Step-by-Step Guide: Build an Ubuntu 14.04 VM in VMware

Today we share a detailed tutorial on creating a virtual machine (VM) in VMware, using Ubuntu 14.04 Desktop as the guest OS. The Ubuntu ISO has been pre‑downloaded for convenience.

Step 1: Download the Ubuntu 14.04 Desktop ISO from the official website or a trusted source. The file is large and may take some time.

Step 2: Open VMware and click the first box labeled “Create a New Virtual Machine”.

Step 3: In the dialog that appears, select “Custom (Advanced)” and click “Next”.

Step 4: Accept the default settings and click “Next”.

Step 5: Choose “I will install the operating system later” and click “Next”.

Step 6: Select the Ubuntu version that matches your host CPU architecture (64‑bit if your computer is 64‑bit, otherwise 32‑bit). Choosing the wrong version may cause compatibility errors later.

Step 7: Name the virtual machine and choose an installation location. It is recommended to place the VM on a drive other than C: with at least 20 GB of free space; more space is better.

Step 8: Configure the processor. For simple practice, keep the default settings; otherwise allocate resources as needed.

Step 9: Set the memory size. The default is 2 GB; the tutorial uses 4 GB, but you can adjust based on your needs.

Step 10: Network connection: keep the default NAT mode and click “Next”.

Step 11: Choose the I/O controller type (default recommended) and click “Next”.

Step 12: Disk type: select the recommended option (SCSI or SATA) and click “Next”.

Step 13: Choose the disk – select “Create a new virtual disk” and click “Next”.

Step 14: Set the maximum disk size (default 20 GB). You can store the virtual disk as a single file or split it; the default is fine.

Step 15: Specify the disk file location (default) and click “Next”.

Step 16: In the next window, click “Customize Hardware”.

Step 17: Load the Ubuntu ISO image by following the on‑screen steps.

Step 18: After adding the ISO, click “Close”.

Step 19: Click “Finish”.

Step 20: The Ubuntu virtual machine is now created and ready for the next step – installing the Ubuntu desktop system (to be covered in a future article).