OSBoxes - Virtual Machines for VirtualBox & VMware
Homepage of site that offers virtual machines (VDI & VMDK & VHD) for VirtualBox and VMware. Run VMs inside VirtualBox and VMware on any host.
Categories:
OSBoxes provides free, ready-to-use virtual machine images for VirtualBox and VMware featuring various open-source Linux, Unix, and other OS distributions.
๐ Overview
OSBoxes is a website offering pre-built, ready-to-run virtual machine (VM) images for VirtualBox (VDI format) and VMware (OVA/VMDK format), primarily focusing on Linux and Unix distributions. It eliminates the hassle of downloading ISOs, partitioning, installing, and configuring OSes in virtual environments, allowing users to start using the OS immediately after import.
The project solves the problem of time-consuming VM setups, especially for those testing multiple distros, learning new systems, or lacking powerful hardware for native installs. It is built for beginners exploring Linux, developers and IT professionals needing quick testing environments, students, and users with BIOS-locked machines who want to try Linux without dual-booting.
Created by Umair, a computer science student specializing in networks with a passion for Linux and open-source tech, OSBoxes has been supporting the community since 2011. It's connected to NoobsLab (noobslab.com) and aims to make Unix/Linux accessible to everyone.
โจ Key Features
- Pre-installed VMs for 20+ distributions including Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, CentOS/Rocky Linux, Arch Linux, Alpine, openSUSE, Kali Linux, Linux Mint, Android-x86, FreeBSD, FreeDOS, and more (regularly updated to latest versions).
- Dual support for VirtualBox (attach VDI) and VMware (import OVA/VMDK), with VMware Tools pre-installed and VirtualBox Guest Additions user-installable.
- Standard credentials: username 'osboxes', password 'osboxes.org'; root often same; US Qwerty keyboard.
- Download verification via SHA256 hashes; guide for import, user management, and troubleshooting; screenshots and PDF versions available.
- Optional: Blog with release announcements, tools section.
๐ Tech Stack
- Frontend: HTML, CSS, JavaScript (static site)
- Backend: N/A (file hosting for VM images)
- Database: N/A
- Auth: N/A
- Hosting: Shared web hosting (domain since 2011)
๐ฅ Who Is This For?
This project is useful for:
- Developers who want to quickly spin up different Linux environments for testing
- Students and beginners learning Linux/Unix systems without installation complexity
- IT professionals and teams building lab setups or verifying software compatibility
- Hobbyists trying distros before committing to native installs
๐ธ Screenshots / Demo
- Live demo: https://www.osboxes.org/
- GitHub: N/A
๐ฅ Project Status
- ๐ข Actively building
Last updated: 2026-03-24
โ FAQ
Is this project free?
Yes โ completely free downloads of VM images; supported by optional donations via Ko-fi or PayPal.
Is the source code available?
No โ provides pre-built VM disk images (not editable source); website source not open-sourced.
Can I contribute?
Donate via site buttons, submit feedback or issues through the contact form at https://www.osboxes.org/contact, or suggest new distros.
๐ฌ Contact & Links
- Website: https://www.osboxes.org
- GitHub: N/A
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/Noobslab
- Email: Contact form https://www.osboxes.org/contact
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