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Just as a start, you can install a lot of other OSes using this tutorial, but the one I will be doing is Windows 7 because I have the install disc handy and I know how to install it correctly anyway. You can install OSX, Windows, other linux distros, Solaris, BSD and a few others.


Tools of the trade:

Comptible Linux Distro (Ubuntu, Debian, OpenSUSE, Fedora, Red hat/Oracle, Mandriva)
<a href="https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads">VirtualBox</a>
Install Media for selected OS


Method:

1) Download the correct package for your OS. Assuming you know what distro you are on, make sure you get the right package. i386 is 32-bit, AMD64 is 64-bit. Get the wrong one and you will get bad architecture when installing. Then you must obviously install it.

<img src="https://gravitybomb.net/snapr/img/hP_0aF.png" align="left" />2) Open up VirtalBox. Click "New" and then "Next" and you will be able to select the virtual machine you want to install. For the purposes of this tutorial, I will be setting up Windows 7 because I need iTunes, and it is compatible with a lot of programs but you can have any that I listed above as long as you have the installation media handy, otherwise it won't work.<br clear="all" />


<img src="https://gravitybomb.net/snapr/img/_CIBg6.png" align="left" />3) Now we will be chosing the amount of RAM it will be using. When I did it before 512 was plenty and I think it uses idle RAM when you're in the program anway, but be careful, Windows 7 is a RAM hog. It will suck up every last drop! I don't know how it manages RAM but as long as you have some swap space you should be alright to give it a little extra. I set it to 1GB, but before I put in 512MB and it was very smooth.<br clear="all" />


<img src="https://gravitybomb.net/snapr/img/WGxQJJ.png" align="left" /> 4) Choose the virtual disc size. Leave the first option as the default, to create new disc, (unless you already have a virtual disc you want to use) and click next onto the next option. It will take you to the create disc wizard. Dynamic storage is recommended as it will grow if you need more but if you don't need it, it will stay constant. If you choose fixed it is designated so much memory and can't have any more when it's full, but this can be edited in the settings. Choose your location and how much and it's done.<br clear="all" />


5) Install your OS using the installation media and then you're good to go! When you're in the OS, you can't leave the window unless using the specified key (right control) and then you're free to move the mouse outside the box.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave them below.

FU jim i just finished writing a tut on this lmfao well, scrap that one

Why wouldn't you just install via grub/bootloader or boot from the iso and install?

Ok Mr. Pedantic :p. I know what you meant about gaming but what can you do? :p



Switching OS can be a pain having to power off and on a lot. My laptop also hates windows XD

Thanks for posting this, it's one more thread I can refer to instead of attempting to explain the whole topic myself ! P.S. I've already referred to it