We used to use virtual box on windows with an immutable hard disk to boot the environment with storage, for persistence, elsewhere (usb for example) if required. Just used standard ubuntu for the guest distro.
Once you shut down the VM the vhd reverts to as installed. It’s a bit painful distributing the system but can be done.
You can prevent ordinary users messing with the immutable setting as well if that is a concern.
We used to use virtual box on windows with an immutable hard disk to boot the environment with storage, for persistence, elsewhere (usb for example) if required. Just used standard ubuntu for the guest distro.
Once you shut down the VM the vhd reverts to as installed. It’s a bit painful distributing the system but can be done.
You can prevent ordinary users messing with the immutable setting as well if that is a concern.