The most virtual. Review of virtual machines of different developers

Hello, dear readers of the site "Computer with mind!".

Today I will tell you what is a virtual car, what they happen they are for what they need, and what they imagine. In fact, the virtual machine is a program that emulates another computer on your computer, with those parameters that you specify it. That is, this is a computer in a computer for what you need? The reasons for using a virtual machine on your computer may be several:

1. Testing an additional operating system, with the aim of seeing it works as far as it is convenient and what is its features and opportunities. But at the same time you do not want to delete the operating system, which is already on your computer. In front of me, this task got up when I decided for myself a few years ago, whether it was necessary to move with Windows XP on the Window, I installed on the Windows 7 virtual machine, I looked at the then raw version of this operating system, and at that time decided to leave on my computer Windows XP. On Windows 7, I switched only after substantial refinements were made, vulnerabilities were tested and some errors were corrected. The same thing happens now with Windows 8 - I have not finally switched to this system and use Windows 7, and Windows 8 lives on my virtual machine. In fact, thanks to the virtual machine, several operating systems can be simultaneously launched on my computer, and in my opinion, this is the most basic purpose of using various virtual machines.
2. Testing various programs that for one reason or another you do not want to immediately install on your computer. Either you want to choose from several programs that have the same functionality (for example, audio or video players), the one that you will like more, but at the same time you will not climb your computer with superfluous programs, but only experience them on a virtual machine.
3. Launch potentially dangerous programs. For example, when downloading any program, your antivirus suggested that it can be potentially malware. You can run it first on the virtual machine to see how it works, and then if any suspicion it will call you, you can install it directly on your computer.
4. Running programs that are incompatible with the operating system installed on your computer. For example, some program may not be supported by new versions of Windows, and you are already used to working in it and you really need it. Suppose the program is not supported by Windows 7 and above, and only works in Windows XP. You can, of course, in this case, try to use the emulation mode of previous versions of Windows, but it does not always work. Therefore, it is easier to install Windows XP on a virtual machine and use your program in it. It is even more difficult to deal if the program is created for Linux. In this case, the presence of a virtual machine with an installed Linux operating system is also saved.

In fact, the useful functions of virtual machines are much more than I described above, as I mentioned only the main of them.

In this article we will discuss three programs - Virtual machines: Vmware, VirtualBox.and Microsoft Virtual PC.We will analyze them in order.

1. Vmware. - The most powerful and best virtual machine at the moment. And, unfortunately, the basic full-featured version of this VMware Workstation program is paid. This program has a lot of settings that facilitate the work of serious computer servers. This virtual machine works mainly with Windows and Linux operating systems, but does not support MacOS as the main operating system. Vmware also has a free application - VMware Player, which is currently able to create virtual machines, but with a strongly limited functionality, unlike a full version. Previously, VMware Player knew only to open the previously created virtual machines.
2. VirtualBox.- In my opinion, the best of free virtual machines at the moment. It is inferior to the functionality of the previous VMware, but the undoubted advantage of VirtualBox is its free. The undoubted advantage of this machine for Russian-speaking users is the presence of a version of this program in Russian. VirtualBox is very conveniently configured and has an intuitive interface, so at the moment I use this particular virtual machine.
3. Microsoft Virtual PC.- Also a free virtual machine from the famous Microsoft company (although in fact the first versions of the Virtual PC program were created by another company, and then Microsoft acquired all the rights to this program and continued its development). Since Microsoft is at the moment it is a reassembly of this program, this virtual machine supports only Windows operating systems (previously supported and MacOS). In general, this virtual machine I liked it, but because it supports only different versions of Windows, as well as, on my subjective look, has a slightly less convenient interface than the same VirtualBox, I have it rarely.

Summing up this review, I would like to note that among the virtual machines described above, I gave my preference for VirtualBox, because according to the price / quality ratio, it seemed to me the most profitable, considering that it was free. I plan to tell you where you can download it and how to install, and also discuss its basic settings.

Record navigation

To have several operating systems at once with separate workspaces and applications, you do not need to buy a second (third, fourth, etc.) computer. Because all this will fit in your only PC. How? Thanks to virtual machines (VM) - special programs that create (emulate) inside the main operating system imaginary (virtual) computers.

Virtual PC is almost like real. It has its own processor, memory, hard disk, network adapter and everything else. Of course, these are not physical devices, but they are made so that the operating systems believed them with such - real.

On one physical computer, several virtuals can work at the same time. How many exactly - depends on the hardware resources: the chunning processor, the volume of the RAM, the spacious drive, the greater. The usual homemade PC of the average performance based on Windows 10 copes with the simultaneous operation of the three-five lightweight OS (for example, Windows XP, Android and Lubuntu + main system). Or two or three relatively heavy (for example, the main Windows 10 + virtual Windows 7 and Mac OS X). As you already understood, application-emulators of virtual computers allow you to install and run on them a variety of OS.

General purpose virtual machines (in contrast to specialized - such as, for example, VM Java), use:

• To start applications that do not support the main system.
• To protect the system from the potential harm of unverified programs.
• As an additional barrier from viruses when visiting dubious web resources.
• To create an isolated medium to study the activities of malicious software.
• As a test landfill for debugging its own developments.
• To master network construction technologies.
• For dual authorization on some game portals and much more.

And of course, virtual machines are used everywhere to distribute server working resources.

Today we will not concern the industrial use of VM, and consider only what it can be useful to home users of Windows.

Oracle VirtualBox.

Consider the process of creating a new virtual machine and the start of installation in it Windows 10.

• Click on the top panel button "Create".

• In the first window of the Wizard creation wizard, specify the OS name (it will be displayed in the list of guest systems), its type (Windows, Linux, etc.) and version. In our example, this is Windows 10 32 Bit (you can also put 64 Bit, but it will require more resources). To go to the next step, click Next.

• Continue the size of the RAM's RAM. By default, Windows 10 x86 is given 1 GB, but you can increase this volume by shifting the slider to the right. If there is not a lot of RAM on your PC, do not give a VM more than 2-3 GB, otherwise the main system will slow down due to lack of memory.

• After you create a virtual hard disk. If you put the system for the first time, choose the "Create New" option.

• Virtual disk type will leave the default.

• The storage format is the area on the physical drive of your computer, which is given to VM. It can have a permanent or dynamically expandable volume in the countries that you define on. To save space, choose a dynamic format.

• You also specify the name of the volume (virtual disk C) and its size. Default - 32 GB.

• After pressing the "Create" button in the list, a new virtual machine will appear in the list. On the right in the frame show its parameters.
• To go to install Windows Click on the top panel, the Run button.

• In the window that opens after that, the "Select Boot Disk" appears. Click the folder icon and specify the path to the system distribution. This may be an image in format.iso or physical media (DVD, flash drive). By selecting the distribution, click "Continue".

• The further installation of the OS installation in the virtual machine does not differ from it to install it on the physical computer.

Some settings of VM and guest system

Click in the virtual machine window captures the mouse cursor (i.e. it will move only within the virtual screen). To return the cursor to the main OS, click Ctrl + Alt.

To access the entire set of functions of the guest OS, you need to establish special additions. Go to the "Devices" menu, click "Connect the disk image of the guest OS add-ons" and follow the further instructions.

To connect to the guest system to share file sharing with the main, click on the "Device" menu item "Shared folders". Click on the "folder +" icon in the window that opens and via the "path to folder" field, specify it in the conductor (the main system directories are shown).

If you want the setting to work constantly, check "Auto-connection" and "Create a Permanent Folder". The shared folder will be available from the virtual machine conductor as a network.

To change the ordering of the loading device polling (for example, to download a virtual machine with a DVD), complete the operation of the guest OS, open its settings (in the main VirtualBox window) and go to the first section of the System section. In the download order list, mark the desired medium and by pressing the arrow buttons, move it upstairs.

VMWare Workstation Pro.

Some Options of Virtual Machines Hyper-V

To take a picture of the status of a running guest OS, open the top menu of its "Action" window and click the test point. Or press the Ctrl + N combination.

Access to the settings of a separate virtual machine opens from its context menu in the list of the main dispatcher window and hides the "Parameters" button.

Other features of the program are also very uncomplicated and mastered without much difficulty.

Virtual machine - This is a program that allows you to get a computer in your computer. That is, your real computer is able to emulate another computer (with the other stuffing, the operating system,BIOS and other).

main destinationserver virtualization (ininstallation machines) - this is the installation and verification of programs on different operating systems, which helps determine where the program works faster, where more convenient to the interface, etc.

Advantages of modern virtual machines:

• You can install any OS, without spoiling and without stamping your own hard disk;
• You can test various applications by comparing their performance in different operating systems;
• You can check the files for infection, running them in an artificial shell that you create in a virtual machine;
• You can create and administer networks in various OS, which will help you explore the architecture of corporate networks more in-depth;
• You can run programs inaccessible to your operating system.

To date, there are many options for emulators that are able to reproduce different operating systems: from popular (Windows ) to little-known (Calibri. ), from the oldest versions to the newest. And now we will spend a small excursion by the most famous virtual machines, making a detailed review on them.

Review of virtual machines

1 - VirtualBox. . Perhaps the most famous emulator program among users provided by the CompanyOracle . The program has a simple user interface and built-in Russification, which is already suitable for beginner users.

The installation is also not different complexity, for the installation wizard is present. You will immediately offer to create a virtual machine, choose OS, give it a name. Then you must give a "new" computer a certain supply of operational and internal memory (not more than half of the real iron). After the disk type is selected and further setting up the system. Following the recommendations, you can keep two OS on your computer without harming the main system.

VirtualBox program It has a simple and accurate structure, as well as a number of interesting options. For example, you can record video from the screen to demonstrate the software on another OS. You can import any virtual disks into this program, you can follow the indicators of I / O controllers, and there is also a division of the access buffer access, which is also very convenient.

2 - Virtmanager. . A program that is also easy to manage, but still somewhat more complicated the previous option. Newbie Here it can easily be confused, and one only a list of all 86-bit operating systems can simply stun.

Here the setting is somewhat more complicated, because to create a virtual machine, you need to create a storage pool, and for this you need to assign a specific directory. However, the complex installation is due to the good features of this virtual machine.

For example, you can add equipment and constantly monitor them, detailed statistics are displayed, the performance of the entire system, you can control the machine through the command line and many more useful properties.

You only need to figure it out from you, and then you can get a convenient tool to emulate the new OS.

3 - Gnome.Boxes. . If the previous program required users of certain knowledge and time to explore, and it came to the sisadminams rather, then the utilityGnome Boxes. it is much easier and suits the usual user to familiarize yourself.

For a couple of clicks, you can configure a full-fledged virtual machine, moreover, the program has a simple, colorful interface. Yes, the possibilities of the program are strongly cut compared to the previous alternative, but it provides the main base of the ability.

An excellent option for a novice user, which will show what virtual machines are capable of.

4 - VMware Player. Do not confuse the words "player", because today it is no longer a player, but a program to create a full-fledged virtual machine, and quite high quality.

If you do not develop your own software, thenVMware Player. it is perfect for you, otherwise it is better to choose another emulator, because there is not even a complete setting of network adapters.

For most users, this is an excellent program in which network configurations can be configured and monitor the number of malicious programs, and putWindows XP. which will literally be "rubber", i.e. Pretty powerful.

5 - WMWare.Workstation. . And here is the emulator, on the contrary, is perfect for software developers. What is one possibility of grouping virtual machines. Those. At the same time on all OS, you can run the program and spend a thorough analyst.

The ability to create machines with a central processor, a memory size of up to 16 GB, which allows you to test enough powerful software tools on other OS. However, it is much more convenient to purchase the entire package.W M Ware. and use this package in all power.

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

What is a virtual machine

Virtual machine - A special program that is installed on the native operating system of the user and when starting it starts to emulate, that is, to play, the functions of any other operating system specified in the settings. The main convenience of such programs is the lack of need to switch between the OS and access to all functions of the system being reproduced. 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, virtual machine developers have created programs that allow you to emulate any operating systems starting from early versions of Windows and ending Ubuntu, OS X and less well-known axes, also work with already ready-made servers, for example, bitrix Virtual Machine.

There is another, narrower, understanding of the term "virtual machine", which is distributed in the musicians - virtual Drum Machinewhich reproduces the sounds of the shock installation. Such a program allows you to record the batches of shock tools without the use of a live installation, and in special recording programs or "reviving" a predetermined MIDI track, putting the recorded samples of each shock under the electronic sound.

What a virtual machine is needed

The range of action 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 operating system or even for PCs in principle. For example, the Emulator of the Android operating system is essentially a virtual machine, with which people run applications or games.

In addition, virtual machines are often used by programmers for tests written programs. For example, to verify how correctly the written algorithm works in different versions of Windows. The same applies to application developers for iOS and Android, which check the performance of developments precisely inside emulators. For this, there is a virtual machine on the flash drive to always be able to check the functionality of the written code.

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

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

If we talk about virtual drum machines, then they are used to in the conditions of lack of funds, such as renting a studio, high quality record permafront. Of all the tools, the most sensitive to the record is the drums, and it is on them to spend the most time. In addition, the drummer may not have a sufficient skill for playing them smoothly, which significantly increases the amount of money for rent. In this situation, the best way out of the position will be a party entry in the program and its further reproduction.

What are the 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 easy to turn on through the control panel.

Go to the control panel and go to subsection " Programs and components" There in the window " Enable and disable components»Tick Name the name of the Hyper-V service. After that, an installation of a virtual machine on a PC will occur, and in the future it can be started through the menu " Start».

The main advantages of Hyper-V:

• built into the system, you do not need to download anything and search;
• has a full functionality to emulate different versions of Windows, for example, 98 and other operating systems;
• supports Windows versions of different discharges;
• a simple and understandable interface.

In general, due to the presence on Windows 10 Hyper-V, users disappear in other similar programs. Although the utility does not require special skills in the setting, you can read more about it in an adjacent article.

Virtual machine for Windows 7

The most popular virtual machine for Windows 7 users is Windows Virtual PC.. Initially, its main functionality was intended to emulate Windows XP so that the developers can comfortably transfer programs developed by this OS, to a new seven, which at that time only went out. In the future, it has been expanded, and now Virtual PC is a separate platform that is capable of playing almost all existing operating systems.

Like Hyper-V, this service is built into the system initially. In order to establish it, you need to go to " Start"And the submenu" Programs" There you have 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 produce other manipulations with the operating system emulator.

Virtual machines for Mac and other OS

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

This virtual machine can emulate all current operating systems currently, as well as available for the most popular OS - Windows, OS X, Linux and Solaris. You can download it from the developer's website, after selecting, for which system you need it.

From the rest of its analogues, this Oracle program has a wide functionality, which includes the support of USB ports and launch them from an emulated machine, the ability to save the state of the system for its instant rollback in case a critical error occurred. In fact, from a huge list of all supported features, it can be concluded that, downloading Oracle VirtualBox, you can comfortably work for any operating system without any restrictions at all.

For most users, the VirtualBox utility is a very good choice due to its practicality, reliability and functionality.

After the distribution with the application is on your computer, double-click on it. This will launch the installation program. It will need to choose which functions, in addition to the Oracle machine itself, are installed with it. The list includes: the possibility of internal programming on Python, customized support for the Internet, as well as the integration of USB ports. After that, it is enough to follow the instructions of the installation file until the installation of Oracle VirtualBox is completed.

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. Most Popular Dram Machine Emulators - EZ Drummer and ADDICTIVE DRUMS.. Free access to them is large sample libraries for every taste recorded by famous drummers.

Creating your virtual machine

In addition, there is also a company Vmware.which also offers users of the program to create their virtual machines. The most famous of them is called Workstation. and applies to a fee basis. However, there is a lot of resources that offer free use of this virtual machine, both for Windows and for Mac, and for Ubuntu. It is worth noting that the company offers a lot of additional utilities that expand the capabilities of the base program by adding the work desks, broadcast management functions, and much more. Consider why this virtual machine is needed.

Workstation allows you to create virtual machines that will be managed from the Unified Center. By large 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 chips that VMware virtual machine has, the so-called vsphere.which allows not only to create and configure a virtual machine, but also to implement a whole infrastructure of such devices related to each other. And if you have to choose, then such a functionality is very useful to large companies whose employees need to share data and information.

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

Virtualization 1C-Bitrix

Another program created for comfortable work with 1C-Bitrix products - virtual machine Bitrix., this time from domestic developers, which can also work with any Php applications. In fact, this program provides an emulation of the site server that contains in itself all settings for comfortable work. The finished car can be opened in VMware Player. or other applications of this developer (also exist versions for VirtualBox and Hyperv).

The program allows you to save time and immediately proceed to work 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 work, which allows immediately after installation and start to start interacting with the 1C projects.

What virtual machine to choose

There is no clear comparison here. It all depends on the user and its needs. For the emulation of games and checking third-party software, the usual Hyper-V services and them are similar, embedded in the operating system itself. Well proven, reliable and free option is VirtualBox.For organizations, the best virtual machines are definitely products of VMware or the Bitrix virtual machine, since it simplifies business and interact with employees.

Video on the topic

Is there a need to run in Windows Environment Applications developed for Mac? I really want one of the first to try in the work of Windows 10 TP, but it is no longer possible to highlight a separate partition on the hard disk for it? There is nothing impossible, in all this you will help virtualization, the most complex and useful technology.

There is no ideal operating system. Whatever we set the operating system to your PC, be it Windows, Linux or Mac, we will all just find in it what is not satisfied with us. Not the ideality of the system becomes particularly noticeable when, in addition to working with documents, we have to solve more expanded tasks on PC. If we are compulsive, then due to discontent one, already installed, OS, we can easily initiate the installation of another, despite the fact that it is not the simplest and fast procedure.

Most users, especially those who are still in the process of mastering computer literacy, are frightened when setting up several operating systems at once on one computer. Almost all of them begins to embarrass everything: breakdown hard disk, solving download problems, and that is not very important, they know that to enter the second, the third installed OS, they will have to constantly restart the computer. But not everything is so bad, as it seems at first glance. It comes to the rescue, such interesting, useful and at the same time is extremely complex concept as virtualization technology.

The task of virtualization is to provide existence and simultaneous operation on one computer at once several operating systems.

Most often, virtualization is used to solve the tasks of the following type:

• Specialists of large companies use virtualization for the best and efficient distribution of large computing servers;
• Home users use virtualization (virtual machines) for simultaneously launching several applications from different operating systems. Using virtual machines, the user can run Windows XP and written to it programs in another operating system, say working on the Linux kernel. Or create a Windows 8 virtual OS on Apple Macintosh.

Virtual PC - MICROSOFT Virtual Machine

Microsoft is the developer of the most popular operating system, developed its own virtualization system, which is designed to work exclusively in the Windows environment - this is Virtual PC 2007 for Windows XP and Vista, as well as a relatively new Virtual PC Virtual Machine for Windows 7. In addition to the latest version Virtualization programs Developers have created a Windows XP MODE tool, which is a virtual version of XP Professional. This tool allows you to run outdated applications and programs in a newer Windows 7.

In Windows 8 and test Windows 10, a newer-v new technology has arrived at the Virtual PC change, borrowed from Windows Server. This technology has a lot of differences from ordinary virtual machines, so we will dedicate a separate review.

In fact, not Microsoft is a Virtual PC developer. Initially, this program was created by another company, and was designed to work in Windows and Mac OS. Then, OS / 2, DOS and OS on the Linux kernel were used as guest operating systems. When Microsoft has become the only owner of this product, it was decided to abandon the support of the Mac OS program. Thus, all the forces of developers focused on the further development of Virtual PC solely for Windows. As a result, today we have a free tool for creating a virtual environment that works perfectly in Windows as the main and guest OS. However, with all this, this tool is rather mediocre, due to the fact that there are no different kinds of additions to interact with all other systems.

You can download here: www. Microsoft. Com.

Virtual machine VMWare.

VMware is a leader in the creation of virtual solutions for specialists recognized by the World IT community. However, the developer's company has tools not only for specialists from large organizations, but also for the home user is a free VMware Player app. Previously, the free VMware Player virtualization program was able to only run the previously created virtual machines (their images), but now she learned to create them. That is, the application has become a full-fledged virtualization tool. True, unlike the paid analogue, referred to as the VMware Workstation, the functionality of free applications is somewhat limited, but we can safely say that the extended functions of the paid version are not always needed by the home user.

As the basic operating system, the VMware Player uses Linux and Windows, and as a guest OS, DOS, Windows, Linux, Mac, BSD and others can be used. For those who are the happy owner of the Macintosh computer, the digging of the developer releases the VMware Fusion application, which is completely reminded by VMware Workstation in its capabilities.

One of the distinctive features of this application is the Unity mode (it is also there with the Parallels product, which we will talk about below), which is designed to hide the virtual machine window from the user's eye. That is, the user sees the OS in the OS. In this case, the windows opened in the guest OS applications are displayed on the main desktop.

You can download here: www. VMware. Com.

Parallels Workstation - Virtualization for home users

One of the largest players in the global virtualization market is Parallels. Its basic virtualization tools are intended primarily for large service providers. But, does not disdain the developer and domestic user, so for machines with Windows and Linux, the company has a Parallels Workstation virtualization program, and for Apple machines there is a similar solution Parallels Desktop. Unlike other developers, this company does not offer free solutions, for creating and launching a virtual machine to be paid to the user.

The functionality and features of Parallels Workstation or Parallels Desktop fully justifies the availability of the price. For example, using them, you can easily import virtual machines, even those that were created in other virtualization programs, in addition, the possibilities of these paid applications allow you to create, and subsequently run on other machines, images of the main virtual systems.

It is also worth noting the fact that the company has a mobile version of the Parlelles Mobile application for iOS. Using this version, you can easily configure the remote control of the launched Parallels Desktop virtual machine on Mac OS.

You can buy here: www. Parallels.com.ru.

VirtualBox - Virtual Machine from Oracle

One of the most common programs of la virtualization is VirtualBox. Not one developer group worked on the creation of this application, and not one famous in the IT environment of the company. Currently, the product is fully owned by Oracle, which received it in the previous owner's absorption process (Sun Microsystems) in 2010. The result of all the movements of the VirtualBox program from one owner to another, today we have a virtualization program with a large number of supported operating systems. On the official website of the program, you can download to install on the Windows Platforms for Windows, Mac OS, Linux and Solaris. By the way, the same OS can be used in VirtualBox as guest.

In general, VirtualBox applies to open source, which makes it completely free for use. However, for more advanced functionality and capabilities, let's say to support the RDP protocol or USB 3.0 standard for the guest OS, the user will need to install additional plugins that are also distributed free of charge, but have a closed source code.

You can download here: www. VirtualBox. Org.

Of all the above described, you can conclude and stop, as it seems to us on two virtualization programs - this is VirtualBox and VMware Player. Application data with your head is enough to install additional operating systems.