virtual operating system. Virtual machines for home and business

The example uses the actual Windows 8 Professional operating system. It can be seen that a program is running in the center of the window that displays inside the Windows XP operating system, which runs parallel to the real one and you can perform absolutely any actions in it, just like in a real system, with the exception, perhaps, of launching resource-intensive games.

“What is all this for?” - you ask. And the use of virtual machines can be useful for several reasons. Since all of us who read this blog are interested in making money on the Internet, this will be the main reason for using virtual machines. And here we will consider 2 earnings that are convenient to implement on a virtual machine:

    In one of my articles, I wrote about the possibility of making money with the help of autosurfing. If you read, then remember how small the earnings there are. According to the minimum estimates - about $ 35, this is when using several real computers already. Of course, there will be 2-3 times more if you increase the statuses. And I really do not advise you to implement this type of earnings without a virtual machine. Because the program for autosurfing will open a huge number of sites and you won’t be protected from viruses. Even if your computer is protected by a good antivirus (in my personal opinion, good and reliable, but resource-intensive - Kaspersky Anti-Virus), it will still miss something (How to protect your computer from various network threats is described here Overview of ways to protect your computer from various network threats ). And when using a virtual machine, your real system is safe. Viruses, if any, will remain in it.

    If your computer has very good performance, then it is convenient to work through a virtual machine using multi-accounts in boxes.

    Because in this way in a real system it will be convenient for you to do other things, and all work in the boxes will be in a virtual system and a bunch of open profiles will not interfere in a real system. But this is only possible if the RAM on your computer is 8 > Gigabytes.

    In addition, I will also list other reasons why it is convenient to use a virtual machine:

      All unknown and unfamiliar programs that you want to try out and not clog your real system are easier to test in a virtual machine. That's what I usually do. In a virtual machine, I register accounts in boxes (it’s more convenient for me), I test autoclickers, autosurfing. At the same time, I did not install an antivirus in the virtual machine, it is simply not needed there.

      If you are not sure about the safety of applying or changing any settings on your system, it is easy to try it out in a virtual machine and see the consequences. It is also convenient to learn various network settings and more. But this is rather for those who are interested in the IT field.

    Anyone who simply makes money on the Internet will always find benefit in using a virtual machine.

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    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.

    [hide]

    VirtualBox is a virtual machine from Oracle Corporation. A free program designed to virtualize operating systems Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, etc.

    Version: VirtualBox 6.1.4

    Size: 107 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

    A huge number of programs appearing 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 features necessary for the work of programmers, artists and other PC users are available only for a small number of operating systems. If earlier you had to take a big risk by downloading a suspicious file from the Internet, or reinstalling the system just for the sake of one necessary program, now there is such an OS as a virtual machine for this.

    What is a virtual machine

    Virtual machine- a special program that is installed on the user's native operating system and, when launched, begins to emulate, that is, reproduce, the functions of any other operating system specified in the settings. The main convenience of such programs is the absence of the need to switch between operating systems and access to all functions of the reproducible 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, virtual machine developers have created programs that allow you to emulate any operating system, from early versions of Windows to Ubuntu, OS X and lesser-known axes, and also work with ready-made servers, for example, Bitrix virtual machine.

    There is another, narrower, understanding of the term "virtual machine", which is common among musicians - virtual drum machine, which plays the sounds of a drum kit. Such a program allows you to record parts of percussion instruments without using a live setup, but in special recording programs, or “revitalizing” a pre-recorded midi track, putting 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 general. For example, the Android operating system emulator is essentially a virtual machine with which people run applications or games.

    In addition, virtual machines are often used by programmers to test written programs. For example, to check how correctly the written algorithm works in different versions of Windows. The same applies to developers of applications for iOS and Android, who check the performance of developments inside emulators. For this, there is a virtual machine on a flash drive in order to always be able to 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 you should first check it on 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 high-quality drum parts in conditions of lack of funds, for example, for renting a studio. Of all the instruments, it is the drums that 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 smoothly, which greatly increases the amount of money for rent. 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 a 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 " Programs and Features". There in the window Turning components on and off» Check 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 launch it through the menu " Start».

    Key Benefits of Hyper-V:

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

    In general, thanks to the presence of Hyper-V on Windows 10, users no longer need other similar programs. Although the utility does not require special skills in setting up, 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 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 play almost all existing operating systems.

    Like Hyper-V, this service is built into the system from the very beginning. In order to install it, you need to go to " Start» and 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 operating system emulator.

    Virtual machines for Mac and other operating systems

    In addition to the virtual machines built into Windows 7 and 10, third-party developers have created many other independent utilities that have roughly the same capabilities, but differ in details. The most popular of them is Oracle Virtual Box, which will be discussed in this part of the article.

    This virtual machine can emulate all currently existing 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, after selecting which system you need it for.

    This Oracle program differs from its other counterparts in its 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 its instant rollback in case a critical error occurs. In fact, from the huge list of all supported features, we can conclude that by downloading Oracle VirtualBox, you can comfortably work on 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.

    Once the distribution kit with the application is on your computer, double-click on it. This will launch the installer. It will ask you which features, besides the Oracle machine itself, are installed with it. The list includes: the possibility of internal programming in Python, configured 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 launched through a program for recording or writing music - FL Studio, Ableton, Cubase and others. The most popular drum machine emulators - EZ Drummer and Addictive Drums. In free access to them are large libraries of samples for every taste, recorded by famous drummers.

    Create 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 distributed free of charge. However, there are plenty of resources that offer free use of this virtual machine for both Windows and Mac and Ubuntu. It is worth noting that the company offers a lot of additional utilities that expand the capabilities of the basic program, adding desktop management, broadcasting, and much more. 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 set up the same functionality of devices on a large number of computers.

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

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

    1C-Bitrix virtualization

    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 in VMWare Player or other applications of this developer (there are also versions for VirtualBox and HyperV).

    The program allows you to save time and start working 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. To emulate games and check third-party software, the usual Hyper-V services and the like, built into the operating system itself, will be enough. A well-tested, reliable and free option is virtual box. For organizations, the best virtual machines are definitely VMWare products or the Bitrix virtual machine, as they simplify business and interaction with employees.

    Related videos

    To have several operating systems at hand with a separate workspace 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 (VMs) - special programs that create (emulate) imaginary (virtual) computers inside the main operating system.

    Virtual PC is almost like a real one. It has its own processor, memory, hard drive, network adapter and everything else. Of course, these are not physical devices, but they are made in such a way that operating systems consider them to be exactly that - real.

    Several virtual computers can run on one physical computer at the same time. How much depends on hardware resources: the faster the processor, the larger the RAM, the more spacious the drive, the more. A typical Windows 10-based mid-range home PC can handle three to five lightweight operating systems (such as Windows XP, Android, and Lubuntu + main system) at the same time. Or two or three relatively heavy ones (for example, the main Windows 10 + virtual Windows 7 and Mac OS X). As you already understood, virtual desktop emulator applications allow you to install and run a wide variety of operating systems on them.

    General-purpose virtual machines (as opposed to specialized ones, such as, for example, Java VMs), use:

    • To run applications that the main system does not support.
    • To protect the system from potential harm from unverified programs.
    • As an additional barrier against viruses when visiting dubious web resources.
    • To create an isolated environment for studying malware activity.
    • As a testing ground for debugging your own developments.
    • To master the technologies of building networks.
    • For double authorization on some game portals and much more.

    And of course, virtual machines are widely used to distribute the working resources of servers.

    Today we will not touch on the industrial use of VMs, but will only consider what may be useful to home users of Windows.

    Oracle VirtualBox

    Consider the process of creating a new virtual machine and starting to install Windows 10 into it.

    • Click the "Create" button on the top bar.

    • In the first window of the VM 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 install 64 bit, but it will require more resources). To go to the next step, click Next.

    • Next, specify the size of the VM RAM. Windows 10 x86 defaults to 1 GB, but you can increase this amount by moving the slider to the right. If your PC does not have a lot of RAM, do not give the VM more than 2-3 GB, otherwise the main system will slow down due to lack of memory.

    • Next, create a virtual hard disk. If you are installing the system for the first time, select the "Create new" option.

    • Leave the virtual disk type as default.

    • A storage format is an area on your computer's physical storage that is allocated to a VM. It can be fixed or dynamically expandable within the limits you define next. To save space, we will choose a dynamic format.

    • Next, specify the name of the volume (virtual disk C) and its size. The default is 32 GB.

    • After clicking the "Create" button in the last window, a new virtual machine will appear in the list. The frame on the right shows its parameters.
    • To proceed to the installation of Windows, click the "Run" button in the top panel.

    • In the window that opens after that, the window "Select a boot disk" will appear. Click on the folder icon and specify the path to the system distribution kit. It can be an image in .iso format or physical media (DVD, flash drive). Once you've selected your distribution, click Continue.

    • The further course of installing the OS into a virtual machine does not differ from installing it on a physical computer.

    Some VM and guest system settings

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

    To access the entire feature set of the guest OS, you need to install special add-ons. Go to the "Devices" menu, click "Mount Guest Additions Disk Image" and follow the instructions.

    To connect a folder to the guest system for exchanging files with the main one, click the “Shared Folders” item in the “Devices” menu. Click on the “folder+” icon in the window that opens and, through the “folder path” field, specify it in Explorer (it shows the directories of the main system).

    If you want the setting to work all the time, check "Auto-connect" and "Create a permanent folder". The shared folder will be available from the virtual machine explorer as a network folder.

    To change the order in which boot devices are polled (for example, to boot a virtual machine from a DVD), shut down the guest OS, open its settings (in the main Virtualbox window) and go to the first tab of the "System" section. In the "Load Order" list, select the desired media and use the arrow buttons to move it to the top.

    VMware Workstation Pro

    Some options for Hyper-V virtual machines

    To take a snapshot of a running guest OS, Open the top menu of its Action window and click Checkpoint. Or press the combination Ctrl+N.

    Access to the settings of an individual virtual machine is opened from its context menu in the list of the main dispatcher window and is hidden behind the "Settings" button.

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