[SOLVED] virtualbox elementary stalled at Erase Disk and Install

linux-man · 04-07-2022, 10:07 PM

I trying to install an Elementary iso on virtualbox and I am at stage where its asking me for:
Try Demo
Erase Disk and Install
Custom Install

I selected Erase Disk and Install and it's stalling, and it won't matter which one I select it stays there forever stalling. I don't see any flashing on the icons of virtualbox below the screen. I noticed it also stalled one step before this when I selected a particular version of English as well, I got around that by clicking another language.

Ram set at 4GB
Virtual HD set at 100GB

michaelk · 04-07-2022, 10:34 PM

The installer does have a warning that running Elementary in a virtual machine is not recommended. Parts can run slow or stall. Regardless it installed (no encryption) and ran successfully for me using 4GB RAM and selecting EFI in the setup.

ondoho · 04-07-2022, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by linux-man

I selected Erase Disk and Install and it's stalling

Securely erasing a whole disk takes a long time even on bare metal.
Securely erasing a virtual disk that expands automatically may lead to unpredictable behaviour, including the erasing taking literally forever.

In other words: there's no reason to erase anything before installing on a virtual machine.

michaelk · 04-08-2022, 08:43 AM

There are several other installers like Mint that use the words "Erase Disk and Install" but I do not think they actually preform a secure erase.

computersavvy · 04-08-2022, 04:01 PM

+1

I think most installers simply wipe the existing partition table and create a new one while formatting a file system on each new partition when "erase disk and install" is selected.

linux-man · 04-10-2022, 01:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michaelk

The installer does have a warning that running Elementary in a virtual machine is not recommended. Parts can run slow or stall. Regardless it installed (no encryption) and ran successfully for me using 4GB RAM and selecting EFI in the setup.

In Elementary virtualbox I clicked start and immediately pressed F12 to get into BIOS is that where the EFI is? It wouldn't go into BIOS.

I tried Try Demo and Custom Advanced and neither when to the next step after I pressed Enter, stalled again.

michaelk · 04-10-2022, 03:47 AM

Virtualbox does not have a BIOS. There is an EFI checkbox under system settings. The install process did seem to take longer the a typical distribution even on my system with a SSD.

I also maxed out the processors and video memory.

ondoho · 04-11-2022, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michaelk

The install process did seem to take longer the a typical distribution even on my system with a SSD.

Good point. I hadn't even considered that a "stall" might just mean that something's taking a long time. Seems the most plausible explanation for now.

linux-man · 06-19-2022, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michaelk

Virtualbox does not have a BIOS. There is an EFI checkbox under system settings. The install process did seem to take longer the a typical distribution even on my system with a SSD.

I also maxed out the processors and video memory.

Did you select Disk and Install or Custom Install (Advanced)? Would anything disastrous happen to my Host computer if I clicked Erase?

In Custom it says:

Quote:

Select which partitions to use across all drives. Selecting "Format" will erase ALL data on the selected partition. You must at least select a root (/) partition and a Boot (/boot/efi) partition. It is also recommended to select a Swap partition

I see:

ATA VBox Harddisk /dev/sda

and I see an unchecked box unused with 8BG (should I check this?).At bottom left is a button labelled Modify Partitions.

yancek · 06-19-2022, 04:50 AM

Selecting the ERase disk option in your attempted VirtualBox install of Elementary should have no effect on your hard drive or any OS on it. The quote you posted is in reference to installing to partitions with data on them and formatting will erase any data on a partition filesystem formatted.

Quote:

and I see an unchecked box unused with 8BG (should I check this?).At bottom left is a button labelled Modify Partitions.

Is that the Elementary installer or virtual box?

linux-man · 06-19-2022, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yancek

Is that the Elementary installer or virtual box?

Elementary installer.

Are you absolutely certain my host hd won't be affected if I go ahead with and select Elementary Erase Disk within vb?

linux-man · 06-19-2022, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ondoho

Securely erasing a virtual disk that expands automatically may lead to unpredictable behaviour, including the erasing taking literally forever.

In other words: there's no reason to erase anything before installing on a virtual machine.

It's either Erase or custom advanced, as I'm not interested in Try Demo, what should I do?

brianL · 06-20-2022, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by linux-man

what should I do?

If I told you, it would get me banned.

yancek · 06-20-2022, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Are you absolutely certain my host hd won't be affected if I go ahead with and select Elementary Erase Disk within vb?

If you want a second opinion, read the link below with the exact same question.

https://askubuntu.com/questions/4998...irtual-machine

https://www.quora.com/Is-it-safe-to-...irtual-machine

Third opinion below. Do an online search and you will get the same answer.

If you do the Custom install option, you will have more control over what you want to do. The Erase disk is a default and you won't really get any options.

linux-man · 06-20-2022, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yancek

https://askubuntu.com/questions/4998...irtual-machine

https://www.quora.com/Is-it-safe-to-...irtual-machine

I went ahead with Erase Disk and at the end of the install process it mentioned I should restart which I did but I ended up at step 1 of the install process i.e. select a language country etc. I was expecting an elementary os. I don't have a working elementary os in vb. Should I start a new thread for this?