Linux – run Windows 7 in a VM on ARM Processor under Ubuntu/Xubuntu/Lubuntu

armlinuxvirtual machinevirtualboxwindows 7

I'm trying to run a Windows 7 virtual machine on this device, and I want to use a host OS that supports VirtualBox. I want to throw on the least resource-intensive (CPU and RAM, HDD space is not a concern) host OS that I can get. I will be dedicating most of the computer's resources to the VM. I want to use the VM, so I can backup snapshots easily. So that if the computer crashed, it would be a simple copy+paste to migrate it to another computer.

My obstacle is, that the device I want to throw it on has a 32-bit ARM processor.

  • Is there an ARM compiled distro of Xubuntuor or Lubuntu?
  • Is there another Linux OS that supports VirtualBox and has an ARM compilation that would be better to throw on other than an Ubuntu-based distro (one that would eat up less resources)
  • From what I understand, Lubuntu and Xubuntu are lightweight/featherweight versions of Ubuntu?
  • Will a Windows 7 VM work operating under an ARM processor?

Best Answer

To answer each question:

  • Is there an ARM compiled distro of Xubuntu or or Lubuntu?

Yes. Ubuntu - and other distros - can run on ARM (though there might or might not be a port available for your device) and (presumably) you could install XFCE/LXDE on it.

  • Is there another Linux OS that supports VirtualBox and has an ARM compilation that would be better to throw on other than an Ubuntu-based distro (one that would eat up less resources)

You can't run VirtualBox on ARM CPUs. The closest possible is QEMU, but performance will be hopelessly slow (and next to useless if you are running a full-fledged Windows VM).

  • From what I understand, Lubuntu and Xubuntu are lightweight/featherweight versions of Ubuntu?

Yes: they run a lighter desktop environment, which can run better when less resources are available.

  • Will a Windows 7 VM work operating under an ARM processor?

No. VirtualBox is x86/x86-64 only.

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