Linux - Install on Windows 7 Virtual Machine using VirtualBox

thank you soooooo much for the tips!
installing the GUEST ADDITIONS worked perfectly, for my desktop and laptop PC's, awesome!!

:) You are welcome.

Kari

Thanks for the answer Kari. I'm not so familiar with the virtual machine's. :)

No problem. It's just that it's practically impossible to install any chipset, NIC, audio or video drivers to a vm. A virtual machine emulates the core hardware and uses it's own drivers.

The integration elements then contain additional drivers. For instance In VirtualBox these are called Guest Additions, in Microsoft Virtual PC Integration Features and in VMware simply VMware Tools. These tools check the host hardware and add components and drivers to better integrate guest machine's emulated hardware to host.

This about changing the resolution on a VirtulaBox guest machine is a good example how integration tools work. The emulated GPU of guest works without any additional drivers, but with only basic functions. Installing Guest Additions adds then needed components in between the host and guest, allowing them to communicate better, so for instance user can change the guest resolution simply by resizing it from the host, resizing the guest window. When mouse button is released after dragging window bigger or smaller, host system sends the information to guest which then adjusts the resolution parameters and changes resolution to exactly that what user on host decided.

What is noticeable in this is that these integration components are installed on both host and guest. The core of the guest already contains all drivers needed to run it, integration components work as a bridge between the emulated hardware of guest and physical hardware of host. You could say the communication between the host and the guest is like swimming over from San Fransisco to Marin County. It works, can be done. Takes time and effort, though. Integration components are the Golden Gate Bridge; no need to swim anymore

Kari

Nice to hear it works for you geeks :)

Kari

Excellent! An easy to follow tutorial that has opened up the world of virtualisation and linux to me. Well done Kari.

Thanks!