Oracle VM VirtualBox 4 Review

excellent
key review info
application features
  • Run multiple virtual machines at once
  • (6 more, see all...)

Virtualization applications are usually overlooked by casual PC users, although those who have played at least once with VMware, Parallels or Virtual PC can quickly name their advantages.

Whether we want to play a very old video game on our modern computers, run outdated applications which are not supported by later Windows editions, test a suspicious program without affecting the host, or simply explore an older operating system, these OS virtualization tools provide the appropriate environment for reaching this goal. A notable application in this domain is Oracle's VirtualBox.

Firstly, it stands out among many similar products thanks to its price tag. While other programs are mostly geared toward professional use and their price certainly attests to that, VirtualBox is free of charge, available to anyone curious enough to discover its features.

Secondly, the program allows the creation of multiple virtual machines (VMs) on the host computer, whether they are the same as the host OS, have different Windows editions or are built on different platforms (e.g. Linux, Mac OS X), giving users the flexibility to adjust their hardware-related settings, such as RAM and disk size allocation, Internet access and USB support. Moreover, it is possible to facilitate directory sharing, drag-and-drop and Copy/Paste between the host and guest machine, among many other features.

NOTE: The host machine used in our tests was an Intel Core i5-3470 with CPU @3.20GHz and 12GB RAM, on Windows 8.1 Pro.

Apart from the core files, the full package includes support for USB drives, networking (bridged, host-only) and Python 2.x. The application can also make file associations. It warns users that it temporarily disconnects them from the Internet, so they should be careful with any ongoing large downloads or active apps requesting network connectivity.

Showing the interface in VirtualBox
Taking into account VirtualBox's technical nature, the interface is quite user-friendly. Although it is filled with advanced settings, these are mostly intuitive, and the app's interface is comfortable to work with.

Create and manage virtual machines

New virtual machines can be created by specifying a name, type (Windows, Linux, Solaris, BSD, IBM OS/2, Mac OS X, other) and version, along with RAM and HDD size allocation (or apply VirtualBox's recommendations instead). It is possible to create a virtual hard drive with a dynamically allocated or fixed size, use an existing file (VMDK, VDI, VHD, HDD, QED, QCOW, QCOW2, VHDX), or skip this step.

Showing the options for creating a new virtual machine in VirtualBox
Create new virtual machinesExisting virtual appliances (previously created with VirtualBox) can be easily imported from OVA or OVF format. For example, users may download for free older Windows editions from Microsoft's modern.ie website.
Showing VirtualBox Manager options
Manage virtual machines via the context menuThe VirtualBox manager keeps all freshly built and imported appliances into one place, letting users start, reset, clone or remove them, organize them into multiple groups, create desktop shortcuts, open VM folders in Windows Explorer, view log details for any machine, and perform other basic management options.

Virtual machine configuration

Probably the most interesting part of VirtualBox lies in the configuration panel for each guest machine. While users may apply default settings when importing or creating VMs, they can also modify them at any time when it comes to the shared Clipboard and drag-and-drop support (host to guest, guest to host, or bidirectional), machine name, type and version, along with the snapshot folder (snapshots contain VM states).

Showing the general settings for virtual machines in VirtualBox
Showing the system settings for virtual machines in VirtualBox
Configure general and system settings for VMs It is also possible to adjust the base memory allocated to the VM, customize the boot order (similar to BIOS), change the chipset and pointing device, as well as enable some extended features, namely I/O APC, EFI and hardware clock in UTC time (for the motherboard), PAE/NX (for the processor) along with VT-X/AMD-V and nested paging (for hardware virtualization). The processor and execution cap may be tweaked as well.
Showing the display settings for virtual machines in VirtualBox
Showing the storage settings for virtual machines in VirtualBox
Configure display and storage settings for VMsSimilar settings can be adjusted for the display when it comes to the video memory and number of virtual monitors provided to the VM, 3D and 2D video acceleration, remote display server, and video capturing options (file path, frame size and rate, quality, number of screens).
Showing the audio settings for virtual machines in VirtualBox
Showing the network settings for virtual machines in VirtualBox
Configure audio and network settings for VMsStorage-related attributes can be assigned controllers, hard disk and CD/DVD drives (e.g. primary master, secondary slave), while new attachments can be added to the storage tree. Other configurable settings concern the audio (controller and host driver), network adapters, serial ports, USB controller, and folders shared between the host and guest machines.
Showing the serial port settings for virtual machines in VirtualBox
Showing the usb settings for virtual machines in VirtualBox
Configure serial port and USB settings for VMs

Operations within a virtual machine

Multiple virtual machines can run at the same time. Although this is resource-hogging, it is definitely possible. A VM can be switched to full screen mode to work with it just like with the host OS, in most cases. For example, triggering the Ctrl+Alt+Delete combination from the keyboard executes the command for the host operating system. Restricting this action to the guest environment can be done from the toolbar, along other commands.

Showing multiple running virtual machines in VirtualBox
Run multiple virtual machines at onceUsers can capture the current state in a snapshot to revisit it at any other later time, take screenshots and save them to image files (PNG, BMP, PPM, XBM, XPM), view runtime information and configuration details, disable mouse integration, switch to seamless mode to put the guest's Start menu on the host's desktop and easily perform operations between them, as well as enter scaled mode to quickly resize the guest OS window (useful when placing multiple VM windows side by side).

When it comes to devices support, users may pick a CD/DVD disk file, attach USB drives, disconnect the network adapter to cut off Internet access, select the shared Clipboard and drag-and-drop direction or disable them altogether, modify shared folder settings, insert Guest Additions disk files into the virtual drive, as well as start capturing video footage and save it to the host machine.

Showing virtual Windows XP in full screen in VirtualBox
Showing toolbar options for virtual machines in VirtualBox
Switch to full screen mode and use toolbar optionsWhat should be mentioned is that attached USB drives (including plugged-in smartphones or tablets) will be automatically disconnected from the host because the host and guest cannot simultaneously read the same device. In order to return the device to host, it must be detached from the guest (or just by exiting the VM). This rule does not apply to CDs and DVDs, though.

VirtualBox configuration

Hotkeys are supported for both the VirtualBox Manager and virtual machines, and they can be changed into anything else. The utility can automatically check for updates at a user-defined frequency and look only for stable releases, all new releases, or all new releases and pre-releases.

Showing the input settings in VirtualBox
Showing the display settings in VirtualBox
Reconfigure hotkeys and set the maximum guest screen sizeIt is possible to modify the default machine folder and VRDP (VirtualBox Remote Desktop Protocol) authentication library, UI language and maximum guest screen size, together with network and proxy properties. VirtualBox also supports extensions that can be downloaded from the developer's website. These include improved support for USB 2.0 devices and for the aforementioned VRDP (run a virtual machine on one PC and control it from a remote PC).

The Good

VirtualBox supports multiple UI languages and reconfigurable keyboard shortcuts. It has default virtual machine configurations for novices and reserves advanced customization options for experienced users. Apart from a thorough product manual available, the tool displays helpful hints throughout the interface.

It allows users to save OS states to snapshots and return to them at a later time (like working with a Clipboard history or sandbox), capture frames to image files, record footage to video files, as well as clone virtual machines or reset them to default (i.e. OS reinstallation).

The Bad

The program crashed a couple of times during our evaluation when we attempted to open virtual machines.

The drag-and-drop support is frequently faulty, whether you're trying to copy something from the host to the guest, or vice versa. The same rule applies to the shared Clipboard when it comes to files (copying/pasting text and images works smoothly).

The Truth

Considering that it is free, VirtualBox is one of the most reliable virtualization applications to date, enabling users to run one or more virtual machines in a friendly environment and giving them the possibility to configure each setting in detail.

NOTE: You can also read our previous review for VirtualBox 1.3.8.

user interface 5
features 5
ease of use 3
pricing / value 5


final rating 5
Editor's review
excellent
 
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