WindowsTestEnvironmentSetup

Windows Test Environment Setup

Installing real Operating System on real hardware is nice for the speed, performance, etc. but we still need to use many more environment for our tests.

For that, we will simply use VirtualBox.

Windows 8.1 64-bit

We install a "Windows 8.1 64-bit" VM inside a Windows 8.1 64-bit OS.

Download VirtualBox and install for Windows.

For example:
VirtualBox 5.0.12 for Windows hosts x86/amd64 ~112MB

Create a Windows 8.1 VM

• Run VirtualBox
• create new
• Windows
• Windows 8.1 64-bit
• use VDI
• create new HDD 40GB
• when all is ready click "start"
• select your Windows 8.1 .iso image
• do a classic install of Windows 8.1
• hostname: pink (or any other color)
  yes we will use color names for our machines :)
• log: test
• pwd: test
• then install VirtualBox Guest Additions
• install Google Chrome
• close the guest VM
• from the host
  navigate to https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads
  download the VirtualBox Extension Pack
  for ex:
  http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/5.0.12/Oracle_VM_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack-5.0.12-104815.vbox-extpack
• double click the *.vbox-extpack file to install
  (no VM should be running)
• now select your guest VM
  go in "Display"
  tab "Remote Display"
• select "Enable Server"
• If you are already accessing your host via RDP change the Server Port, for ex: 3390
• click OK/save
• start the VM

now you can RDP to this VM

for ex:
from Mac Remote Desktop
PC name: 10.0.0.1:3390
use the same IP but change the port

IMPORTANT

• in Machine
• select "Take Snapshot ..."
• name it "whatever you want"
  I used 'clean'
• this snapshot is our base VM
  nothing installed or setup
  and ready for testing

How to Test

• run the VM
• do your test/install/etc.
• then close the VM
  select "Restore current snapshot 'clean'"
• rinse and repeat

We can off course create other snapshots for

• redtamarin-setup installed
• redtamarin_x.y.z_amd64.deb installed
• etc.