Abstract: Mechanisms are disclosed for updating a virtual machine monitor (“VMM”). Facilities of a guest operating system running in a guest virtual machine managed by the VMM are leveraged to facilitate receiving an update package. The update package may contain updates for guest operating systems extensions in addition to a VMM update. An updater process, running in a guest operating system, extracts the VMM update and transfers it down to the VMM. Upon successful transfer, the updater process applies any necessary updates to guest operating systems extensions and then signals the VMM to commit the transferred VMM update.

Abstract: Mechanisms are disclosed for updating a virtual machine monitor (“VMM”). Facilities of a guest operating system running in a guest virtual machine managed by the VMM are leveraged to facilitate receiving an update package. The update package may contain updates for guest operating systems extensions in addition to a VMM update. An updater process, running in a guest operating system, extracts the VMM update and transfers it down to the VMM. Upon successful transfer, the updater process applies any necessary updates to guest operating systems extensions and then signals the VMM to commit the transferred VMM update.

Abstract: A virtualization solution provides a streamlined end-to-end user experience through the integration of the host user interface and the guest user interface, hiding the complexities and incongruities of the underlying virtualization engine. The guest environment is controlled by a graphical user interface of the host system via an initialization menu, which is renderable via the graphical user interface of the host system. Applications of the guest environment can be launched via the initialization menu. Various embodiments are disclosed. For example, pushing a power button on the host system initiates a graceful power shutdown of the guest environment; when a disc is inserted into the host system, options are provided via the guest environment, for operating on the disc; the real-time clock of the host system is controlled by the guest environment; the host system is queried for display settings, and the guest environment uses the display setting if compatible.