Running Impossible OS in VirtualBox

VirtualBox provides a user-friendly GUI for running Impossible OS. It requires UEFI mode and a VDI disk image (included in releases).

Prerequisites

VirtualBox 7.0+ -- Download
VirtualBox Extension Pack (recommended) -- USB 2.0/3.0 support

Option A: Using the Pre-built VDI (Easiest)

Each release includes a .vdi file ready for VirtualBox:

Download system-disk.vdi from the latest release
Follow Create the VM below, and select this VDI as the hard disk

Option B: Convert RAW Image to VDI

If you only have the .img file:

VBoxManage convertfromraw system-disk.img system-disk.vdi --format VDI

Note
On Windows, use the full path: "C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\VBoxManage.exe"

Create the VM

Via GUI

New → Name: Impossible OS, Type: Other, Version: Other/Unknown (64-bit)
Memory: 256 MB minimum (512 MB recommended)
Hard Disk: "Use an existing virtual hard disk file" → select system-disk.vdi
Settings → System:
- ✅ Enable EFI (required -- Impossible OS does not boot in legacy BIOS)
- Uncheck "Floppy" from boot order
Settings → Storage:
- Controller should be AHCI (default for SATA)
Start the VM

Via Command Line

# Create VM
VBoxManage createvm --name "Impossible OS" --ostype Other_64 --register

# Configure
VBoxManage modifyvm "Impossible OS" \
    --memory 512 \
    --firmware efi \
    --graphicscontroller vmsvga \
    --vram 64 \
    --nic1 nat \
    --nictype1 82540EM

# Attach storage
VBoxManage storagectl "Impossible OS" \
    --name "SATA" \
    --add sata \
    --controller IntelAhci

VBoxManage storageattach "Impossible OS" \
    --storagectl "SATA" \
    --port 0 \
    --device 0 \
    --type hdd \
    --medium system-disk.vdi

# Start
VBoxManage startvm "Impossible OS"

Recommended Settings

Setting	Value	Why
Firmware	EFI	UEFI required -- legacy BIOS will NOT boot
RAM	256–512 MB	256 MB minimum for desktop
VRAM	64 MB	Recommended for 1280×720 framebuffer
Storage	AHCI/SATA	Impossible OS uses AHCI DMA drivers
Network	NAT + Intel PRO/1000	Default works; RTL8139 also supported
Audio	Disabled	Not yet implemented

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
"No bootable medium found"	Enable EFI in Settings → System → Enable EFI
Black screen after UEFI logo	Increase VRAM to 64 MB or higher
VM crashes on start	Ensure "Other/Unknown (64-bit)" is the OS type
Mouse not working	VirtualBox mouse integration may conflict; try disabling it
Slow performance	Enable VT-x/AMD-V in BIOS and in VirtualBox settings
Cannot convert `.img` to `.vdi`	Ensure VBoxManage is in your PATH, or use full path

Accessing Serial Output

To capture kernel serial output in VirtualBox:

Settings → Serial Ports → Port 1
✅ Enable Serial Port
Port Mode: Raw File
Path: /path/to/serial.log (or C:\Users\You\serial.log on Windows)
Port Number: COM1 (IRQ 4, I/O 0x3F8)