Running IE 7/8/9/10/11/Edge Virtual machines from Microsoft under Linux via VirtualBox

Detailed step-by-step notes for installing the Microsoft provided Internet Explorer virtual machines under Linux using VirtualBox.

Has been tested under Ubuntu 14.04LTS (and previously 12.04LTS) with VirtualBox version 5.0.

• General notes
• Available images
  • IE7 - Vista Enterprise
  • IE8 - XP
  • IE8 - Windows 7
  • IE9 - Windows 7
  • IE10 - Windows 7
  • IE10 - Windows 8
  • IE11 - Windows 7
  • IE11 - Windows 8.1
  • IE11 - Windows 10
  • MS Edge - Windows 10 Stable (13.10586)
  • MS Edge - Windows 10 Preview (14.14342)
• Activating images
• Rearming images
• Reference

General notes

• Download, re-construct and decompress archive image as per each images instructions below.
• From VirtualBox goto File -> Import Appliance...
• Select the decompressed Open Virtualization Format ovf file.
• Review virtual machine name and settings (adjusting to suit if required), then click Import.
• Before starting the image, create a snapshot of the current machine state - this will allow you to quickly roll back to a fresh virtual machine once the usage period of the OS expires.
• All images are 32bit virtual machines except for the following, which are 64 bit:
  • IE7 - Vista Enterprise
  • IE11 - Windows 10
  • MS Edge - Windows 10 Stable (13.10586)
  • MS Edge - Windows 10 Preview (14.14342)
• You may need to update the images installed VirtualBox Guest Additions after VM startup to match that of your VirtualBox version.
• It's a smart idea to keep a clean copy of each ovf disk image once the OS usage period ends, to avoid a full image re-download hit.

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/ie7-vista && cd ~/vm/ie7-vista
$ wget -ci https://github.com/magnetikonline/linuxmicrosoftievirtualmachines/raw/master/vmarchiveset/ie7-vista.txt
$ cat IE7.Vista.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip.00? >IE7.Vista.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ unzip IE7.Vista.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ rm ie7-vista.txt IE7.Vista.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip*

• Use the resulting IE7 - Vista.ova with VirtualBox.
• Recommended 512MB RAM minimum.
• Image will give a total of 30 days of use, after which you may be able to rearm the image.

IE8 - XP

$ mkdir -p ~/vm/ie8-xp && cd ~/vm/ie8-xp
$ wget -ci https://github.com/magnetikonline/linuxmicrosoftievirtualmachines/raw/master/vmarchiveset/ie8-xp.txt
$ cat IE8.XP.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip.00? >IE8.XP.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ unzip IE8.XP.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ rm ie8-xp.txt IE8.XP.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip*

• Use the resulting IE8 - WinXP.ova with VirtualBox.
• Recommended 256MB RAM minimum.
• Image will give a total of 30 days of use, after which you may be able to rearm the image.

IE8 - Windows 7

$ mkdir -p ~/vm/ie8-windows7 && cd ~/vm/ie8-windows7
$ wget -ci https://github.com/magnetikonline/linuxmicrosoftievirtualmachines/raw/master/vmarchiveset/ie8-windows7.txt
$ cat IE8.Win7.For.Windows.VirtualBox.zip.00? >IE8.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ unzip IE8.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ rm ie8-windows7.txt IE8.Win7.For.*.VirtualBox.zip*

• Use the resulting IE8 - Win7.ova with VirtualBox.
• Recommended 1024MB RAM minimum.
• After install you will need to activate the trial to gain a full 90 days usage period, after which you may be able to rearm the image.

IE9 - Windows 7

$ mkdir -p ~/vm/ie9-windows7 && cd ~/vm/ie9-windows7
$ wget -ci https://github.com/magnetikonline/linuxmicrosoftievirtualmachines/raw/master/vmarchiveset/ie9-windows7.txt
$ cat IE9.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip.00? >IE9.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ unzip IE9.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ rm ie9-windows7.txt IE9.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip*

• Use the resulting IE9 - Win7.ova with VirtualBox.
• Recommended 1024MB RAM minimum.
• After install you will need to activate the trial to gain a full 90 days usage period, after which you may be able to rearm the image.

IE10 - Windows 7

$ mkdir -p ~/vm/ie10-windows7 && cd ~/vm/ie10-windows7
$ wget -ci https://github.com/magnetikonline/linuxmicrosoftievirtualmachines/raw/master/vmarchiveset/ie10-windows7.txt
$ cat IE10.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip.00? >IE10.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ unzip IE10.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ rm ie10-windows7.txt IE10.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip*

• Use the resulting IE10 - Win7.ova with VirtualBox.
• Recommended 1024MB RAM minimum.
• After install you will need to activate the trial to gain a full 90 days usage period, after which you may be able to rearm the image.

IE10 - Windows 8

$ mkdir -p ~/vm/ie10-windows8 && cd ~/vm/ie10-windows8
$ wget -ci https://github.com/magnetikonline/linuxmicrosoftievirtualmachines/raw/master/vmarchiveset/ie10-windows8.txt
$ cat IE10.Win8.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip.00? >IE10.Win8.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ unzip IE10.Win8.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ rm ie10-windows8.txt IE10.Win8.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip*

• Use the resulting IE10 - Win8.ova with VirtualBox.
• Recommended 1024MB RAM minimum.
• After install you will need to activate the trial to gain a full 90 days usage period, after which you may be able to rearm the image.

IE11 - Windows 7

$ mkdir -p ~/vm/ie11-windows7 && cd ~/vm/ie11-windows7
$ wget -ci https://github.com/magnetikonline/linuxmicrosoftievirtualmachines/raw/master/vmarchiveset/ie11-windows7.txt
$ cat IE11.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip.00? >IE11.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ unzip IE11.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ rm ie11-windows7.txt IE11.Win7.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip*

• Use the resulting IE11 - Win7.ova with VirtualBox.
• Recommended 1024MB RAM minimum.
• After install you will need to activate the trial to gain a full 90 days usage period, after which you may be able to rearm the image.

IE11 - Windows 8.1

$ mkdir -p ~/vm/ie11-windows8.1 && cd ~/vm/ie11-windows8.1
$ wget -ci https://github.com/magnetikonline/linuxmicrosoftievirtualmachines/raw/master/vmarchiveset/ie11-windows8.1.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
$ rm ie11-windows8.1.txt IE11.Win8.1.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip*

• Use the resulting IE11 - Win8.1.ova with VirtualBox.
• Recommended 1024MB RAM minimum.
• After install you will need to activate the trial to gain a full 90 days usage period, after which you may be able to rearm the image.

IE11 - Windows 10

$ mkdir -p ~/vm/ie11-windows10 && cd ~/vm/ie11-windows10
$ wget -ci https://github.com/magnetikonline/linuxmicrosoftievirtualmachines/raw/master/vmarchiveset/ie11-windows10.txt
$ cat IE11.Win10.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip.00? >IE11.Win10.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ unzip IE11.Win10.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip
$ rm ie11-windows10.txt IE11.Win10.For.Linux.VirtualBox.zip*

• Use the resulting IE11 - Win10.ova with VirtualBox.
• Recommended 1024MB RAM minimum.
• After install you will need to activate the trial to gain a full 90 days usage period, after which you may be able to rearm the image.
• Note: 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.

MS Edge - Windows 10 Stable (13.10586)

$ mkdir -p ~/vm/msedge-windows10-13.10586 && cd ~/vm/msedge-windows10-13.10586
$ wget -ci https://github.com/magnetikonline/linuxmicrosoftievirtualmachines/raw/master/vmarchiveset/msedge-windows10-13.10586.txt
$ unzip MSEdge.Win10TH2.VirtualBox.zip
$ rm msedge-windows10-13.10586.txt MSEdge.Win10TH2.VirtualBox.zip

• Use the resulting MSEdge - Win10TH2.ova with VirtualBox.
• Recommended 2048MB RAM minimum.
• After install you will need to activate the trial to gain a full 90 days usage period, after which you may be able to rearm the image.

MS Edge - Windows 10 Preview (14.14342)

$ mkdir -p ~/vm/msedge-windows10-14.14342 && cd ~/vm/msedge-windows10-14.14342
$ wget -ci https://github.com/magnetikonline/linuxmicrosoftievirtualmachines/raw/master/vmarchiveset/msedge-windows10-14.14342.txt
$ unzip MSEdge.Win10_preview.VirtualBox.zip
$ rm msedge-windows10-14.14342.txt MSEdge.Win10_preview.VirtualBox.zip

• Use the resulting MSEdge - Win10_14342.ova with VirtualBox.
• Recommended 2048MB RAM minimum.
• After install you will need to activate the trial to gain a full 90 days usage period, after which you may be able to rearm the image.

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 may be able to extend the initial trial usage period once it has expired via the "rearm" process:

• To rearm a Windows XP image, from the command prompt:

   C:\> rundll32.exe syssetup,SetupOobeBnk
  

• To rearm Windows Vista and 7 images run the following as an administrator from the command prompt:

   C:\> slmgr /rearm
  

It is not currently possible to rearm the trial period of Windows 8, 8.1 or 10 images.

Reference

• https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/tools/vms/linux/
• http://modernievirt.blob.core.windows.net/vhd/release_notes_license_terms_1_5_15.pdf
• http://blog.reybango.com/2013/02/04/making-internet-explorer-testing-easier-with-new-ie-vms/
• API endpoint returning latest Microsoft Virtual Machine builds (thanks to Antón Molleda for the tip):
  • https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/api/tools/vms/