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Java-Based x86 Emulator

Posted by kdawson on from the DOS-you-say dept.

jaavaaguru writes "Researchers at Oxford University have produced a Java-based x86 emulator that they hope will be useful in testing applications and learning about viruses without damaging the host, utilizing the robust sandboxing that Java provides. They have an online demo available that boots DOS and has some games to play. Being purely Java, this emulator should be able to run on almost anything, including cell phones." The code is not yet available outside the Oxford community; the developers are said to be working on a suitable general license. In the meantime the code can be licensed on a case-by-case basis.

3 of 263 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Well for one by daeg · · Score: 5, Informative

    If you are using Firefox with Java and having ridiculous applet startup times, you need to disable your Java Cache. This is Java's fault, not Firefox's (supposedly).

    Under the Java control applet, under the General tab, click "Settings..." under "Temporary Internet Files". Then click "View Applets...". It will take a moment to load (or in my case, 2-3 minutes). Then UNcheck "Enable Caching". Firefox now starts my applets almost instantly. This doesn't affect downloaded Java applications such as Azureus or Eclipse (both of which I use extensively).

    Hope this helps.

  2. Other projects doing the same/faster thing.. by Boj · · Score: 3, Informative

    There are at least 2 solutions doing a similar thing. The open source binarytranslator.org/PearColator offers x86 and PowerPC emulation:
    http://binarytranslator.org/
    There are attempts to integrate this into the JNode open source Java OS to make a JNode/GNU stack.

    There is also the VEELS/JXEmu system:
    http://nil.ics.uci.edu/~gal/?page=VEELS
    which appears not to be publicly available.

  3. Re:How's the efficiency? by kestasjk · · Score: 3, Informative

    near-native speeds are necessary to actually boot Windows Vista before the sun goes supernova.
    The sun isn't close to large enough to end in a supernova; it'll be a red giant, then end as a white dwarf.
    --
    // MD_Update(&m,buf,j);