What is a virtual machine?

A program for working with virtual machines is a special software that creates a virtual computer system with virtual equipment. This virtual computer runs in a separate window as a process in the real operating system. The virtual machine can be booted from installation disk(or Live CD), and the operating system will “perceive” the virtual computer as a real one. It will install and work exactly the same as on a real physical PC. To load such an operating system, just open a program for working with virtual machines and launch the virtual OS in a separate window directly on the desktop.

The virtual machine's operating system is stored on a virtual hard disk, a multi-gigabyte file that resides on the actual hard drive. The operating system treats this file as a full-fledged disk, so there are no difficulties with creating partitions.

Virtual machines create additional load on real ones system resources, so they do not work as fast as the operating system installed on a real computer. This creates particular difficulties for modern games that require powerful video cards and multi-core processors, so virtual machines– not the best option for running Windows games on Linux or Mac OS X (unless they are old or resource-intensive).

Why you might need a virtual machine

Virtual machines are not only good entertainment for geeks, but also a very useful tool. They allow you to experiment with alternatives operating systems, without abandoning the current one. This a good option, for example, in order to try Linux in general or a recent distribution in particular, without installing it on your main computer or even booting from a Live CD or USB. When you get tired of the operating system, you can simply delete the virtual machine. In addition, the virtual machine is good way test new Windows version. When will the trial be released? Windows assembly 9, you can avoid potential problems with system stability by installing it in a virtual machine.

A virtual machine also allows you to use software written for other operating systems. For example, on Linux and Mac you can install Windows programs in a virtual machine. And even on Windows, you can use a virtual machine to run Linux programs, rather than Cygwin or a second operating system in alternative boot mode.

In addition, virtual machines are isolated from the main operating system, so programs installed in them cannot harm the real OS. Virtual machine - good decision for testing dubious programs. For example, when we received a fraudulent email claiming to be from Microsoft, we ran the attached file in a virtual machine to see what it did, and the attackers were unable to harm our real operating system.

You can safely run unprotected operating systems in an isolated environment. If you absolutely cannot do without applications that run only in Windows XP, you can create a virtual machine for them. Of course, it would be better not to use Windows XP at all, but if you have to, it is preferable to run it in a virtual machine than on a real computer.

Programs for working with virtual machines

There are several programs for working with virtual machines:

Materials

Let's take a closer look at what virtual machines for Windows are and what they are needed for. Find out all about the best simulators OS and how to start using them.

A virtual machine (VM) is a computer application that allows a user to simulate an operating system. An OS image is installed on the machine for use within an existing system. Very convenient, isn't it? But there are also pitfalls. Read what you will encounter during installation and which virtual machine for Windows versions 7,8 and 10 are better to choose.

Why do we need virtual machines for PCs?

In most cases, VMs are used for testing software V . To work with multiple operating systems, you only need one computer, which significantly speeds up your work.

You can run multiple virtual machines on one computer at the same time. Their number depends on the available random access memory and space on the children's disk, since the virtual OS consumes exactly the same memory resource as a regular copy installed on the computer.

Using virtual machines, you can work with programs and functions that are not available in the main OS. It is also possible to create backup copies VMs, with their subsequent movement and use on other computers.

Viruses, errors and other failures of the virtual OS do not affect the operation of the main system. After closing the machine, the operation of the additional OS stops and the RAM is freed.

During VM operation, the device may slow down, because increased consumption of storage resources leads to increased request processing time.

Reasons for installing a VM:

• You want to get acquainted with the work of other operating systems without fully installing them. If you need to replace your existing OS, first use a virtual simulator to test other software options. This will save you from possible bugs and incompatibility with hardware;
• You are a developer and want to create a comprehensive system for testing the applications you create.

VirtualBox

VirtualBox is a virtual machine for Windows 7,8,10. The virtualization environment is distributed free of charge and can be installed both for working with operating systems and for deploying network infrastructure and website hosting.

VirtualBox main window:

The main feature of this virtual machine is cross-platform. It works great on all versions of Windows. You can also download installers for Mac OS and Debian from the developer’s website. In the virtualization environment itself, you can install any desktop OS.

Using VirtualBox you can get acquainted with the functionality of the OS or in safe mode test the program without harming the main system. Often users prefer to install old games on virtual machines that are incompatible with modern operating systems.

After finishing the simulator, all data and changes will be saved. The next time you turn on, you will be returned to the desktop and can continue performing tasks.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of VirtualBox:

• Free distribution. 90% of similar software is paid, while VirtualBox can be obtained completely free of charge. The functions and capabilities of the program are not limited to the developer;
• Ability to create screenshots – screenshots of a virtual system. The resulting image will only display the secondary OS window. Creating screenshots using the main OS degrades the resolution and also captures your regular desktop;
• Creating an exact copy of an existing virtual machine;
• Ability to drag folders, shortcuts and other objects inside the simulator;
• Unified file system – from a virtual machine you can access directories that are stored on a PC, and vice versa;
• Simultaneous work with several machines.

Also, a distinctive feature of the new VirtualBox 4 is convenient system virtualization management and intuitive Workspace programs. Also, the new build offers the ability to capture video from the screen of an additional OS.

VirtualBox supports working with USB drives connected to the computer.

Disadvantages of the program:

• Slowdown of the computer. Even if your PC has good technical specifications, sufficient RAM and storage space, when using a virtual machine, you will experience slower performance of all functions. If during the creation of a VM you allocated too much memory to it, the computer will freeze or shut down severely;
• Insufficient video memory. If you need to achieve the best possible image quality, it will be difficult to do it using VirtualBox. The program allows you to configure the settings for using the video card only at a basic level.

How to install

To install the VirtualBox program, download the installer from the official website of the developer, Oracle. The installation process is standard and does not require additional settings:

• Run the EXE file;
• Select the Hard drive on which the root folder with the program will be located;
• Wait for the installation to complete. If necessary, the user can view statistics on hard disk usage during the installation process.

In the “Custom Setup” field it is possible to disable USB support, network services. This allows you to reduce the final size of the application.

Video instructions on how to install two OS using VirtualBox

Once the program is installed, you can begin creating your first virtual machine. Click on the “Create” button in the upper left corner of the window. The VM settings tab will open:

In the setup wizard window, select the type of virtual OS (Windows, Linux, Debian, MacOS) and its version. Set a name for the simulator to be created and click on the “Next” button.

Then, the program will give you the opportunity to independently specify the size of RAM that will be allocated for the additional OS. For novice users, we recommend setting the value indicated in the “Recommended main memory size” field.

The size of RAM for a VM should be determined depending on technical characteristics your PC. If your computer has 4 GB of RAM available, normal operation 512 MB-1 GB will be enough for the simulator.

Next, the program will ask you to select file system OS image (which corresponds to the previously specified family and version). After completing the setup, a window will appear with a brief listing of all parameters. Click on "Finish".

After the installation of virtual Windows is completed, an icon for launching the OS will appear in the main VirtualBox window. Click on it and wait for the desktop to load. If necessary, install drivers.

For automatic update drivers, open the “devices” tab on the virtual machine toolbar. Then click on the desired media type and in the new window follow the instructions to obtain the new software.

Ready. Now you can start working with the virtual operating system. To exit the program, first turn off the OS and then close VirtualBox.

VMware

VMWare Workstation is the best virtual machine for Windows 10. The developer positions the program as a convenient platform for creating . Compared to other popular analogues, VMWare supports more features for customizing a virtual machine and allows you to synchronize the simulator with software development tools.

This virtualization environment is popular among programmers, web designers and other specialists who often have to test their projects for cross-platform functionality.

Advantages and disadvantages

Among the advantages of VMWare are:

• Convenient toolbar;
• Synchronization with Microsoft development tools, in particular the .NET platform and the Visual Studio software environment;
• Safety system. Built-in VMWare tools provide high level protect your files in an additional OS. The simulator can detect attempts by malicious activity to eliminate them;
• Operation of encryption services for created virtual machines.

Disadvantages of the application:

• Paid distribution. The user can download a free trial version utilities, but to obtain full version applications with everyone available functions you will need to pay an annual or monthly subscription;
• Not suitable for beginners. If you have not used operating system simulators before, we recommend starting with simpler options. For example, VirtualBox and the standard Hyper V for Windows. VMWare is suitable for advanced users who prefer to configure the system manually.

How to install

You can download the virtual machine for Windows from the official website of the developer VMWare.com.

During the installation process, it is recommended to turn off Windows Defender or another working antivirus. This is only necessary for the correct installation of all files and encryption algorithms that the program uses for virtual machines. No harm will be done to your main OS, since the product was downloaded from an official source.

Overview of functionality and first setup of the program

To create your first virtual machine in VMWare, you will need to download the OS distribution kit that you want to use in the emulator to your computer. Then open the window installed application and click on the “Create a new virtual machine” field

Note! The user can create a group of virtual machines, instead of several simulators. This allows you to reduce the resource of consumed RAM and speed up the operation of the computer and the OS simulator.

In the VM Setup Wizard window, specify the path to the operating system image (this can be a file in the computer’s memory or boot disk). It is also possible to configure a virtual machine without installing the OS (it can be installed later).

• In the window that appears, specify the OS name, user name and account access password;
• Specify on which disk of your computer the virtual machine will be stored;
• Select the amount of RAM you need to run the VM;
• Configure the equipment (automatically or manually).

After completing the setup of the virtual machine, wait for the OS image to install and start working:

Microsoft Virtual PC

Microsoft Virtual PC is another popular virtual machine emulator. The program is well compatible with all versions of OS Windows. If you use a Microsoft product as your main OS, we recommend choosing Microsoft Virtual PC for emulation.

Advantages and disadvantages

Emulator advantages:

• Excellent compatibility with all versions of Windows OS. In most cases, the user does not need to install any additional drivers for the virtual OS. All of them are synchronized with the main system;
• File system sharing. Access files stored on your PC hard drive through a VM window;
• Support for 64-bit Windows OS in “Guest Host” and “Guest Environment” operating modes;
• Support for hardware virtualization.

Flaws:

• There are paid features. The program is distributed free of charge, but to support setting up a group of virtual OSes you will have to buy a subscription;
• There is no support for Linux-like systems.

Overview of functionality and first setup of the program

To install a virtual OS, first download its image into the computer's memory, and then open Microsoft application Virtual PC. Click on the “Create virtual machine” button and in the new window configure the following parameters:

• Set the name of the new OS;
• Make a place for her hard drive and the size of RAM;
• Select what devices the VM will support (network environment, flash drives, etc.).

Bottom line

We told you about the best virtual machines for Windows, but not all of them. If you think that these are not the best, write in the comments! Help new readers decide which emulator to start with.

To have several operating systems with separate workspace and applications at hand, you don’t need to buy a second (third, fourth, etc.) computer. Because it all fits into your single PC. How? Thanks to virtual machines (VMs) - special programs that create (emulate) imaginary (virtual) computers inside the main operating system.

A virtual PC is almost like a real one. It has its own processor, memory, HDD, network adapter And all the rest. 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 work simultaneously on one physical computer. Exactly how much depends on the hardware resources: the faster the processor, the larger the RAM, the more spacious the storage, the more. A typical average-performance home PC running Windows 10 can handle three to five lightweight operating systems simultaneously (for example, Windows XP, Android and Lubuntu + the main system). Or two or three relatively heavyweight ones (for example, the main Windows 10 + virtual Windows 7 and Mac OS X). As you already understood, emulator applications virtual computers allow you to install and run a variety of operating systems on them.

Virtual machines general purpose(as opposed to specialized ones, such as, for example, VM Java), use:

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

And of course, virtual machines are widely used to distribute server work resources.

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

Oracle Virtualbox

Let's look at the process of creating a new virtual machine and starting to install Windows 10 on it.

• Click the “Create” button in the top panel.

• In the first window of the VM creation wizard, we will indicate the name of the OS (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 install 64 bit, but it will require more resources). To move to the next step, click Next.

• Next, we will indicate the size of the VM RAM. By Windows default 10 x86 is allocated 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 we create virtual hard disk. If you are installing the system for the first time, select the “Create new” option.

• Type virtual disk Let's leave it as default.

• A storage format is an area on your computer's physical drive that is allocated to a VM. It can have a constant or dynamically expanding volume within the limits that you define further. To save space, we will choose a dynamic format.

• Next we indicate 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. Its parameters are shown in the frame on the right.
• To go to Windows installation Click the “Run” button in the top panel.

• In the window that opens after this, the “Select boot disk” window will appear. Click on the folder icon and specify the path to the system distribution. This can be an image in .iso format or physical media (DVD, flash drive). After selecting your distribution, click Continue.

• The further course of installing the OS into a virtual machine is no different from installing it on a physical computer.

Some VM and guest system settings

Clicking on the virtual machine window will capture 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 full range of features 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 further 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 use the “path to folder” field to specify it in Explorer (it shows the directories of the main system).

If you want the setting to work permanently, check “Auto-connect” and “Create permanent folder”. a shared folder will be available from the virtual machine explorer as a network one.

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 press the arrow buttons to move it to the top.

VMware Workstation Pro

Some Hyper-V virtual machine options

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

Access to the settings of an individual virtual machine is available from its context menu in the list of the main manager window and is hidden behind the “Options” button.

Other features of the program are also very simple and can be mastered without much difficulty.

If you have ever installed any programs or conducted any experiments on your computer, then you know very well how much time it takes to restore it to its original state. Often, this requires completely reinstalling the system.

In order to avoid such serious consequences, users use all sorts of tricks: only from trusted sources, use the most powerful and high-quality antiviruses, and do this in case of problems. But ordinary ones are more reliable than all this.

What is a virtual machine?

Imagine that on your computer, in parallel with the first, a second operating system is installed, which simultaneously works with it. It is completely independent of the “real” OS; any risky experiments can be carried out on it.

Introduced? So, virtual machines allow all this, since they are special software “containers” in which you can run almost any operating system. Unlike the OS that is on your hard drive, it will not have direct access to the computer hardware, acting through the software shell.

As a result, you can run at least a whole brood of viruses in it: they will not be able to do any harm. An ideal example is the VMware virtual machine, which advanced users use to run new versions of operating systems and test dubious programs and drivers. In the realities of our country, it is used even more often to launch keygens to generate keys to programs. All this allows you not to needlessly spoil your system.

But you shouldn’t assume that virtual machines are the prerogative of Windows alone. They are used much more often by users of Linux-like systems, since in many cases they may need to run some small utility that only works on a Microsoft system. It is simply unjustified to bother with Wine for the sake of it, while the “virtual” easily eliminates such a need.

Users often look for comparisons of virtual machines, trying to choose the best one among them. It should be noted that VMware, which has a number of undoubted advantages, often comes up in disputes. The program developers constantly add support to their product for almost all existing operating systems, including those that have just come out. In particular, it was this application that at one time made it possible to launch Windows 8, while in the popular Virtual Box the system completely refused to start.

But the leader of the unspoken competition has one drawback. The program is paid. Of course, professionals who use its capabilities to test their programs do not have any difficulties, but I would still like to advise others not to mess with broken programs and use the free Virtual Box. Although these virtual machines are not particularly popular among professionals, their capabilities are more than enough for you.

Virtual machines [Several computers in one] Gultyaev Alexey Konstantinovich

Why do we need virtual machines?

Today, virtual machines are experiencing a rebirth. One of the “fathers” of the modern generation of virtual machines, Professor Rosenblum, explains their revival for two main reasons:

The emergence of a large number of different operating systems (OS), which impose specific requirements on the parameters of the computer hardware components used;

High administration costs and complexity of servicing computers on which several different operating systems are installed (including in terms of ensuring the required reliability and security of operation).

A modern virtual machine allows you to hide some parameters of the computer’s physical devices from the operating system installed on it and thereby ensure the mutual independence of the OS and the installed hardware.

This approach provides users (and/or computer system administrators) with a number of benefits. These include in particular:

The ability to install multiple operating systems on one computer without the need for corresponding configuration of physical hard drives;

Working with several operating systems simultaneously with the ability to dynamically switch between them without rebooting the system (Fig. 1.1);

Reducing the time required to change the composition of installed operating systems;

Isolation of real hardware from the unwanted influence of software running in a virtual machine environment;

Simulation capability computer network on a single standalone computer.

Rice. 1.1. Multiple virtual machines on one desktop

Thanks to these advantages, the range of tasks that the user can solve without rebooting the system and without fear of causing any damage to it or completely disabling it is significantly expanded. Here are just some examples of such tasks:

Mastering a new OS;

Launching applications designed to work in a specific OS environment;

Testing one application running different operating systems;

Installation and removal of evaluation or demo versions of programs;

Testing potentially dangerous applications that are suspected of being infected with a virus;

Managing user access rights to data and programs within a virtual machine.

The reader himself will probably easily add two or three situations to the above list when having a virtual machine on the computer would be very useful.

Which users would like to learn how to work with virtual machines? Perhaps everyone who has more than one OS installed on their computer. And also for those who want to master a new operating system, but do not dare to immediately abandon the previous one. Virtual machines are very useful for teachers of various computer courses and disciplines, as well as developers of multi-platform software products. They are of particular interest to web designers: after all, the pages they create should look equally attractive to users working on the most different systems and platforms. With the ability to quickly switch from one environment to another using a virtual machine system, the “right” web designer is unlikely to miss the chance to test the results of his work in different web browsers.

All of the listed advantages of virtual machines are common to many of them. In addition to these general properties, specific software As a rule, it has individual characteristics designed to increase its attractiveness in comparison with competing products.

On the websites of virtual machine developers you can find numerous examples of the use of virtual machine technology by various well-known companies. Thus, VMware virtual machines are used by Symantec to test network antivirus packages; programmers popular search engine Google uses VMware virtual machines to measure performance Google work with different web browsers and on different platforms.

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