Need help setting up a Virtual Box for an OS

[berryracer]

I am a n00b at this..

What I want to do is... setup a Virtual OS to run and test some software that will be totally independednt of my current os which is Window 7 Home Premium 64-Bit so that my current OS is not touched in any way and I dont catch any viruses....

1) What software do I need to do this and install that Virtual OS? (I will be installing Windows XP on the virtual machine)

2) How to do it?? I have no clue how this works

3) Will I be safe incase a virus hits that virtual OS? Will my current Windows 7 be totally independednt and not affected by any virus on that new virtual OS incase it gets infected?

[Victek123]

I use Oracle Virtual Box - it's free and works just fine. First install VB. Then run VB and create a Virtual Machine (VM). Last install the OS in the VM. Note that when you create the VM make it large enough as the size cannot be changed afterward (other parameters, such as memory and cpu cores can be changed going forward).

Virtual Box will run better if there is hardware support in the BIOS. Check the BIOS and turn on Virtualization if the option is available.

The OS in the VM will need its own security software. It is largely isolated from the Host OS, but there is interaction such as file sharing so you still have to be careful.

Give it go and post back if you get stuck.

[berryracer]

Thanks for getting me started bro! Ill do that

and yes in BIOS I have Virtualization enabled

[berryracer]

Just installed XP in VirtualBox and I only have access to C:\ in XP, which is good!

I dont see how can a trojan/virus which infects my XP, affect my local files and my Windows 7 since there is no access to that drive in XP


please correct me if Im wrong

[lodore]

Originally Posted by berryracer

Just installed XP in VirtualBox and I only have access to C:\ in XP, which is good!

I dont see how can a trojan/virus which infects my XP, affect my local files and my Windows 7 since there is no access to that drive in XP


please correct me if Im wrong

Hello,
It is possible for malware in a virtual machine to infect the host but its unlikely.
If you setup file sharing to the host and the malware was executed on the host it would infect the host. So dont enable file sharing to the host.

If a vulnerability existed in virtualbox and the malware knew how to exploit the vulnerability then it could infect the host.

[berryracer]

Originally Posted by lodore

Hello,
It is possible for malware in a virtual machine to infect the host but its unlikely.
If you setup file sharing to the host and the malware was executed on the host it would infect the host. So dont enable file sharing to the host.

If a vulnerability existed in virtualbox and the malware knew how to exploit the vulnerability then it could infect the host.

Right, but what if the Host (which is my Windows 7 Pro 64 bit) is running Kaspersky Internet Security 2012 FTW + MBAM PRO ?? Im safe I guess right?

[Victek123]

Originally Posted by berryracer

Right, but what if the Host (which is my Windows 7 Pro 64 bit) is running Kaspersky Internet Security 2012 FTW + MBAM PRO ?? Im safe I guess right?

Relatively speaking you're very safe. We're just pointing out that a virtual machine is not perfectly isolated. As lodore said, just don't enable file sharing between the guest and host and you should be fine.

Are you intending to use the VM to throw malware at security software?

[berryracer]

Originally Posted by Victek123

Are you intending to use the VM to throw malware at security software?

You hit the nail on the head

Thanks a lot for the quick responses guys! I've setup Windows XP Pro isolated on the VM

[Victek123]

Originally Posted by berryracer

You hit the nail on the head

Thanks a lot for the quick responses guys! I've setup Windows XP Pro isolated on the VM

You're welcome. Good luck with your tests. Here's a thread that you may find interesting.

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showt...guest+security

[treehouse786]

Originally Posted by lodore

If you setup file sharing to the host and the malware was executed on the host it would infect the host. So dont enable file sharing to the host.

this

very important

[kjdemuth]

I have my host system running in shadow mode and appguard running in lock down. If something gets through that, It must be nasty.

[Ashanta]

Is it possible with VB or VM ware to virtualize our current OS without installing a new OS ?

[Seer]

Originally Posted by Ashanta

Is it possible with VB or VM ware to virtualize our current OS without installing a new OS ?

-http://www.vmware.com/products/converter

Starter (standard) edition is free of charge.

[Ashanta]

Thanks Seer, but what I wan't is to virtualize my laptop from himself, not from a distant machine.

Any others programs ?

[Victek123]

Originally Posted by Ashanta

Thanks Seer, but what I wan't is to virtualize my laptop from himself, not from a distant machine.

Any others programs ?

It's not clear what you're wanting to do, but maybe this will help:

http://www.addictivetips.com/windows...ox-virtual-pc/

[Ashanta]

Originally Posted by Victek123

It's not clear what you're wanting to do, but maybe this will help:

http://www.addictivetips.com/windows...ox-virtual-pc/

Thanks for the link !

What I want is to virtualize my laptop (with all my programs) to test programs without damage my HD. I've been alredy tried Rollback Rx. But I want to try this time, a real virtualization program.

According to what I read before on this post, VirtualBox is not the one I need, because one of the requisite is to install a new OS before running the virtual machine.

VM Converter seems good to convert my machine into a virtual, but the link you gave me, told that I need also one of the following programs, VMware Workstation, VMware Player, VMware Server or VMware Fusion. So, two programs are needed to create a virtual machine of my laptop.

[Victek123]

Originally Posted by Ashanta

Thanks for the link !

According to what I read before on this post, VirtualBox is not the one I need, because one of the requisite is to install a new OS before running the virtual machine.

VM Converter seems good to convert my machine into a virtual, but the link you gave me, told that I need also one of the following programs, VMware Workstation, VMware Player, VMware Server or VMware Fusion. So, two programs are needed to create a virtual machine of my laptop.

You need one program to convert your current OS into a virtual machine. Then you need one of the others as the container to run the virtual machine in. What you would do is boot your computer, start Virtual Box or VMware Player, and then run the virtual machine. Basically, you would be running a copy of your OS (a guest) inside your OS (the Host).

[Ashanta]

Big thanks Victek !

All in all, it will take a lot of space on my HD, to run my laptop as virtual machine as my OS will be on my HD and on my virtual machine.

So, I would need to think about alternative programs to Rollback Rx (instant recovery programs).

[Victek123]

Originally Posted by Ashanta

Big thanks Victek !

All in all, it will take a lot of space on my HD, to run my laptop as virtual machine as my OS will be on my HD and on my virtual machine.

So, I would need to think about alternative programs to Rollback Rx (instant recovery programs).

Yes, you would want to shrink the virtual machine quite a bit - that's doable but I don't know of any software that automates it. Someone else here may have a suggestion.

Using a program like Rollback Rx would certainly be easier.