NanaBox is a third-party lightweight XAML-based out-of-box-experience oriented Hyper-V virtualization software based on Host Compute System API, Remote Desktop ActiveX control and XAML Islands.
NanaBox is not a Hyper-V client because Host Compute System API is low-level API of Hyper-V WMI Providers which used in Hyper-V Manager, and Host Compute System API is stateless which not available to manage virtual machines listed in Hyper-V Manager.
NanaBox chooses Host Compute System API instead of Hyper-V WMI Providers because the author (Kenji Mouri) wants to have portable virtual machine configurations and feels disgusting for registering virtual machine configurations into system.
NanaBox chooses define own JSON-based virtual machine configurations format because Hyper-V's VMCX is a binary format and no documented format definitions from Microsoft.
All kinds of contributions will be appreciated. All suggestions, pull requests and issues are welcome.
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- Based on Host Compute System API as virtualization backend.
- Support Hyper-V Enhanced Session Mode for Windows Guests.
- Support Hyper-V Nested Virtualization.
- Support Hyper-V GPU paravirtualization solution a.k.a GPU-PV.
- Support expose COM ports and physical drives to the virtual machine.
- Support enables Secure Boot for virtual machine.
- Use JSON based format to support portable virtual machine.
- Packaging with MSIX for modern deployment experience.
- Modernize the UI with XAML Islands with dark and light mode support.
- Full High DPI and partial Accessibility support.
- Support full screen mode.
- Multi-language Support: English and Simplified Chinese.
- Supported OS: Windows 10 Version 2004 (Build 19041) or later
- Supported Platforms: x64 and ARM64
- Due to Host Compute System API and Host Compute Network API limitations,
there are some limitations from them also applied to NanaBox:
- NanaBox only supports create UEFI Class 3 or UEFI without CSM or Hyper-V Gen 2 virtual machines.
- TPM support for virtual machines created by NanaBox is not available.
- NanaBox needs elevated privilege via UAC.
- The automatic switch between Enhanced Session Mode and Basic Session Mode won't be implemented.
- You shouldn't put your virtual machine configuration file at the root of the drive, or you will meet the access denied error.
Reference documents for known issues:
- Future Series (T.B.D.)
- Add friendly virtual machine creation UI and settings UI.
- Provide tool for Hyper-V vmcx migration. (Suggested by Belleve.)
- Add support for setting RDP options with .rdp file. (Suggested by awakecoding.)
- Add support for connecting virtual machine with MsRdpEx from Devolutions. (Suggested by awakecoding.)