Installing Windows 10

System Requirements & Setup

Written in January 17, 2026

Released in July 2015, Windows 10 marked a return to the familiar desktop-oriented interface that users loved in Windows 7, while incorporating the best modern features of the "Metro" era. It reintroduced the Start Menu, now enhanced with Live Tiles, and introduced the Microsoft Edge browser to replace the aging Internet Explorer. Still using it to this day, sad that it's not supported security-updates wise.

You can watch my YouTube video about a Windows 10 installation using VirtualBox.

Source: YouTube - Windows 10 installation in VirtualBox (lab demo)

Instructions

To run Windows 10 smoothly in VirtualBox, you should allocate a minimum of 2 GB of RAM for the 32-bit version or 4 GB for the 64-bit version. It is highly recommended to assign at least 2 CPU cores and enable 3D Acceleration in the Display settings (with 128 MB of Video Memory). For storage, a dynamically allocated disk of 50 GB to 100 GB is ideal for future updates.
  1. Open VirtualBox and click "New" to create a new virtual machine.
  2. Name the VM (for example "Windows 10"), set Type to "Microsoft Windows", and choose the Windows 10 (32-bit or 64-bit) template that matches your ISO.
  3. Allocate at least 2 GB of RAM for 32-bit or 4 GB for 64-bit, as recommended above.
  4. Assign at least 2 CPU cores in Settings → System → Processor for smoother performance.
  5. Create a new VDI virtual hard disk, dynamically allocated, with a size between 50 GB and 100 GB.
  6. Open Settings → Display, enable 3D Acceleration, and increase Video Memory to 128 MB.
  7. In Settings → Storage, attach your Windows 10 ISO to the virtual optical drive.
  8. Start the VM and boot from the ISO to launch the Windows 10 installer.
  9. Choose your language and edition, accept the license, then create and format an NTFS partition on the virtual disk.
  10. Let the installer copy files and reboot through the "Getting ready" and "Just a moment" screens.
  11. Complete the out-of-box experience (OOBE) by creating a local account or signing in with a Microsoft account.
  12. After reaching the desktop, eject the ISO and install VirtualBox Guest Additions for better graphics, input, and shared clipboard support.