---
page_title: Build a VirtualBox Image with Packer in TeamCity
description: >-
  Use Packer to build VirtualBox images in TeamCity. Learn how to provision a bare-metal machine, install dependencies, and create and run a build in TeamCity.
---

# Build a VirtualBox Image with Packer in TeamCity

This guide walks through the process of building a VirtualBox image using
Packer on a new TeamCity Agent. Before getting started you should have access
to a TeamCity Server.

The Packer VirtualBox builder requires access to VirtualBox. Virtualization is
not universally supported on cloud instances, so we recommend you run these
builds on either a bare metal server, or cloud instances which support nested
virtualization, such as Azure or GCP. This is also true for the
[VMware](/packer/plugins/builders/vmware) and the [QEMU](/packer/plugins/builders/qemu)
Packer builders.

We will use Chef's [Bento boxes](https://github.com/chef/bento) to provision an
Ubuntu image on VirtualBox. For this example, we will use the repository
directly, but you may also fork it for the same results.

## 1. Provision a Bare-metal Machine

For the purposes of this example, we will run on a bare-metal instance from
[Packet](https://www.packet.net/). If you are a first time user of Packet, the
Packet team has provided HashiCorp the coupon code `hashi25` which you can use
for `$25` off to test out this guide and up to 30&#x25; if you decide to
reserve ongoing servers (email help@packet.net for details). You can use
a `baremetal_0` server type for testing, but for regular use, the `baremetal_1`
instance may be a better option.

There is also a [Packet
Provider](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/packethost/packet/latest/docs) in
Terraform you can use to provision the project and instance.

```hcl
provider "packet" { }

resource "packet_project" "teamcity_agents" {
  name = "TeamCity"
}

resource "packet_device" "agent" {
  hostname         = "teamcity-agent"
  plan             = "baremetal_0"
  facility         = "ams1"
  operating_system = "ubuntu_16_04"
  billing_cycle    = "hourly"
  project_id       = "${packet_project.teamcity_project.id}"
}
```

## 2. Install VirtualBox and TeamCity dependencies

VirtualBox must be installed on the new instance, and TeamCity requires the JDK
prior to installation. This guide uses Ubuntu as the Linux distribution, so you
may need to adjust these commands for your distribution of choice.

**Install Teamcity Dependencies**

```shell-session
$ apt-get upgrade
$ apt-get install -y zip linux-headers-generic linux-headers-4.13.0-16-generic build-essential openjdk-8-jdk
```

**Install VirtualBox**

```shell-session
$ curl -OL "https://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/5.2.2/virtualbox-5.2_5.2.2-119230~Ubuntu~xenial_amd64.deb"
$ dpkg -i virtualbox-5.2_5.2.2-119230~Ubuntu~xenial_amd64.deb
```

You can also use the [`remote-exec`
provisioner](/terraform/docs/provisioners/remote-exec) in
your Terraform configuration to automatically run these commands when
provisioning the new instance.

## 3. Install Packer

The TeamCity Agent machine will also need Packer Installed. You can find the
latest download link from the [Packer
Download](/packer/downloads) page.

```shell-session
$ curl -OL "https://releases.hashicorp.com/packer/1.1.2/packer_1.1.2_linux_amd64.zip"
$ unzip ./packer_1.1.2_linux_amd64.zip
```

Packer is installed at the `/root/packer` path which is used in subsequent
steps. If it is installed elsewhere, take note of the path.

## 4. Install TeamCity Agent

This guide assume you already have a running instance of TeamCity Server. The
new TeamCity Agent can be installed by [downloading a zip file and installing
manually](https://confluence.jetbrains.com/display/TCD10//Setting+up+and+Running+Additional+Build+Agents#SettingupandRunningAdditionalBuildAgents-InstallingAdditionalBuildAgents),
or using [Agent
Push](https://confluence.jetbrains.com/display/TCD10//Setting+up+and+Running+Additional+Build+Agents#SettingupandRunningAdditionalBuildAgents-InstallingviaAgentPush).
Once it is installed it should appear in TeamCity as a new Agent.

Create a new Agent Pool for agents responsible for VirtualBox Packer builds and
assign the new Agent to it.

## 5. Create a New Build in TeamCity

In TeamCity Server, create a new build. To use the upstream Bento repository,
we'll choose _From a repository URL_, and enter
`https://github.com/chef/bento.git` as the **Repository URL**.

![TeamCity screenshot: New Build](/img/guides/teamcity_create_project_from_url-1.png)

Click **Proceed**.

![TeamCity screenshot: New Build](/img/guides/teamcity_create_project_from_url-2.png)

And **Proceed** again.

We won't use the _Auto-detected Build Steps_. Instead, click _configure build
steps manually_. For the _runner type_, pick **Command Line**, and enter the
following values. Make sure to click _Show advanced options_, as we need to set
the working directory.

![TeamCity screenshot: Build Step](/img/guides/teamcity_build_configuration.png)

This will use the `build` command in Packer to build the image defined in
`ubuntu/ubuntu-16.04-amd64.json`. It assumes that the VCS repository you're
using is a fork of [Chef/Bento](https://github.com/chef/bento). Packer defaults
to building VirtualBox machines by launching a GUI that shows the console.
Since this will run in CI/CD, use the [`headless`
variable](/packer/plugins/builders/virtualbox/iso#headless) to instruct Packer to
start the machine without the console. Packer can build multiple image types,
so the [`-only=virtualbox-iso`
option](/packer/docs/commands/build#only-foo-bar-baz) instructs Packer to only
build the builds with the name `virtualbox-iso`.

## 6. Run a build in TeamCity

The entire configuration is ready for a new build. Start a new run in TeamCity
by pressing “Run”.

The new run should be triggered and the virtual box image will be built.

![TeamCity screenshot: Build log](/img/guides/teamcity_build_log.png)

Once complete, the build status should be updated to complete and successful.

![TeamCity screenshot: Build log complete](/img/guides/teamcity_build_log_complete.png)
