# Install FreedomBox in a VM - what's the right way?
**URL:** https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/install-freedombox-in-a-vm-whats-the-right-way/4379
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [September 22, 2026, 11:00am UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/install-freedombox-in-a-vm-whats-the-right-way/4379 "2026-09-22T11:00:53Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@David](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/David)
#### Post date: [September 22, 2026, 11:00am UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/install-freedombox-in-a-vm-whats-the-right-way/4379/1 "2026-09-22T11:00:53Z")
We are trying to Install FreedomBox on a Debian Server with several Virtualboxes already running.
The i386 image on [freedom.org](http://freedom.org) seems outdated and due to the announcements no longer maintained: [https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/debian-13-trixie-disk-images-now-available/3871](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/debian-13-trixie-disk-images-now-available/3871)
What is the best way to install fbx in a Virtualbox? Install Debian and choose FreeomBox from the different blends in the setup menu?
Edit:
I did some further research and I guess I’m ok with these recent posts:
> [@Install Freedombox by Blend option in the installer - Dose not avoid configuration prompts for: LDAP](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/install-freedombox-by-blend-option-in-the-installer-dose-not-avoid-configuration-prompts-for-ldap/3824):
>
> Hi All, I have used debian-13.0.0-amd64-netinst.iso and the Blend option in the installer to install Freedombox. Unfortunately the configuration prompts for Freedombox LDAP are not being avoided. Which then ends up braking ? The install of Freebombox. When I install Freedombox from the command line with: sudo DEBIAN\_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install freedombox. Then configuration prompts for LDAP are avoided and the Freeboxbox install is OK. Regards: peter
> [@Fbx install on a VPS at Contabo - needs a couple of tweaks. NetworkManage & rc.local](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/fbx-install-on-a-vps-at-contabo-needs-a-couple-of-tweaks-networkmanage-rc-local/4023):
>
> Hello All, I have installed Debian 13 as a VPS at contabo. I used ssh to configure the VPS and to run the commands shown below to install freedombox : apt-get update DEBIAN\_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install freedombox Note : I use the command top from another ssh login to watch the progress of fbx install. Once I see the cpu usage is down I know that fbx as set it self up and the front page will be up and ready to start the setup of fbx first account. There is No interfaces file in /…
I will go with a Debian OS install and then with `$ sudo DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install freedombox`
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### Author:  [@joseph](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/joseph)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2026, 12:02am UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/install-freedombox-in-a-vm-whats-the-right-way/4379/2 "2026-09-24T00:02:08Z")
If you still get the ldap dialog try adding -y to the end of that command.
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### Author:  [@Sunil](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/Sunil)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2026, 11:27pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/install-freedombox-in-a-vm-whats-the-right-way/4379/3 "2026-09-24T23:27:55Z")
The best way to install FreedomBox on Virtualbox is by using AMD64 version of Virtualbox images. More information is available on the [Virtualbox](https://wiki.debian.org/FreedomBox/Hardware/VirtualBox) page. This is true even if you are running an Intel machine (amd64 is just the architecture name given to all 64bit Intel/AMD machines). The i386 images were for 32-bit Intel/AMD machines (which are very rare these days). Debian dropped support and we did too.
Installing using “apt install freedombox” or using the Debian installer is fine as well with some differences noted [here](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/difference-running-freedombox-from-debian-13-or-a-freedombox-download/4360/4).
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### Author:  [@David](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/David)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2026, 8:42am UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/install-freedombox-in-a-vm-whats-the-right-way/4379/4 "2026-09-25T08:42:58Z")
Thanks a lot @joseph and @Sunil ! We will move on tomorrow and see, which way is the best. I did do some test setups with debian (minimal installation without desktop) and freedombox on top of it, which works good. Tomorrow a friend of mine and me will try to install the AMD64 version on his hardware.
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### Author:  [@Sunil](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/Sunil)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2026, 2:52pm UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/install-freedombox-in-a-vm-whats-the-right-way/4379/5 "2026-09-25T14:52:32Z")
Don’t forget to enable the UEFI booting option as noted in the manual.
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### Author:  [@David](https://discuss.freedombox.org/u/David)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2026, 11:53am UTC](https://discuss.freedombox.org/t/install-freedombox-in-a-vm-whats-the-right-way/4379/6 "2026-09-27T11:53:41Z")
FreedomBox rocks, really! The AMD64 installation was simple and without any errors. My thanks go out to everybody involved in this serving project! ❤