VirtualBox 3.0 Released! [Archive]

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Aqua_lung

01-07-2009, 05:59 PM

This version is a major update. The following major new features were added:
Guest SMP with up to 32 virtual CPUs (VT-x and AMD-V only; see chapter 3.7.2.2 of the user manual)
Windows guests: ability to use Direct3D 8/9 applications / games (experimental; see chapter 4.8 of the user manual)
Support for OpenGL 2.0 for Windows, Linux and Solaris guests

In addition, the following items were ﬁxed and/or added:
Solaris hosts: allow suspend/resume on the host when a VM is running (bug #3826)
Solaris hosts: loosen the restriction for contiguous physical memory under certain conditions
Mac OS X hosts: ﬁxed guest PAE
Linux hosts: kernel module compile ﬁxes for 2.6.31 (bug #4264)
VMM: ﬁxed occasional guru meditation when loading a saved state (VT-x only)
VMM: eliminated IO-APIC overhead with 32 bits guests (VT-x only, some Intel CPUs don’t support this feature (most do); bug #638)
VMM: ﬁxed 64 bits CentOS guest hangs during early boot (AMD-V only; bug #3927)
VMM: performance improvements for certain PAE guests (e.g. Linux 2.6.29+ kernels)
VMM: some Windows guests detected a completely wrong CPU frequency (bug #2227)
VMM: ﬁxed hanging and unkillable VM processes (bug #4040)
VMM: ﬁxed random infrequent guest crashes due to XMM state corruption (Win64 hosts only)
VMM: performance improvements for network I/O (VT-x/AMD-V only)
GUI: added mini toolbar for fullscreen and seamless mode (Thanks to Huihong Luo)
GUI: redesigned settings dialogs
GUI: allow to create/remove more than one host-only network adapters (non Windows hosts)
GUI: display estimated time for long running operations (e.g. OVF import/export)
GUI: ﬁxed rare hangs when open the OVF import/export wizards (bug #4157)
3D support: ﬁxed VM crashes for client applications using incorrect OpenGL states
3D support: ﬁxed memory corruption when querying for supported texture compression formats
3D support: ﬁxed incorrect rendering of glDrawRangeElements
3D support: ﬁxed memory leak when using VBOs
3D support: ﬁxed glew library detection
3D support: ﬁxed random textures corruption
VRDP: support Windows 7 RDP client
Networking: ﬁxed another problem with TX checksum ofﬂoading with Linux kernels up to version 2.6.18
NAT: ﬁxed “open ports on virtual router 10.0.2.2 - 513, 514” (forum)
NAT: allow to conﬁgure socket and internal parameters
NAT: allow to bind sockets to speciﬁc interface
PXE boot: signiﬁcant performance increase (VT-x/AMD-V only)
VHD: properly write empty sectors when cloning of VHD images (bug #4080)
VHD: ﬁxed crash when discarding snapshots of a VHD image
VHD: ﬁxed access beyond the block bitmap which could lead to arbitrary crashes
VBoxManage: ﬁxed incorrect partition table processing when creating VMDK ﬁles giving raw partition access (bug #3510)
VBoxManage: support cloning to existing image ﬁle
OVF: several OVF 1.0 compatibility ﬁxes
OVF: ﬁxed exporting of disk images when multiple virtual machines are exported at once
Virtual mouse device: eliminated micro-movements of the virtual mouse which were confusing some applications (bug #3782)
Shared Folders: sometimes a ﬁle was created using the wrong permissions (2.2.0 regression; bug #3785)
Shared Folders: allow to change ﬁle attributes from Linux guests and use the correct ﬁle mode when creating ﬁles
Shared Folders: some content was incorrectly written under certain conditions (bug #1187)
Shared Folders: ﬁxed incorrect ﬁle timestamps, when using Windows guest on a Linux host (bug #3404)
X11 clipboard: ﬁx duplicate end of lines (bug #4270)
X11 guests: a number of shared clipboard ﬁxes
Linux guests: Guest Additions support for SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 11
Linux guests: new daemon vboxadd-service to handle time synchronization and guest property lookup
Linux guests: implemented guest properties (OS info, logged in users, basic network information)
Windows host installer: VirtualBox Python API can now be installed automatically (requires Python and Win32 Extensions installed)
USB: Support for high-speed isochronous endpoints has been added. In addition, read-ahead buffering is performed for input endpoints (currently Linux hosts only). This should allow additional devices to work, notably webcams (bug #242).
USB: ﬁxed error handling for some USB dongles
Web service: ﬁxed inability to handle NULL pointers for object arguments, which are valid values for a lot of APIs, in both the raw and the object-oriented web service.
Web service: object-oriented bindings for JAX-WS did not exhibit interface inheritance correctly, ﬁxed
Web service: added support for IDisplay and IGuest interfaces, which were previously unavailable
Registration dialog uses Sun Online accounts now
http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Changelog?
Great stuff! :D

Conradl

01-07-2009, 08:04 PM

/ Runs off to download VB 3.0
Keen to see if the 3d DX8/9 will work with the Citrix ICA protocol.

Aqua_lung

01-07-2009, 08:32 PM

BigAl-sa

02-07-2009, 08:44 AM

Looks like Vbox still has a windows guest shared folder bug... if I try and copy/ duplicate a file/folder I can't, paste does not work and if I browse the shared directory I get the inaccessible error after a while.

Now... on Virtualbox 2.X.X editions to get around this I would install the older windows guest additions like 2.0.4 and then shared folders would work perfectly.I had problems like that with the late version1 Vbox. I'm running v2.2.4 with the v2.2.4 guest additions with no problems with shared folders (use them all the time for editing my photos). What I found worked when I used to get those errors was to dismount the shared drives in windows, then remount them through tools> "map network drive"> browse in the explorer. I could then work an entire session without hiccups.

Anyone want to test and confirm this bug with a linux host and XP guest? test shared folders/directories on 3.0?Will download later and test. I'm keen to see whether the tablet handling has improved.

Aqua_lung

02-07-2009, 10:05 AM

I had problems like that with the late version1 Vbox. I'm running v2.2.4 with the v2.2.4 guest additions with no problems with shared folders (use them all the time for editing my photos). What I found worked when I used to get those errors was to dismount the shared drives in windows, then remount them through tools> "map network drive"> browse in the explorer. I could then work an entire session without hiccups.

Will download later and test. I'm keen to see whether the tablet handling has improved.

Thanks

Telkomisaloser

02-07-2009, 10:09 AM

*Downloads*

rbarryza

02-07-2009, 10:41 AM

VirtualBox is fantastic. We use it in a development environment to run different development virtual machines. In stead of installing ALL the software you need for developing for our different systems, you have separate VMs for each target, and you just run the one you need. And it's easy to just give a new guy the images, all set up, than him taking 2 or 3 days just to install the dev environment.

BigAl-sa

02-07-2009, 11:07 AM

Installed and running (Vbox and guest additions). Am busy letting Canon's DPP read a folder full of RAW files (about 250) on a Linux disk, and it seems to be running very similarly to 2.2.4, hogging one core to about 90% while generating the thumbnails.

I'll edit a few files in PSP 9 and PSP 12 and see how it feels.

The tablet still doesn't work properly :(

Abe

02-07-2009, 03:47 PM

Unfortunately no Aero support :(

Conradl

02-07-2009, 04:09 PM

I would think that Aero support is a long way off, considering the hardware requirements....

gdiza

02-07-2009, 04:12 PM

Keen to give it a try!

Aqua_lung

02-07-2009, 04:15 PM

Unfortunately no Aero support :(

AFAIK Win 7 needs dx10 for Aero.

Edit:
also you have to install the guest additions in safe mode for directx.

The_Librarian

02-07-2009, 04:18 PM

Cool!

Will download it next week as I'm a bit busy at the moment.

Aqua_lung

02-07-2009, 04:35 PM

Swift-wp will need to update the local ftp mirror ;)
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?p=2719338

Park@82

02-07-2009, 05:08 PM

/ Runs off to download VB 3.0
Keen to see if the 3d DX8/9 will work with the Citrix ICA protocol.

Would be interesting to see. How exactly are you planing to set it up? a Xenapp server on a VM inside VB3? Or is there an ica server component for desktops these days?

Conradl

02-07-2009, 06:02 PM

Would be interesting to see. How exactly are you planing to set it up? a Xenapp server on a VM inside VB3? Or is there an ica server component for desktops these days?

There is XenDesktop, for VDI, but that runs on XenServer. Was thinking that it would be cool to host the VDesktop using VB3, and then use ICA as a display protocol to view the 3d desktop. Of course this is most likely impossible....

Park@82

02-07-2009, 07:33 PM

Of course this is most likely impossible....

Yep moving objects like video generally does not look/sound all that great in a ts environment.
Heard that wyse have developed multimedia streaming software that works by streaming the video and audio outside of the rdp protocol.

Conradl

02-07-2009, 08:41 PM

Most companies have some form of VDI display protocol.

Wyse has technology, called TCX, that is used to enhance the multimedia capabilities of their terminals in VDI solutions. MS bought out a startup called Calista, whose technology they want to use for host-side rendering, and to enhance their RDP protocol. Citrix has the ICA protocol and their new HDX technology; and a 10 year head start on the competition....

They work by offloading the processing from the server to the client. If, for example, you want to watch a movie, it will stream it to the client device and use a local codec to render; the actual data is still streamed within the relevant protocol - RDP/ICA.

Calista is untested, it has never seen an official, production release, and it remains to be seen if it will deliver on its promises. IMHO, ICA/HDX is tops and the only real solution capable of delivering multimedia content....

Park@82

02-07-2009, 09:11 PM

Inserting, would probably mean that thin clients would need better graphics cards and processors to stay in the game.

Conradl

03-07-2009, 07:41 AM

While thin clients will have to become more powerful, the reality is that 15 years or so after the creation of the first dedicated 3D display card; business has still not built a strong business case for 3D applications. There simply is no need for main stream 3D SAP/outlook for example.... So old, dumb, thin clients have their place.

For an interesting look at where the technology is heading, check out http://www.citrix.com/English/ps2/products/feature.asp?contentID=1685500

Park@82

03-07-2009, 08:49 AM

Conradl

03-07-2009, 11:11 AM

Installed it and it is really cool software. The problem is that mine is really SLOW (XP Host), and has several things that prevent me from moving away from Workstation:

1. It appears that there is no way to convert a dynamically sized disk to a fixed size.
2. There is no way to create a clone from a snap? Or to create any clone for that matter.
3. Vmware allows you to create Virtual networks with various line speeds, anybody know of a tool that I can use to do this. Something like Shunra: http://www.shunra.com/ve-unique-features.php?keyword=Shunra%20VE%20Features, but free, and only basic functions.
4. Performance. Without the optimised drivers this system is SLOW, XP install took for EVER! Even with the drivers it is SLOW; not sure if this is an 0.0 problem, but Workstation is way quicker....

Were it not for the speeed, it would probably be the best free host based VM software; better than VMWare server and MS Virtual PC - but still not quite up VM Workstation standards.

BigAl-sa

03-07-2009, 12:29 PM

Ok. Been looking at the DirectX stuff with an ancient game called Kyodai MahJong. My missus loves it, and it's all I need to get working properly under Linux somehow to move her off windows. The older versions don't work with Vbox3's DirectX, but the Kyodai 2006 works really nicely. So now I have to convince her that Kyodai 2006 is better than Kyodai 15.42 :)

Aqua_lung

03-07-2009, 06:46 PM

OK... I gave 3.0 another shot and shared folders works ok now... but copy and paste is broken with XP and I'm not the only one who has this problem...
http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=19350

Edit:
Ok found a temporary workaround, disable the shared clipboard setting, bidirectional needs to be fixed.

Edit2:
Shared folder bug reared it's ugly head again but the older guest additions sorted it out for now.

gdiza

04-07-2009, 10:47 AM

Finally getting around to installing this.
I love how if you move your mouse over the 'options' it tells you what 'this' or 'that' does.
Very nice! :)

Conradl

04-07-2009, 11:01 AM

Everybody elses speed if fine then? Mine is still crap, XP guest in XP host; Workstation works 100%....

gdiza

04-07-2009, 11:12 AM

Dunno hey Conradl, just started playing with VB :)

Aqua_lung

04-07-2009, 12:50 PM

XP guest with linux host runs as good as native for me, if not faster... XP boots in seconds.

BigAl-sa

04-07-2009, 12:59 PM

XP guest with linux host runs as good as native for me, if not faster... XP boots in seconds.Ditto. What I normally do is to save the machine state when I close VBox. That means when I restart it, it starts with all the apps that were running, active again. Makes a huge difference when using an app like DPP which has to rebuild its thumbnails each time it starts.

@lung: does using an older guest additions fix the ctrl-c, ctrl-v issue, or is it a problem with vbox itself?

Aqua_lung

04-07-2009, 01:03 PM

@lung: does using an older guest additions fix the ctrl-c, ctrl-v issue, or is it a problem with vbox itself?

It is VBox3 shared clipboard itself, I posted the solution earlier... change the settings from "host to guest" or "disabled" for the shared clipboard.

Asha'man X

09-07-2009, 08:33 PM

I've just started using Version 3 now after the 2.x branch. So far it seems okayish, but I haven't been able to figure out how to install the guest additions into Mandriva 2009.1, as it seems that system installs the additions that are included in the OS itself when it picks up that it's running in a VM. It's a bit out of date I think though.

Otherwise not bad, looking forward to the point releases that will clean up some bugs.

nic777

10-07-2009, 07:38 AM

Asha'man X

10-07-2009, 12:32 PM

Nice :) I also plan to move over to 3 soon.

Does you existing virtual machines work in 3?

My existing VM's that were set up pre version 3 worked no problem. 3 seems good so far except that it keeps asking for registration when it starts up, which is rather annoying.

AcidRaZor

10-07-2009, 12:40 PM

How can I get my Windows XP machine cloned and into a virtualbox?

dequadin

10-07-2009, 02:21 PM

How can I get my Windows XP machine cloned and into a virtualbox?

Didn't this (http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showpost.php?p=2946963&postcount=2) work?

Aqua_lung

11-07-2009, 10:07 AM

3.0.2 fixes copy paste
http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Changelog

AcidRaZor

11-07-2009, 11:49 AM

Didn't this (http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showpost.php?p=2946963&postcount=2) work?

No cause the VMWare thing wants to clone everything so I need like a 155gb hard drive just for a 40gig clone and I didn't want to sit there for 4694 hours

Aqua_lung

11-07-2009, 12:05 PM

No cause the VMWare thing wants to clone everything so I need like a 155gb hard drive just for a 40gig clone and I didn't want to sit there for 4694 hours

A clean image install is better anyway, less troubleshooting to do.

Conradl

11-07-2009, 12:08 PM

No cause the VMWare thing wants to clone everything so I need like a 155gb hard drive just for a 40gig clone and I didn't want to sit there for 4694 hours

How big is your system partition? You should be able to just clone the partition to a new vdisk and convert it??

BigAl-sa

12-07-2009, 12:10 PM

I'm busy playing around with seamless mode - it's quite fun having the win stuff looking as though they are linux apps rather than win apps running in a Vbox window

BigAl-sa

13-07-2009, 06:46 AM

I'm busy playing around with seamless mode - it's quite fun having the win stuff looking as though they are linux apps rather than win apps running in a Vbox windowJust a note on this: it was quite a pain to get out of seamless mode when I wanted to kill the virtual machine. First it would not accept the switch key sequence, then when I got it back, all the window decorations were gone, so no minimise, maximise and exit buttons...

Also, I got a lot of black window linux apps with the Vbox running in seamless mode. This looks as though it could be fixed in 3.0.2.

gdiza

15-07-2009, 10:06 PM

version 3.0.2 has been released.

It's a 68MB download.

ianmdev

15-07-2009, 11:15 PM

Let's hope Oracle does not squash this great software!