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VirtualBox

VirtualBox - 1.5.51

virtualization package running Windows, Linux & others

All Time: (4.2)
Version 1.5.51: (4.0)
Selected Version: 1.5.51
Release Date: 2008-02-06
License: Beta
Downloads (version 1.5.51): 1,341
Downloads (all versions): 43,527

Information Related to Version:

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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:

  • GUI: ï¬?xed several error messages
  • GUI: ï¬?xed registration dialog crashes once and for all
  • GUI: really ask before resetting the VM
  • GUI: release mouse and keyboard before the host activates the screensaver
  • GUI: ï¬?xed issue with license display on big screens
  • GUI: added setting for network name for internal networks
  • GUI: keyboard ï¬?xes
  • GUI: VM session information dialog
  • VMM: reduced host CPU load of idle guests
  • VMM: under heavy guest activity, for example when copying ï¬?les to/from a shared folder, the VM crashed with an assertion
  • VMM: added option to select PIIX4 (improves compatibility with Windows guests created by VMware)
  • VRDP: ï¬?xed a 1.5.4 regression: VRDP client and server were out-of-sync if the VM was started using the GUI
  • VRDP: proper error handling if the VRDP library could not be loaded
  • VBoxManage: ï¬?xed crash during clonevdi VBoxManage: added ’list runningvms’ command
  • Shared Folders: added support for read-only shared folders
  • Shared Clipboard: several ï¬?xes
  • Net: support PXE booting with NAT
  • iSCSI: better check for misconï¬?gured targets
  • iSCSI: allow to directly attach to internal networks with integrated mini IP stack
  • PulseAudio: don’t hang during VM initialization if no sound server is available
  • VDI: ï¬?xed sized virtual disk images are now completely written during creation to workaround buggy sparse ï¬?le handling on some OS (e.g. Vista)
  • RDP: ï¬?xed compilation of Linux sources on newer Linux kernels
  • RDP: install rdesktop-vrdp on Linux hosts
  • ACPI: added sleep button event
  • ATA/IDE: better disk geometry compatibility with VMware images
  • Serial: proper handling of inaccessible host devices
  • Audio: SoundBlaster 16 emulation
  • MacOS X: ï¬?xed seamless mode
  • MacOS X: better desktop integration, several look’n’feel ï¬?xes
  • MacOS X: switched to Quartz2D framebuffer

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

Additional Requirements:

  • Intel Mac

Screenshots:

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Your Installed Versions:


 

Feedback Summary:

Version 1.5.51:
Overall Rating: (4.0) Features: (4.0) Support: (3.0)
Ease of Use: (4.0) Quality / Stability: (4.0) Price: (5.0)
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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.

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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.
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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 ;-)





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