Where best to install Virtualbox

Sope · 07. Feb 2010, 09:56 PM

Hi, I have a question for those of you with experience of Virtualbox.

I'm going to give Virtualbox a try but I'm not sure which would be the best partition to install it to.

Host PC is Windows 7

1TB HDD partitioned as follows :-

C: 80GB OS
G: 200GB Games
H: 650GB Documents

I was planning to create the virtual disk image files on H: but I'm not sure if it would be best to install the VirtualBox program itself to the same partition or just install it to C: along with all my other installed programs.
I'm unclear as to where the VM snapshots that Virtualbox creates are stored? If they are kept in the same location as the virtual disk images that's fine, but if they are stored with the Virtualbox program files I'm worried that, with it being installed to my OS partition, it could fill it up very quickly. So, is it best to install Virtualbox directly to H: ?

Any advice appreciated

freedog96150 · 09. Feb 2010, 05:16 AM

If you are installing VirtualBox onto a Win7 host, you can easily install to any partition. I recommend keeping the system partition as pristine as possible, so my advice is to install directly to your H.

Sope · 09. Feb 2010, 03:45 PM

Freedog, thanks for the reply and advice.

I think that's what I'll do - install directly to H.

Sope · 09. Feb 2010, 11:24 PM

After asking a few more questions on the VirtualBox forum it appears that installing VB to a different partition from the system files can potentially add extra complication and possible problems concerning file paths etc. The recommended way would be to install VB to C:\Program Files (as per default), then configure it to create/store the virtual machines and virtual hard disks on an alternative partition (in my case H). With this setup, there should be no significantly large, space hogging files cluttering my system partition which was my main concern.

10. Feb 2010, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sope

After asking a few more questions on the VirtualBox forum it appears that installing VB to a different partition from the system files can potentially add extra complication and possible problems concerning file paths etc. The recommended way would be to install VB to C:\Program Files (as per default), then configure it to create/store the virtual machines and virtual hard disks on an alternative partition (in my case H). With this setup, there should be no significantly large, space hogging files cluttering my system partition which was my main concern.

This is the way I have always used my virtual machines. I always made a copy of it also, in case it gets screwed up or infected. So I wouldn't have to go through the install process over again.

Sope · 10. Feb 2010, 09:04 PM

Well I've installed VirtualBox to C and configured storage in H without any difficulty. Speed of performance seems fine and no large files are messing up my system drive. The power of VB is certainly very impressive and so far I've found it fairly easy to get the hang of. I can see the potential to lose days playing with it though!

07. Feb 2010, 09:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
Sope Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Wales, UK Posts: 809	Where best to install Virtualbox Hi, I have a question for those of you with experience of Virtualbox. I'm going to give Virtualbox a try but I'm not sure which would be the best partition to install it to. Host PC is Windows 7 1TB HDD partitioned as follows :- C: 80GB OS G: 200GB Games H: 650GB Documents I was planning to create the virtual disk image files on H: but I'm not sure if it would be best to install the VirtualBox program itself to the same partition or just install it to C: along with all my other installed programs. I'm unclear as to where the VM snapshots that Virtualbox creates are stored? If they are kept in the same location as the virtual disk images that's fine, but if they are stored with the Virtualbox program files I'm worried that, with it being installed to my OS partition, it could fill it up very quickly. So, is it best to install Virtualbox directly to H: ? Any advice appreciated

09. Feb 2010, 11:24 PM	#4 (permalink)
Sope Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Wales, UK Posts: 809	After asking a few more questions on the VirtualBox forum it appears that installing VB to a different partition from the system files can potentially add extra complication and possible problems concerning file paths etc. The recommended way would be to install VB to C:\Program Files (as per default), then configure it to create/store the virtual machines and virtual hard disks on an alternative partition (in my case H). With this setup, there should be no significantly large, space hogging files cluttering my system partition which was my main concern. Last edited by Sope; 09. Feb 2010 at 11:28 PM. Reason: addition

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

09. Feb 2010, 05:16 AM	#2 (permalink)
freedog96150 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Not Vegas Posts: 111	If you are installing VirtualBox onto a Win7 host, you can easily install to any partition. I recommend keeping the system partition as pristine as possible, so my advice is to install directly to your H.

09. Feb 2010, 03:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
Sope Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Wales, UK Posts: 809	Freedog, thanks for the reply and advice. I think that's what I'll do - install directly to H.

10. Feb 2010, 09:04 PM	#6 (permalink)
Sope Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Wales, UK Posts: 809	Well I've installed VirtualBox to C and configured storage in H without any difficulty. Speed of performance seems fine and no large files are messing up my system drive. The power of VB is certainly very impressive and so far I've found it fairly easy to get the hang of. I can see the potential to lose days playing with it though!