Virtualization: how to start up?

[mylo]

Hi all,

I have read many things about virtualization and want to start experimenting with it. What is a good recommendation for a technique to start with, in order to gain first experiences?
Is it kvm, qemu or virtualbox? Thanks for hints.

[devil]

vbox is coloured

greetz
devil

[Lanzi]

Well I installed virtualbox from debinarepos and a little help from towo last year. Its working very well, and it easy!

I wrote everything down... step by step, but I am not sure if all the steps are still necessary:

1. apt-get update && apt-get install virtualbox-ose apt-get install virtualbox-dkms virtualbox-ose-qt virtualbox-ose-guest-utils

2. I added the group "vboxusers" with kuser to my main user

3. start virtualbox from kmenu (or Alt-F2 VirtualBox)
4. Install for example Windows

5. start Virtualbox as root (Alt-F2 kdesu VirtualBox)
6. Install extensionpack to get usbsupport (get it here: http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads) To install click File->global settings in the Virtualbox window
, search install option, install Extensionpack

7. In the same spot you can define shared folders
8. Close root-Virtualbox and reopen as user, start windows and install "gueast additions) - http://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch04.h ... ns-windows (simply click Device in the Virtualbox-Windows-window (the guest!) and click install gueat additions.

Good luck :-)

[mylo]

Thanks Lanzi for the first. I will try that out next time and report back (will take some time).

[Lanzi]

your welcome, like always :-)
I thought it difficult in the beginning, but it's actually quite easy.  :-)

[der_bud]

The part -ose- in packagename is not needed any longer when installing with apt-get. It used to be the "Open Source Edition", but now there is only one. The things that were different between the open and normal editions are now installable using extension packs, as Lanzi mentioned in his point 6.

[hinto]

I love virtualization.  I use it everyday, tho I use VMPlayer from vmware.
-Hinto

[holgerw]

Hello,

vbox is nice software. But there are some restrictions: Some weeks ago I wanted to test EAC on my virtualbox with winxp. After some strange message boxes of EAC I read in vbox documentation, that its not possible yet to handle audio cds.

But for office work vbox is great.

Kind regards,
 Holger

[dibl]

Long time VMware Player user here. I have VMs for:

Win XP
Win 7
Win 8 preview
Kubuntu 11.10
Kubuntu 12.04

I've had others but if I don't need them I eventually delete them.

[mylo]

Thanks guys for your hints.
I am interested in virtualization for Lin/Sid only. I have no requirements for OS'es beside Linux, such as Win or Apfel Krams.
Thanks so far!

[der_bud]

/OT for thread, @HolgerW

...Some weeks ago I wanted to test EAC on my virtualbox with winxp. After some strange message boxes of EAC I read in vbox documentation, that its not possible yet to handle audio cds...

I think it is only impossible to write AudioCD from within VBox. You can use EAC to read them and make audiofiles, at least if you choose "passthrough" in the settings for cdrom-device (testest on virtualbox 4.12, guest WinXP, EAC 0.95).

[mylo]

Hi all,

I tried virtual-box and it seems pretty cool. I have some questions:

1) As far as I understand, I generate a virtual machine on the base of a bootable- OS-ISO or floppy. Correct?

2) If this ISO in example has siduction/razor-qt as OS, I can do this and after, i can d-u this installation/machine as it were a real installation. Right?

3) I can then save this dist-upgraded state as OS of the virtual machine via the second menu point under "Machine" called (in german) "Sicherungspunkt erstellen". Correct?

4) I have the original collection of 105 CD's from "National Geographic" magazine. To read them, I need Win 3.1 or 95. I kicked all my installation media from the nineties years ago. How can i get a Win95 ISO?

5) If I have a Win95 VM, can I then just insert one of the CD's mentioned in #4 and install the reader, which is on every CD? Is that the way to go?

Thanks guys for help!

[towo]

VBox does not official support win 9.x, you can run it, but it is horrible slow.

[mylo]

good to know before trying,thanks towo.

Further experimenting with vbox leads me to looking for experience. If I install roundabout 5 to 8 machines with in total 2 to 3 securing points per machine, how much HW disk space do these installations consume (before extending them by usage)?

A very rough estimate would help me!

[dibl]

Your VM size will be very comparable to the hdd usage of a real OS and software.  So 20 GB is very comfortable for a Debian OS, KDE, and some software, including plenty of room to download a few ISO images, etc.  For example, my Win 7 VM is a 40 GB virtual hdd, and is presently 28.6 GB used.