Translations:VirtualBox/1/en

Overview

Developed by Sun Microsystems, now Oracle Corporation, VirtualBox is a popular application that allows for other operating systems (known as Guests) to be installed and run within an existing operating system (known as the Host). This is undertaken through the process of virtualisation, whereby virtual versions of your computer (also referred to as virtual machines or VMs) are created within and draw resources directly from the host system. As such, how fast or powerful a virtual machine may be will depend entirely on the resources available - and allocated - for it to use. The benefits of virtualisation include:

• The fast and easy installation of other operating systems without affecting your existing system (e.g. no need for dual booting and/or preparation in the form of hard disk partitioning or re-sizing)
• Completely safe learning and experimentation with operating systems, as nothing that occurs within a Guest will affect the Host (e.g. the Host operating system can also be installed as a Guest in a virtual machine as a risk-free means of trying out new things), and
• An almost unlimited capacity to install as many additional operating systems as desired...provided space is available on your hard drive to store them!