Tutorial: better integration of VirtualBox (Windows) into MX Linux (guide in steps)

[Duliwi]

@andyprough
I have not used it a lot until now.
But no, I have not corrupted my linux.
I have not lost a file.
I have not corrupted my Windows.

The only thing you have to look at is:
When you have started a lot of programs in your VM this way, in your "windows task manager" you will find several processes ""VBoxService.exe" and "conhost.exe".
So from time to time, maybe when you have used the VM 15-30 times, you have to close this processes in your "windows task manager". Or you can "shut down" your VM from time to time, instead of bringing the VM into "save state".

[andyprough]

Seamless mode increases the CPU and overall resource usage substantially - for this reason alone I probably won't try the steps of this tutorial. What's your experience with CPU usage when running Virtualbox in this manner?

[Duliwi]

It takes about the same amount of CPU like Wine does.
But of course: It takes much more RAM then Wine.

HTop with closed VirtualBox and closed VM:

CPU, RAM without VirtualBox.jpg

HTop with MS Word started in VB "Seamless mode" -> "IDLE":

Something between:

CPU, RAM after VirtualBox MS Word idle.jpg

and

CPU, RAM after VirtualBox MS Word idle 2.jpg

My System:
8 GB RAM.
Intel i5 Generation 4

(I don't want to force you to try this out.)

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Please note: In the file

Code: Select all

Windows7VM.sh

there is a line

Code: Select all

VBoxManage guestcontrol "Win7NeuFurOfficeVersuch" start ...

There would be an alternative command. It is

Code: Select all

VBoxManage guestcontrol "Win7NeuFurOfficeVersuch" run ...

The difference is the command start vs. run. When I take "run" instead of "start", then my cpu cores are permanently at 60% when the PC is idle.
So please let "Windows7VM.sh" unchanged and use the command "start".

[andyprough]

That's pretty good actually. MS Office on Wine and seamless mode Virtualbox normally make my machine run at between 25-50% CPU with some higher spikes. The fact that you are using Win7 and Office 10 may be helping - I'm using Win10 and Office 365.

[Duliwi]

As said: It's when it's idle.
What PC machine do you have (hardware)?

[Duliwi]

@andyprough
The only thing you have to look at is:
When you have started a lot of programs in your VM this way, in your "windows task manager" you will find several processes ""VBoxService.exe" and "conhost.exe".
So from time to time, maybe when you have used the VM 15-30 times, you have to close this processes in your "windows task manager". Or you can "shut down" your VM from time to time, instead of bringing the VM into "save state".

-> It's solved with an update of "Windows7VM.sh".
No more need to close this processes in your "windows task manager" or to "shut down" your VM from time to time.

[jonnken]

That's pretty good actually. MS Office on Wine and seamless mode Virtualbox normally make my machine run at between 25-50% CPU with some higher spikes. The fact that you are using Win7 and Office 10 may be helping - I'm using Win10 and Office 365.

It's the real "beauty" of Linux...low CPU usage. When I have a 500 row (100 column) spreadsheet open in LibraOffice, my CPU usage (Dell Optiplex 755) will just sit down around 2%. It spikes to 30-40 on task demands and then right back down. For the most part it just sits there in wait for the next commands.

[andyprough]

As said: It's when it's idle.
What PC machine do you have (hardware)?

I have a pretty new laptop with fast cpu and lots of ram and fast SSD. I want to tell you, I spent most of today with Virtualbox in Seamless mode, and the CPU usage was not much higher than in non-Seamless mode. I might have to try your steps after all - maybe Virtualbox has managed to improve Seamless mode to not be such a resource hog. Thanks for sharing this info, very useful and interesting.