Windows 7 - Simple, Safest Virt. App. for intermediate user

Hi!! I am running Win 7 x64 Home Premium on 2 yr. old Dell Inspirion laptop dual monitor setup. Want to try out virtualization. Looking for advice on simple, safe, easy to use app. Have no prior experience in virt. Thanks!!!

I don't think you can really go wrong with either;
vmware player: VMware Player: Run Windows 7, Chrome OS - Free Download for a Virtual PC
Oracle virtual box: https://www.virtualbox.org/

Both are simple to use and install. Neither have mangled any machines for me based on my usage. I'd suggest downloading each of them, (both free) and seeing which you prefer.

Thanks for reply!!! Will try both

In term of ease of use, VMLite is the best.

No cdrom is needed, you click a few buttons to create an XP Mode vm from Microsoft virtual xp image.

Our upcoming VMLite V4 will also allow you to create a "clone" of the host OS to run as virtual machine, so your live system running inside a secure box.

I'm not sure why VMLite is "easier" than either oracle virtual box or VMware. It's developed right from Oracle virtual box, so it looks the same. And it can easily import a Windows XP Mode image...just like VMWare Player can do.

As for XP mode, VMLite auto downloads microsoft vhd file, and configures everything, so user don't need to install Guest additions, configure shared folders, etc.

Usera only need to click a few Next button, then have a working vm.

As for VMlite vm, no other vendor can do this, no iso/cdrom is required, you click a button, a vm will be created and run, same as host os. So you have Windows 7 vm on top of Windows 7 host, xp on xp, vista on vista. VM and host are almost identical except for some hardware drivers. VMLite is the only vm software that can do this.

It's these two features that make vmlite easiest to use.

Hi!! Thanks for your reply. What I am trying to accomplish is running my Win 7 OS and my installed apps. inside a virt. box. Will VMLite accomplish this? Any idea when this new version will be available? I have no interest in running XP, just want to sandbox OS and apps. Thanks!!!

Hi,

If you decide to try VirtualBox, you might find this tutorial useful:

Linux - Install on Windows 7 Virtual Machine using VirtualBox

Whilst it covers a Linux installation, the procedure is the same for any other supported OS. I had never used virtualisation before, and found VBox and this tutorial to be easy to use.

Regards,
Golden

Thanks for your reply!! Will check it out. Thanks again

vmlite 4 will be available next week.

Yes, that's exactly what you want. Run current OS instance inside vm, and all apps are sandboxed.

32- and 64- bit are supported, xp/vista/7/8 supported. First ever vm can do this. You don't need any OS sources, no cdrom, no iso. Simply your current running os is shared, and runs as a vm.