Create a vagrant box

create-a-vagrant-box.md

Create a vagrant box

Configure the virtual hardware

Create a new Virtual Machine in VirtualBox with the following settings:

• Name: my-vagrant-box
• Type: Linux
• Version: Ubuntu64
• Memory Size: 512MB (to taste)
• New Virtual Disk: [Type: VMDK, Size: 40 GB]
• Disable audio
• Disable USB
• Ensure Network Adapter 1 is set to NAT
• Add this port-forwarding rule:
  • Name: SSH
  • Protocol: TCP
  • Host IP: blank
  • Host Port: 2222
  • Guest IP: blank
  • Guest Port: 22

Install the system

Mount the Linux Distro ISO, boot up and install.

Create a main user called vagrant with password vagrant. Set root password to vagrant (sudo passwd root).

Super user privileges for vagrant user

Add vagrant user to sudoers list:

sudo visudo -f /etc/sudoers.d/vagrant

Add this line, save and exit:

vagrant ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL

Test if you still need a password for sudo:

sudo pwd

Update the operating system

Check for updates and bring everything up to date.

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade

Install the vagrant insecure key

mkdir -p /home/vagrant/.ssh
chmod 0700 /home/vagrant/.ssh
wget --no-check-certificate \
    https://raw.github.com/mitchellh/vagrant/master/keys/vagrant.pub \
    -O /home/vagrant/.ssh/authorized_keys
chmod 0600 /home/vagrant/.ssh/authorized_keys
chown -R vagrant /home/vagrant/.ssh

Install and configure openssh server

If not already installed, install openssh server now:

sudo apt-get install openssh-server

Find and uncomment the following line:

AuthorizedKeysFile %h/.ssh/authorized_keys

Restart openssh server:

sudo service ssh restart

Install VirtualBox guest additions

Install requirements for guest additions:

sudo apt-get install gcc build-essential linux-headers-server

Insert the guest additions image via Devices menu in VirtualBox, then mount and run:

sudo mount /dev/cdrom /mnt 
cd /mnt
sudo ./VBoxLinuxAdditions.run

Cleanup

Remove unnecessary and downloaded packages.

sudo apt-get autoremove
sudo apt-get clean

Fix fragmentation issues with the underlying disk to alloe more efficient compression later:

sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/EMPTY bs=1M
sudo rm -f /EMPTY

Clear history and shutdown:

cat /dev/null > ~/.bash_history && history -c && sudo shutdown -h now

Package the box

Use vagrant package to package and compress your VirtualBox machine called my-vagrant-box:

mkdir ~/my-vagrant-box_package
cd ~/my-vagrant-box_package
vagrant package --base my-vagrant-box

Test the box

vagrant box add test package.box
vagrant init test
vagrant up