64 bit guests in Virtualbox on Ubuntu 11.10 host

If you are interested in installing 64 bit guests within virtualbox host running on Ubuntu (11.10), you will have to add the extension pack for the same version before Virtualbox enables the 64 bit guest versions.

To install virtualbox, use the files from virtualbox site itself, as they contain the latest upgrades and bug fixes. The code below installs the latest in 4.1 series, change for whatever is the current version.

sudo sh -c "echo 'deb http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian '$(lsb_release -cs)' contrib non-free' > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/virtualbox.list" && wget -q http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian/oracle_vbox.asc -O- | sudo apt-key add - && sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install virtualbox-4.1 dkms

Now dowload the extpak for virtualbox. The exact file to be downloaded can be known from the download link.

wget http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/4.1.12/Oracle_VM_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack-4.1.12-77245.vbox-extpack

Install the extpak

sudo VBoxManage extpack install Oracle_VM_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack-4.1.12-77245.vbox-extpack

This should do the trick.

Amitabh