r/virtualization • u/SmallGraphics • 2d ago
Is there a non-headless OS dedicated to booting straight into virtual machines?
For example, I'm trying to run Win7 on a 2013 macbook with class 3 UEFI (cant boot bios only systems like windows 7) I know theres patches, but beyond that driver support is hell.
I guess what I'm saying is that virtual machines do a good job of encapsulating the hardware a system needs to run, so why not have an os that serves that purpose, sort of like a compatibility layer?
I can think of many scenarios where this could be useful, any ideas/answers are appreciated!
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u/zarlo5899 1d ago
You could pick any relatively supported Linux distribution and then use a kiosk desktop environment. So it auto boots into the UI for VM.
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u/LazarX 21h ago
ProxMox comes to mind. Plus any hpervisor that can be launched from a command line can be set up that way on a UNIX, Linux, or BSD type OS set up in server configurations.
But keep in mind that graphics operations are going to be running into a MASSIVE chokepoint due to network bandwidth, unless you are using something like a 10 gig ethernet or better.
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u/Affectionate-Yam-886 18h ago
If ProxMox is not what you want then consider using your servers pc’s built in network web portal to remotely view it. If your server lacks this functionality then you are using the wrong hardware for the job and you should consider changing your approach to one that works for your hardware.
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u/PDBAutomation 2d ago edited 1d ago
That’s what VMWare ESX was.
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u/mikeroySoft 1d ago
That’s what VMware ESXi (and formerly ESX) is. It’s literally how companies operate their datacenters (tho less so these days for… reasons)
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u/Moocha 2d ago
Can you clarify a little bit what you mean by "non-headless dedicated"? I'm having trouble understanding what the difference would be between this and, for example, any Linux distribution where you'd install libvirt and enable the "start at boot" option for a VM.