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Run another operating system on your Windows computer with Oracle VirtualBox

Updated November 6, 2022

Have you ever wanted to try another operating system but did not want to have to erase your drive to do it? Maybe you have an app that will not work on the latest version of Windows? If so, then Oracle VirtualBox may be just what you are looking for.

Three different versions of Windows running in VirtualBoxes
Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows 11 running inside of VirtualBoxes

VirtualBox is a virtualization program that allows you to run an operating system (OS) in a Virtual Machine (VM) environment. VMs emulate the most common hardware found in modern computers, including Trusted Platform Module (TPM) ver. 1.2 and 2 (Windows 11 requires TPM v2).

One of my favorite things is to try out different operating systems, like other versions of Linux, including Android-x86 and Wubuntu. I have used VMs for many years now to do just that and have found VirtualBox to be the one I use the most often.

Another thing I use VMs for is running legacy software on older operating systems. I have several programs that will only run on Windows XP, so I have a dedicated Windows XP VM just for these programs.

And you can configure a VM so it appears as a separate computer on your network. You can even map shared network folders and print to network printers. You can even have multiple monitors too.

A Windows 11 virtual machine using dual monitors
Windows 11 with dual monitors running inside of a VirtualBox

Creating a new VM is relatively simple, give it a name, select the operating system being installed, and the location of the installation media. You will need to know what amount of memory and disk space the operating system you are installing requires.

When it comes to creating a VM for another OS, it is the same as if you were installing the OS on physical hardware. If the OS you are installing requires a product key, like Windows, you will need it. Usually, when it comes to Windows, you can only use retail product keys, not Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) product keys.

VirtualBox currently runs on Windows 8.1 through Windows 11, Windows Server 2012 through 2022, macOS 10.15 through 12, Ubuntu 18.04 LTS, 20.04 LTS and 22.04, Debian GNU/Linux 10 (Buster) and 11 (Bullseye), Oracle Linux 7, 8 and 9, CentOS/Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, 8 and 9, Fedora 35 and 36, Gentoo Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 and 15, openSUSE Leap 15.3 and Oracle Solaris 11.4.

With its flexibility in configuration, multiple monitor support, and support for 64-bit virtual machines (only on 64-bit host operating systems), it's my choice for VM. And did I mention that it's free? For more information on Oracle VirtualBox, follow the link below:

Oracle VirtualBox

Try Windows 8 for free with Windows 8 Developer Preview

By now, you have probability started hearing the buzz about Windows 8. Maybe it's the new interface, Metro, which brings touch screen ease of use and the simple tile look of the Windows 7 phone to the desktop. Or maybe it's the Metro apps, that with a connected Windows Live account, can be downloaded and used on any Windows 8 computer you login to. Or, my favorite, the improved multi-monitor options. But did you know you can try it out right now for free with the Windows 8 Developer Preview?

Login Screen inside of Windows 8Developer Preview
The login screen inside of Windows 8 Developer Preview. You slide the screen upwards to get to the username and password fields.

Windows 8 Metro Interface
The Metro interface inside of Windows 8 Developer Preview. You scroll from left to right to access the different categories of tiles.

Now I have to warn you that the Windows 8 Developer Preview is a pre-beta version of Windows 8. Fun to play around with but in no way should you use it in a production environment. And remember that some of the features and/or functions may not work properly.

Windows 8 Windows Explorer
The new look of Windows Explorer inside of Windows 8 Developer Preview. Windows Explorer now sports a ribbon style toolbar.

You can upgrade an existing version of Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7. But be forewarned that you cannot uninstall this release. You can also create a multi-boot setup, with Windows 8 on a separate partition. I use Oracle's VirtualBox to run experimental operating systems like this. I downloaded to latest version and it already had pre-configured settings for Windows 8.

Here's a quote from the Windows 8 Developer website:

The Windows 8 Developer Preview is a pre-beta version of Windows 8 for developers. These downloads include prerelease software that may change without notice. The software is provided as is, and you bear the risk of using it. It may not be stable, operate correctly or work the way the final version of the software will. It should not be used in a production environment. The features and functionality in the prerelease software may not appear in the final version. Some product features and functionality may require advanced or additional hardware, or installation of other software.

Note: You can't uninstall the Windows 8 Developer Preview. To go back to your previous operating system, you must reinstall it from restore or installation media.

System Requirements

The Windows 8 Developer Preview works great on the same hardware that powers Windows Vista and Windows 7:

  • 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
  • 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
  • 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
  • DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
  • Taking advantage of touch input requires a screen that supports multi-touch
  • To run Metro style Apps, you need a screen resolution of 1024 X 768 or greater

Notes about installing the Windows 8 Developer Preview

A clean install is supported on all builds, but you can upgrade if you are installing a download without the developer tools. You will receive the full set of migration options when setup is launched in Windows. To dual-boot, you must first boot from media and choose an alternative partition.

For more information on the Windows 8 Developer Preview, just follow the links below:

Windows Dev Center

Run Android OS on your netbook, laptop or personal computer with Android-x86

With all of the talk nowadays about moving from personal computers to smartphones and tablets, I wondered if I could have the best of both worlds. I wanted to know is if I could run a version of the Android OS on my netbook. Having set up both multi-boot computers and virtual machines, I thought that it might be possible. And with the Android-x86 Project, it is.

Android-x86 opening screen running inside of a Oracle VirtualBox
Android-x86 opening screen running inside of an Oracle VirtualBox

The Android-x86 Project is an Apache open-source project working on porting the Android operating system to the x86 hardware architecture. It's the same hardware architecture that is in almost all netbooks/laptops and personal computers. They have a couple of different builds for different systems (32-bit, 64-bit, and UEFI), mainly netbooks, laptops, and tablets.

Android-x86 main screen running inside of a Oracle VirtualBox
Android-x86 main screen running inside of an Oracle VirtualBox

Android-x86 can be run from a cd, installed into a virtual machine like Oracle's VirtualBox, a USB drive, or your computer's hard drive as the primary operating system. You can even set it up to multi-boot with Windows. Here's a quote from the Android-x86 website:

This is a project to port Android open-source project to x86 platform, formerly known as "patch hosting for android x86 support". The original plan is to host different patches for android x86 support from the open-source community. A few months after we created the project, we found out that we could do much more than just hosting patches. So we decide to create our code base to provide support on different x86 platforms, and set up a git server to host it.

For more information on the Android-x86 Project, follow the links below:

Android-x86 Project - Run Android on Your PC

Access your programs, files and websites quicker with Pin and Jump Lists in Windows 7

If you use a program or visit a website regularly in Windows 7, you may want to pin it to the Start menu or Taskbar for quicker access. When you pin a program or website to the Start menu or Taskbar, you can always see it there and easily access it with a single click. Windows 7 also includes Jump Lists, so that in addition to launching a program from the Start menu or Taskbar, you can now launch favorite and recent items from that program just by clicking the same button.

Pin a program to the Taskbar

Pin a program to the taskbar in Windows 7

You can pin a program directly to the Taskbar, so you can open it quickly and conveniently, rather than looking for the program in the Start menu.

How to pin a program to the Taskbar

If the program is already running, right-click the program's button on the Taskbar (or drag the button toward the desktop) to open the program’s Jump List, and then click Pin this program to Taskbar.
or
If the program isn't running, click Start, find the program’s icon, right-click the icon, and then click Pin to Taskbar.

You can also pin a program by dragging the program's shortcut from the desktop or Start menu to the Taskbar. Additionally, if you drag the shortcut of a file, folder, or website to the Taskbar, and the associated program isn't already pinned there, then that program is pinned to the Taskbar, and the item is pinned to the program’s Jump List.

Notes:
To remove a pinned program from the Taskbar, open the program's Jump List, and then click Unpin this program from Taskbar.
Folders and shortcuts to folders appear in the Windows Explorer Jump List when opened or pinned.
You can pin a program from the Start menu to the Taskbar, but not from the Taskbar to the Start menu.

Pin a program to the Start menu

Pin a program to the Start menu in Windows 7

You can pin a program to the top of the Start menu so that you can open those programs quickly and conveniently.

How to pin a program to the Start menu

Click Start, find the program, right-click it, and then click Pin to Start Menu.
or
Click Start, finding the program, and then dragging it to the top left section of the Start menu.

The program's icon appears at the top of the Start menu.

Geek Tip:
You might decide to pin frequently-used programs to the Taskbar and occasionally-used programs to the Start menu.

Note:
Jump Lists contain recently-opened items and appear on the Start menu next to pinned and recently-used programs. You can pin items to Jump Lists.

Pin a website to the Taskbar

Pin a website to the taskbar in Windows 7

You can also pin a frequently visited website to the Taskbar, just like you would a program.

How to pin a website to the Taskbar

Click the webpage's tab and drag it to the Taskbar.

To remove a pinned website from the Taskbar:
Right-click the website icon on the Taskbar, and then click Unpin this program from Taskbar.

Using Jump Lists to open programs and items

Using Jump List on the taskbar in Windows 7

Jump Lists are lists of recently or frequently opened items, such as files, folders, tasks, or websites, organized by the program you use to open them. In addition to being able to open recent items using a Jump List, you can also pin favorite items to a Jump List so you can quickly get to the items that you use every day.

On the Taskbar, Jump Lists appear for programs that you've pinned to the Taskbar and programs that are currently running. You can view the Jump List for a program by right-clicking the Taskbar button or dragging the button toward the desktop. You open items from the Jump List by clicking them.

Managing programs and items with Jump Lists
On the Taskbar, Jump Lists appear for programs that you've pinned to the Taskbar and programs that are currently running. On the Start menu, Jump Lists appear for programs you've pinned to the Start menu and programs you've opened recently. (Jump Lists don't appear in All Programs on the Start menu.)

Jump Lists can include recently opened items, frequently opened items, tasks, or websites, in addition to any items that you've pinned.

You'll always see the same items in the Jump List for a program, regardless of whether you view the list on the Start menu or the Taskbar. For example, if you pin an item to a program’s Jump List on the Taskbar, it also appears in that program's Jump List on the Start menu.

Notes:
In addition to any pinned or currently open items, Jump Lists on the Taskbar contain several commands that you can use to close an item or unpin the program from the Taskbar.
You can drag an item from a Jump List to copy it to another location. For example, you can drag a document from a Jump List to an e-mail message if you want to send it to someone.

Working with Jump Lists on the Start menu
Jump Lists on the Start menu give you quick access to the things you use most often.

To view the Jump List for a program:
Click Start, point to a pinned program or a recently used program near the top of the Start menu, and then point to or click the arrow next to the program.

To open an item:
Click Start, point to a pinned program, or to a recently used program near the top of the Start menu to open the program's Jump List, and then click the item.

    To pin an item to a Jump List:
  1. Click Start, and then open the program's Jump List.
  2. Point to the item, click the pushpin icon and then click Pin to this list.
    To unpin an item:
  1. Click Start, and then open the Jump List for the program.
  2. Point to the item, click the pushpin icon and then click Unpin from this list.

Note:
The next time you open an item that you've unpinned, it might reappear in the Jump List. To remove an item from the list, right-click the item, and then click Remove from this list.

Working with Jump Lists on the Taskbar
Jump Lists on the Taskbar give you quick access to the things you use most often.

To view the Jump List for a program:
Right-click the program's button on the Taskbar.

To open an item from a Jump List:
Open the program's Jump List, and then click the item.

To pin an item to a Jump List:
Open the program's Jump List, point to the item, click the pushpin icon, and then click Pin to this list.

Notes:
You can also drag a file icon or a shortcut from the Start menu or the desktop to the Taskbar. This pins the item to the Jump List and also pins the program to the Taskbar if it isn't pinned already.
Folders are considered Windows Explorer items and appear in the Windows Explorer Jump List when pinned or opened.

To unpin an item:
Open the program's Jump List, point to the item, click the pushpin icon, and then click Unpin from this list.

Note:
The next time you open an item that you've unpinned, it might reappear in the Jump List. To remove an item from the list, right-click the item, and then click Remove from this list.

Quickly adjust the settings on your Windows 7 laptop / netbook with Windows Mobility Center

Have you ever needed to change a setting on your Windows 7 laptop/netbook quickly? Maybe adjust the screen brightness or turn on/off your wi-fi? You can do just that and more with Windows Mobility Center inside of Windows 7.

Windows Mobility Center in Windows 7
Windows Mobility Center inside of Windows 7

Windows Mobility Center displays the most commonly used laptop/netbook settings, such as brightness, volume, battery status, and wireless network status. Different tiles are displayed depending on your system, and some tiles are added by your laptop/netbook manufacturer.

Here are some of the settings you might find in the Windows Mobility Center. Remember, not all settings are available on all laptops.

  • Brightness. Move the slider to temporarily adjust the brightness of your display. To adjust the display brightness settings for your power plan, click the icon to open Power Options.
  • Volume. Move the slider to adjust the speaker volume of your laptop, or select the Mute check box.
  • Battery Status. View how much charge remains on your battery or select a power plan from the list.
  • Wireless Network. View the status of your wireless network connection or turn your wireless network adapter on or off.
  • Screen Rotation. Change the orientation of your Tablet PC screen from portrait to landscape or vice versa.
  • External Display. Connect an additional monitor to your laptop, or customize the display settings.
  • Sync Center. View the status of in-progress file sync, start a new sync, set up a sync partnership, or change your settings in Sync Center.

How to access Windows Mobility Manager on a Windows 7 based laptop or netbook

  • Click on the Start button, then All Programs, then Accessories, then Windows Mobility Manager.
  • Or
  • Click Start, and then type mobility center in the Start Search box.

Geek Tips:

    Windows Mobility Center on the Taskbar in Windows 7
  • Pin the Windows Mobility Manager to the Taskbar for even quicker access to it.
  • Click an icon to open options for that setting quickly. For example, click the Battery Status icon to open Power Options, and from there, select a power plan.

Notes:

If the Turn wireless on button is unavailable, you might need to use the hardware switch on your computer to turn on the wireless network adapter. For more information about turning the adapter on and off, check the documentation that came with your computer.

If a setting doesn't appear, it might be because the required hardware (such as a wireless network adapter) or drivers are missing. For example, if the Turn wireless on button is unavailable, you might need to use your computer's hardware switch to turn on the wireless adapter.

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