Virtualbox, Vmware player, etc? Should I try it? Which is good? ?????

[VitaLiNux]

Download xVM VirtualBox now!
Try it out! It's awesome!

[dizee]

virtualbox is very easy to use, just make sure you install the kernel module for it as well.

i don't know about running it from a usb stick though (if that's what you mean), there is a version of damn small linux that runs from a usb stick in windows using a program called qemu though so it's technically possible.

[Masoris]

Maybe Virtualbox is the best in free software. But Virtualbox is still unstable and has some critical bugs.

You can see bug list in here:
http://www.virtualbox.org/report/1

If you use 64bit Ubuntu, I cannot recommend Virtualbox because of this bug:
http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/1046

[Lord Xeb]

No, the vm will allow you to access USB things like external harddrives and stuff from inside the VM.

But yes, you could save your VM on a USB flash and then go and put it another machine that has Virtualbox after you set it up to use it

And you can also install Linux a USB and carry it everywhere >_> Like I did for school to **** my PC apps teacher off <_< Worked like a charm when it booted faster from the USB than when it was booting into windows

[Redrazor39]

What's the kernel module?

I just downloaded the package from sun (.deb) for Ubuntu hardy i386

Do I just use GDebi to install?

[dizee]

well for the open source version that's in the repos you need to install the kernel module (virtualbox-ose-modules-2.6.24.19-generic for an up-to-date hardy install) and reboot to use vbox, not sure if the closed source one is the same.

[cardinals_fan]

I hate Virtualbox. It's caused me endless problems. VMware is awesome

[Tichondrius]

I hate Virtualbox. It's caused me endless problems. VMware is awesome

Virtualbox works great for me. It's MUCH better than VMPlayer, which is the only free software you can get from VMWare, because VirtualBox lets you create and install new VMs, but VMPlayer can only run existing VMs, so you have to download these VM images, and try to customize them. Compare that to creating your own VM using your favorite distro/OS which you can do using VirtualBox as well as VMWare workstation/server but that is not free.

I have my PC on 24/7 for months, and VirtualBox is always running my Linux VM as a server (file,mail,web,etc). It NEVER crashed or had any other problem. Running months with no issues, serving pages, files, mail. Not sure if VMWare can do that.

[pp.]

... VMPlayer, which is the only free software you can get from VMWare

I seem to remember that VMWare Server was free as well.

[mips]

I seem to remember that VMWare Server was free as well.

You are 100% correct.