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Oracle Releases Major Version 6.0 of VirtualBox With Many New Features

Posted by EditorDavid on from the free-and-open-source-hosted-hypervisors dept.

What's new with Oracle's free and open-source hosted hypervisor? Long-time Slashdot reader Freshly Exhumed writes: Oracle has released major version 6.0 of VirtualBox with a variety of new features, including support for exporting a virtual machine to the Oracle Cloud; improved HiDPI and scaling (with better detection and per-machine configuration); a UI rework with simpler application and virtual machine set-up; a new file manager that allows control of the guest file system; a 3D graphics support update for Windows guests; VMSVGA 3D graphics device emulation on Linux and Solaris guests; surround speaker setups used by Windows 10 Build 1809; a new 'vboximg-mount' utility on Apple hosts to access the content of guest disks on the host; Hyper-V as the fallback execution core on Windows hosts to avoid inability to run VMs at reduced performance; and support for Linux Kernel 4.20 .

42 of 77 comments (clear)

  1. TAKE THAT WORLD !!! by martiniturbide · · Score: 3, Interesting

    "- OS/2 Guest Additions: initial shared folder support "
    ChangeLog: https://www.virtualbox.org/wik...

    1. Re:TAKE THAT WORLD !!! by jfdavis668 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Team OS/2 forever.

    2. Re:TAKE THAT WORLD !!! by martiniturbide · · Score: 1

      The time is now !!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    3. Re:TAKE THAT WORLD !!! by Creepy · · Score: 2

      I agree, OS/2 was way more elegant, but Microsoft got exclusive bundling deals with vendors and forced all competition out and thus OS/2, DR-DOS, GEM, etc all shriveled up and died.

        They were the Comcast of the 1980s/1990s - Comcast is doing the exact same things Microsoft was doing then - in my state and many others they pushed (and won) a law against community fiber. In my city they have exclusive rights to fiber and high speed data (and give the city the kickback of free internet for police and government in return). This kind of shit should be banned from the highest level of government, but you can't change things when all your government representatives are highly bribed by the telecoms and they largely control the elections (because corporations are people too, and thus can provide vast amounts of campaign money to support their preferred candidates who inevitably win).

    4. Re:TAKE THAT WORLD !!! by thegarbz · · Score: 2

      OS/2? What is that some kind of a joke? Mac has gotten so high they've started naming it using letters. Windows is up to 10. Even Linux is at version 4.

      Sounds like the developers of OS/2 need a bit of a kick.

    5. Re:TAKE THAT WORLD !!! by rednip · · Score: 1

      OS/2 was IBM's official successor to PC-DOS and originally completed against Windows 3.1, 95 until it was fully supplanted by Windows NT (Linux distributions also). "OS/2" was the name, the last version produced by IBM was 4.52 in 2001, however, in 2017 they licensed eComStation to create an updated version.

      https://www.ecomstation.com

      https://www.theregister.co.uk/...

      --
      The force that blew the Big Bang continues to accelerate.
    6. Re:TAKE THAT WORLD !!! by martiniturbide · · Score: 1

      eComStation is now lost in in action. We haven't have an official word of them in years. Arca Noae got an new agreement with IBM and OS/2 is today being sold as ArcaOS. https://www.arcanoae.com/blue-...

    7. Re:TAKE THAT WORLD !!! by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      How did you take my post seriously...

  2. Many new features? by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 1

    I think you meant to write, many new areas of vulnerability.

    --
    Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    1. Re:Many new features? by war4peace · · Score: 1

      No, just stupid errors.

      https://imgur.com/RfsNJHV

      --
      ...gis sdrawkcab (usually not responding to ACs; don't bother posting as AC)
    2. Re: Many new features? by tepples · · Score: 3, Interesting

      What virtual machine would you recommend instead of VirtualBox? Like MySQL, VirtualBox has a GPL version with reduced functionality. One practical complaint I have is that commercial use licenses for the full version (Extension Pack) are sold only in 100-packs. Is it intended that someone who needs one license buy 100 licenses and resell the other 99?

    3. Re: Many new features? by grep+-v+'.*'+* · · Score: 2

      commercial use licenses for the full version (Extension Pack) are sold only in 100-packs. Is it intended that someone who needs one license buy 100 licenses and resell the other 99?

      If you're too small to sell to, then you're too small to sue.

      Note: IANAL. And this is ORACLE we're talking about.

      You: I want to buy a single licence.
      Oracle: No. Come back when you're larger.
      You: But I can't get larger with your current sales policy.
      Oracle: Sucks to be you.

      --
      If the universe is someone's simulation -- does that mean the stars are just stuck pixels?
    4. Re: Many new features? by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Because most people judge their software by functionality and benefits rather than their religion.

    5. Re: Many new features? by Artem+S.+Tashkinov · · Score: 2

      VMWare Player has been free for personal non-commercial use for several years already.

    6. Re: Many new features? by NFN_NLN · · Score: 2

      I thought you couldn't create VMs with Player, only run them?

    7. Re: Many new features? by ls671 · · Score: 2

      Well I launch my vms with qemu from the command line. qemu is included by default in my distro.
      Example for a win2012 server: /bin/su qemu -c "qemu-system-x86_64 -m 3072 \
      -M q35 \
      -usb -usbdevice host:050d:2103 -usbdevice host:2001:3101 \
      -smp 2 -net nic,model=e1000,macaddr=$MAC_WIN2012 \
      -drive file=win2012.0.0.raw,index=0,media=disk,cache=none \
      -net tap,ifname=${TAP_WIN2012},script=no,downscript=no \
      -display vnc=127.0.0.1:${VNC_WIN2012} -daemonize \
      -pidfile /var/run/qemu/win2012.pid -enable-kvm \
      -boot menu=on,splash-time=15000 -usbdevice tablet -soundhw ac97"

      --
      Everything I write is lies, read between the lines.
    8. Re: Many new features? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      What virtual machine would you recommend instead of VirtualBox? Like MySQL, VirtualBox has a GPL version with reduced functionality.

      You can use qemu/kvm if you don't care much about graphics but do care about license. If you don't care about license but do care about graphics, you should use vmware player, which is still lowercase-free (despite frequent reports to the contrary.) IME it's still the best in terms of compatibility.

      I've found qemu to be a PITA because none of the GUI options are great. The last time I was using it I settled on using libvirt via some web tool... webvirtmgr or something like that. But I just use vmware. Works great whether I'm hosting Linux o Windows, or Windows on Linux. Most of the time I use it specifically for one of those things or the other on my dual-boot system.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    9. Re: Many new features? by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      I thought you couldn't create VMs with Player, only run them?

      You can create VMs. You can't snapshot them, that takes Workstation. AFAICT there are no other limitations of consequence... looks like they also disable cloning, remote connections, and maybe take some settings out of the GUI. I'm fairly sure that you can still make the same sorts of changes manually, in the vm config file. They even let you boot partitions. I run Win7 and Linux, and I can boot each from the other. Everything pops up and works for the most part, except I haven't got it to where I can have GL on Linux in both contexts without reinstalling things. Windows, on the other hand, delivers graphics acceleration either in the VM or on the bare metal without any manual intervention.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    10. Re: Many new features? by williamyf · · Score: 1

      Create your VMs with the FOSS VirtualBox with no propiertary stuff, export them as OVF (not OVA, you want access to the manifest), then use any free (beer/speech) software to play them and access the missing functionality.

      If you need to tweak the machine a little, the manifest is relatively easy to understand edit, or you can get a FOSS player that can edit the machine a little.

      --
      *** Suerte a todos y Feliz dia!
    11. Re: Many new features? by tepples · · Score: 1

      If you're too small to sell to, then you're too small to sue.

      The major record labels disagree. Sony v. Tenenbaum; Capitol v. Thomas.

  3. In other news, networking still a shitshow by gestalt_n_pepper · · Score: 1

    I hope I'm wrong but larger software companies have a track record of addressing everything that doesn't matter while ignoring the basics.

    --
    Please do not read this sig. Thank you.
    1. Re: In other news, networking still a shitshow by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      I couldn't get shared folders working either, but I'm running a pretty old version. Since the host machine runs an smb server that was an OK workaround.

      On the other other hand, I couldn't get VMWare to work at all.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    2. Re: In other news, networking still a shitshow by reanjr · · Score: 1

      It's pretty trivial to set that up. Perhaps you should try a reasonably recent version, such as 5.x.

    3. Re: In other news, networking still a shitshow by jandrese · · Score: 4, Informative

      This is a big documentation failure on their part. On the Linux host you need to add yourself to the 'vboxsf' group (you may need to create it) or shared folders will fail silently.

      --

      I read the internet for the articles.
    4. Re: In other news, networking still a shitshow by kpainter · · Score: 1
      sudo usermod -a -G vboxsf "user_account"

      https://askubuntu.com/question...

  4. Useful feature by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    avoid inability to run VMs at reduced performance

    That's good because it's inability to run stuff at reduced performance is something I've been looking to avoid.

  5. VMWare by fluffernutter · · Score: 2

    I had to buy vmware fusion because while Virtualbox could run windows, even the UI interfaces of office applications were really bogging down. So.. if that slow video issue is fixed I would be interested in going back.

    --
    Laws are rules for the court, but merely a bottom bar to hit for life. Think beyond laws in your actions always.
  6. KVM by crow · · Score: 2

    Is there any reason to run Virtualbox over KVM if you're using Linux as the host? I really like having the core included with the base kernel, so I never have to worry when upgrading kernels. My only other recent experience is with VMPlayer, and I migrated mainly because I wanted to run VMs at startup without launching a GUI, which isn't really supported with VMPlayer. I'm really happy with the switch. The setup GUI for KVM is just a touch less intuitive, but otherwise it feels much more natural and integrated with the system.

    1. Re:KVM by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Is there any reason to run Virtualbox over KVM if you're using Linux as the host?

      None I can think of it. The big advantage of Virtualbox over KVM is if you want to run a guest on multiple OS hosts. VMPlayer offers that too but at the cost of relying upon some closed source project that may drop support eventually. As much as I don't trust Oracle nor think Oracle's agenda is heavily behind supporting Virtualbox long term, they aren't really stepping away from working on it. So, that's the main reason I still stick with Virtualbox--I like knowing I can run a guest on a Windows machine if it comes down to that instead of trying to convert it and hope it still keeps working. It literally is the case that you can run a VM off a high enough random IO (A1 or A2) SD card even over USB2 and still get a pretty decent experience.

    2. Re:KVM by kbonin · · Score: 4, Interesting

      The main reason for me to prefer VirtualBox is that while my primary host is Linux, I also have a MacBook Pro and several Windows laptops I use as occasional hosts - VirtualBox gives me a consistent VM UX across all my host OS's with trivial migration of a machine on the rare occasion I need to.

    3. Re:KVM by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      I only recently started playing with virtualisation in Linux (still heavy user of Virtualbox in Windows though I intend to play with Hyper-V at some point). One thing that struck me was how naturally intuitive the switch from Virtualbox to KVM with virt-manager was. I remember starting virt-manager for the first time and thinking it's almost like they copied the UI from Virtualbox.

  7. My VirtualBox failure by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

    Since it seems many are sharing stories of VirtualBox issues, I thought I'd throw my own in - I was using VirtualBox for a while, until suddenly it just refused to recognize a container I'd set up for the storage... I was only running it for one or two Windows applications, but it put enough doubt in my mind I stopped using it.

    It's nice if you have just one row two Windows applications you really want to try using... I may give it another shot.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  8. Re:Not gonna upgrade my VMs by NoNonAlphaCharsHere · · Score: 2

    I wouldn't install X.0.0 of Eternal Life from Oracle.

    X.0.1 would be something like "removed Infinite Agony glitch."

  9. Android under Windows, OS X, Linux, or Solaris by Futurepower(R) · · Score: 4, Interesting

    How to Install Android in VirtualBox

    May be useful if you want to test Android Apps.

  10. VirtualBox 5 is a gem by jasonharrop · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Windows 10 forced updates motivated me to move my main dev box back to Linux 18 months ago. My Windows machines became vm's under VirtualBox. I have no complaints about it. The Windows VMs are quick, and shared folders, networking and shared clipboard all work great. I can resize a Windows vm as I wish. The only limitation (wish list really) is with 2 virtual displays: with a Windows guest, you can't control which display an app launches in, making the 2nd virtual display pretty much useless. Even though VirtualBox comes from Oracle, it is a nice thing for the World to have. And to me, open source even from Oracle, beats closed source from someone else.

  11. My experience by Artem+S.+Tashkinov · · Score: 2

    I've reverted to 5.2.22 because the new version is slow to start (a 1.5-2 seconds delay), slow to launch VMs (by a ~1 second), slow to shutdown VMs (again an extra second) and looks very childish.

    1. Re:My experience by Yosho · · Score: 2

      slow to start ... slow to launch VMs ... slow to shutdown VMs

      looks very childish.

      In all seriousness, if startup/shutdown performance is so important to you that an extra second is enough to make you roll back versions, why are you using the GUI?

      --
      Karma: Terrifying (mostly affected by atrocities you've committed)
  12. VMware free only for personal, non-commercial use by tepples · · Score: 1

    vmware player, which is still lowercase-free (despite frequent reports to the contrary.)

    Not for use in a business or nonprofit organization, according to the answer to the question "Can I still use VMware Workstation Player for free?" on VMware Workstation Player's landing page. The price for one commercial seat (as might be used by a self-employed person) is $150, which is greater than zero but less than the $5000 price of the minimum 100 seats of VirtualBox.

  13. 64 bit only. by MadMaverick9 · · Score: 2

    https://download.virtualbox.or...

    No more support for 32-bit host os.

    And this fact is not mentioned anywhere. Stupid.

    1. Re:64 bit only. by Art+Challenor · · Score: 1

      Especially since supporting obsolete systems is often a major motivation to install VMs.

    2. Re:64 bit only. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      32 Bit *guests* still work.

      32 Bit *hosts* do not work.

      I know a lot of uses cases for 32bit guests.

      I don't know of a single modern (in last 7 years) use case for a 32 bit host for a VM except for at-home/amateur work, and plenty of free tools for that.

  14. vboximg-mount is kinda poor by blackest_k · · Score: 1

    I thought this might be useful but although you can mount it, The file system isn't recognised, you need to install a fuse driver that recognises ext4

    If you need access to a virtual machines drives then if openssh server is installed on the guest Filezilla on port 22 using your vm user works well. Even handles using the PEM cert from aws.

    much easier than vboximg-mount

    --
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