VirtualBox is enterprise-ready virtualization software for Windows users. Developed by the Oracle Corporation, the tool lets users run different operating systems on their computers. It’s a feature-rich product and is one of the only professional virtualization tools. It’s updated regularly by its community of users, and Oracle ensures that the released product meets professional standards.
Nowadays, virtual machines are becoming an integral part of businesses as well as cloud computing solutions. With VirtualBox, users can harness the power of virtualization from their home computers. With VirtualBox, you can create a representation of an operating system that significantly reduces hardware costs while boosting agility and efficiency.
What is VirtualBox used for?
When you download VirtualBox for Windows, you can easily run Mac and Linux operating systems on your native Windows device. Additionally, you can use the tool to run applications you would otherwise not have access to. It also offers all the features that make virtualization attractive.
Users can run an old operating system like Windows 8 on their Windows 10 device, or test an OS before installing it fully. They can even use the full performance of their desktops by packing multiple virtual machines onto a few hosts while saving up on a lot of hardware costs. Owing to the snapshot feature, users can easily switch to an old snapshot and avoid frequent backups whenever something goes wrong.
Easy to install for tech-savvy users
Installing VirtualBox and another operating system is quite easy if you’re technologically savvy. In case you’re inexperienced, you may have to go through the manual provided by Oracle. The installation only takes about 5 minutes on a computer with 2GB RAM. You can choose to either install the software or add support for USB and different types of networking, including host-only, bridge, and conventional. Once installed, the software offers a great user experience so you can run different operating systems and applications from your native PC environment.
Simple and easy-to-use interface
VirtualBox has a clean interface with three primary menus, which include Machine, File, and Help. You can use the Machine option to create your first guest operating system. Adding a virtual machine is as easy as pressing CTRL and N together. Once you do that, a module pops up and asks you to choose the type of operating system you want to load as well as its unique name. The latest version of the software allows you to scale the display, so you can reduce the size of the window and still make out everything.
The File option gives users access to the media manager, preference module, as well as import and export features. With VirtualBox, you can reduce or limit the CPU and IO time of any virtual machine that you’re running. By setting a limit, you can ensure that the virtual OS doesn’t drain your system resources. Apart from this, the software also offers various tools to fix bugs and increase the performance of your virtual machines.
Multiple customization options
VirtualBox supports numerous operating systems including Linux, macOS, and Oracle Solaris hosts. It provides users with the option to create a multi-platform or collated server, useful for testing and development. You can even use different customization options to personalize the user interface of the guest OS.
Integration may take a while
One of the biggest challenges of running the free version of VirtualBox is creating a guest operating system. Users don’t have the option to automate certain features and have to go at it manually. The process also requires patience on the part of the users. For instance, if you wanted to install Windows 10 or even Windows 7 using VirtualBox, adding the final touches would take time.
Fortunately, the software offers different guided modes, so users have some help when they need it. VirtualBox doesn’t offer a deep integration option, which is quite an advantage if you’re concerned about privacy. This means that if a virtual machine is vulnerable to a virus attack, the host system isn’t compromised. While paid software offers much better integration between the host and guest OS, VirtualBox offers all the necessary tools needed for virtualization.
Offers exhaustive documentation
VirtualBox is open-source software, which means that it has a vast online community. Typical to all such software programs, these communities create a wide range of information and help. Users of the software get easy access to technical documents, changelog, operation manuals, FAQs, and more. There also exists a Bug Tracker page, where users can report bugs and track any status updates. Apart from an array of information, Oracle also offers live chat, so users can easily connect with a representative for any questions.