Download virtual system. Virtual machines with "seven" and for "seven." Other solutions for creating virtual machines

Computer users are sometimes faced with a situation where it is necessary to work with old programs that functioned successfully on previous versions of Windows. It is not always convenient to manage two computers at once. But it is possible to install another edition operating system to a working laptop. Parallel operation of two systems can be provided by a virtual machine for Windows 7 (VM). From this article you can find out:

  • what is VM;
  • what programs exist for this purpose;
  • how Windows 7 is installed and configured in a VM.

The second computer is real

Virtual machine - software. It creates a copy of a real computer with:

  • hard virtual disks;
  • optical software drive;
  • analogue of network adapters;
  • BIOS, etc.

A virtual laptop with its operating system starts in a separate window and takes up a certain amount of space on the physical hard disk. It looks like this:

The example shows how in a real operating system with installed Windows 7 Professional, the program works with the virtual operating system Windows XP. And it performs the same actions as on a real device.

VM tasks

Almost everyone is faced with a situation when downloaded from the network and installed program pulls a loop from unnecessary applications. That is why more advanced users prefer to install the downloaded application in a virtual system and check it, both for operability and for unexpected surprises.

In addition, other tasks are being solved:

  • The ability to test the program.
  • Avoid harmful effects from suspicious programs.
  • Emulate a second computer network.
  • Check the consequences of changing the settings in the system.
  • Safely perform autosurfing over the network.
  • Reduce the likelihood of infection of a real laptop with computer viruses.
  • Launch of programs incompatible with the real operating system.

Most popular emulators

You can find many programs with which it is possible to create a virtual Windows. But it's best to check out the most popular ones.

This is the most common demon paid program, with which you can emulate the most popular operating systems:

  • Windows (with support for different versions).
  • MacOS.
  • Any operating system from the family Linux.
  • Interaction with VM from the paid version of the emulator is supported VMware Workstation.

Windows 7 and the created virtual machine can be easily configured by an ordinary user. The program differs in both performance and stability. In addition, despite its gratuitousness, it has ample opportunities, intuitive interface. It is best adapted for home use.

VMware

Also a well-known and popular program. Found its main application in large corporations.

There are two versions of this product:

  • Workstation;
  • Player.

Version Workstation will be able to fully satisfy the needs of the user, but this is a paid program. Regular users can use free analogue Workstation - VMware Player.

The paid version supports work with systems 32 and 64, sees USB 3.0, various operating systems work quite successfully. VMware Workstation - an advanced version of a computer emulator, but due to its cost, it has found its application mainly among large companies, and not among ordinary users.

Microsoft Virtual PC

A similar virtual machine for working in Windows 7. It has a wide range of functionality and a clear, convenient and practical interface. But there is also a significant disadvantage - it can only work with operating systems windows family... Other operating systems, such as Linux or Mac OS, will not run on it.

In that brief overview the three most popular virtual machines are described. Now you can see that it is best to use the program for home needs. Next, we will consider the procedure for installing and configuring it.

Mounting Windows 7 in a VirtualBox virtual machine

The process of installing a virtual operating system can be divided into several stages:

  1. Install the program .
  2. Download the Windows 7 image file for VM.
  3. Installing virtual Windows 7.

Let's consider all these processes separately.

Install VirtualBox program

First of all, you need the virtual machine itself. As already mentioned, there are several of them. We are interested in . You can download it from the official website https://www.virtualbox.org. From the proposed list, select VirtualBox 5.1.14 for Windows hosts.

The process of how to install a virtual machine is described in other articles, but there are a few points:

After the Internet connection is restored, you can start downloading and installing the finished VM file in Windows 7.

Finding a finished VM

Microsoft for testing purposes different versions Internet Explorer (8, 9, 10, 11) specially prepared several options for downloading from its website VMs with pre-installed Windows versions (7; 8.1; 10) https://developer.microsoft.com/ru-ru/microsoft-edge/tools/vms /. If this link is not available, the browser will automatically redirect to the English version of the site https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/tools/vms/

So, first you need to choose windows image 7 with any IE version (8, 9, 10, 11).

Choose from the drop-down list the item which virtual machine will undoubtedly be used. In our case, it is.

And click on the Download .zip button. The zip file download process will begin.

It remains to install and run the virtual machine on Windows 7.

Virtual Windows 7 Adjustment

The virtual Windows file itself is extracted from the "IE10.Win7.For.Windows.VirtualBox.zip" archive.

After the file is extracted, click on it right click mice
and from the drop-down list we choose “ To open with».

In principle, nothing needs to be changed in the import parameters. You can leave it as it is and click the Import button.

The configuration process starts. The "" window looks like this:

After the process is over, the new 7 and VM will appear in the program list. To start it, you just need to either double-click on the VM itself, or click on the button with the arrow “ Run". The process of starting the operating system will begin immediately. If you install it for the first time, it will take a little longer, however, the same happens when installing a real OS. Once the installer completes all the necessary steps, a desktop with a working Windows 7 system appears.

Windows 7 in English and the created virtual machine are ready to start.

Configure a virtual system

All VM controls are intuitive. But if you have any questions, you should carefully read the pop-up tips in Russian. You can turn to help for help, where you can find answers to all questions.

Usually, both the mouse and keyboard work only in the VM and are blocked in real Windows. But it is possible to switch between the two systems using the Right Control host key.

Now that the virtual machine is installed and running, you can configure Windows. The first step is to install software components (drivers) for all virtual devices. The process is simple enough. You need to go to the main menu and in the line “ Devices" click on " Install guest OS add-ons».

After completing the installation, the VMs are rebooted. Now the picture has become clearer, the VM window can be dynamically changed, support for mouse integration will be connected, and access to the Internet will open.

It also has the ability to expand the function of the displays. In this mode, the windows that open in the VM will be displayed on the real desktop, and not in an independent program window. This makes it possible to facilitate access to all controls and installed VM programs.

Shutting down virtual Windows 7

As in a real laptop in a VM, the installed Windows requires a certain order to be completed. You can quit by pressing the button to quit. A menu will open, which will offer three options for closing the VM.

« Save machine state"- before shutting down, the machine will save all running applications at the time of shutdown. When the VM is turned on again, work in it can be continued from the moment it was turned off.

« Send shutdown signal»- all applications can be closed, and the machine will turn off automatically.

« Turn off the car"- in the same way as if a real computer were de-energized.

Conclusion

From this small overview it is clear that working with virtual machines, such as, makes it possible to connect several different operating systems at once on one device. Naturally, the more powerful the real device (RAM and CPU), the faster virtual computers will also work. Disabling the antivirus on your own machine or if the list of exclusions will help speed up the work antivirus software add a virtual directory.

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A virtual machine (VM) is another computer running on your desktop. That is, the window starts as if the second (virtual) monitor, and which loads another computer.

This computer has its own virtual hardware and you can install any real operating system (OS) on it, for example, virtual Windows. You can fully work on such a "computer" and I really like this topic.

What you can use virtual machines for

  • for tests or training in other operating systems (Windows, Linux, MacOS, etc.)
  • development of programs for other OS
  • work in different places with the same software environment
  • for anonymity

I think you can still think of ways to use it, this is the first thing that came to my mind. For example, at my former job, I could not put the programs I needed on my computer, even though I was an administrator. This was related to security and licensing issues. Then I installed myself a virtual machine, installed Windows and all the programs I needed on it, and worked in it. In the evening I recorded the image on an external hard drive and took it home with me.

In addition, the working Internet was severely curtailed in speed, but there was access to a different provider. I put the second network card and configured it in a virtual machine. That is, in "normal" Windows there were no drivers on it, but in virtual environment through it the fast Internet worked.

A virtual hard disk is stored in a single file and its data can be encrypted. That is, if someone comes to you without asking, then you can simply close the virtual operating system and you will not be able to find anything on your computer except the browser and Excel 🙂

What virtual machines exist for Windows

Most popular and used:

  • Oracle VM VirtualBox is free, it can do almost everything that an ordinary user needs
  • Hyper-V - free, built into Windows 8 / 8.1 / 10 Pro and Enterprise versions
  • - paid, maximum functionality, for professional developers

VMware is a pretty massive software package, costs a lot, and is designed for commercial use. For the purposes I have described, the first two are enough. But, who knows how to download from torrents, you can install it. The principle of operation and the plus / minus settings are the same everywhere.

How to install a virtual machine on VirtualBox

The whole process takes place in a few simple steps:

  • Download and install VirtualBox
  • Create VM using wizard
  • Mount the installation image with the operating system
  • Install the OS as on a regular computer

Actually, I shot a video:

To download the program you need to click here:

During installation, windows will pop up asking you to install additional drivers for virtual devices, you need to agree to everything.

In the main window of the program, press the "Create" button and get into the virtual machine wizard. To see all the options, you also need to click on the "Expert mode" button:

Name: any name

A type: choose the future operating system (Windows, Linux, BSD, etc.)

Version: the exact version of the installed OS (seven, ten,).

There may not be a choice of x64 versions in the list if there is no hardware virtualization, but more on that below.

RAM

The amount of memory is the RAM that will be available in virtual Windows. For example, if your computer has 8 GB random access memory, then the VM can be allocated up to 4 GB. And after starting the VM, these 4 gigabytes will be taken away from your Windows, tk. virtual OS will be used. Therefore, you need to choose this volume based on the following considerations:

  • For Windows 7/8/10 x86, you need at least 1 GB of memory, and for more or less normal operation from 2 GB
  • For Windows x64, you need at least 2 GB of memory, and for everything to move somehow - at least 3 GB

Accordingly, we choose such a volume virtual memoryso that the installed virtual Windows has enough, and your Windows also has as much left as it needs. In general, if you have 4 gigabytes of memory, then we put 1024MB here, and if you have 8GB or more, then we select 3000-4000 megabytes here.

HDD

I suspect that you do not have a virtual hard disk, so we proceed to creating it in the next step:

The first important thing is “ Location". Change to a folder on disk with more space. For example, for many, the C: drive is not very large, and is designed for one operating system, and the D: drive for the rest of the files. Now, if this is the same for you, then select there and create some folder on the D drive:

The size - for Windows family, set at least 40 GB.

A type - we leave the default "VDI". It is unlikely that you will need to connect this "disk" to other virtual systems.

Storage format - "Dynamic". In this case, the file size of such a disk will grow as it fills. If you set "Fixed", then all 40 GB will immediately take up space on the D: drive, for example.

This completes the creation of the virtual machine.

Configuring VM VirtualBox

Now you can run the virtual machine, but it is empty, without an operating system. You need to insert into the virtual disk drive "disk". An ISO-image acts as an installation "DVD-disk", the same one that we write to a real DVD or to a USB flash drive.

We go into the settings of our VM on the "Media" tab:

Click on the "drive" with the value "Empty", then on the DVD disc icon and select "Select an optical disc image ..." from the menu, where we indicate the path to the iso image. And if you have a physical disc with the installation, then just insert it into the drive and check the "Live CD / DVD" box. It is important that you install the version that you chose at the stage of creating the machine, especially at the expense of the bit depth.

Everything is now ready to start the virtual machine. Click the "Run" button

Download will start virtual computer and the same process of installing Windows as if you did it on your computer or laptop. After installing Windows, you will start the VM and your virtual Windows will already be loaded.

Host key

An important detail is the host key. When you click on the virtual machine window, all the "attention" from pressing the keyboard buttons and mouse movements will go to the virtual machine (guest operating system). To "free" the keyboard and the mouse, i.e. return them to their native Windows, you need to press right Ctrl... This button can be changed in the settings. By the way, the clipboard of your system and the virtual one is, as it were, common. That is, if you copy text to the clipboard on a real computer, you can paste it into a virtual one, very convenient.

Hardware virtualization

For VMs to work faster and better, as well as to be able to install 64-bit (x64) versions of operating systems, hardware virtualization must be enabled. This support itself is built into the processors and all modern processors it is (it may not be only in ancient dual-core processors and older ones).

Are called intel technology VT-x and VT-d (in expensive processors) and AMD-V. Its meaning is that commands are sent directly to the processor, bypassing the operating system drivers. Hardware virtualization is enabled in the VM settings on the " System -\u003e Acceleration»

But it may not work for you, because this option is disabled by default in BIOS for security reasons. The error "VT-x / AMD-V hardware virtualization features are enabled but not functional" may appear. Therefore, we need to restart the computer and.

If you do not know how, and you are too lazy to read the article, then in a nutshell: immediately after turning on the computer for 10 seconds, press the F1, F2, Delete buttons, or if it is written on the screen, then we read which button to press. We look at your bios based on pictures and look for a similar setting:

With a graphical interface

Click additionally, enter the advanced mode, then "CPU Configuration"

We are looking for the "Intel Virtualization Technology" setting and change it to the "On" position. (On)

If you have an AMD processor, the setting will be called "Secure Virtual Machines". We save the changes with the "F10" button.

With text interface:

Go to "Security -\u003e Virtualization"

We turn on the technology of hardware virtualization in the "Enabled" position

We save the F10 settings, a reboot will take place. If you do not use virtual machines, it is better to turn off virtualization for security purposes, because viruses can create their own spaces.

The second reason why hardware virtualization may not work in Windows 8/10 is the included embedded Hyper-V virtual machine.

Virtualization allows you to encapsulate internal organization operating systems or parts thereof inside virtual hardware and software. In other words, create a virtual space that will be real from the point of view of the operating system running in that space. This is exactly what virtual machines for Windows 7, Linux and Mac OS X do. Virtualization also allows you to simulate devices that are not on your computer at all.

Note: In a sense, virtual machines allow you to create a computer inside a computer.

There are two important aspects of machine virtualization:

  • interaction between physical host (computer) and virtual host
  • interaction between the operating system running in the virtual space and the hardware used

Virtualization software, namely virtual machines for Windows 7 (Linux, Mac OS X), is usually a regular application or operating system service that allows you to create hosts. Any physical machine (computer) is called a host. Inside virtualization software, the operating system runs on a similar or identical real host called a virtual machine. For convenience, the operating system running in a virtual machine is referred to as a guest operating system.

In addition, there are different ways virtualization, on which not only the implementation of applications for creating virtual machines depends, but also the provided capabilities for guest systems. There is a common emulation in which hardware and software calls go through the middle layer. There is also para-virtualization, where part of the actions inside the virtual machine takes place on real hardware, while the other part goes through the intermediate layer. And also there is virtualization at the system level, when each guest system is loaded in a special kernel, which allows you to run only similar versions of the operating system.

Some of these methods can be performed on the fly, without significant changes to the real host and its operating system. Others require rebooting the host into a special instance of the operating system that supports virtualization. Others use dedicated hosts that support and are designed for virtualization at the hardware device level. The latter are also known as virtualization techniques on bare metal (although this is not entirely true, since some software kernel is still used).

Virtualization software that manages the creation and operation of virtual machines, as well as the allocation and limitation of the resources provided, is often referred to as a hypervisor. Some virtualization applications can also use special processor extensions to improve the performance of virtual machines. The presence of such extensions is called hardware virtualization support. Examples of this support are VT-X (Intel) and AMD-V (AMD) technologies.

What is not virtualization and virtual machine?

Some people like to call virtualization programs (virtual machines) anything that creates a layer of abstraction between the operating system and some of the running processes. For example, there is Sandboxie, which allows you to isolate browsers from the system (see browser protection utilities). Some programs allow you to freeze the state of the system so that it cannot be changed. Others also allow you to use the so-called shadow mode, in which all programs run normally, but any changes are canceled when you restart the computer.

Of course, all of these programs provide different benefits, but they are not considered virtualization technologies and are not virtual machines because they do not imitate system calls and they do not allow you to run guest operating systems on top of the current system. Such programs only create additional layers of separation, mainly to increase the level of security. Continuing the topic of security, then ...

Why use virtualization and virtual machines?

If security comes first for you and this is the first thing you think about in any situation, then virtualization (using virtual machines) can certainly help you with this. But, don't assume that virtualization is primarily used for security purposes. Its primary goals are testing, cost reduction, flexibility, legacy product support, and education. Increasing the level of security is just a nice bonus, which has many pitfalls.

Note: Although virtualization allows you to isolate one operating system from another, there are still ways to get from the guest system to the main one.

What does it take to run virtualization technology and virtual machines?

The first thing to consider is the physical host. Depending on the type of virtualization software (virtual machines), completely different hardware and operating systems may be required. Virtualization does not imply any one solution that will run wherever you need it. Virtual machines need to be selected for the system (Windows, Linux, Mac), and for the hardware (hardware). In addition, the host must have the required.

So if you are going to run guest operating systems on top of your system, you will need additional resources to run them, such as CPU and RAM. For example, if your computer only has 2 GB of RAM and you want to run the guest system on Windows 7, then you will have to severely limit resource usage on the real system for the virtual machine to function properly. Unless you're trying to run Windows XP with 256MB of memory, of course. However, if you have 16 GB of RAM, then you can run more than one guest system without feeling any lack of resources.

Pros: Easy to install and use.

Cons: Limited functionality. Doesn't support snapshots and general access to directories.

Virtual Machine for Windows 7, Linux and Mac OS X - VirtualBox

VirtualBox is another cross-platform virtual machine creation program for Windows 7 and higher, as well as Linux and Mac systems, currently owned by Oracle. VirtualBox is similar to VMware Player, but has more features, including a more advanced networking stack, unlimited snapshots, some OpenGL and DirectX support, and more. The app is easy to install and just as easy to use. You can also use the command line for automatic deployment. VirtualBox also supports USB and shared directories. In addition, there is a portable version of VirtualBox. However, there are also disadvantages. You cannot take screenshots of guest systems. Disk management is somewhat confusing.

Audience: beginners and advanced users.

Pros: Easy to install and use, many features.

Cons: No support for screenshots, importing existing machines is difficult, not intuitive disk management.

VMware ESXi hypervisor for creating virtual machines

ESXi is a bare metal hypervisor with reduced functionality compared to ESX. The application requires a host and can be controlled from the console (the console is locked by default, but you can manually enable it). You will not be able to take screenshots or capture video from the screens of your virtual machines. Guest migration and cloning is done manually only. But, on the other hand, you get sharing memory efficiency to use RAM, powerful control and management, and command line access via SSH (when unlocked). You can also install VMware Tools to improve the performance of virtual machines. Para virtualization is also supported by ESXi.

Pros: Powerful, advanced virtual machine capabilities.

Cons: Requires a host and a lot of resources. Not easy to install and run.

Virtual Machine for Unix / Linux - Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM)

KVM supports virtualization only for UNIX-like operating systems (Linux). The application can be run on any hardware or in emulation mode, however without processor extensions the performance will be terrible. KVM is intended to be used over the console. But, it has a decent management interface that lets you start and stop virtual machines, take screenshots, and more. The interface is known as Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) and is also used to manage Xen virtual machines (see below). Support for local and remote control... There is a known conflict with VirtualBox, but it can be solved relatively easily

Audience: advanced users and professionals.

Pros: Full control and flexibility, very high performance, under appropriate conditions.

Cons: Only UNIX-like systems. Requires virtualization hardware extensions to run properly. Emphasis on the command line. Not easy to install and run.

Virtual Machine for Unix / Linux - Xen

Xen is another application for virtualizing UNIX-like operating systems (Linux). It must boot in its own kernel instance. The emphasis is on the command line. But, you can also use VMM. Officially, Xen has been supported by OpenSUSE for many years and has recently been added to the mainline kernel release. Xen can run in hardware-assisted mode or para-virtualization. However, for Xen para-virtualization in the highest degree problematic in terms of installation and launch. Also, Xen has limited support for cd-rom and network devices. It is also available as a bare metal virtualization hypervisor on a Live CD. There are numerous third-party extensions for managing Xen.

Audience: advanced users and professionals.

Pros: Full control and flexibility, very good performance, built-in kernel support.

Cons: Only UNIX-like systems. The para-virtualization mode is buggy. Emphasis on the command line. Several utilities command linewhich can be misleading. Not easy to install and run. You must load your own kernel instance.

Other solutions for creating virtual machines

There are many other solutions not listed here, such as Parallels Virtuozzo, OpenVZ, and VMLite-based VirtualBox. There are also a number of redesigned solutions, including examples of crossing virtualization and thin clients. Linux also has a huge number of its own modifications. And don't forget about cloud technologies with their virtualization applications.

Nevertheless, if you are a novice user, then you should not chase the possibilities and colorful modifications. Otherwise, an attempt to create a virtual machine to run a couple of three programs can result in several sleepless nights.

A few words about virtualization programs

This review will be useful not only for novice users, but also for experts. The listed products cover a wide range of virtualization technologies at all levels. All described solutions are free for personal use... Choose what you want or need based on the available hardware, requirements for ease of setup and launch, as well as the presence of the necessary set of functions.

Generally, most people start learning about virtualization with VMware Player or VirtualBox. Linux users may prefer KVM and possibly Xen. Advanced users might want to take a look at ESXi.

A huge number of programs that appear every day make downloading and installing unknown software on a computer more and more dangerous for the system and important files on the computer. In addition, many programs that have the functions necessary for the work of programmers, artists and other PC users are available only for a small number of operating systems. If before you had to take a lot of risk downloading a suspicious file from the Internet, or reinstall the system just for the sake of one desired program, now for this there is such an OS as a virtual machine.

What is a virtual machine

Virtual machine - special program, which is installed on the user's native operating system and, when launched, starts to emulate, that is, reproduce, the functions of any other operating system specified in the settings. The main convenience of such programs is that there is no need to switch between OS and access to all the functions of the reproduced system. In addition, all actions performed inside the virtual machine will not affect the operation of the main system, which prevents possible computer failures.

At the moment, the developers of virtual machines have created programs that allow you to emulate any operating system, starting with early versions Windows and ending with Ubuntu, OS X and lesser known axes, also work with ready-made servers, for example, bitrix virtual machine.

There is one more, narrower, understanding of the term "virtual machine", which is widespread among musicians - virtual drum machinethat plays the sounds of the drum kit. Such a program allows you to record parts of percussion instruments without using a live setup, but in special recording programs or "animating" a pre-recorded midi-track, placing the recorded samples of each beat under the electronic sound.

What is a virtual machine for?

The range of actions that can be performed using a virtual machine is actually very large.

The simplest thing you can do with it is to use programs that are not available for the user's operating system or even for a PC in principle. For example, the emulator of the Android operating system is essentially a virtual machine that people use to run applications or games.

In addition, virtual machines are often used by programmers to test written programs. For example, to check how correctly a written algorithm works in different versions of Windows. The same applies to the developers of applications for iOS and Android, who check the functionality of the development inside the emulators. For this, there is a virtual machine on a flash drive, so that you can always check the functionality of the written code.

For such checks, machines are also used by less advanced users. The fact is that when emulating related operating systems, the machine can reproduce all the information that is contained on the computer. Therefore, if a user has to download a file from the Internet that may contain viruses, then he should first check it in a virtual machine. If it plays normally on it, then you can safely open it on your native OS.

In addition, they help in corporate work, say, Bitrix virtual machines.

If we talk about virtual drum machines, then they are used in order to record drum parts with high quality in conditions of a lack of funds, for example, for renting a studio. Of all the instruments, the drums are the most sensitive to recording, and it is on them that the most time is spent. In addition, the drummer may not have enough skill to play them exactly, which significantly increases the amount of rent money. In such a situation, the best way out is to record the part in the program and then play it back.

What are virtual machines

Virtual Machine for Windows 10

Especially for advanced users familiar with the concept of "virtual machine", Microsoft made built-in emulation of other operating systems -. Initially, its functionality is blocked, but its components are easily enabled through the Control Panel.

Go to the Control Panel and go to the subsection " Programs and Features". There in the window " Turning components on and off»Tick the Hyper-V service name. After that, the virtual machine will be installed on the PC, and in the future it will be possible to start it through the menu “ Start».

Key benefits of Hyper-V:

  • built into the system, no need to download and search;
  • has full functionality for emulating different versions of Windows, for example, 98 and other operating systems;
  • supports windows versions different bit depths;
  • simple and intuitive interface.

In general, thanks to the presence of Hyper-V on Windows 10, users have no need for other similar programs. Although the utility does not require special configuration skills, you can read more about it in a related article.

Virtual Machine for Windows 7

The most popular virtual machine for windows users 7 is Windows Virtual PC... Initially, its main functionality was intended to emulate Windows XP, so that developers could comfortably transfer programs developed for this OS to the new seven, which was just coming out at that time. In the future, its capabilities have expanded, and now Virtual PC is a separate platform that can reproduce almost all existing operating systems.

Like Hyper-V, this service is built into the system from the start. In order to install it, you need to go to " Start"And the submenu" Programs". There you need to find a line with the name of the program, click on it. A window will open in which you can freely create, delete and perform other manipulations with the emulator of operating systems.

Virtual machines for Mac and other operating systems

In addition to the virtual machines built into the seventh and tenth Windows, third-party developers have created many other, independent utilities that have approximately the same capabilities, but differ in details. The most popular one is Oracle VirtualBox , which will be discussed in this part of the article.

This virtual machine can emulate all current operating systems, and is also available for the most popular operating systems at the moment - Windows, OS X, Linux and Solaris. You can download it from the developer's website, having previously selected which system you need it for.

From the rest of their counterparts this program Oracle is distinguished by wide functionality, which includes support for USB ports and their launch from an emulated machine, the ability to save the state of the system for instant rollback in case a critical error occurs. In fact, from a huge list of all supported features, we can conclude that by downloading Oracle VirtualBox, you can comfortably work with any operating system without any restrictions at all.

For most users, the VirtualBox utility is very good choice because of its practicality, reliability and functionality.

After the distribution kit with the application is on your computer, double-click on it. This will launch the installer. In it, you will need to choose which features, in addition to the Oracle machine itself, are installed with it. The list includes: internal Python programming, customized Internet support, and USB port integration. After that, just follow the instructions. installation file until the installation of Oracle VirtualBox is complete.

Virtual drum machines

Virtual drum machines are present in the form of additional plug-ins that are installed and run through the program for recording or writing music - FL Studio, Ableton, Cubase and others. The most popular drum machine emulators are Ez drummer and Addictive drums... In the free access to them there are large libraries of samples for every taste, recorded by famous drummers.

Creating your own virtual machine

In addition, there is also a company VMWare, which also offers users programs to create their own virtual machines. The most famous of them is called Workstation and is distributed on a paid basis. However, there are tons of resources that offer free use this virtual machine for both Windows and Mac and Ubuntu. It is worth noting that the company offers a ton of additional utilities that expand the capabilities of the base program, adding desktop management, broadcasting, and more. Let's consider why this virtual machine is needed.

Workstation allows you to create virtual machines that will be managed from a single center. For the most part, this tool is of interest to large companies that need to configure the same functionality of devices on a large number of computers.

One of the most important features that virtual vMWare machine, so-called, vSphere, which allows not only to create and configure a virtual machine, but also to implement a whole infrastructure of such devices, interconnected. And if you have to choose, then such functionality will be very useful for large companies whose employees need to exchange data and information with each other.

All the functionality of the developed VMWare programs is based not on a single use of a virtual machine, but on the formation of a grid from them and a single place from where this network is controlled.

Virtualization 1C-Bitrix

Another program created for comfortable work with 1C-Bitrix products is bitrix virtual machine, this time from domestic developers, which can also work with any PHP applications... In fact, this program is an emulation of the site server, which contains all settings for comfortable work... The finished machine can be opened at VMWare Player or other applications from this developer (there are also versions for VirtualBox and HyperV).

The program allows you to save time and get started immediately after the main platform is ready for use. At the same time, the Bitrix virtual machine is installed directly into the main emulation system, integrating into its functionality and operation, which allows you to start interacting with 1C projects immediately after installation and launch.

Which virtual machine to choose

There is no clear comparison here. It all depends on the user and his needs. For emulating games and checking third-party software, the usual Hyper-V services and the like, built into the operating system itself, are quite enough. A well tested, reliable and free option is VirtualBox.For organizations, the best virtual machines are definitely VMWare products or the Bitrix virtual machine, since they simplify business and employee interactions.

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One operating system - virtual - inside another operating system, but already real - this is an ideal find for those who like to test third-party software as well as different versions and assemblies of operating systems.

It is safe, it is interesting, moreover, it is even useful for development. VirtualBox is perhaps the only well-known software representative that provides these features.

It is free, simple and straightforward to use, even for novice users. How do I install a virtual Windows operating system using VirtualBox? We will consider this issue below.

Step 1. Create a virtual computer

With download and installing VirtualBox hardly any problems, it can be downloaded for free from official site of the developer, and it is installed as standard.

The launched program will open with a welcome window, where you need to click the command - "Create".

The window that appears will provide you with a choice of operating systems supported by the program. Select the required version, set the name to the virtual computer. We press "Forward".


We indicate which system we are creating:

Correct windows work XP will be provided with 512 MB of RAM, but for Windows 7 it is better to allocate 800-900 MB.

It is impossible to enter the red section of the scale, thereby giving the virtual computer more than half of the hardware potential of the physical computer. We press "Forward".

In the next selection window hard disk select the option to create a new hard drive.

In the next window, it is better for beginners to choose the storage format - fixed disk, since it works a little faster than dynamic. We press "Forward".

This figure will also be taken from the memory of the physical hard disk, therefore it is necessary to select the optimal volume, which will be enough for the purposes of the virtual computer, and this will not be at the expense of physical memory.

For Windows XP, you can allocate 5 GB, and for Windows 7 - about 15 GB. Here, with the help of the browse button visible at the end of the first line, we select the directory of the physical computer where the hDD virtual.

Choose a better place on a non-system disk. The "New" command will start the process of creating a hard disk for the virtual computer, after which you can admire the parameters of the newly created virtual computer.

Step 2. Install the operating system on the virtual computer

The virtual computer is created and you can install the operating system on it. Click the "Run" command.


We choose either boot disk operating system located in a physical drive, or a disk image. You can set the path to the disk image using the browse button at the end of the line. We press "Continue".