With the popularity of Win11 and the improvement of hardware performance, starting with terms such as "Hyper-V", perhaps you have heard more and more about virtualization and virtual machines, and you will wonder why you should use virtual machines. So, today I'm telling you, if you have these few uses, then you must try virtual machines!
A virtual machine is a simulated computer system. Virtual machines rely on hypervisors (also known as hypervisors) that map computer resources to the software of virtual hardware, allowing different operating systems and configurations to be simulated on a single hardware platform.
For example, the popular VirtualBox is a popular free hypervisor. It is responsible for allocating part of the computer's CPU, memory, storage disks, and other components so that the virtual machine can use them to function properly. Once you install the operating system on a virtual disk using VirtualBox, you have a fully functional virtual machine. A virtual operating system thinks it's running on a real system, but the virtual machine behaves just like any other application on the computer.
You can even experience the classic win95 "blue sky and white clouds" with a virtual machine on an Apple computer
Now, what is the use of virtual machines for the average person? Here are some practical uses for virtual machines that anyone can take advantage of.
In the past, many friends left messages in the background, hoping to introduce more systems such as Linux, including operating systems in the field of domestic information and innovation, such as Kirin and UOS, and hope to experience it in practice.
However, they have no experience in the installation of these operating systems, and some new concepts are completely different from the previous ones, which also makes them feel a little uncomfortable, such as the Linux system no longer uses drive letters, but uses different mount volumes. In addition, how can the old data and software on the machine smoothly transition to the new system......All kinds of concerns make it impossible for them to start.
In response to this situation, Little Lion suggested that they can use virtual machines to install new systems, "seamless" and "risk-free experience of the new operating system".
You can even experience these operating systems on more hardware platforms. The following picture is a screenshot of a NAS enthusiast using Synology's VMM hypervisor directly on a high-end Synology NAS to successfully install UnionTech's UOS system.
Of course, for the average Windows user, you just need to install VirtualBox (because it's completely free), create a new virtual machine, attach the installation iso file of this Linux distribution, follow the wizard, and install Linux in the virtual machine as if it were a real computer, and you can run Linux (guest operating system) in the window of Windows (host operating system) just like any other program.
Don't worry about running into problems because a virtual machine is like a sandbox. If something goes wrong with your virtual operating system, such as malware or corrupted settings, your console operating system and data won't be affected.
If the virtual machine fails to start for some reason, you can recreate the virtual machine and reinstall the operating system. Don't worry about your computer freezing because you tried an unfamiliar operating system.
Maybe you switched to Mac OS or Win11 a few years ago, but your company is still using software that only runs on Windows 98 XP - a lot of financial software or industrial control software. What to do? Although it is feasible to install dual systems, it is more troublesome after all, once there is a problem with the boot program of any system, it will lead to problems in the startup and use of both systems. Moreover, today's high-capacity hard drives make the old dual-system installation actually involve the problem of repartitioning.
Virtual machines provide a good environment for running software that is not compatible with the current machine. As long as you can access the program's installation files on the old system, you won't have any problems installing it on the virtual operating system.
In addition, it is much safer to run outdated software in this way because it runs in the sandbox of the virtual machine. Hopefully you don't have to run Windows XP-only software right now, but that's an option, even if you're just nostalgic for an old DOS or Win95 game like the old Command & Conquer.
The classic game Command & Conquer running on the DOSBOX virtual machine
Another important use of virtual machines is to streamline workflows for testing applications and applications across platforms.
For example, if you develop a game that runs on both desktop and mobile platforms, you can use a virtual machine to test various versions of the software on a single computer. Testing on a virtual machine is a convenient way to run programs on other operating systems without too much hassle, and is very convenient for programming enthusiasts and computer science students who are new to cross-platform development.
One of the main advantages of a virtual machine is its isolation from the primary system. This means that you can take on security risks in virtual machines that would normally be avoided. For example, you might want to create a program, but you're not sure if it's safe from it. Or maybe you want to test your antivirus to make sure it does its job without risking infection.
While it's not 100% safe, and there's always a small chance that some malware will detect itself running in a virtual environment and try to escape, in general, the security risks are minimized compared to using unfamiliar software in the system environment you're actually using.
The "tinkering" and "tossing" systems are the only way for the great gods to "go from beginner to proficient". However, for ordinary users, tinkering with their main working system is quite risky.
But virtual machines allow you to explore and experiment with operating systems without worrying about the consequences. Let you know more about the operating system, or test the changes you are worried about making on the main system.
For example, you can virtualize a second copy of Windows 10 in Windows 10 and then use the guest version to make adjustments to the registry. In a virtual machine, it is much easier to recover from an error than in a live system. This is mainly thanks to snapshots: snapshots are one of the best features of virtual machines, allowing you to easily undo mistakes.
If you make changes you don't want to make, or run into critical issues, you don't need to reinstall the operating system or use Restore Point, and it's faster to roll back the snapshot created by the VM. You can also keep multiple snapshots to switch between different configurations, such as Windows feature updates, which is not possible on real hardware.
Digital Chinese New Year Challenge Run a multi-purpose home server.
Running a computer at home can be used as a server for other machines on the network: as a NAS backup server, as a hypervisor to manage cameras and surveillance hard drives, and as a server ...... for home streaming
Generally speaking, this demand needs to be met with a high-end NAS. However, if you're familiar with virtual machines, installing different virtual servers on different virtual machine systems is a good option.
Now you don't have to worry about why you want to use a virtual machine. As long as your PC has enough resources for a virtual machine, try booting up the virtual machine and explore more of the magic of your computer!