Other free virtualization software besides VBox?

[dkm777]

I'm becoming sick and tired with VirtualBox's bugs. Previous version ran rock solid. Updated - getting BSODs now. I'm sure the next update will eliminate them and one after next will reintroduce new ones. Are there any other free for personal non-commercial use virtualization solutions? If they were capable of somehow importing/converting VirtualBox VDIs it would be just great.

 

[theevilsharpie]

VMware Player is the other free virtualization product that I'm aware of. KVM and Hyper-V are "kinda free," but they have usage requirements you probably don't want to put up with.

 

[stargazr]

Microsoft has one, but I don't think they upgraded it - Virtual PC 2007.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/support/virtual-pc-2007.aspx

It will not run on Win 7 IIRC, just Vista and XP. It's very limited. For example I don't think you can access a USB drive from the host. Softpedia has a few free VM OS's for it. I got Vista to study for an A+ cert.

It was ok to whet my appetite for VM's, but I ended up buying VMWare Workstation. It's awesome software if you can afford it.

 

[theevilsharpie]

Microsoft has one, but I don't think they upgraded it - Virtual PC 2007.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/support/virtual-pc-2007.aspx

Virtual PC 2007 isn't supported anymore, although MS keeps it available because Windows Virtual PC doesn't support OS's older than XP.

 

[lxskllr]

Why not go back to the VirtualBox that worked? You don't /have/ to upgrade just because they released a new version.

 

[Binky]

Vmware Server

 

[theevilsharpie]

Vmware Server

VMware server isn't supported anymore.

 

[0roo0roo]

yep just downgrade.

i only virtualize xp with vbox, never really crashes on me.

 

[ThatsABigOne]

I use Virtualbox 3 hours a day running Lubuntu and Debian, simultaneously. I never had issues with such tasks. Once in a while I get a prompt to upgrade my VBox installation, but I never do it.

Other very good alternative is VMware.

 

[dkm777]

OK, I'll just downgrade then and do my research whenever a new version comes out before upgrading.

 

[lxskllr]

FWIW, I always hold on to a previous version of software I need. That way broken upgrades don't affect me too badly. I can go back to the previous version without hunting it down on the web. If an upgrade is successful, I delete my previous old copy, and then my old in-use copy becomes my backup; rinse, repeat.

 

[tweakboy]

Why not go back to the VirtualBox that worked? You don't /have/ to upgrade just because they released a new version.

You look like Jesus in the avatar and with 23k posts you just might be him LOL!!!


This message was meant as a little humor. sorry if I offended anyone.

gl

 

[lxskllr]

You look like Jesus in the avatar and with 23k posts you just might be him LOL!!!

Close! That's Richard Stallman, though my hair and beard have gotten very similar. I got a compliment on my beard the other day. Too bad it was from a dude, and not a chick :^D

 

[dkm777]

OK, so I've been running an older version and all is peachy... almost. I still have a problem with Vista guests - they freeze every few minutes and then unfreeze a minute or so later. I had hoped that newer versions will fix this and it was my reason for upgrading in the first place. I read some threads here and there and it seems I'm the only one with this problem.

 

[BrightCandle]

Java 7 is a mess of bugs as well. The Oracle take over of Sun has resulted in a noticeable and problematic drop in the quality of the products they produced. VirtualBox had always been a favourite of mine but its quite amazing the impact has had on their ability to deliver software. Oracle really is where other companies go to die.