14 DAY TRIAL // Oracle has released VirtualBox 4.0.12, a maintenance release of VirtualBox 4 which improves stability and fixes regressions. The new version also fixes some compatibility issues with OS X Lion, the latest version of Apple’s desktop operating system.
Released last week, VirtualBox 4.0.12 for Mac OS X is labeled as a maintenance release which comprises Lion fixes for Mac OS X hosts.
The build has been tested against Mac OS X 10.7 GM, the Golden Master edition of Lion thought to be the final version of the software.
Apple is set to launch the new OS any day now in tandem with upgraded Macintosh hardware.
Oracle is doing its bit in providing the necessary tweaks and fixes for avid users of their open source virtualization software, by ensuring support for the unreleased Mac OS.
Other changes in VirtualBox 4.0.12 that might pique users’ interest include:
VBoxManage: more convenient configuration of storage controller attachments by automatically determining the port or device parameter when a storage controller has only one port or device per port;
Storage: fixed possible data corruption under certain circumstances whith VHD and Parallels images;
Storage: fixed access to CD/DVD images beyond 4GB when using the SATA controller;
Networking: fixed the problem with segmentation offloading when several VMs were transmitting at once;
3D support: fixed GL_VERSION string for different locales;
Sources: fixed USB 2.0 support using extension packs for non-official builds;
This is not the first maintenance release for Mac users with the purpose of ensuring compatibility with Lion.
Such efforts have been ongoing at Oracle for a few months now. VirtualBox 4.0.10, released around the same time last month, was also tasked with fixing some bugs when the software was run on OS X Lion.
VirtualBox requires an Intel-based computer and as much RAM as you can provide to feed its virtual machines.