4 ms·

How well does the inverse works - running VMs in OpenBSD to use Windows, Linux? Is it for example possible to run Virtualbox with good performance in OpenBSD?

How well does the inverse works - running VMs in OpenBSD to use Windows, Linux? Is it for example possible to run Virtualbox with good performance in OpenBSD? I'm tempted at using OpenBSD as OS, but need to run things like MS Office. A VM is probably the easiest way to do that.

enriquto 8y ago
> How well does the inverse works - running VMs in OpenBSD to use Windows, Linux? Is it for example possible to run Virtualbox with good performance in OpenBSD? As far as I know this is not possible. You can always do it with qemu but it wouldn't be practical. If libreoffice is not appropriate for your needs, you may try googledocs inside the browser.
- JoachimS 8y ago
  MS Office is just one of many applications that I need to use. I use loads of EDA tools that either only exists for Windows, or Linux. I have been a user of LibreOffice since it was called StarOffice. It is dog slow, still has an ugly UI, crashes etc. But for many things it has been and is good enough. (and keeps getting better). Unfortunately, customers wants to use Word-specific files, Excel-specific files with macros and whatnot that just don't work in Libre. Google does not handle these files correctly either. It is not a fault of these alternatives, but a world where people don't realize that they are being locked in. They use the features of the tools they have to solve their problems. (I guess this became a bit off-tangent)
  - enriquto 8y ago
    In your situation, then, you'll be happy by running openbsd in a virtual machine from your windows.
    - deleted 8y ago
      [deleted]
    - JoachimS 8y ago
      MacOS actually. In which I have Windows in a VM (and a few Linux versions), which works really well. The MacOS BSD userland is something I use extensively. But when the next laptop update cycle comes I can't see myself getting a new MBP. So what I was hoping to do, and the reason for asking about the state of running VMs in OpenBSD is of course to use it as the main OS, and run the other OSes I need to use in VM. Basically as I do today. I would be close to home in terms if userland experience and gfet good (better) security. BTW: I found this presentation by Mike Larkin from March 2018 about the state of vmm: https://www.openbsd.org/papers/asiabsdcon2018-vmm-slides.pdf https://www.openbsd.org/papers/asiabsdcon2018-vmm-slides.pdf
    - JoachimS 8y ago
      Apart from the fun and learning experience, I don't really see a point in running OpenBSD in a VM. In fact I have a OpenBSD 6.3 in a VM today. Playing around with pledge has been very interesting.
- JoachimS 8y ago
  QEMU sounds like a rather heavy way to do it.
  - klez 8y ago
    I've always thought of qemu as the lightweight way to virtualizea system, but maybe it's just an impression. Or did you mean that using a VM is a heavy way to try a system out?
    - JoachimS 8y ago
      As a heavier way of running a VM then what you get using the hardware virtualization support in the CPU the way most modern VM systems do like VMware, Virtualbox, Parallels etc.
      - Rjevski 8y ago
        QEMU uses KVM when available, so you are using hardware support.
ch_123 8y ago
There is an OpenBSD-specific hypervisor (vmm) in recent releases. I cannot comment on whether it is suitable for running VMs at this time.
- JoachimS 8y ago
  Ok, I'll check it out. Thanks!
- ch_123 8y ago
  * Windows VMs
- yellowapple 8y ago
  From what I've gathered (and experienced last time I've tried it), Windows support is nonexistent right now. That might change eventually, but OpenBSD and Linux (and I think NetBSD?) are the initial targets. QEMU is available in packages/ports, though; while almost certainly slow, it's a start. VirtualBox on Linux requires a kernel module, so unless someone manages to port that to OpenBSD (which would translate to adding it to OpenBSD's kernel, which doesn't support loadable kernel modules anymore), that one probably ain't an option.

enriquto 8y ago

> How well does the inverse works - running VMs in OpenBSD to use Windows, Linux? Is it for example possible to run Virtualbox with good performance in OpenBSD? As far as I know this is not possible. You can always do it with qemu but it wouldn't be practical. If libreoffice is not appropriate for your needs, you may try googledocs inside the browser.

JoachimS 8y ago
MS Office is just one of many applications that I need to use. I use loads of EDA tools that either only exists for Windows, or Linux. I have been a user of LibreOffice since it was called StarOffice. It is dog slow, still has an ugly UI, crashes etc. But for many things it has been and is good enough. (and keeps getting better). Unfortunately, customers wants to use Word-specific files, Excel-specific files with macros and whatnot that just don't work in Libre. Google does not handle these files correctly either. It is not a fault of these alternatives, but a world where people don't realize that they are being locked in. They use the features of the tools they have to solve their problems. (I guess this became a bit off-tangent)
- enriquto 8y ago
  In your situation, then, you'll be happy by running openbsd in a virtual machine from your windows.
  - deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]
  - JoachimS 8y ago
    MacOS actually. In which I have Windows in a VM (and a few Linux versions), which works really well. The MacOS BSD userland is something I use extensively. But when the next laptop update cycle comes I can't see myself getting a new MBP. So what I was hoping to do, and the reason for asking about the state of running VMs in OpenBSD is of course to use it as the main OS, and run the other OSes I need to use in VM. Basically as I do today. I would be close to home in terms if userland experience and gfet good (better) security. BTW: I found this presentation by Mike Larkin from March 2018 about the state of vmm: https://www.openbsd.org/papers/asiabsdcon2018-vmm-slides.pdf https://www.openbsd.org/papers/asiabsdcon2018-vmm-slides.pdf
  - JoachimS 8y ago
    Apart from the fun and learning experience, I don't really see a point in running OpenBSD in a VM. In fact I have a OpenBSD 6.3 in a VM today. Playing around with pledge has been very interesting.
JoachimS 8y ago
QEMU sounds like a rather heavy way to do it.
- klez 8y ago
  I've always thought of qemu as the lightweight way to virtualizea system, but maybe it's just an impression. Or did you mean that using a VM is a heavy way to try a system out?
  - JoachimS 8y ago
    As a heavier way of running a VM then what you get using the hardware virtualization support in the CPU the way most modern VM systems do like VMware, Virtualbox, Parallels etc.
    - Rjevski 8y ago
      QEMU uses KVM when available, so you are using hardware support.

ch_123 8y ago

There is an OpenBSD-specific hypervisor (vmm) in recent releases. I cannot comment on whether it is suitable for running VMs at this time.

JoachimS 8y ago
Ok, I'll check it out. Thanks!
ch_123 8y ago
* Windows VMs
yellowapple 8y ago
From what I've gathered (and experienced last time I've tried it), Windows support is nonexistent right now. That might change eventually, but OpenBSD and Linux (and I think NetBSD?) are the initial targets. QEMU is available in packages/ports, though; while almost certainly slow, it's a start. VirtualBox on Linux requires a kernel module, so unless someone manages to port that to OpenBSD (which would translate to adding it to OpenBSD's kernel, which doesn't support loadable kernel modules anymore), that one probably ain't an option.