Virtual machine for windows 7 hot. The best virtual machines for Windows: install if you really want to look at other operating systems. Alternative virtual machines

Computer users are sometimes faced with a situation where they need to work with old programs that worked successfully on previous versions of Windows. Managing two computers at once is not always convenient. But it is possible to install another edition of the operating system on a work laptop. Parallel operation of two systems can be ensured by a virtual machine for Windows 7 (VM). From this article you can learn:

what is VM;
what programs exist for this purpose;
How to install and configure Windows 7 in a VM.

A second computer is real

Virtual machine- software. With its help, a copy of a real computer is created with:

hard virtual disks;
optical software drive;
analogue of network adapters;
BIOS, etc.

A virtual laptop with its own operating system runs in a separate window and occupies a certain amount of space on the physical hard drive. It looks like this:

The example shows how in a real operating system with Windows 7 Professional installed, the program runs with the virtual Windows XP operating system. And it performs the same actions as on a real device.

VM tasks

Almost everyone is faced with a situation where a program downloaded from the network and installed brings with it a trail of unnecessary applications. That is why more advanced users prefer to install the downloaded application in a virtual system and test it both for functionality and for unexpected surprises.

In addition to this, other problems are solved:

Possibility to test the program.
Avoid harmful effects from suspicious programs.
Emulate a second computer network.
Check the consequences of changing settings in the system.
Safely perform autosurfing over the network.
Reduce the likelihood of a real laptop becoming infected with computer viruses.
Running programs that are incompatible with the real operating system.

Most popular emulators

You can find many programs with which you can create a virtual Windows. But it’s best to familiarize yourself with the most popular ones.

This is the most common free program with which you can emulate the most popular operating systems:

Windows(with support for different versions).
MacOS.
Any operating system from the family Linux.
Interaction with VMs from the paid version of the emulator is supported VMware Workstation.

Windows 7 and the created virtual machine can be easily configured by the average user. The program differs in both performance and stability. In addition, despite its free nature, it has extensive capabilities and a clear interface. It is better adapted for home use than others.

VMware

Also a well-known and popular program. It found its main application in large corporations.

There are two versions of this product:

Workstation;
Player.

Version Workstation will be able to fully satisfy the user's needs, but this is a paid program. Regular users can use a free analogue Workstation - VMware Player.

The paid version supports work with 32- and 64-x systems, sees USB 3.0, and various operating systems work quite successfully. VMware Workstation- an advanced version of a computer emulator, but due to its cost, it has found its use mainly among large companies, and not among ordinary users.

Microsoft Virtual PC

A similar virtual machine for working in Windows 7. It has wide functionality and a clear, convenient and practical interface. But there is also a significant drawback - it can only work with operating systems of the Windows family. Other operating systems, such as Linux or Mac OS, cannot be run on it.

This brief overview describes three of the most popular virtual machines. Now you can see that for home needs it is best to use the program. Next, the procedure for installing and configuring it will be discussed.

Installing Windows 7 in a VirtualBox virtual machine

The installation process of a virtual operating system can be divided into several stages:

Install the program .
Download the file with the Windows 7 image for the VM.
Installation of virtual Windows 7.

Let's consider all these processes separately.

Install VirtualBox

First of all, you need the virtual machine itself. As already mentioned, there are several of them. We are interested in . You can download it from the official website https://www.virtualbox.org. From the proposed list, select VirtualBox 5.1.14 for Windows hosts.

The process of how to install a virtual machine is described in other articles, but there are a few points:

After the Internet connection is restored, you can begin downloading and installing the finished VM file in Windows 7.

Finding a ready VM

Microsoft, in order to test different versions of Internet Explorer (8, 9, 10, 11), has specially prepared several options for downloading VMs with pre-installed Windows versions (7; 8.1; 10) from its website https://developer.microsoft.com/ru- ru/microsoft-edge/tools/vms/ . If this link is not available, the browser will automatically redirect to the English version of the site https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/tools/vms/

So, first you need to select a Windows 7 image with any version of IE (8, 9, 10, 11).

From the drop-down list, select the item which virtual machine will undoubtedly be used. In our case it is .

And click on the Download .zip button. The zip file download process will begin.

All that remains is to install and run the virtual machine on Windows 7.

Adjusting virtual Windows 7

The virtual Windows file itself is extracted from the archive “IE10.Win7.For.Windows.VirtualBox.zip”.

After the file is extracted, right-click on it
and from the drop-down list we select “ To open with».

In principle, nothing needs to be changed in the import parameters. You can leave it as is and click the Import button.

The configuration process will start. The "" window looks like this:

After the process is completed, the new seven and VM will appear in the program list. To launch it, just double-click on the VM itself, or click on the arrow button “ Launch" The operating system startup process will begin immediately. If you install it for the first time, it will take a little longer, however, the same thing happens when installing a real OS. Once the installer has completed all the necessary steps, a desktop with a working Windows 7 system will appear.

Windows 7 in English and the created virtual machine are ready to launch.

Set up a virtual system

All VM controls are intuitive. But if you have any questions, you should carefully read the pop-up tips in Russian. You can turn to help for help, where you can find answers to all your questions.

Typically, both the mouse and keyboard only work in the VM and are blocked in real Windows. But it is possible to switch between the two systems using the Right Control host key.

Now that the virtual machine is installed and running, you can configure Windows. The first step is to install software components (drivers) for all virtual devices. This process is quite simple. You need to go to the main menu and in the line “ Devices" click on " Install guest OS additions».

After installation is completed, the VM is rebooted. Now the picture has become clearer, the VM window can be dynamically changed, support for mouse integration will be enabled, and access to the Internet will open.

It is also possible to expand the display functions. In this mode, windows that open in the VM will be displayed on the real desktop, and not in a separate program window. This makes it possible to facilitate access to all controls and installed VM programs.

Shutdown virtual Windows 7

Just like in a real laptop, Windows installed in a VM requires a certain order to be completed. You can complete the job by pressing the button to stop the job. A menu will open offering three options for closing the VM.

« Save machine state"- before shutting down, the machine will save all running applications at the time of shutdown. When the VM is turned on again, work in it can continue from the moment it was turned off.

« Send a shutdown signal"- all applications can be closed, and the machine will turn off automatically.

« Turn off the car" - the same as if a real computer were de-energized.

Conclusion

From this short overview it is clear that working with virtual machines, such as, makes it possible to connect several different operating systems on one device at once. Naturally, the more powerful the real device (RAM and CPU), the faster the virtual computers will work. Disabling the antivirus on your home machine or adding a virtual directory to the antivirus program’s exclusion list will also help speed up the work.

Video on the topic

Installing a virtual machine on your computer is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. In this article we will explain in detail how to install and configure virtualbox, as well as how to add new virtual machines. First, let's figure out what a virtual machine is.

For example, you have Windows 7 or higher operating system installed, but you need to use an application that runs exclusively on Windows XP. Agree, if you need to work with this application, it is not always advisable to reinstall the OS, especially on an outdated version of Windows. It’s easier to install a virtual machine on your computer, deploy Windows XP in it and run the required application without any problems.

Thus, a virtual machine is a full-fledged computer (containing a processor, RAM, hard drive and BIOS), running inside the computer through an emulator application.

Using a virtual machine you can:

test applications;
run programs that your OS does not support;
become familiar with the capabilities of other operating systems;
test the operation of network programs in closed virtual networks, etc.

Step-by-step installation of Virtualbox

To download Virtualbox, go to the official website www.virtualbox.org. Currently, the latest version of the utility is 5.0.10.

Run the downloaded installer file, click “Next”.

After this, the next program window will launch. Don't change anything about it. Click Next.

In the parameter selection window, leave the checkboxes as default. Click "Next".

Afterwards another installation window will appear. The Virtualbox installer will inform you that a new network connection will be created during the program installation process. This means that your main connection is temporarily disabled. Click “Yes”, then in the next window “Install”.

Wait while the application installs. Upon completion of the installation, a notification will appear regarding the successful completion of the Virtualbox installation process. Click Finish.

If everything was successful, “VirtualBox Manager” will start.

“Manager” is a shell that provides work between Virtualbox and a desktop PC. The range of options for this application is quite small. True, it’s not worth spending time reviewing them, since the program works with default settings that can satisfy most users.

How to add a new virtual machine?

To install a new virtual machine, select the “Create” option. Enter its name, select the type and version of the operating system. In our case, Windows XP.

In the new window, select the amount of RAM. Keep in mind that you will not be able to allocate more memory than is installed on your PC.

The next window will ask you to create a new virtual hard disk or use an existing one. Since this is our first launch. Since this is our first launch of the program, create a new one using the “Create a new virtual hard disk” option.

In the next window you need to specify the type of hard drive. We recommend leaving the VDI type, then your virtual disk will be completely synchronized with the virtual machine, and the speed at which it performs its functions will be no less than that of a real hard drive.

A dynamic virtual disk, the volume of which tends to change as information is added. It forms faster, but functions very slowly.

A fixed virtual hard drive, the volume of which will be static and will be designated by the size that was specified during creation. It takes longer to create, but works much faster.

Which type to choose is up to you. But in our example we will focus on the dynamic type.

Let's go to the next window. Here you need to enter the name of the disk, indicate its size and location.

Click on the “Create” button and a window with the newly created virtual machine will open in front of us. Actually, this concludes our preparatory actions.

How to set up a new virtual machine?

Go to virtualbox settings, click “Configure”:

After completing the steps, click “OK”, then “Run”.

If you did everything correctly, the operating system will begin loading, as shown in the figure.

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VMware Fusion is a hypervisor that will help you create and then run virtual machines. They provide the ability to open applications that were developed for other operating systems. Supports various versions. I would like to note that desktop virtualization platforms are becoming more and more popular every year. They allow you to perform a huge range of tasks. Able to test software, train new operating systems, set up networks between systems and work on the Internet that will be secure. Download for free…

Since we all love to experiment, tinker with system settings, and run something of our own making, we need to think about a safe place to experiment. Such a place for us will be a VirtualBox virtual machine with Windows 7 installed.

If everything suits you, click "Create".

When the disk is created, the parameters of the created VM will be displayed in a new window.

Now you need to configure the virtual machine hardware.

In the General section, the 1st tab displays key information about the created machine.

Let's open the tab "Additionally". Here we will see the option "Folder for pictures". It is recommended to place the specified folder outside the system partition, since the pictures are large.

"Shared clipboard" involves the operation of the clipboard when your host OS and VM interact. The buffer can operate in 4 modes. In the first mode, the exchange is carried out only from the guest operating system to the main one, in the second - in the reverse order; the third option allows both directions, and the fourth disables communication. We choose the bidirectional option as the most convenient.

"Mini toolbar" is a small panel that allows you to manage the VM. We recommend activating this console in full screen mode, since it is entirely the same as the main menu of the VM working window. The best place for it is at the top of the window, since this way there is no risk of accidentally pressing one of its buttons.

Let's move on to the section "System". The first tab offers you to make certain settings, which we will discuss below.

1. If necessary, you should adjust the amount of RAM in the VM. At the same time, only after its launch will it become completely clear whether the volume has been chosen correctly.

When choosing, you should proceed from the size of physical memory installed on the computer. If it is 4 GB, then it is recommended to allocate 1 GB for the VM - it will function without any “brakes”.

2. Let's determine the loading order. The floppy disk (floppy) player is not needed, disable it. The CD/DVD drive should be assigned first in the list in order to be able to install the OS from the disk. Note that this can be either a physical disk or a virtual image.

Other settings are given in the help section. They are closely related to the hardware configuration of your computer. If you set settings that do not comply with it, the VM will not be able to start.
On the bookmark "CPU" the user specifies how many cores are on the virtual motherboard. This option will be available if hardware virtualization is supported AMD-V or VT-x.

Regarding hardware virtualization options AMD-V or VT-x, then before activating them you need to find out whether these functions are supported by the processor and whether they are included initially BIOS– it often happens that they are disabled.

Now let's look at the section "Display". On the bookmark "Video" The amount of memory of the virtual video card is indicated. Activation of two-dimensional and three-dimensional acceleration is also available here. It is advisable to enable the first of them, but the second parameter is optional.

In chapter "Carriers" all disks of the new virtual machine are displayed. Also here you can see a virtual drive with the inscription "Empty". We will mount the Windows 7 installation disk image into it.

The virtual drive is configured as follows: click on the icon located on the right. A menu opens in which we click "Select optical disk image". Next, you should add an image of the operating system boot disk.

We will not cover issues related to the network here. Note that the network adapter is initially active, which is a prerequisite for the VM to access the Internet.

On the section COM There is no point in going into detail, since nothing is connected to such ports today.

In chapter USB check both available options.

Let's go to "Shared Folders" and select those directories to which the VM plans to provide access.

The entire setup process is now complete. Now you can start installing the OS.

Select the created machine in the list and click "Run". The actual installation of Windows 7 on VirtualBox is very similar to a regular Windows installation.

Windows 7 in English and the created virtual machine are ready to launch.

Set up a virtual system

All VM controls are intuitive. But if you have any questions, you should carefully read the pop-up tips in Russian. You can turn to help for help, where you can find answers to all your questions.

Typically, both the mouse and keyboard only work in the VM and are blocked in real Windows. But it is possible to switch between the two systems using the Right Control host key.

Shutdown virtual Windows 7

« Send a shutdown signal"- all applications can be closed, and the machine will turn off automatically.

« Turn off the car" - the same as if a real computer were de-energized.

Conclusion

From this short review it is clear that working with virtual machines, such as, makes it possible to connect several different operating systems on one device at once. Naturally, the more powerful the real device is (RAM and CPU), the faster virtual computers will work

In Windows 7, creating a virtual machine is very simple if you have a detailed guide describing the sequence of steps. Below are step-by-step instructions on how to create and install another version of virtual Windows on a Windows 7 computer.

Brief definition of a virtual machine

Specialists from Microsoft, in order to facilitate the process of adaptation of users when switching to a new modification of Windows and eliminate difficulties with some non-functioning applications in the seventh version of the OS, have developed a special update “KB958599” for the “Seven” versions of Enterprise Professional and Ultimate and is available for download, for example , Windows XP in the Windows 7 environment.

This package is called “Virtual PC” - a program that emulates PC hardware, which installs a separate environment in Windows 7, in which a different version of the operating system is installed. It should be noted that in addition to the OS from Microsoft, you can install a system from another developer, for example, Linux.

Analysis of the possibility of creating a virtual machine

If your computer is running the following OS editions: Professional, Enterprise or Ultimate, then when automatically updating the operating system in your PC, “Virtual PC” is already downloaded. You just need to analyze the possibility of its use.

To this end, Microsoft has developed an application called the Hardware-Assisted Virtualization Detection Tool. You need to install this program from the developer’s official resource and after opening it will display a message about the possibility of the virtual machine running on specific hardware.

For example, when the alert shown in the figure below is displayed:

You can immediately launch “Virtual PC” and no preliminary adjustments of parameters are necessary.

In case of a negative answer:

We can conclude that hardware virtualization is not supported and the user will have to make adjustments to the system. You need to enable it in the BIOS.

The function has different names, for example, “Intel_Virtualization Technology”, “Virtualization Extensions” and others.

If “Disabled” is displayed, it means it is turned off and you need to set “Enabled” on the contrary to enable it.