Existing users, log in.  New users, create a free account.  Lost password?

Mac OS X  |  System / Utilities  |  Other System / Utilities  |  VirtualBox

VirtualBox

VirtualBox - 2.1.0

Virtualization package for Windows and Linux.

All Time: (4.2)
Version 2.1.0: Not rated (0.0)
Selected Version: 2.1.0
Release Date: 2008-12-17
License: Freeware
Downloads (version 2.1.0): 1,418
Downloads (all versions): 43,533

Information Related to Version:

Broken Link? Newer Version? Tell us!

Product Description:

innotek VirtualBox is a family of powerful x86 virtualization products for enterprise as well as home use. Not only is VirtualBox an extremely feature rich, high performance product for enterprise customers, it is also the only professional solution that is freely available as Open Source Software under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL).

VirtualBox runs on Mac OS X, Windows and Linux and supports a large number of guest operating systems including but not limited to Windows (NT 4.0, 2000, XP, Server 2003, Vista), DOS/Windows 3.x, Linux (2.4 and 2.6), and OpenBSD.

VirtualBox is being actively developed with frequent releases and has an ever growing list of features, supported guest operating systems and platforms it runs on. VirtualBox is a community effort backed by a dedicated company: everyone is encouraged to contribute while innotek ensures the product always meets professional quality criteria.

What's new in this version:

  • Support for hardware virtualization (VT-x and AMD-V) on Mac OS X hosts
  • Support for 64-bit guests on 32-bit host operating systems (experimental; see user manual, chapter 1.6, 64-bit guests, page 16)
  • Added support for Intel Nehalem virtualization enhancements (EPT and VPID; see user manual, chapter 1.2, Software vs. hardware virtualization (VT-x and AMD-V), page 10))
  • Experimental 3D acceleration via OpenGL (see user manual, chapter 4.8, Hardware 3D acceleration (OpenGL), page 66)
  • Experimental LsiLogic and BusLogic SCSI controllers (see user manual, chapter 5.1, Hard disk controllers: IDE, SATA (AHCI), SCSI, page 70)
  • Full VMDK/VHD support including snapshots (see user manual, chapter 5.2, Disk image ï¬?les (VDI, VMDK, VHD), page 72)
  • New NAT engine with signiï¬?cantly better performance, reliability and ICMP echo (ping) support (bugs #1046, #2438, #2223, #1247)
  • New Host Interface Networking implementations for Windows and Linux hosts with easier setup (replaces TUN/TAP on Linux and manual bridging on Windows)
  • VMM: signiï¬?cant performance improvements for VT-x (real mode execution)
  • VMM: support for hardware breakpoints (VT-x and AMD-V only; bug #477)
  • VMM: VGA performance improvements for VT-x and AMD-V
  • VMM: Solaris and OpenSolaris guest performance improvements for AMD-V (Barcelona family CPUs only)
  • VMM: ï¬?xed guru meditation while running the Dr. Web virus scanner (software virtualization only; bug #1439)
  • VMM: deactivate VT-x and AMD-V when the host machine goes into suspend mode; reactivate when the host machine resumes (Windows, Mac OS X & Linux hosts; bug #1660)
  • VMM: ï¬?xed guest hangs when restoring VT-x or AMD-V saved states/snapshots
  • VMM: ï¬?xed guru meditation when executing a one byte debug instruction (VT-x only; bug #2617)
  • VMM: ï¬?xed guru meditation for PAE guests on non-PAE hosts (VT-x)
  • VMM: disallow mixing of software and hardware virtualization execution in general (bug #2404)
  • VMM: ï¬?xed black screen when booting OS/2 1.x (AMD-V only)
  • GUI: pause running VMs when the host machine goes into suspend mode (Windows & Mac OS X hosts)
  • GUI: resume previously paused VMs when the host machine resumes after suspend (Windows & Mac OS X hosts)
  • GUI: save the state of running or paused VMs when the host machine's battery reaches critical level (Windows hosts)
  • GUI: properly restore the position of the selector window when running on the compiz window manager
  • GUI: properly restore the VM in seamless mode (2.0 regression)
  • GUI: warn user about non optimal memory settings
  • GUI: structure operating system list according to family and version for improved usability
  • GUI: predeï¬?ned settings for QNX guests
  • IDE: improved ATAPI passthrough support
  • Networking: added support for up to 8 Ethernet adapters per VM
  • Networking: ï¬?xed issue where a VM could lose connectivity after a reboot
  • iSCSI: allow snapshot/diff creation using local VDI ï¬?le
  • iSCSI: improved interoperability with iSCSI targets
  • Graphics: ï¬?xed handling of a guest video memory which is not a power of two (bug #2724)
  • VBoxManage: ï¬?xed bug which prevented setting up the serial port for direct device access.
  • VBoxManage: added support for VMDK and VHD image creation
  • VBoxManage: added support for image conversion (VDI/VMDK/VHD/RAW)
  • Solaris hosts: added IPv6 support between host and guest when using host interface networking
  • Mac OS X hosts: added ACPI host power status reporting
  • API: redesigned storage model with better generalization
  • API: allow attaching a hard disk to more than one VM at a time
  • API: added methods to return network conï¬?guration information of the host system
  • Shared Folders: performance and stability ï¬?xes for Windows guests (Microsoft Ofï¬?ce Applications)

Operating System Requirements:

This product is designed to run on the following operating systems:

  • Mac OS X 10.5 Intel
  • Mac OS X 10.4 Intel

Screenshots:

Download Links:

Download Links:

Your Installed Versions:


 

Feedback Summary:

Version 2.1.0:
Overall Rating: Not rated (0.0) Features: Not rated (0.0) Support: Not rated (0.0)
Ease of Use: Not rated (0.0) Quality / Stability: Not rated (0.0) Price: Not rated (0.0)
Add Your Feedback

Key to Types of Feedback:

ReviewsReviews   TroubleshootingTroubleshooting   Usage TipsUsage Tips   Developer NotesDeveloper Notes   CommentaryCommentary   Featured ReviewsFeatured Reviews

VirtualBox ReviewNot ready for prime time - Version: 3.0.12, 11/18/2009 01:16AM PST

MarkusWinter
Installed for a client (who moves from Win to Mac) on a German MacBook Pro 2,4 GHz with 4 GB RAM and a 500 GB harddisk

Installed WinXP, SP1, SP2, SP3, AntiVir, latest virus definitions (all downloaded on the Mac), THEN hooked it up to the network and installed all Windows updates incl IE8, then Adobe CS2 and Dreamweaver.

Noticed during registration of Dreamweaver that the @ on the keyboard is not working (works fine on the Mac). Switching to US layout or trying the position where the @ key is on the US keyboard did not help). Several other keys do not work either - pressing D results in the window minimizing etc

Deleted the complete VirtualBox installation, did it all again - same result.

Further issues I noticed: only shared folders (no drag&drop between Mac and PC), shortcuts don't work after being put on the desktop, can't put a shortcut back into the start menu, no copy/paste between Mac and PC, stalls from time to time for no apparent reason.

After wasting about 7 hours on trying to get it to work I had enough and downloaded VMware Fusion - no problems there.

I don't know if it is because I'm on a german system, but there seems to be a reason why this is 63 MB and Fusion is over 400 MB.

Post a commentAlert Admin

Most Recent Replies: View All 1 Replies

VirtualBox ReviewPerfect solution for Windows testing in OS X - Version: 3.0.8, 10/6/2009 12:54PM PST

(4 of 4 users found this comment useful)

~Antonio
Out of the gate, I'll mention taking a star off for the Linux issues. They're common, and I hear about them all the time.

Otherwise, this has been a very fast, very stable, very useful solution to me a web developer. I currently run several versions of Internet Explorer withing Windows XP using VirtualBox, as well as the debugging and coding tools which come with Office, and am very pleased with my experiences. The Guest Additions for switching between OS X and the host environment via hover state are excellent and also work quite well. Make this work with Linux, and it'll be a winner. Considering Sun is now owned by Oracle, who seems to love Linux, I'm surprised it hasn't happened already.
Post a commentAlert Admin

VirtualBox ReviewVersion 3.0.4 still won't play CDs for Linux guests on Mac OSX - Version: 3.0.4, 8/8/2009 06:47AM PST

(0 of 3 users found this comment useful)

whisperycat
Throughout the VirtualBox 2.4.x releases I did extensive testing with Mac OSX as host OS and several flavours of Linux as the guest OS.

Basically, I found it was not possible to play a CD on my Linux guest host with Mac OSX as the host OS.

I posted on VirtualBox forum and while one Leopard user has since claimed success, the response I got from a seasoned VBer wasthat no, it was not possible to play CDs on a Linux guest with OSX as host OS. (And of course CD ripping is completely out of the question since not even the CD's tracks can be seen in File Manager or Rythymbox player).

I just downloaded and updated VBox 3.0.4 and in short, nothing's changed since I made this post -

http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=16960&p=72128&hilit=whisperycat#p72128

Is this a rather underhanded way of putting people off Linux? This is terrible negative exposure for Linux, which is in many ways a far superior home OS than Windows. What user would evaluate any Linux distro, find it can't play or rip CDs, and thendecide to give it a try anyway? Is this Apple at work? Has anyone using WIndows as the host OS, been able to get CDs to play in a Linux guest?

I've un-installed VBox, I'll try again in a year ;-)





Post a commentAlert Admin

Most Recent Replies: View All 2 Replies