Execute the .exe file for Chrome or Firefox within Bottles (or comparable environment).
Execute the .exe file for Chrome or Firefox within Bottles (or comparable environment).
I set up W11 IOT on an older machine (i5-7500, 4 cores, 8GB RAM). It lacks a dedicated GPU and the integrated graphics can't handle modern codecs like V9/AV1. Everything runs through the CPU, which causes heavy strain—1080p videos can consume up to 60% of the processor. 4K streams often freeze. Paying streaming platforms only offer 1080p, yet they still demand over half the CPU power. This leaves little capacity for running Windows or Linux with decoding software, making it essentially a temporary PC until I need it.
Currently, I rely on the one PC with 95% dedicated to YouTube (Linux) and 5% for streaming. If needed, I can swap it in for streaming purposes. However, this setup will likely become outdated quickly.
I also have another Linux machine—Debian—with a much stronger spec: i7-7700K, 16GB RAM, and no GPU. All decoding would happen in the CPU, which is powerful enough for smooth 1080p streaming and even 4K without lag. Running it in VirtualBox would require careful core allocation.
Would assigning two cores to a VM/Windows environment be sufficient for both OS and decoding? Would it provide a full-screen experience so Windows appears as a regular PC? Is enabling full-screen mode for streaming appealing to others, even if it’s not ideal for me?
I also recall hearing mixed opinions about GPU passthrough with modern CPUs. For streaming, I’d probably prefer lower resolutions unless it’s essential.
If I had a CPU with a built-in GPU and full decoding support, would that work in a VM? I’m curious whether streaming apps could leverage the GPU directly.
I’m also thinking about how YT or similar services would behave—would they work smoothly in a Linux VM?
Only the games with anti-cheat systems function on Linux. One can enjoy playing through the full lifespan of Linux-based Steam versions either directly or using Proton without issues. I understand that being trapped in these isolated "ecosystems" is frustrating and lacks viable solutions, and it’s not always feasible to stay consistent. What remains is finding a way to move forward instead of accepting constant frustration while others continue to criticize us.
Ironically, the streaming platforms in a browser behave differently from traditional walled gardens and can operate across all operating systems. If I need to use Adobe, it makes sense—I know it's challenging to run it on Linux. But since web apps are designed to work without relying on a specific OS, that fits perfectly.
I added "Boxes" and also installed W11 inside the virtual machine. Peacock also functions within the VM and produces sound. The unusual part was that during setup (before W11 installation), only RAM and storage limits were requested, not CPU cores. Once I restarted and reopened the W11 VM, it offered an option to specify cores—though it had already allocated all 8 threads. So far everything seems fine. THE ONLY ISSUE WAS THAT W11 displayed in a very small window. There was no way to adjust its size or resolution. Some research suggested W11 required a specific setup from the site, but I downloaded it directly from the link provided. I attempted that, but no Windows installer appeared. Is this Gnome Boxes intended to appear as a full-screen window by default? I also dislike the default behavior where the mouse cursor stays inside the VM. It indicates a key combination, but it would be better if the window could expand to full screen and then close with ESC, just like a browser. Ideally, the VM should behave like a regular window you can resize and close easily. Since Boxes is Gnome software, does using KDE affect this? I hung the resolution in Windows to 4K, which made the "Windows" area cover at least 75% of the screen. The small full-screen button in the top-left corner didn’t help much. Overall, it seems like this feature should work but is missing the full-screen toggle. I’m not sure if I’m missing something, and yes, the task bar appears as Linux Debian. I tried using VirtualBox, but it failed completely with an error about VMX and KVM issues. I used VM software in Windows before, which was straightforward, so it seems the problem here is more about Linux. Before handing over this PC to my family, I’ll run some terminal commands to ensure everything is set up properly.