Virtualization on linux

[Trustmeimadoctor]

Hi what's the best virtualization environment for Linux? I'm wanting to swap to Linux now for my machine but need to run a few windows vm's for work Always just used vmware Workstation before. Will be running pop is for now seeing how I get on

Edited by Trustmeimadoctor on Sunday 25th July 11:41

[colin79666]

Assuming you mean to run within a Linux desktop rather than as a server hosting multiple then probably virtual box. You might find your Windows app works with WINE however.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

Wine won't do as I have the desktop images already they are lab environments rather than apps.

[mikef]

Sort of depends which Linux

https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads

Feels like an awful lot of work though, if you have a Windows license, why not do it the other way around?

[Trustmeimadoctor]

Mainly I'm wanting to force my self to use it to learn been a ms guy for too long! Didnt actually realise there was a Linux version of workstation though so will see if my license works on it! Really liking pop_os so far although installing the amd pro driver was far harder than it would ever be in windows had to change the os Id to fool it into installing. Just installed steam and enabled proton so let's see how it fairs as my do everything machine.

[8bit]

VMWare workstation works very well on Linux. At one firm I worked for some years ago, some users (Geoscientists) had both a high-end Linux workstation and a Windows desktop PC on their desks, so four screens, two mice, two keyboards etc. We replaced their Windows desktops with VMWare VMs running under workstation (actually might have been VMWare Player back then) running the corporate standard Windows desktop build. They loved it, not only did it massively declutter their desks but they could instantly copy and paste stuff from their scientific applications on Linux directly into PowerPoint presentations, Word docs etc. on Windows.

I've used Oracle Virtualbox a fair bit, both with Linux and Windows as the host OS. It's just about as capable as VMWare Workstation but I've seen it st the bed a few times so approach with caution. It's not as streamlined or intuitive as VMWare Workstation either.

Pop!_Os is based on Ubuntu so should have no problem running VMWare Workstation, start there and see how you get on.

[AJB88]

Pop!_OS is nice, I also like ElementaryOS which I use on my daily machine, my other machine is Ubuntu 21.04 on a Dell XPS.

[mikef]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

Mainly I'm wanting to force my self to use it to learn

As someone responsible for several hundred linux boxes in my day job - I'd say unless you need to learn it for work or to advance your career, then forget it and save yourself a whole lot of pain. Linux has no place on the desktop imho (others will be along to say the opposite). MacOS plus Parallels if you need an alternative VM host

[AJB88]

See I disagree, I moved to Linux in 2002 (I was about 12/13) and have never looked back.

[Penelope Stopit]

mikef said:

As someone responsible for several hundred linux boxes in my day job - I'd say unless you need to learn it for work or to advance your career, then forget it and save yourself a whole lot of pain. Linux has no place on the desktop imho (others will be along to say the opposite). MacOS plus Parallels if you need an alternative VM host

How is it that millions of people have moved to Linux and love it?

[Penelope Stopit]

Pop looks amazing but very likely too amazing for a mere mortal

[AJB88]

Penelope Stopit said:

Pop looks amazing but very likely too amazing for a mere mortal

Give it a try running from USB.

[plasticpig]

I use VM Workstation for Linux and find it OK.

[Monsterlime]

For the best performing virtualisation on Linux you need KVM/QEMU. With the right config you can get pretty much native/baremetal performance but it does take work and is not as easy as VMWare or Virtualbox.

Pop_OS! Is not really different to Ubuntu since it is based on it, just built by System76 who produce (resell) laptops specifically for Linux.

The issue you will have with Ubuntu, Mint, Pop_OS and the like is that for stability, the software is often outdated. And for virtualisation, you really want the latest kernel and versions of software for best performance.

With KVM/QEMU you can pass through either a second GPU (AMD/NVIDIA) or a slice of your Intel iGPU (Intel GVT-g for pre Coffee Lake CPU's) for better performance and gaming, and then using some software called Looking Glass to access it, Windows gaming is possible but needs lots of tweaking (CPU pinning, hugepages, GPU pass through etc).

[Penelope Stopit]

AJB88 said:

Penelope Stopit said:

Pop looks amazing but very likely too amazing for a mere mortal

Give it a try running from USB.

Good idea

Thank you

[Zumbruk]

mikef said:

Trustmeimadoctor said:

Mainly I'm wanting to force my self to use it to learn

As someone responsible for several hundred linux boxes in my day job - I'd say unless you need to learn it for work or to advance your career, then forget it and save yourself a whole lot of pain. Linux has no place on the desktop imho

Utter drivel.

Oh, and for the OP; VirtualBox works extremely well.

[dundarach]

Zumbruk said:

mikef said:

Trustmeimadoctor said:

Mainly I'm wanting to force my self to use it to learn

As someone responsible for several hundred linux boxes in my day job - I'd say unless you need to learn it for work or to advance your career, then forget it and save yourself a whole lot of pain. Linux has no place on the desktop imho

Utter drivel.

Oh, and for the OP; VirtualBox works extremely well.

As above, switched to Mint full time and chucked windows 7 (and OSX to play with (and all the others too 3.1, XP, Dos etc)) on with virtualbox, works perfectly.

Use the XP one to run old Psion connectivity and Lego stuff for the kids, via usb to serial.

Mint found everything immediately, never falls over, far quicker than Windows.

Try it and make your own mind up!!