Installing unknown software on the system that is used for work or, in any case, for production purposes is the least advisable that can be done. As a precautionary measure, it is possible to create a system restore point and recover it in case something goes wrong or problems arise.
However, to avoid problems, it would be advisable to opt for a solution that allows the software to be run in an environment that is as “isolated” as possible.
That way, if the program you want to try contains potentially harmful routines, it won’t cause any problems in your system. To test software without installing anything on your PC, you can use one of the many virtualization solutions available on the market. You can focus on Vmware, Parallels or Virtualbox solutions. Thanks to Virtualbox or, in any case, to one of the software of its category, it is possible to create one or more virtual machines on the system in use.
Each virtual machine can be considered a separate computer equipped with a specific hardware configuration. Inside the virtual machine, you can install any operating system supported by the virtualization software. This means that regardless of the operating system installed on the machine used for production purposes (“host”), any version of Windows or any Linux distribution can be loaded into the various virtual machines.
The operating system installed in the virtual machine (“guest”) will recognize it as if it were a “real” machine, equipped with a motherboard, processor, RAM, one or more hard drives, one or more network cards and so on. When you create a new virtual machine, for example, using the Virtualbox interface, you will need to make sure that you allocate a sufficient amount of RAM, checking at the same time that the prerogative of the host machine still has an adequate amount of memory available.
If the host system was equipped with only 4 GB of RAM, during the creation of the virtual machine, with the specific intention of avoiding marked decreases in performance, no more than 2 GB of RAM should be allocated to the guest operating system. As regards the configuration of the network interface, to prevent the virtual machine from being able to access the local network and the resources shared by the other systems connected in the LAN, the default setting ( NAT ) should be accepted.
In NAT mode, an IP address is assigned to the network interface of each Virtualbox virtual machine so that the system is placed on an isolated network independent from the local network. When installing new software, using the virtual machine in NAT mode can protect the user from various types of problems: whatever is running on the virtualized system will not be able to communicate with the other systems connected to the local network.
In the VirtualBox article: sharing files and folders between host systems and virtual machines, we have illustrated the main differences between the various ways in which it is possible to configure and use virtual network cards. As further advice, we suggest not activating the file-sharing features integrated into the virtualization software and avoiding entering login credentials relating to personal user accounts. The virtual machine should be considered a “battlefield” within which it will be necessary to avoid entering personal information and sensitive data.
Download The Operating System To Install In Virtualbox
If you want to try the software without installing anything on your PC, you must create a new virtual machine in Virtualbox by installing a copy of Windows. To do this, you can use your operating system installation DVD or download a Windows media image in ISO format to make the system load even faster.
Windows 10 Preview Version
As a test platform for the software you want to try, you can download and install the preview version of Windows 10 on the Virtualbox virtual machine. The steps are illustrated in the article Download Windows 10 and install it on VirtualBox.
Windows 8.1 Final Version
Alternatively, you can download the Windows 8.1 ISO file for free using the convenient utility recently released by Microsoft ( WindowsSetupBox ). To find out how to proceed, we suggest consulting the article Download Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 from Microsoft servers, in the paragraph Download Windows 8.1 in ISO format.
The version of Windows 8.1 that will be downloaded from Microsoft servers is not a test release and only accepts the product keys associated with versions of the operating system owned by the user. The good news, however, is that the Windows 8.1 ISO that can be generated with the WindowsSetupBox utility also accepts OEM product keys.
Windows 8.1 Enterprise Trial
Another alternative, if you need a valid product key, is downloading the Enterprise Trial version of Windows 8.1. The instructions for proceeding are given in the article Download Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 from Microsoft servers, in ISO format in the paragraph Download Windows 8.1 in the trial version.
Windows 7
Also, in the article Download Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 from Microsoft servers, the information for downloading the ISO images of Windows 7 is published in ISO format. Also, in this case, the operating system can be safely installed in the Virtualbox virtual machine and used freely within the terms of the trial period and the license agreement. At the end of the trial period, installing Windows 7, without entering any product key, will display the message ” This copy is not authentic ” (for more information, we suggest reading the article This copy of Windows is not authentic: what happens? ).
Use Snapshots
All significant virtualization programming coordinates an extraordinary element that permits you to make a preview of the virtual machine’s substance and setup. Previews permit you to store the condition of a virtual machine so that it may be re-established quickly should the need emerge. On account of Virtualbox, to make a depiction of the virtual machine, click on the Previews button at the upper right, then click on the Make Depiction button.
The depiction can be made whenever on the off chance that the virtual machine isn’t running.
With the virtual machine off, the reestablishment should be possible similarly by tapping on the depiction’s name and deciding to Reestablish the preview. During the reestablish stage, Virtualbox inquires as to whether the ongoing setup of the virtual machine ought to be for all time erased or, on the other hand, to continue making another preview.
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