Virtual Machine Software.

slipd

slipd

slipd

Soldato
Joined
26 Feb 2004
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Hampshire, England.
Hi guys,

Can I have some recommendations for some free virtual machine software :)

I want to build a small virtual network that I can play about on.

At uni, we used vmware but I want to avoid paying for anything...

Cheers!
 
It should do.

I use VirtualBox as I find it much cleaner than VMWare. VMWare also has a nasty habit of not supporting my network adapters properly, though haven't tried with my current motherboard. Still, VB does everything I could want so see no reason to change!
 
+1 for virtualbox.

I run a "proper" dev server with esxi but for any basic desktop machines I just run virtualbox, it's lightweight, easy to setup and free :)
 
For some reason it hated my ASUS P5B deluxe's Gigabit Ethernet adapter, and also the Gigabit Ethernet on another Asus board on another machine. If I wanted bridged networking I was stuck with the 100Mbit Ethernet on my computer.

It has been at least a year since I last tried, so VMWare may no longer have the issue.
 
I'm using VMware Player at the moment, for some reason it really doesn't like Fedora 13. :confused:

Otherwise, a very nice bit of software.
 
i've got vmware server installed on my server machine for when i want to create some VMs to leave running

but i also use virtualbox on my main pc for when i want to create a VM to just mess about with
 
Daft question perhaps? but if I was to install VM software onto a computer running XP and installed XP on the VM could someone sitting infront of the PC use it as normal and someone log into the VM?
 
When you run VirtualBox with your OS ( XP in my case) running inside it, you dont get a big screen. I have tried to expand it with no success, any ideas on how to expand it. Thanks:)
I'm running Ubuntu within XP.
 
Mark M said:
Daft question perhaps? but if I was to install VM software onto a computer running XP and installed XP on the VM could someone sitting infront of the PC use it as normal and someone log into the VM?
Click to expand...

If you enable Remote Desktop on the guest XP [the one inside the VM] and enable bridged networking in VMWare/VirtualBox/Whatever then sure, someone could use the VM while you use the host XP.

robinbredin said:
When you run VirtualBox with your OS ( XP in my case) running inside it, you dont get a big screen. I have tried to expand it with no success, any ideas on how to expand it. Thanks:)
I'm running Ubuntu within XP.
Click to expand...

You need to install the VB Tools. There should be an option in one of the menus for your virtual machine. It should support linux etc. This allows the VM to use higher resolutions - it also automatically releases your mouse, meaning it acts more like an application [you wont need to press the host key to move your cursor outside of the VM].
 
It works very well with Linux actually, choose "Install guest additions" from the VM window menu, this should mount a little .iso

I can't remember if it autoruns, but on the iso are a few scripts you can run depending on which architecture you want.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by robinbredin
When you run VirtualBox with your OS ( XP in my case) running inside it, you dont get a big screen. I have tried to expand it with no success, any ideas on how to expand it. Thanks
I'm running Ubuntu within XP.
Click to expand...
You need to install the VB Tools. There should be an option in one of the menus for your virtual machine. It should support linux etc. This allows the VM to use higher resolutions - it also automatically releases your mouse, meaning it acts more like an application [you wont need to press the host key to move your cursor outside of the VM].
Click to expand...


Had a look could not find anything
Click to expand...
 
To install the Guest Additions for an Ubuntu guest, you need to do the following:

* Open a terminal and type 'sudo apt-get install build-essential' to install the 'install from source' tools etc.
* Once that's complete, open the Devices menu at the top of the VM screen and select "Install Guest Additions".
* Ignore/dismiss any autorun prompt, and open Computer and double click the mounted VB Guest Additions to open the 'CD' to see the files.
* Copy all the files and folders from the opened 'CD' to the Desktop (it doesn't work right if you try to install directly from the actual CD/ISO as you need to change their permissions).
* Back in the terminal change directory to where the files are (for example 'cd Desktop' or 'cd /home/username/Desktop/folder').
* Now change the script file to be executable in Linux. For x86 installs do 'sudo chmod +x VB*x86.run' and hit enter. For x64 installs do 'sudo chmod +x VB*amd*.run' and hit enter.
* Now install the Guest Additions by running the script, like so: 'sudo ./VB*amd*.run' (for x64) or 'sudo ./VB*x86.run' (for x86).

Voilà. Once you reboot you should have a fully integrated and scalable desktop. Auto-resize is enabled by default, but you will likely find you have to double click the title bar (the top bar of the window the VM is running in) to un-maximise it, and then do it again to re-maximise it. That will "kick start" the auto resize and get you to a full sized screen. Done. :) If I've missed anything feel free to post back - I did this from memory so there may be an omission. It looks OK to me though...
 
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