. If you want to change the default port number, use "-e" option as follows.
$ vboxheadless--STARTVM "TESTVM"-E "tcp/ports=4444" &

If You don't need Remote Desktop support, launch a VMS with "--vrde off" option.
$ vboxheadless--STARTVM "TESTVM"--vrde off &

Connect to headless VirtualBox VM via Remote Desktop

Once A VM is launched with Remote Desktop support, you can access the VM's console via any Remote Desktop client (e.g., RD Esktop).

To install Rdesktop on Ubuntu or Debian:
$ sudo apt-get install Rdesktop

To install Rdesktop in CentOS, RHEL or Fedora, configure Repoforge on your system, and then run the following.
$ sudo yum install Rdesktop

To access a headless VMS on a remote host machine, run the following.
$ rdesktop-a <IP_address_host_machine>

If You use a custom port number for a Remote Desktop server, run the following instead.
$ rdesktop-a <IP_address_host_machine:port_number>

Once Rdesktop is successfully connected to the VMS via Remote Desktop, you'll see the initial installation screens.

How to create and start VirtualBox VM without GUI