VMware Workstation Pro or Oracle VM VirtualBox?

Sandi1987 · Jul 26, 2023

Which one should i use for Windows/Linux (Guest)? VMware Workstation Pro have better 3D-Acceleration. I don't like Hyper-V.

cineman195 · Jul 26, 2023

VMWare Workstation Pro is definitely better, but isn't it a paid program, as opposed to Oracle Virtualbox ?

jimbo45 · Jul 27, 2023

cineman195 said:
VMWare Workstation Pro is definitely better, but isn't it a paid program, as opposed to Oracle Virtualbox ?

You could try the free vmware player product - although it lacks a load of features -- and with the sale of vmware to broadcom it's likely to be deprecated pretty soon as they go all "Enterprise".

I hated Virtual box - but others manage with it OK so if you can get to grips with it just try it out.

Actually though on Windows Hosts -- Hyper-V is about the best there is for performance but it does seem to have limitations on dynamic USB re-directs -- i.e if you want to add / remove USB devices after boot of the guest -- that might have improved in latest windows releases though.

Cheers
jimbo

cereberus · Jul 27, 2023

Sandi1987 said:
Which one should i use for Windows/Linux (Guest)? VMware Workstation Pro have better 3D-Acceleration. I don't like Hyper-V.

Windows Guests (Pro+, not Home) are best on Hyper-V in terms of performance as it is a type 1 hypervisor.

Linux guests are generally limited (no sound) on Hyper-V unless Linux has xrdp and supports Hyper-V enhanced mode (Ubuntu or Kali for sure). So in most cases, vmware is better for Linux guests.

OAT · Jul 27, 2023

I tried them both and stayed with VMWare.
I have all channels of Windows & Xero Linux virtualized.

Sandi1987 · Jul 27, 2023

I don't like Hyper-V because with Hyper-V enabled BlueStacks and LDPlayer Android Emulator not working.

jimbo45 · Jul 28, 2023

cereberus said:
Windows Guests (Pro+, not Home) are best on Hyper-V in terms of performance as it is a type 1 hypervisor.

Linux guests are generally limited (no sound) on Hyper-V unless Linux has xrdp and supports Hyper-V enhanced mode (Ubuntu or Kali for sure). So in most cases, vmware is better for Linux guests.

Agree on the whole but latest Debian (rel 12) and Arch Linux sound works 100% fine on Hyper-V .

But at boot time then it gets a bit bonkers if you don't add xrdp and various versions of freerdp on to the linux guest and start (enable) the daemons e.g sudo systemctl enable xrdp so those services start automatically when you power on the guest. If you don't do that and you are using essentially an HDMI cable on your windows host for sound then you will be out of luck.

If you have a spare usb sound adapter (can be had these days for peanuts) then that will 100% work in the old way by allocating that device to the Linux VM before booting it. Saw some tiny ones on Amazon for around 3 EUR --OK not super dooper 7 speaker surround etc - but hey it's a Guest system and the basic sound from those devices are pretty good anyway (and I'm one who has Studio Mission quality sound stuff !!).

For Linux Guests also configure sound : Just go down the selections and choose one that works -- there's a Test function for all those.

My big problem with Hyper-V is that (well at least I don't know how to do it) that you should be able to do a "Dynamic USB re-direct" after booting up the guest. (No problem on KVM/QEMU).

However for performance on a Windows Host Hyper-V has excellent performance - but in the increasingly "monetisation" from every possible source by big companies - I wonder just how long is HYPER-V gong to be a "Freebie" on Win Pro stuff.

Cheers
jimbo

cereberus · Jul 28, 2023

Sandi1987 said:
I don't like Hyper-V because with Hyper-V enabled BlueStacks and LDPlayer Android Emulator not working.

Rather back to front - the fault lies with the android emulators. Bluestacks (and I presume) LDPlayer are effectively type 2 hypervisors which do not play well when the Hyper-V type 1 hypervisor is enabled.

Bluestacks is supposed to have been updated so it works with the type 1 hypervisor enabled. Are you sure you are running latest version?

LesFerch · Jul 28, 2023

The free VMWare Workstation Player has always worked well for me and I've never needed any additional features. I did try VirtualBox (this was a few years ago) and didn't like it. As I recall, it was slower than VMWare and I ran into some other issues (that I've now forgotten).

Sandi1987 · Jul 28, 2023

@jimbo45, Is it possible to create Fixed Disk Size in KVM in Linux like in VMWare Workstation and VirtualBox? Disk size rising when i copy/install.

jimbo45 · Jul 28, 2023

Sandi1987 said:
@jimbo45, Is it possible to create Fixed Disk Size in KVM in Linux like in VMWare Workstation and VirtualBox? Disk size rising when i copy/install.

Hi there

When using KVM just allocate a Virtual disk of any size you like for the guest OS -- the standard format works just fine -- -- if using Windows also download the "Virtio" iso from the fedora site -- doesn't matter what Linux distro you use -- this adds the equivalent to "VMware tools" or "Guest additions" to the Windows guest making the display / sound / mouse etc far better -- also using Virtio drivers. for the network cards also improves network access for the guest.

For the Windows guest you can also on the Virtual disk create a vhdx file on which to install your Windows guest if that's what you like to do -- you can then easily install several Windows systems on the same VM which boot from the same guest - you'll get shown the standard Windows boot menu as per a standard physical system.

For uefi secure boot ensure package edmk is installed (or equivalent) and my suggestion - especially if you want to run several guests is to install swtpm / swtpm-lib / swtpm tools for a TPM emulator (see your package manager for the distro you are using) -- no need to initialise it etc.

Cheers
jimbo

Sandi1987 · Aug 10, 2023

KVM (VFIO) doesn't support Snapshots in UEFI VM.

jimbo45 · Aug 11, 2023

Sandi1987 said:
KVM (VFIO) doesn't support Snapshots in UEFI VM.

As VFIO is a physical hardware pass thru snapshotting would be a bit dangerous since the physical state of the device is rather different. - especially if you are passing thru GPU's for gaming etc.

Passing physical GPU's on vmware or vbox is tricky at best if not impossible. I imagine most of people who want to do this want better gaming experience on a VM. I'd imagine if I were into gaming I'd rather run on a physical or even a dedicated machine.

The machine can still be backed up etc -- Redhat Enterprise server (now owned by IBM) has all sorts of discussions on backing up these types of machines.

Cheers
jimbo

Hopachi · Aug 11, 2023

jimbo45 said:
My big problem with Hyper-V is that (well at least I don't know how to do it) that you should be able to do a "Dynamic USB re-direct" after booting up the guest. (No problem on KVM/QEMU).

View attachment 66030

@jimbo45
The redirect in screenshot, via the UI, uses Spice.
I'm on Centos Stream 9 currently where (also on the whole el9 releases) Spice has been deprecated and replaced by VNC. So back to square one as this is no longer possible here. This is unfortunately only el9, on Fedora / Debian / Arch all looks good.

But to get back to the question, the USB redirect in Hyper-V, via the UI also, has to be done via the Enhanced Session / RDP options where you can add the devices, usb's, printers, etc.
The redirect in virt-manager or virt-viewer (if you use it also) is the same one via Spice. So the one in Hyper-V has to be via RDP / Enhanced.
No other way that I see.

jimbo45 · Aug 11, 2023

Hopachi said:
@jimbo45
The redirect in screenshot, via the UI, uses Spice.
I'm on Centos Stream 9 currently where (also on the whole el9 releases) Spice has been deprecated and replaced by VNC. So back to square one as this is no longer possible here. This is unfortunately only el9, on Fedora / Debian / Arch all looks good.

But to get back to the question, the USB redirect in Hyper-V, via the UI also, has to be done via the Enhanced Session / RDP options where you can add the devices, usb's, printers, etc.
The redirect in virt-manager or virt-viewer (if you use it also) is the same one via Spice. So the one in Hyper-V has to be via RDP / Enhanced.
No other way that I see.

RDP is not really a secure medium - especially if you have remote hosts / guests.

I'm afraid CENTOS which was used by a whole lot of people is now itself really being phased out or being restricted to RHEL's Enterprise server (now owned by IBM). Fedora is it's testing bed - but that comes at a price - often some stuff is just TOO leading edge and system can break.

With Arch you can control things yourself --requires a bit more knowledge but even as a "rolling release" the only failure I've had was due to my own errors and there's an archive going back a long time so you can "roll back" your system to a previous date with minimal work and block offending packages.

Index of /

on Debian if you install cockpit and cockpit-machines package you can manage VM's via a web browser from your remote PC to your hosted server which can be a far more secure protocol if your server is set up correctly.

While Debian which I use as my main testbed is really solid and stable -- almost legendary. If you install Debian just install the basic package, basic tools e,g a terminal and openssh-server and then if you want a GUI install applications manually to stop you getting all the "bundled" stuff.

You can also access VM's via "Cockpit" on debian using a web browser and your servers IP address even over the internet which can be a load more secure. On Debian install package cockpit and cockpit

I use debian 12 on an old laptop - with a fairly minimal KDE GUI which works very well -- no problem with a few W11 VM's which I run off a nvme sata 1TB external device (very fast - beats classical 2.5 inch ssd's even on USB 3 connections).