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virtual-machine
Eugene
Eugene

Reputation: 375

Virtual machine to use Linux

I am using Windows 8, and I need to install Linux. I have searched a lot, but I still cannot decide which virtual machine is the best for Linux. I am thinking between VMware and VirtualBox. Could anyone advise me which virtual machine I can use for installing Linux and for free, or give me any helpful links? Thank you!

Upvotes: 2

Views: 1557

Answers (1)

RobM
RobM

Reputation: 3609

As you mentioned, you could use VMWare Workstation or VirtualBox. However, VMWare workstation is not free. You could have an option of using VMWare Player, but you'd have to start elsewhere and I would not recommend that. Here's a pretty good article comparing them: http://www.infoworld.com/d/virtualization/review-vmware-workstation-9-vs-virtualbox-42-203277

Additionally, if you have 64-bit Windows 8 Professional or Enterprise and recent hardware, you can just use Hyper-V, which works quite well and will cost you nothing. Here's an article that will help you get it installed: http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/windows-and-office/get-started-with-windows-8-client-hyper-v-the-right-way/

As far as recommendations, if you truly want free, you are looking at either Hyper-V or Virtual Box. If you use Hyper-V, that is Microsoft specific and works quite well -- on windows machines only. If you want to end up with a virtual machine that you could use over on different systems/platforms, I would use Virtual Box.

If you are willing to spend the money, I'd most recommend VMWare Workstation. It is cross-platform and works really well and generally has more features, plus it will have better performance that Virtual Box, which you can expect to be the slowest of the bunch.

Upvotes: 2

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