This article is dedicated to real computer geeks and aspiring "at home" systems engineers who want to explore the variety of operating systems available today and who want to try and learn to use, not only other versions of Windows but above all Linux systems. Virtualbox is a great way to test new operating systems, without having to configure a dual-boot system on your computer, that is, without having to create different partitions on the hard disk to start, alternatively, one operating system or another.
In another article we explained what it means to create a virtual PC and we wrote a practical guide to install Windows 7 on VirtualBox.
For the record, Virtualbox is one of the alternatives to create a virtual pc, other similar software are VMware and Microsoft Virtual PC. A virtual PC installed on Virtual Box allows you to have a completely independent system from the real one that works on its own and that does not require any modification on the system currently installed on the computer. Since it is possible to install any type of operating system on Virtual Box, the questions I have been asked are:
I can also install Linux "> USB Pen Drive Linux Ubuntu also bootable from Windows with Portable VirtualBox.
Getting to the point, I wanted to report a website called OSBoxes that offers free download of some virtual images (VDI) of various operating systems to be loaded without installation in Virtualbox.
After downloading the disk image and configuring, on Virtual Box, those basic parameters, regarding the dedicated memory and the power of the PC, the systems will not need to be installed but will be ready to be used.
These live CDs can be used with VirtualBox as explained in the relative guide.
From the VirtualBoxImages website, the systems can be downloaded for free, among others: Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Debian, Mageia, OpenSuse, Zorin OS, Android X86.
Another site from which to download VDI files of virtual machines for Virtualbox is also Virtualboxes
For these systems I leave you can also download the images of the installation CDs, which will not be ready-made operating systems, but you can follow the guide already made to install Wndows 7 and there should be no problems.
You can try Linux systems on your PC even without installing anything, directly online
The DistroTest site offers 807 versions of Linux distributions, for a total of 244 operating systems all to be tested online. No registration or registration is required to start one of the Linux distros of the site that will be opened on the web browser used as virtual systems.
Initially, DistroTest provides 30 minutes to test the chosen distribution, then you can extend this time by 156 minutes at a time. You can also install and remove software. It is a great way to experience Linux distributions without any commitment.
