VirtualBox Safe?

[lynkynpark86]

Is it safe to set up a virtual machine on my computer? Does it actually partition the drive and "separate" the RAM, or does the host computer function completely as normal with the VirtualBox app is closed?
Also, would the answer for this be the same for both mac and windows hosts?
I guess what I'm asking is, would it be safe to use VirtualBox on a shared computer?

 

[Mal]

I'm not 100% what you mean by safe. It's a reputable program, and the virtual machine does not have access to your Mac's drive, except within it's virtual disk. It doesn't partition the drive, although it's possible to set it up that way. Instead, it uses it's own form of a disk image.

In short, it's perfectly safe to use VirtualBox, but it's possible to open yourself up to dangers if you set things up differently than the defaults.

jW

 

[Jimmy B]

Use the default settings and virtual box is totally safe. If you see something and your not sure what it does don't change it.

 

[dmrowley]

It is safe, and depending on what apps you are using, it is fantastic. If you want to run modern games, or high end audio/video apps, you may want to go with Parallels or VMWare, but for everyday Windows apps, it is outstanding. Have been using it for years to run the one Windows app I still like....Windows Live Writer. Dont forget to install normal Windows protection precautions, like anti virus/malware software such as Microsoft Security Essentials.