Install the latest VirtualBox version on Mint and Ubuntu

This tutorial currently relates to VirtualBox 6.0.x, but will be valid for any version in the VirtualBox repository. The following instructions have been tested on Mint 19.x but should also work on Mint 18.x, Ubuntu 16.04 and 18.04, and other distros based on Ubuntu. Note that since v6, VirtualBox does not support 32-bit hosts, for which you should install VirtualBox v5.2.

The instructions below should not affect any virtual machines you have already set up with a previous version of VirtualBox, but if you are in any doubt then make a system image/snapshot/backup of the virtual machines before proceeding.

You can paste these commands into your terminal with shift-ctrl-v.

Installation instructions
=================

• Determine all the currently installed VirtualBox packages:
  
  
  Code:

  dpkg -l "*virtualbox*"

  and delete each package (replacing packagename accordingly):
  
  
  Code:

  sudo apt purge packagename

• Get the VirtualBox repo key and add it to your keyring:
  
  
  Code:

  wget -q https://www.virtualbox.org/download/oracle_vbox_2016.asc -O- | sudo apt-key add -

• Create a software source (replace bionic with xenial if running Mint 18.x or Ubuntu 16.04, or with an alternative Ubuntu-related distro name if you're running something else):
  
  
  Code:

  sudo sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=amd64] https://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian bionic contrib" >> /etc/apt/sources.list.d/virtualbox.org.list'

• Bring your list of packages up to date and install VirtualBox (replace 6.0 with any base version available in the VirtualBox repositories, currently 5.1, 5.2, 6.0):
  
  
  Code:

  sudo apt update
  
  sudo apt install virtualbox-6.0

• Configure VirtualBox:
  
  
  Code:

  sudo /sbin/vboxconfig

• (optional, but can prove useful) Using your browser, download the latest extension pack from https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads, and then use your file manager to double-click on it to install it to VirtualBox.

Notes
====

• If VirtualBox hasn't created an entry in your desktop menu, create one that points at /usr/bin/virtualbox.
  *
• If you already have virtual machines set up from a previous version of VirtualBox, then you can add them using Machine->Add->relevant .vbox file.
  *
• If you're upgrading a version, e.g. 5.2.x->6.0.x, which was previously installed using the method above then just install new version (this will automatically remove the older version, but not purge it), then manually purge the old package.

Please provide any feedback on these instructions in the comments so that they can be improved if necessary.