How Virtualization Cut Down On My Computer Maintenance Time

It has been more than three years since I trashed Microsoft Windows XP from my laptop and installed Ubuntu Linux on it as the only operating system. However, a number of legacy software that I had purchased over the years while I was using Windows XP became defunct. For a while I dabbled into Linux based programs that would run these Windows based programs, but wasn't quite satisfied, till I installed VirtualBox in my Ubuntu Linix setup and then installed Windows XP as a virtual machine.

I did not install the Windows XP virtual disk on my laptop directly. Rather, I installed it in my 1TB external hard disk, and then on it I installed all the other programs that depend on Windows to run.

So here's what I do. I start my laptop with Ubuntu Linux, then start VirtualBox. The 1TB external hard disk containing the virtual disk (a 20GB .vdi file) I connect to my laptop with a firewire cable (a USB cable will also do). Then I simply start the Windows XP virtual machine, and along with it all the legacy programs become available.

Here's how I cut down on maintenance time and money:

• I am not constrained to only my laptop to run my programs. Any machine with Linux, and on it VirtualBox, installed will allow me access to the legacy programs.
• I have made a backup copy of the .vdi file, so if ever the working .vdi file gets screwed up I can simply trash that and use the backup.
• I have found that installation disks and passcodes of purchased programs tend to get lost over time, when it is time to get a new laptop. As a result old programs tend to get "lost". Now with this method you don't need to ever replace your old programs as you upgrade your hardware.
• Microsoft has introduced Vista and Windows 7 more as a means of re-vitalizing their profits. You really don't need to move away from XP. Now, Microsoft has an unholy alliance with all the hardware folks, so if you go to purchase a new laptop it will come with the latest version of Windows pre-installed. Here is the trick - DON'T agree to the End Users License Agreement (EULA) when the system prompts you for installing the Windows operating system (OS) the first time you power on the system. Unless you have agreed otherwise to the retailer, this refusal to agree with the EULA entitles you to get a refund for the Windows OS that was built into the pricing. It may take some persistence from you to get the refund, but that should make you richer by a couple of hundred bucks. Keep the latest version of Linux in a CD or a USB flash drive, tweak your system to boot from it, then off you go with a new hardware.
• Don't worry about the capabilities of Ubuntu Linux, it can do everything, and a lot more, than any Windows system. And on top of that you can have XP running as if it were the main OS if ever you want to run Windows.
• I run XP because I have it. If you have Windows 7, then install and activate it in the virtual machine. And then you salary doesn't have to be tied to the balance sheet ot Microsoft for eternity.

Give me a shout if you found this helpful!

I do not recommend that you make multiple copies of the .vdi file and use on multiple machines, as this would infringe on the intellectual property rights of the copyright holders. Responsible and ethical use of technology is our individual responsibility.