VirtualBox (rus. Virtual Box) is a virtual machine from Oracle Corporation. A free program designed to virtualize operating systems Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris/OpenSolaris, and other platforms are supported.
Benefits of a virtual machine
Using a virtual machine (VM) on a home PC, first of all, will allow you to run multiple operating systems (guest OS) at the same time.
For example, one of the editions of the Microsoft Windows operating system (host OS) is currently installed on a computer or laptop. Installing a virtual machine, in this case VirtualBox, allows you to use any other systems (guests) in the host OS environment, including macOS, Linux, Android, Windows, and so on, there can be a lot of options here.
Some features and capabilities of VirtualBox
- Support for VMDK () and VHD (Microsoft Virtual PC) hard disk images;
- Audio device virtualization (optional AC97 / SoundBlaster 16 / Intel HD Audio emulation);
- Creation, deletion, restoration of snapshots (Snapshots) of VM;
- Shared Folders - creating shared file exchange directories between host and guest systems;
- Support for OVF/OVA format;
- Creation of secure environments for access to the Network;
- Support for various connection options: NAT, network bridge, virtual host adapter, etc.;
- Experimental support for 3D hardware acceleration;
- Cross-platform (Virtual Box , );
- Easy navigation and friendly interface;
- Multilingual localization - Russian, Ukrainian and other languages;
- The program is distributed under the GNU GPL 2 license - free software (no restrictions on use).
Download VirtualBox for Windows
The latest version of Oracle VM VirtualBox for Windows 7, 8.x, 10 is available for download on our website (starting from version 5, Virtual Box does not support Windows XP).
Download VirtualBox for free, without registration.
Spoiler (Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack)
Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack - components that expand the capabilities of the virtual machine (RDP server, support for USB, NVMe, PXE and other features).
Download and install the Extension Pack only of the same version as VirtualBox.
Download Latest Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack
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VirtualBox is a virtual machine from Oracle Corporation. A free program designed to virtualize operating systems Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, etc.
Version: VirtualBox 6.0.4
Size: 209 MB
Operating system: Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7
Russian language
Program status: Free
Developer: Oracle
Official site:
What's new in version: List of changes
From time to time, users need a second computer on which they can install another shell. A virtual machine is a system for emulating another platform, it helps the user to operate the device when installing several operating systems that are independent of each other, so that one device can combine the properties of two or more PCs. This technique is popular among developers when testing programs.
What is a virtual machine
Such devices are created on real computers as conditional ones. This is a program that simulates a copy of existing hardware with all its components (BIOS, hard drive, peripherals). Using special utilities, you can run several virtual machines on the same computer with the same or different operating systems.
What is needed for
Installing a virtual machine expands the capabilities of the computer. Why use this functionality?
- Installing two operating systems on one computer. Allows you to simultaneously install two bit depths of shells: x32 and x64. The Windows emulator can be combined with Linux.
- Virtualization makes it safe to run suspicious software and files.
- A virtual operating system other than the installed one helps to use applications that are incompatible with the "native" shell.
- Used when testing new utilities.
- Use as an emulation of new architectures (for example, imitation of a game console).
- In order to protect information and limit the capabilities of programs.
- Several conditional processors help to simulate a computer network, this is relevant when debugging a server.
- The program for creating a virtual machine is used to connect peripherals that are incompatible with the installed shell.
Overview of virtual machines
The first attempts to develop such software began in the 70s. Now virtual machines have the ability to create a full-fledged computer with parallel or built-in access. Universal options support not only well-known shells of different bitness, but also unfamiliar operating systems. Each market segment has its own leaders.
For Windows 7
Virtualbox is a free distribution emulator. The high rating and popularity among users is due to the fact that the version is supported by most known systems. The advantage of the utility is in a clear interface, which makes it easier to manage. The disadvantages are that it is not possible to transfer files using "grabbed and dragged"; you need to start a NAT connection.
VMware is a paid service that is highly customizable and optimizes hard drive space. The distribution kit of the ESXi version can be written to a USB flash drive or made built into the Firmware server. In addition to Windows, Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD, Netware are also suitable. The disadvantages include the fact that, in comparison with the previous resource, you cannot download the full version of the utility for free.
For Windows 10
Microsoft Virtual PC is a free virtual machine. It belongs to the category of virtual machines for Windows, and therefore cannot be installed on Linux
or Mac, which can be attributed to the disadvantages. The downside is the lack of support for USB devices. It is intended to create a conditional shell through the machine code with the parameters of the operation of the components of the hardware system of an existing computer.
Oracle is a utility that helps you work with large amounts of information. When processing databases, their real protection is guaranteed. The advantage of the system is some manipulations that help to get quick access to information, which speeds up the management process. For example, Oracle RAC is a rapidly deployable clustered database access.
For Linux
This system is relatively new, but has proven to be powerful due to open computer code. Linux OS is more difficult to pick up a virtual machine. OpenVZ has been released specifically for the shell. The service helps to set up multiple virtual processors on one machine. At the same time, open source bonuses are preserved, so that the PC does not lose the power of RAM.
Hyper-V is an emulator that is used both in Linux and in 32 and 64-bit versions of Windows XP. The advantage is that this is a technology that directly "talks" to the server hardware, and therefore reduces memory consumption and increases processor performance. The disadvantages include the fact that when managing large arrays of virtual servers, you need to additionally install System Center Virtual Machine Manager.
For Mac
VMware Fusion is an emulator that runs Windows and other operating systems on Mac computers without rebooting, allowing you to manage virtual and physical servers. The advantage is that the Mac shell can be used separately from others or integrated into a single convenient environment. Among the minuses - the use is paid.
Boot Camp is designed to install Windows on a Mac computer. The shell comes as an additional system on a separate hard disk partition. At startup, you just need to select a Mac - and the virtual Windows will function. The utility is characterized by simplicity and clear interface. Among the minuses, it is worth noting the need to restart in order to select another system.
Create a virtual machine
What to do if you need to create a virtual machine:
- select and download a utility for the computer, taking into account the installed shell;
- install this software;
- at the end of the installation, create a new conditional computer with the allocation of the required amount of RAM;
- a new device requires configuration settings.
Which virtual machine to choose
The main selection parameter is the installed operating system. Since the software for creating virtual computers supports different shells, these can be both highly specialized and applications for working with different systems. There are paid and free utilities. Selection criteria include:
- clear interface;
- high degree of data protection;
- a wide range of built-in tools;
- restrictions on access to hardware and software.
Video
A virtual machine (Virtual Machine) is a software environment that emulates the hardware component of a computer with all its components. In essence, a virtual machine is a separate virtual computer on which it will be possible to install operating systems, programs, drivers, etc., which can then be run in isolation from the main operating system installed on this computer.
In this article, we will analyze what a virtual machine is and why it is needed. Using a virtual machine goes something like this: you install a special virtualization program (virtual machine) on your computer, into which you can then install one or more operating systems supported by this program.
For example, your computer is running Windows 7, and you want to try a different operating system: Windows 8.1, or Windows 10. You are not ready to upgrade to a newer operating system right away, so by installing Windows 10 in a virtual machine, you can get acquainted with her work and opportunities in detail, get the necessary skills.
In parallel, you can install other operating systems in the virtual machine: various distributions of Linux, Mac OS X, etc. At the same time, you can use on your computer, for example, on the main Windows 10 system, and on the virtual machine Windows 7, Ubuntu, and Mac OSX.
The most popular programs for creating virtual machines (VMs) for ordinary users (there is a large corporate segment of virtualization systems): Oracle VirtualBox (free), VMware (free for personal use VMware Player, paid VMware Workstation), Parallels (for computers with Mac OS X ), Windows Virtual PC (in Windows 7, starting with the Pro edition, the free installation of the Windows XP Mode virtual environment is supported), Hyper-V (works in x64 bit versions of Windows, starting with Windows 8) and others.
Virtual machines from different manufacturers differ in their capabilities and features. It will be possible to download virtual machines from the websites of software manufacturers.
Using virtual machines
Virtual machines (VMs) are mainly used for the following purposes:
- installing another operating system to study or work
- testing unfamiliar programs without risking the main operating system
- using programs that cannot run on your computer
- LAN setup
- safe launch of suspicious applications
- simultaneous installation of several operating systems on a computer
For example, on my computer at different times, the following operating systems were installed in a virtual environment: Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Mac OS X, Linux Mint, Android.
Working in an operating system installed in a virtual machine is no different from working in a regular system installed on a computer. This is a regular OS running in a virtual environment. You can do whatever you want without fear of killing Windows or any other system. If, as a result of your actions, the OS becomes inoperable, then you can simply remove this operating system and install another one instead.
Many virtual machines have the ability to create a snapshot of the system, so you can easily restore a “killed” OS.
Most likely, powerful resource-intensive games will not run on a virtual machine, because such games are likely to slow down a lot. The performance of the operating system installed on a virtual machine depends on the power of a particular computer.
In this image, you can see that I have Windows 10 installed on my computer, and the virtual machine window (I purposely reduced the window of the virtualization program) is running Windows 8.1. Thus, on my computer at that moment two different operating systems were running simultaneously, independently of each other.
The operating system installed in the virtual machine will run in isolation from the main operating system installed on your computer. You can do anything with a Windows (or other operating system) installed in a virtual machine. The main system installed on your computer will not be affected by running in the virtual machine, or by other changes made to the operating system installed in the virtual machine.
You can test unfamiliar programs on a virtual machine before installing them on a real system. Windows OS, or another operating system (if it is not free), will need to be activated.
Some programs do not work on a particular operating system, so you can install such a program on a supported operating system in a virtual machine. In this case, you will be able to continue using the necessary application on your computer.
The virtual machine can be used for security purposes. For example, it will be possible not to immediately install on your computer a program that makes you suspicious, but to pre-install such a program on a virtual machine. In the event that your suspicions are confirmed, then the main operating system installed on your computer will not be affected in any way.
You can safely visit suspicious sites, risking only the guest system installed in the VM.
In this image, the virtual machine is running Mac OS X with the Safari browser open. In VMware Workstation, the guest system can be expanded to fill the entire screen of your computer monitor.
When using a virtual machine, along with the advantages, there are some disadvantages. The main problem: on low-power computers, work in a guest system installed on a virtual machine can slow down (freeze, slow down). This is due to the fact that at this time the resources of your computer are simultaneously consuming two operating systems: the main one installed on your computer and the guest one installed in the virtual machine.
In order not to heavily load your computer, I recommend that, while working in the guest operating system, close unnecessary, at the moment, applications in the main system. After that, the load on the resources of your computer will slightly decrease, and work in the guest OS installed on the virtual machine will become more comfortable. On powerful computers, such problems usually do not arise.
If you want to try another Windows operating system on your computer, and due to the low power of the computer, working in a virtual machine will be difficult, then you can install another system on a virtual hard disk (VHD). You can read more about this. With this option, you will take turns running operating systems on your computer.
Working with a virtual machine, you can easily remove any operating system from there without any consequences for your computer, as well as remove a virtual machine program from your computer.
Article Conclusions
With the help of a special program: a virtual machine (Virtual Machine), you can install another operating system on your computer to get acquainted with its work, to test applications, solve compatibility problems, for security purposes, etc. You can try several different operating systems virtual machines and choose the option that is most convenient for you.
What do you think is the most best virtual machine?
I will not invent a bicycle and retell others. I'd rather suggest you read an article from the Linux Format magazine. In which the experts did a comparative review of five popular virtual machines in the hope of finding the one .., the best virtual machine. By the way, for those who renounced and were able to escape from the captivity of Windows, I highly recommend .
- What is a virtual machine
- Why you need a virtual machine
- How We Tested Virtual Machines
- Performance
- Functionality
- Compatibility and snapshots
- Desktop integration
- Graphics Acceleration
- Verdict
What is a virtual machine
In simple terms, without tediousness, then a virtual machine is an operating system in an operating system.
Why do I need a virtual machine
In our case, a virtual machine is primarily a platform for checking programs. Among which, as you understand, there may be. Another virtual machine is used by hackers to test their own and other people's Trojans, and other miracle files. No matter which group you belong to, you will still be interested in learning more about virtual machines and how they work.
How we tested virtual machines
First, we took a dual-core computer (due to budget constraints) with fresh Arc Linux. In addition to the proprietary VMware (version 7.1.0 Player and 30-day trial period of Workstation 11), we used the official Arch packages, which very closely follow the releases of the developers. Each machine had 2 GB of system RAM and 128 MB of video memory (256 MB if needed).
We tested each candidate on different guest OSes: Mint 17.1 and Kubuntu 15.04 beta, as well as different versions of non-Linux OS called Windows. To evaluate performance, we compiled the main Mint kernel, ran the SunSpider JavaScript benchmark, and played a variety of games from our Steam library. To test the real world, we ran it on an 8-core machine with 16GB RAM and a 4GB Nvidia GTX, but then we were forced to return it.
Virtualization technology has fundamentally changed the computing landscape. We'd be embarrassed to say this is a new invention (early mainframes used it as a means of providing resources), but decade-old CPU innovations mean you'll only get near-native performance with x86 code. And now we manage to cram dozens of machines (easily copied and restored) into one building, and the work of data centers has become much more efficient. It is also possible to imitate another architecture, say, ARM, which is convenient for embedded system developers.
This is also a boon for ordinary users: familiarity with the new OS no longer has to be such a time-consuming exercise in constant fear of ruining your system. Even if you just want to test out a new program, it's much safer to do it in a virtual machine instead of risking your current setup. Support for in-kernel virtualization (via KVM) and the Qemu emulator means that Linux users no longer need to resort to proprietary tools.
In the old days, Sun's VirtualBox (once owned by Innotek, now Oracle) was the only real option. But times have changed, so let's look at other virtualization applications.
Both VMware and VirtualBox use kernel dependent modules that are loaded to work their magic. VMware will need to compile them, which will require installing the kernel header packages and all the compiler stuffing. You will then get an init script to load the specified modules, although it will be useless for Systemd users. If this is your case, you may want to create your own init file instead of running this script as root all the time (or seeing the same error messages). At the time of writing, the 3.19 kernels required patching up the VMware sources, but I hope this will be fixed by the time the magazine is published. VirtualBox packages are available in most distributions, and if you have a standard kernel, you don't have to worry about anything.
Virt-Manager requires the libvirtd service to be running on your system before it starts, which you will be kindly notified, and if you are using a full desktop environment, it will do this for you; you will only have to enter the root password.
Both VirtualBox and VMware Workstation are pretty straightforward, unless you want to get distracted by every option. VMware Player, on the other hand, doesn't have too many options, and you'll get your machine up and running in no time. But if you are determined to use all these options to the maximum, you will have to install guest additions.
The Linux Guest Additions for VirtualBox are much easier to install (the CD will run automatically) than the VMware "tools" that require you to copy programs from an imaginary CD, change permissions, and then run a script. Is it really 1999? But by doing all this, you will be rewarded with improved graphics and a number of additional features, which we will discuss next.
The easiest to use of our selection is Boxes, even though it only provides the bare minimum of Qemu/libvirt features. VMware Player and VirtualBox come in second, followed by their paid rival (nominally they are more difficult due to more options). Virt-Manager isn't particularly difficult to use, but it has just enough of Qemu's labyrinth of settings to overwhelm a beginner. In addition, the mechanism for managing storage is rather confusing, especially if you are going to store your virtual disk in a non-standard location: then you first need to add the required directory as a "storage pool". However, your own distribution will provide all the necessary exotic modules, in which case why not take a chance.
Performance
Will they create a slow or agile VM for you?
Thanks to hardware enhancements and paravirtualization technologies, it has become possible to perform some tasks at speeds close to the speed of real hardware.
However, the way it is, there is usually some performance hit. Pretty much every configuration we tested the guest desktop on showed some sort of stuttering. But you get used to it, and you can turn off all sorts of prettiness or turn on the appropriate mode of neutralization of faults, if it bothers you.
We're not taking 3D performance into account here - that wouldn't be entirely fair, and it has its own category across the page. However, for everyday tasks using Terminal, you are unlikely to notice much difference between our candidates. Kernel compilation experiments have shown that VirtualBox is well behind in the competition. The SunSpider JavaScript Benchmark confirmed this conclusion: both tasks ran 20% slower than the others. Disk input / output (I / O) (especially if you have an SSD drive) and network traffic were fast for all of our candidates. Ultimately, VMware secured the upper hand with support for newer Intel processors.
Functionality
What can each candidate offer?
All of our candidates are designed for different use cases and therefore each has its own individual benefits. Of course, the presence of some standard features is certainly implied: these include, for example, the ability to create snapshots, support for Intel VT-x and AMD-V processor extensions, and flexible configuration of virtual hardware. All this is offered by everyone, however, some applications are capable of more heroic deeds.
A caveat here is that Gnome Boxes and Virt-Manager are just interfaces to Qemu (via the libvirt abstraction layer). And Qemu is essentially a CPU emulator that is capable of virtualization via KVM, but is a whole world nonetheless.
So let's take a look at our candidates one by one.
Gnome Boxes ★★
When called from the command line, Qemu supports a lot of options, most of which are not in Gnome Boxes: its goal (implemented) is simplicity and clarity of appearance and operation. Through its user-friendly wizard interface, you can set up a virtual machine in just three clicks - just point it to the appropriate ISO. Boxes abstracts away the difference between a virtual machine and a remote machine, and you can connect to both via VNC, SPICE (which allows audio to work over a network), or OVirt.
Gnome Boxes
Boxes doesn't offer much in the way of managing your VM over the network, but at least it provides all the NAT magic you need to get your VM to communicate with the world. The rest of the candidates successfully set up NAT, network bridges or host-only networks, and all this can be very convenient in certain circumstances.
Virt Manager ★★★★
Virt-Manager (aka Virtual Machine Manager) offers many more Qemu features (but again, not all). It seems to have overdone it with its list of supported x86 operating systems, in particular from the Linux family.
Virt Manager That aside, Virt-Manager makes it relatively easy to set up a machine of any complexity - you can add any hardware, including multiple network interfaces. In addition to KVM VMs, Virt-Manager can use Qemu/libvirt support for Xen guests and LXC containers. Optionally, it can also poll guest resources and thus provide very nice graphs (like those in the Performance section on page 25, which takes about 30 seconds after Windows 10 starts). In addition, Virt-Manager uses Qemu's recently added USB 3.0 support.
Compatibility and snapshots
Is it possible to move virtual machines between real ones?
Sometimes it may be necessary to move a VM between hypervisors. All of our programs can import machines stored in the Open Virtual Appliance (OVA) format, which is simply a tar archive with a VMDK (VMware) disk image, and virtual hardware data. VirtualBox allows export to this format, but also has its own - Virtual Disk Image (VDI), and also copes with all the others.
The qemu-img command can be used to convert formats. Of particular note is his favorite QCOW2 format, which allows multiple system snapshots to be stored internally using the excellent Copy On Write (COW) technique.
Boxes, Virt-Manager, VirtualBox, and VMware Workstation support system snapshots, saving different states of their VM. VMware Player allows you to have only one snapshot per machine in addition to its current state. So deep regression testing is excluded.
VirtualBox and VMware Workstation are also able to "clone" a VM, and this is an efficient method of creating system snapshots: data is written to the corresponding clone only if its state differs from the state of the parent. VMware allows you to mount a guest VMDK image on the host, which is also handy, although the same trick can be done by converting to a raw disk image and using standard Linux tools and arithmetic to calculate partition offsets.
VirtualBox ★★★★
Originally a desktop virtualization client, VirtualBox is still probably the go-to tool for many. This program has a clear structure, which makes it easy to set up a virtual machine, and many useful options. In addition to limiting the number of CPU cores that a guest OS has access to, VirtualBox allows you to set a limit on guest CPU usage as a percentage. VirtualBox also supports video recording, so you can record a Windows manual for your YouTube channel in an evening.
virtual box It can import any virtual disks, but it only offers USB 2.0 host controller support, and even then only if you install Oracle's proprietary extension pack. The shared clipboard and drag-and-drop options (in one or both directions, as you wish) are quite handy. VirtualBox has handy indicators for network and disk I/O and for CPU usage.
By the way, in the article "" we talked in detail about how to install and properly configure the VirtualBox virtual machine.
VMware Player ★★★
The free offering from VMware has come a long way since its introduction in 2008. The most remarkable thing is that this is no longer a player: it is more than capable of creating a high-quality virtual machine for you.
VMware Player In addition to supporting a number of network configurations (NAT, bridged, host-only, etc.), it offers very nice network traffic shaping options, which is quite handy if you are testing the latest version of, say, a DDoS client or seeing how much malware can be hang on your Windows XP virtual machine until it bursts. VMware also supports USB 3.0 devices, and installing guest tools will allow for brilliant graphics, shared clipboard, and shared directories. Player is somewhat inferior when it comes to snapshots (it only allows you to take one), but we criticized it in the previous section.
VMware Workstation ★★★★★
There is a non-free version of VMware Player (VMware Player Pro), but we thought it would be more appropriate for this comparison to use the higher quality Workstation instead. This application has many additional features for developers, including the ability to group virtual machines into a kind of virtual phalanx so that you can make them all go into action at the same time with a single click.
VMware Workstation also offers support for new commands for modern Intel processors, as well as the ability to configure machines with virtual CPUs, up to 16GB and 64GB of RAM. However, Workstation is heavily focused on integrating with the rest of the (rather hefty) VMware suite, and therefore will look more appropriate in an enterprise environment.
Desktop integration
Will they conflict with your color scheme?
Some users love the perfect harmony of virtual machine interfaces and their corresponding hypervisors with the host desktop, while others are confusing.
VirtualBox uses Qt4, which is especially annoying on the Qt-based Arch Linux desktop, which uses Qt5 everywhere, but it's just something of a niche flaw. Boxes fits perfectly with Gnome 3, which is to be expected; Virt-Manager and VMware use GTK3 and also pair perfectly with it.
All of our candidates allow us to switch the virtual machine to full screen mode, and fortunately they all allowed us to switch back using the appropriate keyboard shortcut.
The standout modes are Unity in VMware (no, that's not the way to make everything ubuntu-like) and Seamless in Virtual-Box - both display application windows directly from the guest on the host's desktop. This is very good for a Linux VM (avoiding potential confusion between guest and host windows), but trying to run
the preview was not very successful; Windows 7 with Aero turned on wasn't the most pleasant experience either.
All of our candidates support running the guest in full screen mode and can be configured to change resolution when the window is resized. Appropriate hotkeys are provided to exit this scenario. The drag-and-drop capability on VMware machines is very handy, which is why VMware wins in this category.
Graphics Acceleration
Is it possible to avoid software rendering problems?
Any of our candidates would serve you well if you wanted to just set up a virtual machine with no intention of doing anything graphics intensive.
But if you need 3D acceleration, you need to take VMware or VirtualBox. Once you get the hang of installing the Guest Additions (including VirtualBox's misleading double-denial question that tries to turn you away from its experimental WDDM support needed for Windows 7's Aero interface, for example), you'll be able to enjoy 3D acceleration in VirtualBox and in two VMware clients.
Boom boom, Maxwell's silver hammer landed on the, uh, beehive. He died shortly after this screenshot was taken in Don't Starve. VirtualBox allows you to allocate up to 256 MB of system RAM to a virtual graphics card, while VMware allows up to 2 GB. Note that these gigabytes are not taken from your actual graphics card, so you often won't see much improvement beyond 256MB. VirtualBox also provides 2D acceleration for Windows guests, which should help speed up video rendering, screen enlargement, and color correction, although this largely depends on the host configuration - a fast machine will not be affected much by this setting. A Windows VM probably won't run Battlefield 4 or Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (so we're pretty lucky they're ported to Linux) when everything is up to 11 but over older or less demanding games will do just fine: we spent a good hour playing the popular indie game Don't Starve, completely forgetting about our Comparison.
Everything worked better on VMware than on VirtualBox, but perhaps it was a more advantageous configuration - on Arch Linux we used the latest proprietary Nvidia driver, which could lead to the preponderance of one over the other.
Verdict
Virtualization is a topic for Comparisons that is old and complex. If you want to run 3D games, you won't even look at Gnome Boxes or Virt-Manager, and unless you're better at VirtualBox than we are, you'll choose VMware as your hypervisor. But then again, this technology is by no means as mature as native DirectX 11. You might even have better luck playing games in Wine [Ed.: - Or not.] with some experimental performance patches. We're generally not thrilled with VMware licenses, especially one that forces you to pay after a 30-day trial, but for some, the enterprise-level features in Workstation will be a boon. In particular, if you use VMware's vCenter Converter to virtualize a machine with a single click - perfect if you want to test something new on your current system.
We haven't covered the masses of command line tools that come with all of our candidates, but they are, along with more than ample documentation. You can use them in your scripts when you go into all the heavy virtualization, pushing a whole host of virtual machines out of a secure command line environment. Perhaps hackers will prefer to work with Qemu directly, and those looking for a simple free open source solution will be lucky to have Gnome Boxes.
Bubbles look good, if you don't see the effort that went into rendering them. But only one wins (a draw is a rare exception), and this time it's Virt-Manager - well, we couldn't let VMware win. Virt-Manager allows you to bridle most of Qemu's power without resorting to lengthy command-line spells. Virtual machines can be paused, reconfigured, moved, and cloned, all without much hassle. The only thing it lacks is graphics acceleration support, but who knows, maybe it will appear. VMware Player and Gnome Boxes are tied for second place as they both score high for their simplicity, and we love the Boxes icon that features a tesseract (or a hypercube or a cube within a cube, whichever you prefer).
Virt Manager ★★★★
All managers should do such a good job.
VirtualBox ★★
Once the only solution, now on the sidelines.
VMware Player ★★★
Fast and convenient, but the license failed.
VMware Workstation ★★
Fast and full featured, but not free.
Boxes ★★★
The easiest way to install and configure a VM.
Let's take a closer look at what virtual machines for Windows are and what they are for. Learn all about the best OS simulators and how to get started using them.
A virtual machine (VM) is a computer application with which a user can create a simulation of an operating system. An OS image is installed on the machine for use inside an existing system. Very convenient, isn't it? But there are also pitfalls. Read what you will encounter during installation and which virtual machine for Windows versions 7.8 and 10 is better to choose.
Why do you need virtual machines for PC?
In most cases, VMs are used to test software in . To work with multiple operating systems, you need only one computer, which significantly speeds up the work.
You can run multiple virtual machines on the same computer at the same time. Their number depends on the available RAM and space on the child's disk, since the virtual OS consumes exactly the same memory resource as the regular copy installed on the computer.
With the help of virtual machines, you can work with programs and functions that are not available in the main OS. Also, it is possible to create backup copies of VMs, with their subsequent movement and use on other computers.
Viruses, bugs and other failures of the virtual OS do not affect the operation of the main system. After the machine is closed, the additional OS stops and the RAM is freed.
During the operation of the VM, the device may slow down, because the increased consumption of storage resources leads to an increase in the processing time of requests.
Reasons for installing a VM:
- You want to get acquainted with the work of other operating systems without their full installation. If there is a need to replace an existing OS, first use the virtual simulator to test other software options. This will save you from possible bugs and incompatibility with the hardware;
- You are a developer and want to create a comprehensive system for testing applications you create.
virtual box
VirtualBox is a virtual machine for Windows 7,8,10. The virtualization environment is distributed free of charge and can be installed both to work with operating systems and to deploy network infrastructure and hosting sites.
VirtualBox main window:
The main feature of this virtual machine is cross-platform. It works great on all versions of Windows. Also, from the developer's site you can download installers for Mac OS, Debian. In the virtualization environment itself, you can install any desktop OS.
With VirtualBox, you can familiarize yourself with the functionality of the OS or test the program in safe mode without harming the main system. Often users prefer to install old games on virtual machines that are incompatible with modern operating systems.
After the simulator is completed, all data and changes will be saved. The next time you turn it on, you will be returned to the desktop and can continue to perform tasks.
Advantages and disadvantages
Benefits of VirtualBox:
- Free distribution. 90% of similar software is paid, while VirtualBox can be obtained completely free of charge. The functions and capabilities of the program are not limited to the developer;
- Ability to create screenshots - screenshots of a virtual system. The resulting image will only display the additional OS window. Taking screenshots with the main OS degrades the resolution and also captures your regular desktop;
- Creation of an exact copy of an existing virtual machine;
- Ability to drag and drop folders, shortcuts and other objects inside the simulator;
- Unified file system - from the virtual machine you can access the directories that are stored on the PC, and vice versa;
- Simultaneous work with several machines.
Also, a distinctive feature of the new VirtualBox 4 is a convenient virtualization management system and an intuitive program workspace. Also, in the new assembly, the ability to capture video from the screen of an additional OS is available.
VirtualBox supports working with USB-drives connected to the computer.
Program disadvantages:
- Computer slowdown. Even if your PC has good technical specifications, enough space for RAM and permanent memory, when using a virtual machine, you will experience slower performance of all functions. If during the process of creating a VM you allocated too much memory to it, the computer will freeze or shut down severely;
- Insufficient video memory. If you need to achieve the highest quality image, it will be difficult to do this using VirtualBox. The program allows you to configure the settings for using the video card only at the basic level.
How to install
To install the VirtualBox program, download the installer from the official website of the developer - Oracle. The installation process is standard and does not require additional settings:
- Run the EXE file;
- Select the Hard disk where the root folder with the program will be located;
- Wait for the installation to complete. If necessary, the user can view hard disk usage statistics during the installation process.
In the "Custom Setup" field, it is possible to disable support for USB, network services. This allows you to reduce the final size of the application.
Video tutorial on how to install two OS using VirtualBox
After installing the program, you can start creating the first virtual machine. Click on the "Create" button in the upper left corner of the window. The VM settings tab will open:
In the setup wizard window, select the type of virtual OS (Windows, Linux, Debian, MacOS) and its version. Specify a name for the created simulator and click on the "Next" button.
Then, the program will give you the opportunity to independently specify the amount of RAM that will be allocated for an additional OS. For novice users, we advise you to set the value that is indicated in the "Recommended main memory size" field.
The size of the RAM for the VM should be determined depending on the technical characteristics of your PC. If your computer has 4 GB of RAM available, 512 MB-1 GB will be enough for the simulator to work properly.
Next, the program will ask you to select an OS image in the file system (which corresponds to the previously specified family and version). When the setup is completed, a window will appear with a brief listing of all parameters. Click on "Finish".
After the installation of virtual Windows is completed, an icon for starting the OS will appear in the main window of VirtualBox. Click on it and wait for the desktop to load. If necessary, install the drivers.
To update drivers automatically, open the Devices tab in the virtual machine toolbar. Then click on the desired media type and follow the instructions in the new window to get the new software.
Ready. Now you can start working with the virtual operating system. To exit the program, first turn off the OS, and then close VirtualBox.
VMware
VMWare Workstation is the best virtual machine for Windows 10. The developer positions the program as a convenient platform for creating . Compared to other popular counterparts, VMWare supports more features for customizing a virtual machine and allows you to synchronize the simulator with software development tools.
This virtualization environment is popular among programmers, web designers and other professionals who often have to test their projects for cross-platform.
Advantages and disadvantages
Among the advantages of VMWare are:
- Convenient toolbar;
- Synchronization with Microsoft development tools, in particular the .NET platform and the Visual Studio software environment;
- Safety system. Built-in VMWare tools provide a high level of protection for your files in an additional OS. The simulator can detect attempts by malicious activity to eliminate them;
- Operation of encryption services for the created virtual machines.
Application disadvantages:
- Paid distribution. The user can download a free trial version of the utility, but to get the full version of the application with all available features, you will need to pay for an annual or monthly subscription;
- Not suitable for beginners. If you have not used operating system simulators before, we recommend that you start with simpler options. For example, VirtualBox and Hyper V standard for Windows. VMWare is suitable for advanced users who prefer to manually configure the system.
How to install
You can download a virtual machine for Windows from the official website of the developer VMWare.com.
It is recommended to turn off Windows Defender or other running antivirus during the installation process. This is only necessary for the correct installation of all files and encryption algorithms that the program uses for virtual machines. No harm will be done to your main OS, since the product is downloaded from an official source.
Overview of the functionality and the first setup of the program
To create the first virtual machine in VMWare, you will need to download the OS distribution kit that you want to use in the emulator to your computer. Then open the window of the installed application and click on the field "Create a new virtual machine"
Note! The user can create a group of virtual machines instead of several simulators. This allows you to reduce the resource of consumed RAM and speed up the computer and the OS simulator.
In the VM Configuration Wizard window, specify the path to the operating system image (it can be a file in the computer's memory or a boot disk). Also, it is possible to set up a virtual machine without installing the OS (you can install it later).
- In the window that appears, specify the OS name, username and password for accessing the account;
- Specify on which disk of your computer the virtual machine will be stored;
- Allocate the amount of RAM you need to run the VM;
- Set up the equipment (automatically or manually).
After completing the virtual machine setup, wait for the OS image to install and start working:
Microsoft Virtual PC
Microsoft Virtual PC is another popular virtual machine emulator. The program is well compatible with all versions of OS Windows. If you are using a Microsoft product as your main OS, we recommend choosing Microsoft Virtual PC for emulation.
Advantages and disadvantages
Emulator Benefits:
- Excellent compatibility with all versions of Windows OS. In most cases, the user does not need to install any additional drivers for the virtual OS. All of them are synchronized with the main system;
- Shared access to the file system. Access files stored on the PC hard drive through the VM window;
- Support for 64-bit Windows OS in the "Guest host" and "Guest environment" operating modes;
- Support for hardware virtualization.
Disadvantages:
- There are paid features. The program is distributed free of charge, but you will have to buy a subscription to support setting up a group of virtual operating systems;
- There is no support for Linux-like systems.
Overview of the functionality and the first setup of the program
To install a virtual OS, first load its image into the computer's memory, and then open the Microsoft Virtual PC application. Click on the "Create a virtual machine" button and in the new window configure the following settings:
- Set the name of the new OS;
- Allocate space for her hard drive and the amount of RAM;
- Select which devices the VM will support (network environment, flash drives, and so on).
Outcome
We have told you about the best virtual machines for Windows, but not all of them. If you think that these are not the best - write in the comments! Help novice readers decide which emulator to start with.
