Simple, Safest Virt. App. for intermediate user

[burnnoticefan]

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!!!

 

[pparks1]

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.

 

[burnnoticefan]

Thanks for reply!!! Will try both

 

[huisinro]

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.

 

[pparks1]

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.

 

[huisinro]

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 win7 vm on top of win7 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.

 

[burnnoticefan]

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!!!

 

[Golden]

Hi,

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

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...ndows-7-virtual-machine-using-virtualbox.html

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

 

[burnnoticefan]

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

 

[huisinro]

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.

 

[huisinro]

forgot to mention, all of the installed apps are available inside vm, it's simply a clone of your host os, but runs in totally separated memory spaces.

 

[jimbo45]

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 win7 vm on top of win7 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 there
Cloning VM's is fine with vmware, mounting and installing from ISO images (not physical DVD's) also works for vmware / vbox and certainly creating a Virtual Machine from an Existing Physical machine has been possible for "Donkeys Years" with vmware -- process is known as performing a P2V or "Physical to Virtual" conversion.

I know you want to "Push" your product but please don't say other stuff can't do stuff it CAN do.

Incidentally often an even easier method is simply to do an ACRONIS restore of a REAL machine backup into a newly initialised Virtual machine using acronis'es Universal Restore feature which allows restoring images to dissimilar hardware.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[huisinro]

you will see what I mean by "clone", try vmlite 4 next week, you will have an idea. It's not copying files/disks. not vmware, or none of other virtualizer can do that.

This new technique is nothing like p2v cloning the whole disk, very different from what vmware converter or other p2v converters (including our MyOldPCs) does.

 

[huisinro]

We released a beta version of vmlite v4, you can download from: (free registration is required)

Welcome to the VMLite (vmlite.com is down at the moment, so please use .org)

click Download, Beta, VMLiteWorkstationSetup-v42-beta-1.exe

After install, reboot the pc, then start VMLite Workstation, go to menu Machine > New VMLite..., it will create a vm that allows the current OS to be virtualized. It takes only 1 min, then you can start the vm, taking a few mins, and you will have a sandbox.