Using Virtualbox drivers without installing the complete tool on Windows

Discussion about using the VirtualBox API, Tutorials, Samples.
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AdityaM
Posts: 31
Joined: 8. Nov 2016, 06:12

Using Virtualbox drivers without installing the complete tool on Windows

Post by AdityaM »

Hello,
I would like to know if there is a way to just use Virtualbox drivers (vboxdrv, vboxnetflt, vboxnetadp etc.) without the need for complete installation of Virtualbox software on Windows host. With the features of creating VMs, deleting VMs, Renaming VMs, cloning VMs, running VMs, stopping VMs, etc. all through API calls.
If such thing is possible please provide me suitable links to guide and documentation to understand and start with this.
At present, I am using all these features by installing complete Virtualbox, with GUI alongside my software.
Thanks in advance.
Regards
Aditya Mittal
socratis
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Re: Using Virtualbox drivers without installing the complete tool on Windows

Post by socratis »

Aditya,
I don't think that such a "limited options", CLI interface option exists. Plus, what do the drivers have to do with it? Creating and managing VMs has nothing to do with the installation of the drivers (vboxdrv, vboxnetflt, vboxnetadp etc.). Actually, these are not needed at all for what you want to do. Other libraries are required to manage VMs.
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AdityaM
Posts: 31
Joined: 8. Nov 2016, 06:12

Re: Using Virtualbox drivers without installing the complete tool on Windows

Post by AdityaM »

Hello,
Yes I understood what you are trying to say, actually I misinterpreted one of the docs for virtualbox:
https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch02.html section 2.3.2
I believe VBoxManage, VBoxHeadless etc. libraries are required for tasks that I want to carry out. Is my understanding correct on this part? So as you mentioned there is no such "limited options" CLI interface exists.
But if I just copy these libraries in any other machine/PC and then try to control VM operations (that I mentioned) using APIs, would that work? I guess not, because definitely there are much more settings then using these libraries to use Virtual Machine.
Thanks
socratis
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Re: Using Virtualbox drivers without installing the complete tool on Windows

Post by socratis »

I missed the "running VMs, stopping VMs" part from your original post. In that case, you do need those drivers. I thought that you wanted only to "creating VMs, deleting VMs, Renaming VMs, cloning VMs, running VMs, stopping VMs, etc. all through API calls." The reds are the parts that I missed, and the ones that actually needs the drivers. As the section from the manual that you linked to says:
Without this kernel module, you can still use the VirtualBox manager to configure virtual machines, but they will not start.
AdityaM wrote:But if I just copy these libraries in any other machine/PC and then try to control VM operations (that I mentioned) using APIs, would that work?
Of course not!!! Otherwise there would be no need for an installer! You'd simply unzip a bunch of files and be ready to go. The libs *need* to be registered properly with the system.

But I honestly don't understand why you're not going for the full blown, complete installation, as nature intended. It's not like we're talking about GB of installed files...
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AdityaM
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Joined: 8. Nov 2016, 06:12

Re: Using Virtualbox drivers without installing the complete tool on Windows

Post by AdityaM »

Hello,
Thanks for your reply. I understand the overall installation is not in GBs but quite less for a software of such capabilities :)
But what I want to prevent is that end user who is using our software which in-turn requires VBOX, should not be aware that virtual box is installed with our software, so that the end user does not opens up the Virtual Box gui and start to play around with virtual machines in un-intended ways.
For me it would be fine that I can install all the virtualbox, just that its UI shouldn't be accessible to user.
I was just trying to find if such ways are possible or not, otherwise I perfectly understand that we might have to finally go with the complete VBOX installation.
Thanks for your replies and the way you are trying to understand our issues. Its really appreciated.
Regards
Aditya Mittal
socratis
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Posts: 27330
Joined: 22. Oct 2010, 11:03
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Re: Using Virtualbox drivers without installing the complete tool on Windows

Post by socratis »

AdityaM wrote:For me it would be fine that I can install all the virtualbox, just that its UI shouldn't be accessible to user.
Just delete "VirtualBox.exe" after the installation? Wouldn't that work?
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
Do NOT reply with the "QUOTE" button, please use the "POST REPLY", at the bottom of the form.
If you obfuscate any information requested, I will obfuscate my response. These are virtual UUIDs, not real ones.
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