Ubuntu and Linux Mint Download Links (OVA Files)

This course is Linux distribution independent, and by the end of it, you will know how to use any Linux distribution. 

However, I recommend using Ubuntu, as it is one of the most used Linux distributions. It is also a great choice for beginners. 

Alternatively, you can install and use another similar Linux distribution such as Linux Mint (Windows style), MX Linux (resource friendly), or Pop!_OS.


For some labs, you will need two Linux VMs. I recommend installing them yourself so that you can learn how to do it and understand better what happens during the installation process.

However, if you are in a hurry or get stuck, I have exported two VMs (Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and Linux Mint 21.3 LTS) as OVA files. All you need to do is download the files and import them (by double-clicking on the file) in VirtualBox.

Ubuntu 22.04 LTS OVA file (username student and password student). Big file: 5 GB.

Linux Mint 21.1 LTS OVA file (username student and password student). Big file: 8 GB.


If you want to enable USB support in your VM you also have to install on your host OS (Windows, Linux, or Mac) Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack:  https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

Alternatively, you can run one or more Linux VMs in the DigitalOcean cloud. You can create one or more droplets (DigitalOcean's term for a VM) with a running Linux distribution in seconds. Droplets will have their own public IP address, and you can connect to them using SSH.

Use my referral link below to create your account on DigitalOcean and you'll get $100 in credit over 60 days: https://m.do.co/c/f1d4debf213f