Virtualization vs Dual Boot

[callumacrae]

It might be duel boot, I can never remember which, sorry.

Anyway, do you prefer Virtualization or Dual boot?

Advantages of using Virtualization over a dual boot is that you can use applications from more than one operating systems at a time, but it will use more RAM to do so than a dual boot.

I use Virtualization, purely for the fact that I don't trust windows not to delete GRUB.

~Callum

[master257]

well it all depends on what you want to do, someone may physically want to have both on there at all times and those with lower end desktops maybe not be able to run a virtual PC on their comp.

Virtual PC's are very handy aswell, mainly for those in the "support" section of your ISPs IT department lol it enables them to troubleshoot with all the different OS rather then having to switch to a different desktop everytime. (bonus no?, but when does technical support even ever help you hah!).

Anyways to me the winner here would be DUAL BOOT ALL THE WAY (correct terminology "Multi-boot")

[Smith6612]

I'm a Virtualization person as I've found it to be quite useful and my hardware has hardware support for it. Sure, it uses more RAM but that's no problem. It keeps things isolated on the same box as well quite nicely. Right now I'm running Virtual Machines using Virtualization and they do prove quite useful.

[Danielx386]

Me to. I rather use Virtualization. Why? Because it let me run like the host OC (Window 7) and like 4 other OS at once. This let me test my website with diffeerent OS along with different browsers. Also I could use this for stress testing as well (php scripts). The other thing, it let me use some of my old hardware thank to XP mode in win 7.

[ah-blabla]

I use Virtualization, purely for the fact that I don't trust windows not to delete GRUB.

~Callum

I know a few systems that are mainly booted with windows, but still use Grub as the bootloader. The problem is when you install windows, since it just ignores what bootloader you currently have during installation. After that it should be fine.

And I only need 1 OS at all (GNU/Linux) so I don't do either. Back when I still had to use the Devil's own System I dual booted because the hardware just wasn't up to supporting an extra OS.

[callumacrae]

At the moment I use Virtualbox in Fedora.

I run Windows purely so I can say "Ha, look how bad the graphics are" and to rip audio from encrypted DVDs.

I can't say I've heard anyone call it multi-boot before :s

~Callum

[xav0989]

I currently am single booted under vista, but I'll probably dual-boot with ubuntu. I tried virtualization but my HDD didn't want to take the extra load (my ram was pretty low as well).

[ah-blabla]

At the moment I use Virtualbox in Fedora.

I run Windows purely so I can say "Ha, look how bad the graphics are" and to rip audio from encrypted DVDs.

I can't say I've heard anyone call it multi-boot before :s

~Callum

You do know you can access encrypted dvds under Linux? From what I hear the libraries doing it are possibly illegal to use in America because of the whole DMCA joke (Yes, that is correct, in America it is possibly illegal to use unapproved software to play back copyrighted content YOU own), but since there has never been action against it it should be fine.

[xav0989]

From what I hear the libraries doing it are possibly illegal to use in America because of the whole DMCA joke (Yes, that is correct, in America it is possibly illegal to use unapproved software to play back copyrighted content YOU own)

Hurray for capitalism!

[Smith6612]

You do know you can access encrypted dvds under Linux? From what I hear the libraries doing it are possibly illegal to use in America because of the whole DMCA joke (Yes, that is correct, in America it is possibly illegal to use unapproved software to play back copyrighted content YOU own), but since there has never been action against it it should be fine.

That's the sole reason why I look for non-DRM content, and if it has DRM, I rip it right out before the file is even opened/executed. I've had too many problems with the way the "media companies" are saying we should use the media, or with their programs disabling my software. If I absolutely have to use DRM to play something and I haven't been able to remove the DRM, it's executed in a sandbox or I'll run Anti-Executable software to prevent messing with my stuff.