windows

IE 7/8/9/10/11 Virtual machines from Microsoft
Linux installation notes (tested under Ubuntu 14.04LTS/12.04LTS), assuming VirtualBox is already installed on host.

Install notes
Available images
IE7 - Vista Enterprise
IE8 - XP
IE9 - Win7
IE10 - Win7
IE10 - Win8
IE11 - Win7
IE11 - Win8.1
IE11 - Win10
Activating images
Rearming images
Further notes
Install notes

Create a new Virtual Machine via Virtual Box, name as required.
All images are to be run as 32bit virtual machines except for the IE11 - Win10 image which is 64bit.
Select Use an existing virtual hard drive file.
Pick your downloaded and extracted *.vmdk image.
Apply any image specific system settings as outlined for each IE/OS version combination below.
You may need/wish to update VirtualBox Guest Additions after system boot up to match that of your installed VirtualBox version.
Wise to keep a clean copy of each vmdk disk image once the OS usage period ends and avoid a full image re-download.
Available images

IE7 - Vista Enterprise

Note: Sadly no "IE7 with XP" image has been provided by Microsoft, which could have offered a smaller download.

$ mkdir -p ~/vm/ie7vista && cd ~/vm/ie7vista
$ wget -i https://gist.github.com/magnetikonline/5274656/raw/ie7-vista.txt
$ cat IE7.Vista.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip.00? > IE7.Vista.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ unzip IE7.Vista.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ tar -xf "IE7 - Vista.ova"
$ rm IE7.Vista.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip* IE7*.ov?
Use the resulting IE7 - Vista-disk1.vmdk with VirtualBox.
Recommended 512MB RAM minimum.
Image will give a total of 30 days of use, after which you might be able to rearm the image.
Note: After creating the VirtualBox machine instance, you must go to Settings - System and enable IO APIC - otherwise the VM most likely won't boot.
IE8 - XP

$ mkdir -p ~/vm/ie8xp && cd ~/vm/ie8xp
$ wget -i https://gist.github.com/magnetikonline/5274656/raw/ie8-xp.txt
$ cat IE8.XP.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip.00? > IE8.XP.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ unzip IE8.XP.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ tar -xf "IE8 - WinXP.ova"
$ rm IE8.XP.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip* IE8*.ov?
Use the resulting IE8 - WinXP-disk1.vmdk with VirtualBox.
Recommended 256MB RAM minimum.
Image will give a total of 30 days of use, after which you might be able to rearm the image.
Note: After creating the VirtualBox machine instance, you must go to Settings - System and enable IO APIC - otherwise the VM most likely won't boot.
IE9 - Win7

$ mkdir -p ~/vm/ie9win7 && cd ~/vm/ie9win7
$ wget -i https://gist.github.com/magnetikonline/5274656/raw/ie9-win7.txt
$ cat IE9.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip.00? > IE9.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ unzip IE9.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ tar -xf "IE9 - Win7.ova"
$ rm IE9.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip* IE9*.ov?
Use the resulting IE9 - Win7-disk1.vmdk with VirtualBox.
Recommended 1024MB RAM minimum.
After install you will need to activate the trial for a full 90 days use, after which you might be able to rearm the image.
IE10 - Win7

$ mkdir -p ~/vm/ie10win7 && cd ~/vm/ie10win7
$ wget -i https://gist.github.com/magnetikonline/5274656/raw/ie10-win7.txt
$ cat IE10.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip.00? > IE10.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ unzip IE10.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ tar -xf "IE10 - Win7.ova"
$ rm IE10.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip* IE10*.ov?
Use the resulting IE10 - Win7-disk1.vmdk with VirtualBox.
Recommended 1024MB RAM minimum.
After install you will need to activate the trial for a full 90 days use, after which you might be able to rearm the image.
IE10 - Win8

$ mkdir -p ~/vm/ie10win8 && cd ~/vm/ie10win8
$ wget -i https://gist.github.com/magnetikonline/5274656/raw/ie10-win8.txt
$ cat IE10.Win8.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip.00? > IE10.Win8.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ unzip IE10.Win8.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ tar -xf "IE10 - Win8.ova"
$ rm IE10.Win8.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip* IE10*.ov?
Use the resulting IE10 - Win8-disk1.vmdk with VirtualBox.
Recommended 1024MB RAM minimum.
After install you will need to activate the trial for a full 90 days use, after which you might be able to rearm the image.
IE11 - Win7

$ mkdir -p ~/vm/ie11win7 && cd ~/vm/ie11win7
$ wget -i https://gist.github.com/magnetikonline/5274656/raw/ie11-win7.txt
$ cat IE11.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip.00? > IE11.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ unzip IE11.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ tar -xf "IE11 - Win7.ova"
$ rm IE11.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip* IE11*.ov?
Use the resulting IE11 - Win7-disk1.vmdk with VirtualBox.
Recommended 1024MB RAM minimum.
After install you will need to activate the trial for a full 90 days use, after which you might be able to rearm the image.
IE11 - Win8.1

$ mkdir -p ~/vm/ie11win8.1 && cd ~/vm/ie11win8.1
$ wget -i https://gist.github.com/magnetikonline/5274656/raw/ie11-win8.1.txt
$ cat IE11.Win8.1.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip.00? > IE11.Win8.1.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ unzip IE11.Win8.1.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ tar -xf "IE11 - Win8.1.ova"
$ rm IE11.Win8.1.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip* IE11*.ov?
Use the resulting IE11 - Win8.1-disk1.vmdk with VirtualBox.
Recommended 1024MB RAM minimum.
After install you will need to activate the trial for a full 90 days use, after which you might be able to rearm the image.
IE11 - Win10

$ mkdir -p ~/vm/ie11win10 && cd ~/vm/ie11win10
$ wget -i https://gist.github.com/magnetikonline/5274656/raw/ie11-win10.txt
$ cat IE11.Win10.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip.00? > IE11.Win10.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ unzip IE11.Win10.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ tar -xf "IE11 - Win10.ova"
$ rm IE11.Win10.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip* IE11*.ov?
Use the resulting IE11 - Win10-disk1.vmdk with VirtualBox.
Recommended 1024MB RAM minimum.
After install you will need to activate the trial for a full 90 days use, after which you might be able to rearm the image.
Note: The Windows 10 base OS is a 64bit image.
Note #2: The currently available Windows 10/IE11 image has expired and raised as a bug with Microsoft. As noted, setting your system date before April 15th, 2015 will allow this expired image to boot.
Activating images

For Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 images once connected to the Internet you will need to activate the OS trial to give a full 90 days of use. Enter the following from the Command Prompt running as administrator (Start - Right click Command Prompt - Run as administrator):

C:\> slmgr /ato
After a short delay you should be presented with a dialog telling you your Windows OS has been successfully activated for a 90 day trial.

Rearming images

For Windows XP, Vista and 7 images you might be able to extend the initial trial usage period once it has expired via the "rearm" process:

To rearm a Windows XP image:

C:\> rundll32.exe syssetup,SetupOobeBnk
To rearm Windows Vista and 7 images run the following as an administrator:

C:\> slmgr /rearm
It is not currently possible to rearm the trial period of Windows 8 images.

Further notes

https://gist.github.com/magnetikonline/5274656