How do you create a Kiosk mode where the Guest (Windows 10) appears, and the Host does not.

[Contention]

Using VirtualBox Version 7.0.10

We need to operate 16-bit applications in a Windows 10 32-bit OS. With new hardware requiring a 64-bit OS, we need a solution using VirtualBox with a Windows 10 32-bit guest OS and preferably a Windows 11 64-bit Host. We have created the above host/guest environment and verified operation of a 16-bit application on new hardware.

What we need help on is making a Kiosk type of a package so that the user does not have access or even sees the underlining Host and VirtualBox configuration, the user is only concern with the Guest OS and their 16-bit applications.

While the initial test environment automatically loads the guest OS, the lag in automatically loading the guest creates an exposure, possibility of corruption/damage. The host OS is something the user does not wants to see or have access to.

We need help on configuring a Kiosk mode so VirtualBox directly launches the guest VM.

[scottgus1]

You could achieve the "look" of a VM-display-only PC by using Full Screen mode with the Mini Toolbar disabled. However, it is trivial for a person to knock the VM out of Full Screen mode and see the host OS again using the correct keyboard Host-Key combination.

Virtualbox doesn't lock down enough to limit the user to only see the VM not the host when physically using the host PC. If you allow access to the physical host PC, you'll get folks getting to the host OS.

Alternative: use a thin RDP client PC as the user's station, and RDP into the VM OS. That will give access to only the VM OS (or the thin client OS) without letting access to the host PC.

[fth0]

it is trivial for a person to knock the VM out of Full Screen mode and see the host OS again using the correct keyboard Host-Key combination.

Not when disabling the host key: See Host Key Customization in Locking Down VirtualBox Manager.

[Contention]

Good points, we do need to use a local PC. Will try some of the lock-downs or restrictions and get back with my status. But the recent comments raised a question in my mind, how to deal with shuting down the guest, so that the host also shuts down.

[fth0]

As a general idea, on a Windows host, there's a Windows Exlorer process providing the Windows desktop. This process can be replaced with other programs, and exiting the respective program should shut down the host OS. Google for how to do that.