VirtualBox

VirtualBox is a special tool for computers.

It lets one computer act like many. You can run different systems at once. One system stays on the main computer. The others run inside small windows.

You can use it on many kinds of computers. It works on Windows and Mac too. You can even use it to try new things. This tool is very helpful for people. It is free for most people to use.

VirtualBox is a tool for computers.

It is a hosted hypervisor. A hypervisor is a way to run many systems on one computer. The main computer is called the host. The other systems are called guests.

You can run guests like Windows or Linux inside windows. Each guest stays in its own space. You can start, pause, or stop them.

VirtualBox works on many systems. It works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It can even run on ARM computers. To help guests work better, you can use Guest Additions. This is a set of drivers, or special code. It makes graphics work well. It also lets the guest screen resize with the window.

VirtualBox was first made by InnoTek. Sun Microsystems bought them in 2008. Then Oracle bought Sun in 2010. Most of the code is free and open-source. This means people can study and change it. However, there is an Extension Pack. This pack has extra features like USB 3.0 support. It is free only for personal use.

VirtualBox is a special kind of software called a hosted hypervisor.

A hypervisor is a tool that lets one computer act like many computers at once. The main computer you are using is called the host. The extra systems you run inside it are called guest virtual machines, or guests. This is very useful because it lets you run different systems side by side. You can run Windows, Linux, or even macOS on the same machine.

Each guest stays in its own separate space so they do not interfere with each other.

To make this work, VirtualBox creates a digital environment for each guest. You can start, pause, or stop each guest just like a real computer. The software even mimics hardware like hard disks and network cards. It can use different disk formats like VDI, VMDK, or VHD. This allows it to work with files made by other software. For better speed, you can install a package called Guest Additions.

This package includes device drivers that help with graphics. It also lets the guest screen resize automatically when you move the window.

VirtualBox has a long history of changing hands between different companies. It was first created by a German company called InnoTek Systemberatung GmbH. In February 2008, the company Sun Microsystems bought InnoTek. Later, in January 2010, Oracle Corporation bought Sun Microsystems. After this, the software was renamed Oracle VM VirtualBox.

In the past, InnoTek also helped develop code for Windows Virtual PC. This helped create ways for different systems to talk to each other. These early tools allowed things like shared clipboards between the host and guest.

There are many important facts about how VirtualBox is shared with the world. Most of the core code is free and open-source software. This means people can study it and help improve it. It is released under the GNU General Public License. However, there is also a special Extension Pack that is proprietary software. This pack adds features like USB 3.0 support and disk encryption.

The Extension Pack is free only for personal or educational use. For businesses, a different license is needed to use it.

You can think of VirtualBox like a house with many separate rooms.

The house is your host computer, and the rooms are the guest machines. Even though they are in the same house, each room has its own door. What happens in one room does not have to change what happens in another. This makes it a safe way to try out new systems. It is a great way to learn about how different computers work without needing to buy new hardware.

Oracle VirtualBox is a hosted hypervisor used for x86 and ARM virtualization.

A hypervisor is a layer of software that manages how different operating systems interact with computer hardware. In this setup, the main computer running the software is called the host. The extra operating systems running inside the hypervisor are called guest virtual machines, or guests. VirtualBox allows a single host to run many guests at the same time. Each guest operates in its own separate address-space. This means the guest's code stays isolated from the host and other guests. This isolation is vital for security and stability.

To make these virtual machines work, VirtualBox emulates many different hardware components. It mimics hard disks using several formats, including the native VirtualBox Disk Image (VDI), VMware's VMDK, and Microsoft's VHD.

The software also emulates various controllers, such as IDE, SCSI, SATA, and SAS. For internet connectivity, it provides virtualized Network Interface Cards (NICs). These include models like the Intel Pro/1000 and AMD PCnet. By mimicking these specific parts, VirtualBox allows guest operating systems to function as if they were running on real, physical hardware.

VirtualBox offers different ways to handle the actual processing power of the computer. In the past, it supported software-based virtualization. However, starting with version 6.1, it exclusively performs hardware-assisted virtualization. This method uses special features built into the computer's CPU, such as Intel's VT-x or AMD's AMD-V. By using hardware-assisted virtualization, the guest OS can run more efficiently. The guest's most important code runs in a special mode that allows it to interact with the hardware through the hypervisor. This process makes the virtual machine feel much faster and more responsive to the user.

Users can improve the experience by installing a package called Guest Additions. This package provides specific device drivers and system applications for the guest.

These drivers improve performance, especially for graphics. For example, Guest Additions allow the guest's screen resolution to change automatically when you resize the virtual machine window. They also enable useful features like bidirectional drag-and-drop and shared clipboards. These tools help the host and the guest communicate more easily.

The history of VirtualBox involves several major corporate changes. It was originally created by InnoTek Systemberatung GmbH, a company based in Weinstadt, Germany. In February 2008, Sun Microsystems acquired InnoTek.

Later, in January 2010, Oracle Corporation acquired Sun Microsystems. This led to the software being rebranded as Oracle VM VirtualBox. InnoTek also had a role in developing early code for Windows Virtual PC. This helped establish how host and guest systems interact through shared clipboards and dynamic resizing.

VirtualBox is distributed under different types of licenses. The core software is free and open-source under the GNU General Public License (GPL). This allows people to study and modify the base code. However, there is also a proprietary Extension Pack. This pack includes features like USB 2.0 and 3.0 support, disk encryption, and Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).

The Extension Pack is free only for personal or educational use under the Personal Use and Evaluation License (PUEL). For commercial use, users must obtain a different license from Oracle.

VirtualBox is a versatile tool that connects to many different computing environments. It can be installed on Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Solaris, and OpenSolaris. It also has ports for FreeBSD and Genode.

Because it supports many guest systems like Windows, Linux, and BSD, it is used widely in many fields. It can even assist with cloud computing, as newer versions allow users to export virtual machines to the Oracle Cloud. This connection between local hardware and cloud systems shows how virtualization helps bridge different types of computing technology.