Menu
homeInstructions

VirtualBox program: installing a virtual Windows OS. Review of virtual machines from different developers

Let's take a closer look at what virtual machines for Windows are and what they are needed for. Learn all about the best OS simulators and how to get started 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 is better to choose.

Why do we need virtual machines for PCs?

In most cases, VMs are used for testing software in . 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 RAM and space on the child’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. Also, it is possible to create backup copies of 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 familiarize yourself with the functionality of the OS or test the program in safe mode 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 a convenient virtualization management system and an intuitive program workspace. 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 support for USB and 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 the technical characteristics of your PC. If your computer has 4 GB of RAM available, 512 MB-1 GB will be enough for the simulator to run normally.

Next, the program will ask you to select an OS image in the file system (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.

To automatically 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 functions 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 a high level of protection for your files in the secondary 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 of the utility, but to get the full version of the application with all 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 any other running 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 installed application window 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 a 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 to your computer's memory, and then open the Microsoft Virtual PC application. Click on the “Create virtual machine” button and configure the following parameters in the new window:

  • Set the name of the new OS;
  • Allocate space for its 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.


What is a virtual machine and what is it for?

A virtual machine is a program that allows you to emulate a real computer with all its components (BIOS, hard drive, drive, etc.). You can install any operating system, as well as programs and drivers, on this virtual PC. You can seamlessly exchange data between your real system and the virtual one.

I won’t say that absolutely every user needs a virtual machine, but an advanced user often needs one. A virtual machine is used for various purposes and tasks:

  • To install another or second same OS;
  • For testing various software;
  • To emulate a computer network;
  • To run applications that cannot be launched from your OS.

To give a specific example, for example, Windows XP is installed on your PC, and you can install Windows 7, Windows 8 or Linux on a virtual PC.

In this article I will talk about three popular emulators, their main features and the advantages of each of them. As a bonus, I will present an Android emulator for Windows and give an example of creating a virtual machine using one of the emulators as an example.

VMware is one of the most famous and widespread virtual machines. It is usually used by large corporations. VMware is presented in two forms: Player and Workstation, the first of which is free, and the second is paid.

VMware also supports 32-bit and 64-bit systems, as well as USB 3.0 and various operating systems.

Key Features:

  • VMware allows you to connect USB devices, CD/DVD drives, network interfaces, and others to virtual machines;
  • Supports moving and copying files using drag and drop;
  • You can connect new virtual machines using a step-by-step wizard;
  • You can create a virtual machine using the installation disk or from a ready-made disk image;
  • VMware Player supports virtual machines that were created on paid VMware.

Microsoft Virtual PC

Microsoft Virtual PC is a free virtual machine with a user-friendly interface and great functionality. The only small drawback is that only Windows operating systems are supported.

Main features:

  • It is possible to select the equipment that is needed on the virtual machine;
  • You can add or remove hardware on a virtual computer;
  • You can copy virtual machines;
  • It is possible to quickly switch between virtual PCs using bookmarks;
  • It is possible to drag and drop files from the main PC to the virtual one and vice versa;
  • You can connect virtual and real computers over a network.

VirtualBox

VirtualBox is a free emulator on which you can install the most popular operating systems, such as Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, Mac OS. Both 32 and 64 bit versions of operating systems are supported. VirtualBox can also work with virtual computers that were created in the paid VMware Workstation program.

Main features of the program:

  • VirtualBox can be controlled either through a graphical interface or through the command line;
  • VirtualBox makes it possible to connect USB devices to virtual computers and allow them to work with them directly;
  • All parameters of the virtual machine are described in XML format and therefore do not depend in any way on the physical PC on which the system is running;
  • VirtualBox supports remote control;
  • There is a special SDK package to expand the program's functions.

After analyzing the reviews of all three emulators, we can come to the conclusion that VirtualBox is the most suitable program for creating and managing virtual machines. Therefore, we will look at installing a virtual machine using VirtualBox as an example.

Installing a VirtualBox virtual machine

Let's look at how to install VirtualBox, and in the next chapter we'll see how to configure it.
Download the latest version of the program from the official website or from our Download program
We launch the installation and see the first welcome window. Click “Next” and move on to the next stage.

At the second stage of installation, we see the program components that will be installed and the directory into which the program will be installed. The installation directory can be changed, but it is recommended to install all components. Even if not all components are needed right now, but they will be needed in the future, you will need to reinstall the virtual machine.

At the next stage, a warning appears about the computer being temporarily disconnected from the network during installation.

A window will then appear informing you that you can begin installation. Click the “Install” button and wait for the installation to complete.

During the installation process, pop-ups may appear with the message “Install software for this device?” Click the “Install” button.
When the installation is complete, click the “Finish” button. The virtual machine will automatically start after installation is complete.

Creating a VirtualBox virtual machine

In order to create a virtual machine, in the VirtualBox program window, click on the “Create” button in the upper left corner.

At the first stage, enter the name of the machine to be created and select the type of operating system. For example, let's create a virtual machine with the Windows 7 operating system. Let's move on.

At the second stage, we set the amount of RAM that is needed for the virtual machine. We install based on the needs of the selected operating system. The system requirements for Windows 7 indicate that it requires at least 1 GB of RAM. Let's indicate, for example, 1.5 GB. Here you need to take into account that you cannot install more than half of the RAM of a physical computer in a virtual machine.

Now you can connect a virtual hard disk to the created virtual machine. First we create it. Select “Create a new virtual hard disk” and click on the “Create” button.

Specify the type of hard drive. If you are not familiar with the formats described there, you can leave it as is and click “Next”.

Now you need to specify the format for storing data on the virtual hard disk. A dynamic virtual hard disk can expand, while a fixed one has a strictly defined size. Choose what you like best.

Specify the name of the virtual hard disk and its size. Click “Create”.

Setting up a VirtualBox virtual machine

Let's see what settings the virtual machine has. Click the “Configure” button in the upper left corner of the program.
The settings window appears. Here you can change various parameters of the virtual machine (for example, the amount of allocated RAM, enabling 2D acceleration, device boot order, etc.)
All settings are divided into categories.

If you make a mistake in the settings, the program will inform you about this by appearing at the bottom of the settings window the inscription “Incorrect settings detected.”

Usually the first 3 categories of settings are enough for the user. If the virtual machine is running slowly, you can increase the amount of RAM or use more processor power.

Having completed the settings, click the “OK” button. To start (enable) the created virtual machine, click on the “Launch” button. Now we insert the installation disk with the operating system into the drive, install and configure the operating system and your virtual computer is ready for use.

That's all, we looked at 3 popular emulators, identified all their strengths, chose the most suitable one for us, installed and configured the VirtualBox virtual machine, and now the promised Bonus.

BlueStacks - Android emulator for Windows

BlueStacks Player is a program that allows you to run Android applications on a computer running Windows or MacOS. BlueStacks allows you not only to get acquainted with the capabilities of Android, but also to fully test applications created for this operating system. Using the BlueStacks emulator, users can install and run on their PC any of the numerous programs available on Google Play, GetJar, Amazon Appstore, 1Mobile and other online catalogs of Android applications. The best part is, BlueStacks is completely free.

Key features of BlueStacks

The most important feature of the BlueStacks emulator is its support for LayerCake technology, which simulates an ARM processor. This technology allows Android applications to run on x86 processors. The ARM graphics subsystem is also simulated, which makes it possible to run the most modern games written for Android tablets on BlueStacks. The actions of moving pages with your fingers, which tablet users are used to, are performed on BlueStacks with the mouse.

Unlike other virtual machines, BlueStacks does not need to install the operating system manually - all Android functions are available immediately after launch. One tweak you need to make is to change the interface language. Russian language is fully supported.
BlueStacks works on Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP.

This concludes our review for today. Good luck with the emulation.

Every year, regular desktop applications are increasingly being replaced by web services. Today you can easily find an online graphic editor, converter, IM client, text recognition tools, for unpacking archives and many other online replacements for conventional utilities. But working with a large number of services is not always convenient, because the link to the desired resource can easily be lost and not remembered at the most crucial moment.

An excellent alternative to individual services is virtual operating systems, or WebOS (Web Operating System). Such resources represent a ready-made working environment with a set of the most popular applications. By registering on the service, the user gets access to a fully working system in which you can store files and exchange them with other people, work on documents, watch movies, listen to music, etc. Thus, all the necessary tools are in one place, and all that is required of the user is to remember the login information for his account.

Working with virtual systems can be convenient in a variety of cases. Such services can be used to store files online that need to be accessed from different locations. Since all work with web operating systems is done in the browser, all the data that is stored in them can be accessed regardless of what platform your browser is running on. WebOS is also great because it can serve as a personal repository for any information that you don't want to keep on your work or home computer for fear of other people seeing it. This method of restricting access to your files is much more reliable than a flash drive, which can get lost somewhere in a minibus.

About a year and a half ago, we already introduced 3DNews users to one of these services - the G.ho.st web system. Unfortunately, the project was closed in the spring of this year. However, G.ho.st is not the only online operating system; it has worthy analogues. In this review, we will look at the capabilities of five of the most interesting online operating systems.

⇡iCloud

Registration on iCloud takes no more than half a minute - having come up with a suitable login and choosing a password, you can immediately start working with the online system.

It will take a couple of minutes to load the desktop, after which you will see a desktop ready to work.

The virtual system is already equipped with all the most popular applications: there is an email client, an image viewer, a player for watching movies (this can be both videos uploaded to YouTube and movies stored in the operating system), a graphics editor, a notepad, calculator, a tool for home accounting. As for office applications, iCloud's own developments included in the operating system do not yet offer a large number of functions. However, for those who need a more serious text editor, as well as tools for working with spreadsheets and presentations, Zoho offers online tools integrated into the system interface.

iCloud provides up to 3GB of storage for user files for free. By paying $40 per year, you can increase this limit to 100 GB. It's worth keeping in mind that the amount of storage provided is actually twice as much, since iCloud provides the same amount of space for backing up data.

There are several ways to load files into a virtual operating system. The easiest one is to click on the icon located at the top of the iCloud desktop and select the files you need on your hard drive.

This method may be good if you need to quickly transfer a couple of files from a flash drive to WebOS while in an Internet cafe, but if you constantly use a virtual operating system from your computers or mobile devices, it is much more convenient to use a special application that runs on a secure WebDAV network protocol. It makes it possible to add a virtual disk to the real operating system on which all iCloud data is stored. After downloading the WebDAV connector program to your hard drive, you need to provide your iCloud login information, and then select the letter under which the new drive will appear in the system. Now you can use any file manager to quickly copy files to your iCloud drive and back. If the built-in file manager is open in the browser when you transfer files to the iCloud drive, then to display new files in it, just press the F5 key.

If you want to transfer files using the WebDAV protocol on computers running Mac OS X or Linux, it is worth keeping in mind that these operating systems already have built-in support for it. As for mobile devices, you can use WebDAV on iPhone, Android and Windows Mobile devices, but almost all applications that provide this functionality are paid.

Thanks to the presence of built-in office applications Zoho, the iCloud system freely opens Word, Excel and PowerPoint files, including those created in the latest versions of MS Office in a new format for storing documents. To view PDF files, you must have Adobe Reader installed on your computer. In this case, the document opens in the iCloud Viewer window. As for working with archives, the system has the Unzip Archive application, with which you can extract content from downloaded files. Unfortunately, for now the utility only supports ZIP files.

When working with iCloud, you can use numerous widgets, which can be placed either on a specially designated sidebar or anywhere on the desktop. Widgets offer a wide variety of functions: from displaying the weather forecast to displaying the latest news from sites specified by the user, from providing information about the number of letters in the mailbox to displaying the latest messages on Twitter.

iCloud also has its own browser. At first glance, its presence seems unjustified, because if the user is already working with WebOS in a browser, then why does he need another one integrated directly into the virtual system? Yes, at least to ensure the privacy of surfing. Of course, all modern browsers have a private mode, but using a browser integrated with WebOS provides an additional level of protection. If you don't want anyone to know what sites you visit, you can simply access them from your iCloud account. In this case, you can be sure that no traces of surfing will remain on your computer. To make it more convenient to open your favorite web resources, iCloud has the function of adding a shortcut to the desktop, when clicked on it, a specific site will be launched in the built-in browser.

A lot of attention in iCloud is paid to the social component. Firstly, the system supports many popular messaging services: ICQ, Google Talk, MSN, Yahoo, AIM. In addition, from iCloud you can work with your Facebook and Twitter account. The system has a multifunctional application for working with all networks, where a general list of contacts is displayed. The names of those people with whom you communicate most often can be placed on the panel of a special widget. This allows you to quickly send messages without having to worry about which system you are using to communicate.

Another feature of iCloud that concerns social services is the ability to communicate with other users of the system. The virtual OS can also be used as a platform for exchanging data with other users, as well as for communicating with them. The system implements the ability to open access to certain files to other people, and it is possible to combine users into groups. If a user agrees to make their profile public, other iCloud users will be able to view it, sign a guestbook, download files, and more.

Unfortunately, iCloud only works reliably in Internet Explorer. In other popular browsers, the virtual system either refuses to load at all or works with errors.

⇡ Glide OS

Glide OS offers the user a choice of three working environments, which can be quickly switched between using the buttons located at the top of the window. In the Desktop environment, which is used by default, the virtual system interface is a desktop with application shortcuts placed on it. The user can decide for himself which elements will appear on the desktop.

The Glide HD environment is designed for working with files. By switching to it, it is convenient to upload files to virtual storage, download them to your hard drive, share them with other users, delete, view and perform other actions. By and large, these features are available when working in other modes, but when switching to Glide HD, the file manager occupies the entire work area.

Finally, the third environment - Portal - is designed for working with web content. This mode displays links to your favorite sites, the latest news from selected sources, as well as links, photos and videos on various topics.

Regardless of what environment you are using, a search window is displayed in the operating system's working window, with which you can search for any information stored in Glide OS - files, links, playlists, contacts, etc. At the bottom of the window there are buttons for quickly launching frequently used applications. The set of these commands can be easily changed.

For more convenient work with data, Glide OS provides a special Glide One application. With it, you can upload files to a virtual system, import contacts and calendars from Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express and Windows Address Book, import bookmarks from Internet Explorer, Safari and Firefox.

Glide One users running Mac OS X can import data from Mac Address Book, iCal calendar events, bookmarks from Safari, Camino and Firefox, while Linux and Solaris users can import information from Thunderbird, Sunbird iCalendar and Firefox. Regardless of the operating system you're using, Glide One can also set up data synchronization by specifying local and remote folders to track changes to. Thus, Glide OS can be used to backup data automatically.

With a free account, you can upload up to 30 GB of data to the service. For $50 per year, the amount of allocated space can be increased to 250 GB.

Within one account on Glide OS you can create up to five user profiles (for a paid account this number is increased to 25). For each profile, you can limit the amount of available disk space and determine whether the user can communicate and share files with other users. Separately, you can create a profile with limited rights intended for use by a child.

The range of applications offered to Glide OS users is quite wide. This is a diary, a tool for planning meetings and other events, a media player, a graphics editor, a calculator, a notepad, an address book, and a tool for reading news. Among the utilities offered, there is even an application for creating websites, a drawing tool and a tool for sticking notes on the desktop of a virtual operating system. For working with office documents, the Write text editor and Present presentation tool are offered. The email client supports quick account creation for popular email services such as Gmail, Yahoo and Windows Live.

A minor inconvenience when working with this virtual system is that when performing almost all actions, additional browser tabs and sometimes new windows open. It would be much more logical to launch all web applications within one browser tab.

⇡ eyeOS

eyeOS is one of the oldest online operating systems. There are currently two versions of it: eyeOS 1.x and eyeOS 2.x. The first version is more stable and has a huge number of supported web applications.

The second version of the application is still small, but many social functions are implemented. Despite the fact that the developers currently recommend using eyeOS 1.x for serious work, it is expected that over the next few months eyeOS 2.x will completely replace the first version, so let's talk about the second edition.

When you get acquainted with eyeOS, the first thing that comes to mind is that this system is designed for work, not for entertainment. Despite the fact that, like other webOS, it has the ability to customize its appearance, its interface looks rather strict.

By default, the desktop contains: a widget for adding notes; the "Events" area, which displays information about all important actions performed in the system; links to launch favorite applications; the "Files" area, with which you can upload files to the system and view them. Just like in a real operating system, each application runs in a separate window. You can open multiple copies of the same application. You can switch between open windows using a panel that resembles the Windows taskbar. It also has a button that allows you to display the desktop by minimizing all open windows.

One of the great features of eyeOS is the ability to install and uninstall apps yourself. This feature brings this WebOS closer to regular operating systems, where the user can choose which programs he needs and which he does not. True, as mentioned above, the range of applications available in eyeOS 2 is still small. Among them there is a notepad, a text editor, a calculator, a file manager, and a calendar.

Uploading files to eyeOS is implemented through the built-in file manager. Once the file is on the server, eyeOS analyzes it and, if it is supported, sets an appropriate icon for it. The virtual system supports viewing graphic files of popular formats, as well as MS Word 97-2003 files. The latter can not only be opened for viewing, but also converted into a format supported by the built-in text editor for further modification. The operating system recognizes Excel and ZIP files, but nothing can be done with them using built-in tools - eyeOS offers to save them to disk or open them in a desktop program.

eyeOS is very convenient to use for collaboration on documents, as well as for sharing related files. To do this, you need to add another eyeOS user to your contact list (to do this, you only need to know his login) and wait until he accepts the invitation.

After this, in the file manager you will be able to see all the files to which he has shared access, and also give permission to edit some of his files. If files are shared, they can be edited together and edits will be displayed in real time.

When working together on a specific project, it is convenient to create groups by inviting certain users from your contact list to join them. Depending on the settings chosen by the group administrator, they can be closed, open to everyone, or available to join upon request.

Note that eyeOS is a non-commercial project distributed under the AGPLv3 license and open source. To operate this virtual system on a web server, all you need is the presence of components such as Apache, PHP5 and MySQL, so you can deploy your own cloud environment built on eyeOS in any organization. To do this, you need to download all the necessary files available on the project website. By the way, not so long ago the creators of eyeOS reported that the number of downloads of files related to the second edition of the system exceeded 100 thousand.

⇡ myGoya Online Desktop

myGoya Online Desktop is developed by the German company Magix, which is well known for its desktop applications, in particular the video editor Magix Movie Edit Pro. When choosing this online system to work with, it is worth keeping in mind that it is currently in beta testing and therefore, as the developers warn, it may be unstable. However, as our testing has shown, errors occur when running absolutely all WebOS, so this notification can hardly serve as an obstacle to using the system. On the other hand, it is worth remembering that myGoya Online Desktop, unlike the same eyeOS, is the development of a company accustomed to making money on its products, so it is quite possible that after the testing period ends, all or some of its functions may be paid.

Despite its beta status, myGoya Online Desktop makes a very pleasant impression. The system greets the user with a welcome window, which prompts you to import contacts from MS Outlook and other applications, fill out your profile (which will be useful for subsequent communication with other users), and also configure the list of applications that will be placed on the quick launch panel located on the desktop .

This panel is very similar to the Docks panel in Mac OS X: when you hover over an application icon, it enlarges and the name of the program is displayed at the bottom.

Running application windows look just like regular desktop program windows: you can move them around within the workspace and switch between them using something similar to the Windows taskbar. Interestingly, myGoya Online Desktop allows you to create multiple desktops, each of which can run its own applications and widgets.

There are only a few widgets available so far: clock, web search, calculator. The range of applications is also not very large: there is a simple notepad, a file manager, a tool for searching photos on Flickr, a media player, a tool for managing contacts, an application for working with bookmarks that allows you to import them from your hard drive, export them, and also share them with others. Office applications are represented by solutions from Zoho, thanks to which you can fully work with text, tables and presentations. However, MS Office 2007-2010 files are not supported.

Uploading files is not very convenient, since it is impossible to add several files at once - you can only select them one at a time. However, considering that only 512 MB is provided for data storage, inconvenient loading can hardly be considered a big disadvantage - with such a volume of virtual disk, it is unlikely that anyone will want to use myGoya Online Desktop to store a large amount of data.

Like other virtual operating systems, myGoya Online Desktop comes with a number of social features. Using the Contacts application, you can add people to your contact list. If you enter the e-mail of a user registered in the system, myGoya will offer to send him a request on your behalf. After the request is confirmed, you can exchange messages with the user (something like internal email), chat, and share files.

To organize file sharing, a separate Share Manager application is used, with which you can create virtual containers, add files to them, and manage access rights for other users.

myGoya Online Desktop works quite well in all popular browsers, but has one big drawback: the system does not support the Russian language. If you download Word files in Russian, you can easily edit them in the Zoho text editor, but all operations with non-Latin characters in the system's own applications are impossible. When switching to Russian, it is impossible to write anything, be it a chat message or the name of a virtual container for file sharing.

⇡ Online Operating System

Developers from the Austrian company iCUBE Network Solutions decided not to rack their brains over the name of their online operating system and simply called it Online Operating System. In appearance, the system copies WindowsXP as much as possible - the same desktop, Start menu, taskbar, window appearance and application controls. The Online Operating System even has the ability to select different themes, similar to those found in Microsoft's OS.

Online Operating System is equipped with a whole range of useful applications. They are carefully divided into categories, so finding the right utility will not take much time. The system has a built-in browser, a utility for downloading videos from YouTube, a calculator, a program for viewing graphic files, a media player, a notepad, a file manager, a text editor, a tool for working with graphics, an application for viewing PDF files (requires Adobe Reader), tools for managing contacts, tasks, mail, as well as for collaborating on text documents.

Despite the fact that the Online Operating System recognizes files of popular formats (archives, documents), and they are displayed in the file manager with the appropriate icons, it is impossible to work with them within the system; you can only download them to your hard drive.

You can upload files to the system either from the file manager or via the WebDAV protocol. The second option is more convenient, as it makes it possible to create a virtual disk in the system, and when you go to it, the entire contents of the OOS disk will be displayed. Another convenient way to copy files to the disk of an online system and back is through FTP. To do this, just specify www.oos.cc, port 21 as the server address in any FTP client, and then enter your username and password to log into your account. In total, you can store files with a total volume of 1 GB within one account.

⇡ Conclusion

Over the past few years, the WebOS sector has been actively developing: some systems are acquiring more and more new functions, others, alas, cease to exist. Despite the fact that virtual operating systems are still at a very early stage of development, it is unlikely that anyone will dispute the fact that such projects are the future. That’s why it’s worth looking into WebOS for yourself now.

There is no clear leader among existing projects: each operating system has its own advantages, and each, unfortunately, has its own disadvantages. Social features are well implemented in iCloud. This system is also good because it supports working with many popular file formats, but poor support for alternative browsers is its serious drawback. myGoya Online Desktop, on the contrary, works equally well in all browsers, but this system does not support the Russian language. GlideOS is interesting with its support for multiple accounts, eyeOS has convenient tools for collaborating on projects, and the Online Operating System has convenient file upload capabilities, including via FTP.

Computer users are sometimes faced with a situation where they need to work with old programs that worked successfully on previous versions of Windows. Managing two computers at once is not always convenient. But it is possible to install another edition of the operating system on a work laptop. Parallel operation of two systems can be ensured by a virtual machine for Windows 7 (VM). From this article you can learn:

  • what is VM;
  • what programs exist for this purpose;
  • How to install and configure Windows 7 in a VM.

A second computer is real

Virtual machine- software. With its help, a copy of a real computer is created with:

  • hard virtual disks;
  • optical software drive;
  • analogue of network adapters;
  • BIOS, etc.

A virtual laptop with its own operating system runs in a separate window and occupies a certain amount of space on the physical hard drive. It looks like this:

The example shows how in a real operating system with Windows 7 Professional installed, the program runs with the virtual Windows XP operating system. And it performs the same actions as on a real device.

VM tasks

Almost everyone is faced with a situation where a program downloaded from the network and installed brings with it a trail of unnecessary applications. That is why more advanced users prefer to install the downloaded application in a virtual system and test it both for functionality and for unexpected surprises.

In addition to this, other tasks are solved:

  • Possibility to test the program.
  • Avoid harmful effects from suspicious programs.
  • Emulate a second computer network.
  • Check the consequences of changing settings in the system.
  • Safely perform autosurfing over the network.
  • Reduce the likelihood of a real laptop becoming infected with computer viruses.
  • Running programs that are incompatible with the real operating system.

Most popular emulators

You can find many programs with which you can create a virtual Windows. But it’s best to familiarize yourself with the most popular ones.

This is the most common free program with which you can emulate the most popular operating systems:

  • Windows(with support for different versions).
  • MacOS.
  • Any operating system from the family Linux.
  • Interaction with VMs from the paid version of the emulator is supported VMware Workstation.

Windows 7 and the created virtual machine can be easily configured by the average user. The program differs in both performance and stability. In addition, despite its free nature, it has extensive capabilities and a clear interface. It is better adapted than others for home use.

VMware

Also a well-known and popular program. It found its main application in large corporations.

There are two versions of this product:

  • Workstation;
  • Player.

Version Workstation will be able to fully satisfy the user's needs, but this is a paid program. Regular users can use a free analogue Workstation - VMware Player.

The paid version supports work with 32- and 64-x systems, sees USB 3.0, and various operating systems work quite successfully. VMware Workstation- an advanced version of a computer emulator, but due to its cost, it has found its use mainly among large companies, and not among ordinary users.

Microsoft Virtual PC

A similar virtual machine for working in Windows 7. It has wide functionality and a clear, convenient and practical interface. But there is also a significant drawback - it can only work with operating systems of the Windows family. Other operating systems, such as Linux or Mac OS, cannot be run on it.

This brief overview describes three of the most popular virtual machines. Now you can see that for home needs it is best to use the program. Next, the procedure for installing and configuring it will be discussed.

Installing Windows 7 in a VirtualBox virtual machine

The installation process of a virtual operating system can be divided into several stages:

  1. Install the program .
  2. Download the file with the Windows 7 image for the VM.
  3. Installation of virtual Windows 7.

Let's consider all these processes separately.

Install VirtualBox

First of all, you need the virtual machine itself. As already mentioned, there are several of them. We are interested in . You can download it from the official website https://www.virtualbox.org. From the proposed list, select VirtualBox 5.1.14 for Windows hosts.

The process of how to install a virtual machine is described in other articles, but there are a few points:

After the Internet connection is restored, you can begin downloading and installing the finished VM file in Windows 7.

Finding a ready VM

Microsoft, in order to test different versions of Internet Explorer (8, 9, 10, 11), has specially prepared several options for downloading VMs with pre-installed Windows versions (7; 8.1; 10) from its website https://developer.microsoft.com/ru- ru/microsoft-edge/tools/vms/ . If this link is not available, the browser will automatically redirect to the English version of the site https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/tools/vms/

So, first you need to select a Windows 7 image with any version of IE (8, 9, 10, 11).

From the drop-down list, select the item which virtual machine will undoubtedly be used. In our case it is .

And click on the Download .zip button. The zip file download process will begin.

All that remains is to install and run the virtual machine on Windows 7.

Adjusting virtual Windows 7

The virtual Windows file itself is extracted from the archive “IE10.Win7.For.Windows.VirtualBox.zip”.

After the file is extracted, right-click on it
and from the drop-down list we select “ To open with».

In principle, nothing needs to be changed in the import parameters. You can leave it as is and click the Import button.

The configuration process will start. The "" window looks like this:

After the process is completed, the new seven and VM will appear in the program list. To start it, just double-click on the VM itself, or click on the arrow button “ Launch" The operating system startup process will begin immediately. If you install it for the first time, it will take a little longer, however, the same thing happens when installing a real OS. Once the installer has completed all the necessary steps, a desktop with a working Windows 7 system will appear.

Windows 7 in English and the created virtual machine are ready to launch.

Set up a virtual system

All VM controls are intuitive. But if you have any questions, you should carefully read the pop-up tips in Russian. You can turn to help for help, where you can find answers to all your questions.

Typically, both the mouse and keyboard only work in the VM and are blocked in real Windows. But it is possible to switch between the two systems using the Right Control host key.

Now that the virtual machine is installed and running, you can configure Windows. The first step is to install software components (drivers) for all virtual devices. This process is quite simple. You need to go to the main menu and in the line “ Devices" click on " Install guest OS additions».

After installation is completed, the VM is rebooted. Now the picture has become clearer, the VM window can be dynamically changed, support for mouse integration will be enabled, and access to the Internet will open.

It is also possible to expand the display functions. In this mode, windows that open in the VM will be displayed on the real desktop, and not in a separate program window. This makes it possible to facilitate access to all controls and installed VM programs.

Shutdown virtual Windows 7

Just like in a real laptop, Windows installed in a VM requires a certain order to be completed. You can complete the job by pressing the button to stop the job. A menu will open offering three options for closing the VM.

« Save machine state"- before shutting down, the machine will save all running applications at the time of shutdown. When the VM is turned on again, work in it can continue from the moment it was turned off.

« Send a shutdown signal"- all applications can be closed, and the machine will turn off automatically.

« Turn off the car" - the same as if a real computer was de-energized.

Conclusion

From this short overview it is clear that working with virtual machines, such as, makes it possible to connect several different operating systems on one device at once. Naturally, the more powerful the real device (RAM and CPU), the faster the virtual computers will work. Disabling the antivirus on your home machine or adding a virtual directory to the antivirus program’s exclusion list will also help speed up the work.

Video on the topic

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.