VirtualBox vs. Sandboxie - Multiple Instance of Application

Question

I am trying to run the same application multiple instances on one machine. Some applications does not allow multiple instance, so I figure I will use a virtual machine or something along that line to achieve my goal. (To be specific, the application I want to run is a IM application and does not allow more than one instance, and if possible, I also would like to run a second instance of a game)

After doing some research, I found 2 possible ways. (I know there might be more, but the 2 are the ones I look into more)

1. By using VirtualBox (https://www.virtualbox.org/), I can create another Desktop (or OS) and run a second instance of the application on it.

2. Run a second instance of the application using Sandboxie (http://www.sandboxie.com/)

My question is: Is there a significant advantage of using one over another? Or is there a even better solution to achieve my goal?

Answer 1

Running virtualbox or any virtual machine will use more memory than something like sandboxes. However I believe that you are required to have the paid version of sandboxie to run multiple instances.

Answer 2

How many user accounts do you have, and have many do you need?

I'm wondering if the tidiest/easiest method by be employing the run as command, passing user credentials.

This way, each user's application data should be correctly managed in their (correlating) userdata/appdata/programdata folders... depends on THE APP, of course :)

IF the program is depending on a system services, I don't think Sandboxie will be of assistance (I opted for Office 2010 over Office'13, sandboxed, for this very reason)...

Chrome is the exceptional exception to the rule... looking at running --incognito (just to drop extensions - I'm an app monster - and allow for a QUICKLAUNCH, until my (multiple) chrome user profiles are correctly configured...)

back to the "system service"dependent apps... Have you tried running multiple instances of vbox? This SHOULD work...