What is VirtualBox?

[donawalt]

I have a folder in /Library/StagedExtensions/Library/Application Support and in /LibraryApplication Support called VirtualBox, it looks to be virtual machine-related. Is this MacOS-owned, or is it part of Parallels 15? I am wondering how it got on my computer. Thanks!

 

[MarkC426]

It is similar to Parallels/Fusion, but owned by Oracle, and is free.
From what I have seen it needs a lot more user setup required than the paid products (which take out the hard work).
p.s. cool avatar

 

[TiggrToo]

I have a folder in /Library/StagedExtensions/Library/Application Support and in /LibraryApplication Support called VirtualBox, it looks to be virtual machine-related. Is this MacOS-owned, or is it part of Parallels 15? I am wondering how it got on my computer. Thanks!

VirtualBox is Oracle's virtualization software. Same concept as Parallels.

I believe it can also be installed when you install Docker.

 

[donawalt]

Thanks @TiggrToo for your reply! Can I delete these folders?

in /Library/StagedExtensions/Library/Application Support: 4 .kext files (kernel extensions?)
/Library/Application Support: 4 .kext files and a LaunchDaemons folder

The .kext files are all 2017, the folders got created last November and June. Kernel extensions won't even work at some point in the future.

 

[TiggrToo]

Thanks @TiggrToo for your reply! Can I delete these folders?

in /Library/StagedExtensions/Library/Application Support: 4 .kext files (kernel extensions?)
/Library/Application Support: 4 .kext files and a LaunchDaemons folder

The .kext files are all 2017, the folders got created last November and June. Kernel extensions won't even work at some point in the future.

If you've not got any sort of virtualization apps installed (e.g. VirtualBox, Docker, Kubernetes etc.) then you may be OK to do that. Don't use Finder though : use the kextunload command in terminal.

Still intrigued as to why they're on there though and personally I'd seek an answer to that before deleting them.

https://www.maketecheasier.com/add-remove-kexts-from-macos/

 

[donawalt]

Thanks @TiggrToo, I removed them. I looked everywhere, I don't have many apps on this laptop. I must have installed something briefly to check it out maybe?