VirtualBox - a FREE Virtual Machine host for Windows - Worth a look

~~DudeBoyz~~ · Feb 28, 2007, 04:40 PM

In my quest for knowledge of Virtual Machines, I found what may be a hidden diamond in the rough. It's a free VM host for Windows that unlike Virtual PC 2007 from Microsoft (which apparently requires Windows XP Pro or higher), seems to work fine in Windows XP Home. Here's a link to the site:

http://www.virtualbox.org/

I got Suse Linux 10.2 installed under it no problem, though I had to install an add-on to get high-resolution graphics support, but still. It's free and working and seems pretty darn stable.

So, if you don't mind a slight bit of tweaking to get the high res modes, I think it's totally worth a look.

Enjoy!

H3X4D3C1M4L · Mar 4, 2007, 02:46 PM

That actually looks pretty good

I think I'll be taking a look at it. It works on OpenBSD too, score!

***temeteus82*** · Mar 4, 2007, 03:58 PM

I use VMware server...it's nice ...

~~DudeBoyz~~ · Mar 4, 2007, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by temeteus82

I use VMware server...it's nice ...

I just went through trying VMware on the Mac and it is just not up to par with Parallels.

Do they make a free client / host version for Windows? I'd like to try it if they do.

Got a link?

Thanks.

H3X4D3C1M4L · Mar 7, 2007, 03:26 PM

VirtualPC is free too.

***temeteus82*** · Mar 7, 2007, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DudeBoyz

I just went through trying VMware on the Mac and it is just not up to par with Parallels.

Do they make a free client / host version for Windows? I'd like to try it if they do.

Got a link?

Thanks.

I've used VMware server for windows. woks fine with openSUSE and some other Linux systems and DOS. They have free client version called VMware Player.

http://www.vmware.com/products/player/

Some pre made OS's for it:
http://www.vmware.com/vmtn/appliances/directory/cat/45

~~DudeBoyz~~ · Mar 7, 2007, 05:55 PM

Thanks for the info - appreciate the links.

I wish VMWare would integrate all their stuff into one single product / download. I hate having to load "extra tools" after the fact.

Still, I've tried their MAC version, might as well try their Windows version.

UPDATE: - Well, this is not looking good. Is it true that you cannot use any FREE Vmware software to create your own virtual machine, and that you have to download the PLAYER and then a pre-configured "APPLIANCE" version instead?

I guess the only real alternative is the VMWare Workstation version. How they can try to justify $189 for their workstation product when Virtual PC 2007 is free and Parallels is $50 is beyond me. Plus, their product line is needlessly complex. Player, Ace, Workstation, Server, all the enterprise monitoring crap. Yech. Simplify that product lineup, you dorks.

I think I'm done looking at anything made by VMware.

~~DudeBoyz~~ · Mar 7, 2007, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by H3X4D3C1M4L

VirtualPC is free too.

Doesn't seem to want to run on my XP Home setup. Guess it requires XP Pro. I'm not going to be running the thing on my primary machine and I'm not transferring my XP Pro license to my other machine, so that ain't an option for me. I do wish they would have continued a MAC product, but there is Parallels, and it is quite good.

Besides, the Core 2 Duo in my iMac has Virtual stuff right in hardware, so that's the best place to run it, I think.

I should be getting my 2 gigabyte memory pack for my iMac sometime this week. I have to remove the two 512 meg DDR2 chips and replace them both with two 1 gig DDR2 chips, so it was more costly than it should have been, but still, that should give me the head room I need to run Windows and Linux in parallel virtual machines at the same time on the same system. 512 meg for Windows XP, 256 or maybe 384 for Suse Linux 10.2 and the rest for OS X. Should do quite nicely, I'm thinkin'.

BlueMak · Mar 7, 2007, 07:09 PM

I haven't tried the 2007 (MS) version, but the 2004 works fine under XP Home. It says how it won't work if you proceed, you proceed, it works fine.

About this VirtualBox. What is the situation for virtual graphics card? Is it also using a crap one like in MS virtual pc?

~~DudeBoyz~~ · Mar 7, 2007, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueMak

I haven't tried the 2007 (MS) version, but the 2004 works fine under XP Home. It says how it won't work if you proceed, you proceed, it works fine.

About this VirtualBox. What is the situation for virtual graphics card? Is it also using a crap one like in MS virtual pc?

Yep - virtual graphics card has some issues. But if you install that extra "add-on" pack thing (also free) you can get good 2D graphics.

None of them seem to do 3D very well at all, but that's generally not what I would use Virtual stuff for.

Parallels is my first choice. It makes all this stuff fairly seemless, especially on the Mac side.

Just installed the two 1 gig SODIMMS into my iMac. Have 2 gig now. That should set me up just fine.

BlueMak · Mar 8, 2007, 03:43 AM

Can you please check what exactly graphics card it is emulating?
Just check the device manager or something.

***temeteus82*** · Mar 8, 2007, 03:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DudeBoyz

Thanks for the info - appreciate the links.

I wish VMWare would integrate all their stuff into one single product / download. I hate having to load "extra tools" after the fact.

Still, I've tried their MAC version, might as well try their Windows version.

UPDATE: - Well, this is not looking good. Is it true that you cannot use any FREE Vmware software to create your own virtual machine, and that you have to download the PLAYER and then a pre-configured "APPLIANCE" version instead?

I guess the only real alternative is the VMWare Workstation version. How they can try to justify $189 for their workstation product when Virtual PC 2007 is free and Parallels is $50 is beyond me. Plus, their product line is needlessly complex. Player, Ace, Workstation, Server, all the enterprise monitoring crap. Yech. Simplify that product lineup, you dorks.

I think I'm done looking at anything made by VMware.

wtf?!?! I have the VMware server that is free and you can make virtual OS with it.. DL: http://www.vmware.com/download/server/
And you need serial and you get free one here: http://register.vmware.com/content/registration.html

H3X4D3C1M4L · Mar 12, 2007, 02:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DudeBoyz

Doesn't seem to want to run on my XP Home setup. Guess it requires XP Pro. I'm not going to be running the thing on my primary machine and I'm not transferring my XP Pro license to my other machine, so that ain't an option for me. I do wish they would have continued a MAC product, but there is Parallels, and it is quite good.

Besides, the Core 2 Duo in my iMac has Virtual stuff right in hardware, so that's the best place to run it, I think.

I should be getting my 2 gigabyte memory pack for my iMac sometime this week. I have to remove the two 512 meg DDR2 chips and replace them both with two 1 gig DDR2 chips, so it was more costly than it should have been, but still, that should give me the head room I need to run Windows and Linux in parallel virtual machines at the same time on the same system. 512 meg for Windows XP, 256 or maybe 384 for Suse Linux 10.2 and the rest for OS X. Should do quite nicely, I'm thinkin'.

That's what boot camp is for

Your Core 2 Duo has VT. AMD's Pacifica is much the same but supposedly superior due to ring priveledging or some crap (I think the key differences are due to the integrated memory controller).... either one should work good

~~DudeBoyz~~ · Mar 12, 2007, 02:48 AM

The Video stuff seems to be VESA in all cases.

I can't get Boot camp to work on my iMac - I have my drive partitioned into 3 chunks - 40 gig for the first partition (I named it BOOT), 40 gig for the third partition (I named it Xtra) and the rest (about 150+ gig) in the second partition (I named it Data). For whatever reason, it won't install in that config.

I use Carbon Copy Cloner to backup my BOOT partition to the XTRA partition, and leave most of my normal file stuff on the DATA partition - my main user programs like the installs of NeoOffice and other apps, utilities, notes, etc. Saves me a ton of hassle when I do fresh installs for testing, etc.

I don't really wanna screw around with making it all one big partition again so I can test Boot Camp.

Yeah, Parallels is sort of expensive - $80 for the Mac version - but it really does make things a lot simpler for me.