As we step into 2025, I’m excited to share my journey of restructuring my development setup using virtual machines (VMs) running in VirtualBox. My host OS is Windows 11 Home, installed on an older Dell gaming PC that has served me well over the years.
Choosing the Right Virtual Machines: Not all operating systems run equally well when virtualized. Through experimentation, I’ve found that Ubuntu and Debian offer the best performance. Here’s why:
- Ubuntu: Offers a minimal OS installation option, allowing me to keep only what I need.
- Debian: Allows me to easily remove unnecessary software applications, except for the terminal and browser.
Current Setup: I have two instances each of Ubuntu and Debian:
- Ubuntu VMs:
- Web and Software Development: Perfect for my development work.
- Testing and Experimentation: Ideal for trying out new tools and technologies.
- Debian VMs:
- Web and Software Development: Offers stability with older but reliable packages.
- Testing and Experimentation: Provides a similar setup as Ubuntu but with Debian’s unique advantages.
Advantages of a Virtualized Environment:
- Easy Backup: VMs can be backed up easily, saving time and effort in reconfiguration.
- Snapshots and Cloning: Once a VM is set up to perfection, I take a snapshot or clone the machine for future use.
Future Plans:
- Local Web Server: I plan to set up one of my Debian VMs as a local web server to run about 50 WordPress sites, PHP websites, and a few Django projects.
- Windows Instances: Although I’ve successfully installed and run a Windows 11 VM, I don’t plan to virtualize Windows. With additional Ubuntu and Debian VMs, I can convert one more of my Linux PCs to Windows.
Why I Prefer Windows 11: Linux has come a long way since 1999 when I first started using it. However, when compared to Windows 11, I find Windows more reliable, especially with an NVIDIA graphics card:
- Better NVIDIA Driver Performance: Windows drivers seem to perform better than their Linux counterparts.
- Reliable Wake-Up: My Windows PCs wake up reliably, even after long periods of sleep.
- Bluetooth Keyboard Support: Windows 11 consistently remembers my Bluetooth keyboard, which wasn’t always the case with Linux.
Conclusion: As I continue this journey, I’m excited to see how my development setup evolves. Stay tuned for more updates and insights!