Calling VMWare Users

Hi, testing this thing out. So far, love it!

1. I need to be able to share a driver file between host and guest OS so I can install the driver on the guest. How do I do that?
2. I would like to use VMConverter to convert and use my system AT AN EARLIER TIME. So, if I restore the image to that earlier time and convert it there, then bring that VM back to the current OS, would it work? to be specific:
on feb9, my os was imaged @5gb, today, it is 28gb (games) to convert today's would take too much disk space, I just need the basic os to test software. I want to restore to feb9, convert that to a VM, store it some where, then jump back to current and run that stored VM.
3. Internet connection should work in the virtual environment, but only if the VM is installed with network capability?
4. Infections from virtual environment can not spread to local disks?

Thanks a lot.

 

Hi,

Here are the answers:

1. Share a driver? If you need a driver in the guest, simply install it. But first, tell me what driver is this?

2. Yes, it would work. But remember - it's different hardware. You might have to reinstall certain drivers - or revert to VMware drivers once you place the converted image into the virtual machine.

3. Internet connection will work if you allow the guest OS to have Internet connection.

4. Theoretically yes. Practically no chance.

Mrk

 

Thanks Mrk,


It's a sound card driver. The VM has not been able to output sound after driver installs. I've figured out the way to allow the VM access to files from the host.
I know from vmware threads that you're an avid user of the software and I'm beginning to see why. A few more follow up questions if you will sir:

1. I would like to be able to use my usb stick in the environment. I see the controller in the device manager, but with 1 usb drive plugged in, I do not see the device. How can this be remedied?

2. It looks like I underestimated the size of the VM, I chose 15GB at set up but will need more space. Given that it is already preallocated and the option to allow the VM to grow is not available, what are my solutions to add more space? Am I able to clone it to another partition with different size settings?

3. Are snapshots of these VMs just like images of Ghost or TrueImage and if so, when I make a snapshot, does the snapshot double the disk space necessary for the VM?


4. Would deep-freezing the partition that the VM's are installed on cause any problem with the operation of those VMs? (i.e.after installing vmware and when installing deepfreeze, I freeze my normal C:\ and the partition X:\ where the VM's files are stored. ) This should prevent problems for those VMs, should it not?

Thanks for the help. I appreciate it.

 

Hello,

Sound - why don't you use the generic sound driver?

# Sound settings
sound.present = "TRUE"
sound.virtualdev = "es1371"

1. I don't really understand what you're trying to do. Please explain again.

2. Pete said it already.

3. You can make your own snapshot with VM - plus the virtual machine is a file. You can simply copy it to make a backup or delete it if you don't like something.

4. Do you mean to run DeepFreeze inside VM guest? It's doable, but I don't see a reason why.

Mrk

P.S. I don't see why you need such huge space... I think it's much more efficient to make several smaller machines - and test different setups in each one.

 

Hi,
1. I'm testing dx10 and sound enhancements on vista. The OS is notoriously problematic with sound card driver, particularly the Xfi extreme gamer line. I downloaded the appropriate driver from the manufacturer's site and installed it 1x without success and am now on the 2nd round of installing sound driver. Once I reboot, we'll know if it is still whining or not.

3. I will take snapshots and back it up elsewhere.
4. With 15gb allocated, the installation of vista eats up 8gb, after downloading and installing updates, the disk has 4 gb left. Merely enough to install and test a few programs, not enough for games.
thanks for your replies and patience.

 

Thanks Pete,
on 3,where are the snapshot files stored? Can you point snapshots to an external drive?

The virtual machine?
4. I will not use DFz if snapshots are a viable solution.

 

Hi, excuse me if you have already stated this but what product and host is this and is VMware tools installed?

Also don't forget to search VMTN discussion forums.

edit: what happend after with sound driver?

 

Sound driver worked after rebooting. I'm currently testing Vista and XPPro. The host is XPP and its specs are in my sig.

 

Hi,
Yeah Snapshots are pretty cool. I tried restoring a snapshot without much space left on the VM's disk and it just couldnt do it. So with plenty of space left on the disk, snapshots rule. Additionally, the ability to clone an OS, wow!