Why Virtualbox instead of Hyper-V?

[DerThor]

(mod edit, originally posted on "VirtualBox installer on Windows 11: This app can't run on this device"; title changed to reflect question)

I have a genuine question: Apart from using VirtualBox to run that which must not be named, what is it that VirtualBox brings to the table in "running a multitude of simultaneous operating systems" that Hyper-V doesn't do better (in Windows Hosts that is, and specifically W10 and W11 hosts)?

I run 4 persistent VMs (3 variants of Linux and an OmniOS) in Hyper-V on my laptop and occasionally start VBox for that which must not be named in this forum - and I really can't see the VM benefit of VBox for anything else anymore.

I would be happy to be proven wrong.

[fred1]

I have a genuine question: Apart from using VirtualBox to run that which must not be named, what is it that VirtualBox brings to the table in "running a multitude of simultaneous operating systems" that Hyper-V doesn't do better (in Windows Hosts that is, and specifically W10 and W11 hosts)?

I run 4 persistent VMs (3 variants of Linux and an OmniOS) in Hyper-V on my laptop and occasionally start VBox for that which must not be named in this forum - and I really can't see the VM benefit of VBox for anything else anymore.

I would be happy to be proven wrong.

I use it simply because I have been using it for a decade now or longer. I am familiar with the easy interface. It works well for me and I like that I can run multiple virtual machines. I am also very fond of the snapshot feature.

It is also a fully free and open source product that is available on many operating systems.

[scottgus1]

what is it that VirtualBox brings to the table in "running a multitude of simultaneous operating systems" that Hyper-V doesn't do better

I started using Virtualbox back in 3.1.2 days, and preceedd to virtualize my workplace's office server on Virtualbox, when there was no Hyper-V, so I haven't actually compared Hyper-V to Virtualbox.

Hyper-V has varying support for Microsoft OS's in a VM.

I have a vague recollection, for which I cannot find a link, that Hyper-V used to not support Linux in a VM, though it does now. Grain of salt time on this one.

And, of course, Hyper-V can't run on a Mac or Linux or Solaris host.

Virtualbox supports back to Windows NT, with DOS/9x still working but not technically supported as VMs. and what looks to me to be pretty ancient Linux, and some other guest OS's, regardless of supported host OS (except for that one that shouldn't be mentioned, which requires particular physical host hardware to be legal ).

I also don't know VMware, so I can't compare there.

Performance-wise, they're probably fairly similar, though I have no data.

But it's probably why some folks choose Chevy's and others Fords (blatant admitted USA-centric worldview here...). One starts with something, and rolls with it.

(Split off the posted topic, since this is a different question.)

[SrBIOS]

I started with Microsoft VirtualPC / Virtual Server software years ago (before Hyper-V). It ran well.

With Windows 7/10, I switch to VirtualBox because it was free, and super simple to use. The emulation was pretty good, too.

I played with Bochs, at the source level, which was neat because you could "add" your own hardware, via code. But, it was completely emulated, so anything more advanced than DOS was fairly slow on my PC.

I also played with VxD in in Win 2K / XP, which was a similar concept, of adding fake hardware to the NTVDM layer for emulation (or sharing real hardware).

I've recently taken the plunge and played with VirtualBox sources, and added virtual hardware in there. The fact that I can expand my own VMs with my own hardware is just awesome. Remember, I said awesome, not easy... It takes a bit of learning and patience to build the required framework, but once it is up, awesome! You can not only emulate some old computer, but the cards in it. You can add some layers in to bring that emulated device into the real world (over USB or whatever).

With VirtualBox at the source level, your limit is your imagination. Well, maybe a few technical implementation restrictions, too, but the limit is pretty high.

I don't know if the Hyper-V people let you add in your own virtual devices.

I do miss the ability to start a VM as a service, as in Virtual Server, but there is probably some external program to do that.

--Ben