Win 10 Desktop Virtualization - Hyper-V or VirtualBox

[KioskAdmin]

VMware Desktop is out so I'm down to Hyper-V or VirtualBox as my virtualzation solution on my desktop.

Is there any reason to go with one versus the other?

Hyper-V I like that it's built-in. But a lot of things for Docker are built for VirtualBox not Hyper-V.

I even tried downloading the VirtualBox package from here: Downloads – Oracle VM VirtualBox and Microsoft SmartScreen popped up on it.

I know for the OSX people VirtualBox is the only option. For Win 10 users, is there a good reason to go with one over the other?

 

[capn_pineapple]

I like virtualbox because I also have a few docker apps that I run, when I tried to run docker and hyper-v at the same time, it would throw a hissy fit.

 

[Keljian]

Hyper-v is lower level (type 1) vs virtual box. This being the case, Hyper-v should be faster overall for clients

 

[capn_pineapple]

Hyper-v is lower level (type 1) vs virtual box. This being the case, Hyper-v should be faster overall for clients

Shouldn't matter because he's still running it from within windows so the application of it is a type2. Unless M$ can run it as a type 1 in parallel with the windows OS.

 

[Keljian]

Shouldn't matter because he's still running it from within windows so the application of it is a type2. Unless M$ can run it as a type 1 in parallel with the windows OS.

This is beyond my current knowledge of hyper-v

 

[pricklypunter]

As far as I know running Hyper-V from within windows will make it act like a Type-2 Hypervisor. You'll have no end of issues getting Docker apps running nicely using it. Stick with Virtualbox would be my advice

 

[TType85]

Hyper-V is a Type-1 Hypervisor.
Hyper-V appears to runs on top of the host OS, so why is it considered a native (type-1) hypervisor?

 

[capn_pineapple]

Hyper-V is a Type-1 Hypervisor.
Hyper-V appears to runs on top of the host OS, so why is it considered a native (type-1) hypervisor?

I stand corrected. Thanks.

 

[Deslok]

for win10 users performance is the answer, especially if you're running windows on windows, lots of linux distributions include support for running on hyper-v as well, Suse CentOS Ubuntu and Debian(the 4 I use the most) all have linux integration services for their most recent versions (and a few versions back) I haven't tried docker yet but it should run on top of ubuntu...

 

[Ramos]

At work I have tried all 3 big ones: VMWare Workstation 11, Hyper-V and Virtualbox.

Hyper-V (on Win 8.1 Enterprise) made a fit with VPN and cost me a laptop do-over at IT cause it wouldn't co-op with the virtual Net stuff it did.

VMWare was okay but complex to start with and their in-guest tools did not work very well with CentOS for me. But other than that it was okay.

Virtualbox is what I use now (on another machine since IT banned it on my laptop now ) and it is simple but works somewhat well.

I should probably use ESXi but I do honestly not know when it is the "right time or moment" to swap from Workstation/Virtualbox to ESXi. If anybody knows the advantages, I'd like to know cause it does not seems to be "number of concurrent machines running" which would be a factor for me.

 

[Patrick]

Hyper-V (on Win 8.1 Enterprise) made a fit with VPN and cost me a laptop do-over at IT cause it wouldn't co-op with the virtual Net stuff it did.

That is very interesting! My old laptop would not work with a corporate VPN and Virtualbox. Switching to Microsoft VirtualPC then Hyper-V worked fine.

 

[cperalt1]

How would this work. I currently have 7 Pro installed on my work workstation. If I installed Win 10 Enterprise on an SSD would I then be able to use my Win 7 Hard Drive as a guest OS under Hyper-V on Win 10?

 

[Deslok]

How would this work. I currently have 7 Pro installed on my work workstation. If I installed Win 10 Enterprise on an SSD would I then be able to use my Win 7 Hard Drive as a guest OS under Hyper-V on Win 10?

You would need to pass the drive directly through to the vm but yes that would work, I'd encourage to do a P2V conversion instead though since that will make the system a bit more resilliant in being able to back up the vhd(x)

 

[cperalt1]

Thanks for that info. I just managed to snag an DC S3500 80GB at work and plan to install Win 10 Ent with Hyper-V role and just pass through the Win 7 1TB (50GB free) drive in order to minimize down time and then next "Fiscal year" actually get a new Workstation.

 

[Deslok]

Thanks for that info. I just managed to snag an DC S3500 80GB at work and plan to install Win 10 Ent with Hyper-V role and just pass through the Win 7 1TB (50GB free) drive in order to minimize down time and then next "Fiscal year" actually get a new Workstation.

What workstation are you using now? the cheap e5-2670's and dell's Precision T7500's are both very attractive for workstations if you don't need bleeding edge

 

[cperalt1]

This is my "workstation" at work. It is an Optiplex 990 i7-2600 @ 3.4GHz with 16GB Ram. I work in Healthcare IT for a Public University so it is hand me downs all around. In July I was hoping to get either some form of current gen E5 or E3 but I have to stay within "budget". I might snag a Storage Server like the one that Patrick just built on the Xeon-D for my SmartOS hypervisor.