On Tue, 10 Nov 2015, Alan Chandler wrote: > On 10/11/15 01:47, Patrick Bartek wrote: > > On Mon, 09 Nov 2015, Alan Chandler wrote: > > > >> On 09/11/15 18:58, D&P Dimov wrote: > >>> I need to install MS Windows 7 as a Virtual Machine on a computer > >>> that is running Debian 8. To do that, I'd like to use software > >>> that is not proprietory (I know, I know - this may sounds a bit > >>> ridiculous...). This Debian page: > >>> https://wiki.debian.org/SystemVirtualization recommends Qemu, KVM, > >>> VirtualBox, and Zen. Does anyone have recommendations for which > >>> one is easiest to install for a novice? I tried the first one, > >>> Qemu, but didn't really find a good guide how to install MS Win 7 > >>> with it. Thanks! > >> Up until last April, I ran Windows 7 under virtual Box on my Debian > >> machine for my daily work almost every day for about 2 years. I > >> have cut down now to one day a week, and generally do that on a > >> Macbook Air, also running Virtual Box. It worked perfectly. > >> > >> I updated to Windows 10, through the upgrade program, and that was > >> a little dodgy until I updated Virtual Box to version 5 and > >> removed 3d Video acceleration. > >> > >> The only issue to be careful of, is that the drivers get properly > >> rebuilt when the linux kernel changes. > >> > > Installing dkms (Dynamic Kernel Modules Support) and the appropriate > > kernel headers will take care of that auto-magically. Never had it > > fail. Of course, you need the gcc compiler and its related files, > > too. > > > > Also, I'd suggest the OP download VirtualBox directly from their web > > site, and NOT from the Debian Repo. When you do the former, the > > VirtualBox repo automatically is set up and configured. > > > > B > > > > > > I have switched back and forth between the virtual box debian > repository and the normal repository at various times. Currently > using the normal Debian repository (testing), but a few months ago I > was running Debian stable and trying to get Windows 10 to work and > had to switch to a more recent release - so then used the virtual box > one. > > [snip]
I use the VirtualBox repo now simply because it's more up-to-date than the Debian one. Originally, the Debian repo versions of VB lacked certain features like USB support which were consider proprietary code. And so I downloaded VB directly from their site. But that's been sorted out now. I think VB put all the proprietary stuff on the Extras disk. B
