[OpenFOAM.com] Installation on Virtual Machine

samiam1000 · December 5, 2018, 06:26

Dear All,

I am running Windows 7 and I'd like to install OpenFOAM.

To you, which is the best way to proceed? Could a virtual machine be a good choice?

Any advice?

Thanks a lot,

zordiack · December 5, 2018, 08:18

I would suggest that you create a virtual machine and install Linux and OpenFOAM in there. Almost any modern Linux distribution should work, distribution selection is more of a matter of taste and topic of another discussion

If you are unfamiliar with Linux in general, anything Debian based should have pretty good online support and easy package management.

There is no official native build on Windows, Openfoam.com releases a Bash on Ubuntu in version of OpenFOAM, but it is basically also a virtual machine. My personal preference is to use my own VM so I'm not limited to release versions. There's also a firm called BlueCape, which used to make native builds of OpenFOAM for Windows, but I don't know if they still do.
For testing and learning a VM should be pretty usable, but of course you will lose performance because of virtualization if you start to make more demanding simulations. You will also need to divide your RAM between host and quest, which might be a limiting factor depending on hardware setup.

Anyway, I think a virtual machine is a good way to get used to OpenFOAM if you must have Windows as a operating system.

samiam1000 · December 5, 2018, 08:28

Great analysis: thanks a lot!

malv83 · December 5, 2018, 08:58

The BlueCAPE software (BlueCFD-core) is an excellent option for running OpenFOAM on windows. I have been using the BlueCFD-core 2017-2 for over a year now with no issues on Windows 7. It has full functionalities from OpenFOAM 5.x (at least I have not had any problems with it).

Here is the link: http://bluecfd.github.io/Core/

December 5, 2018, 06:26	[SOLVED] Installation on Virtual Machine	#1
samiam1000 Senior Member Samuele Z Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mozzate - Co - Italy Posts: 520 Rep Power: 18	Dear All, I am running Windows 7 and I'd like to install OpenFOAM. To you, which is the best way to proceed? Could a virtual machine be a good choice? Any advice? Thanks a lot, Last edited by samiam1000; December 5, 2018 at 08:27. Reason: Solved

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December 5, 2018, 08:18		#2
zordiack Member Pekka Pasanen Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Finland Posts: 87 Rep Power: 14	I would suggest that you create a virtual machine and install Linux and OpenFOAM in there. Almost any modern Linux distribution should work, distribution selection is more of a matter of taste and topic of another discussion If you are unfamiliar with Linux in general, anything Debian based should have pretty good online support and easy package management. There is no official native build on Windows, Openfoam.com releases a Bash on Ubuntu in version of OpenFOAM, but it is basically also a virtual machine. My personal preference is to use my own VM so I'm not limited to release versions. There's also a firm called BlueCape, which used to make native builds of OpenFOAM for Windows, but I don't know if they still do. For testing and learning a VM should be pretty usable, but of course you will lose performance because of virtualization if you start to make more demanding simulations. You will also need to divide your RAM between host and quest, which might be a limiting factor depending on hardware setup. Anyway, I think a virtual machine is a good way to get used to OpenFOAM if you must have Windows as a operating system.

December 5, 2018, 08:28		#3
samiam1000 Senior Member Samuele Z Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mozzate - Co - Italy Posts: 520 Rep Power: 18	Great analysis: thanks a lot!

December 5, 2018, 08:58		#4
malv83 Member Alberto Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 37 Rep Power: 12	The BlueCAPE software (BlueCFD-core) is an excellent option for running OpenFOAM on windows. I have been using the BlueCFD-core 2017-2 for over a year now with no issues on Windows 7. It has full functionalities from OpenFOAM 5.x (at least I have not had any problems with it). Here is the link: http://bluecfd.github.io/Core/