Got VMware Workstation for Xmas - How to get started?

My most interesting Christmas gift was a copy of VMware Workstation. I've never used virtualization software before and while I plan to read the user-guide, I would appreciate some helpful tips on getting started...

....like how to install a virtual OS (Vista); and once installed, can Vista, running as a virtual machine, be updated via MS' update site?

Thanks for any help.

 

Get started

Yes, if you enable networking.

 

Thanks Lucas, and especially Peter for those tips. Before installing VMware, I should understand what it actually means 'to allocate resources' (to VMware)?

-How do I determine what will be needed - are there 'rules of thumb' that I can apply?
-When allocating disk space, do I have to first create a dedicated partition?

I'm sure that many other questions will pop-up, so thanks for offering me support.

 

Can I use a hard drive or partition other than C: to allocate disk space to VMware? -- so that other than the VMware program itself, which would reside on C:, my Virtual Machines would exist on somw other hard drive or logical partition?

 

Yes, the VMs are simple files in the host

 

I got it too after reading this thread, but I won't use it during the year 2007, next year perhaps.

 

While that's very good news (as I don't have much room left on my C-partition), it seems strange that I could have another 'active' OS residing on a drive/partition other than C:

 

Good, then maybe I won't be the only one asking VMware 'noobie' questions!

 

Pete, thanks for being there. I've been running WinXP Pro on my PC for the past 5 years and I would like to 'explore' Vista by installing it as a virtual machine. Then I would install some virtual apps onto virtual Vista to see how well they get along with one another... Doable?

If so, and if everything works well (virtually), does it then follow that all should work just as well if actually installed on my C-drive?

 

I've got a quick VM question - Can I take my an image of mu existing machine as it stands now and put it into VMWare? I thought I'd read you could somewhere?

 

quick, possibly dumb question....i have Vista on my machine, do i re-install Vista in the VM with the real Vista recovery CD's or i thought i heard they have some virtual apps that you download from their site? you could run XP in the VM even if you dont have XP??

 

Pete say this can be done with SP.

Mustang helped me do it with Ghost 12. Here are his instructions and I hope they apply to SP...

 

Hey Jo

VmWare workstation is undeniably kewl. What a great gift idea.!
I never even read beyond a couple of "getting started" guides: that's how easy it is.
Google about for "how tos"..... even this little thread has a couple of gems of info (as usual here )

I cant address the Vista q's as I really have no interest as yet, but if you have install discs VMWare has a machine for you.

What i have been doing is ( and I ..may.. have gone a bit overboard : see screeny) is learning Linux and BSD.
And a couple of XP test beds.

I have been able to install multiple Linux Distros and BSD variants without screwing with boot loaders or sharing primary partitions.
All these VMs are on an external HD.
They can take a fair whack of space depending.

Go to vmware appliances: look around all free ..
http://www.vmware.com/appliances/
Experiment to hearts desire
This is another nice little site for 'appliances' : http://bagside.com/#fifth

Your eyes will light up.

MrK has a nice intro to Linux page if you are interested.
http://www.dedoimedo.com/computer_software.html#linux


Imaging apps as noted above Ghost and SP and also Terabyte of course can be used to create new vms but there ..may.. be activation issues.
http://www.bootxp.com/kb/idx.php/0/...-Existing-Image-Under-VMware-Workstation.html

This may help with getting current machine to VM if you want
http://www.petri.co.il/virtual_conv...to_virtual_machines_with_vmware_converter.htm
http://www.vmware.com/products/converter/

Google "physical to virtual"
http://www.google.com/search?&q=physical to virtual

Read the WS6 manual for cloning and how to: full v linked clones when you have your Vm set up.

Each instance of "new" Windoze VM may require activation. but copies of MS vms can be created as "new" vm's without breaching licensing agreements.

VmWare may not be perfect for somethings and can be as complex as you want it to be with large server based set-ups, but , on a desktop you can extend yourself easily and safely.

-Dont forget to have a good base image back-up
-Make snapshots of VMWareVMs as you go if you are testing.
-The VMs themselves .vmx, .vmdk etc are just files in folders, and like any directories they can be copied from disc to disc.

Regards

Ps: and yes I like Xfce ( especially in slackware distros )
For any interested parties Pardus is very very good.

Good New Year to you all.

@Brian and HairyCoo with any luck I'll be out the back at Nth Av this week : deep breath first: big big swell running.

 

Hmm, you guys sure make this stuff sound fantastic. Like Jo Ann, I too would like to play around with Vista - like it or not, that's MS' main OS for the next several years (and I suspect before too long XP will be but a memory for most of us)!

I really don't want to replace XP on my system drive at this time (even though I have confidence in restoring backup images), nor can I set up a dual-boot arrangement, so virtualization sounds like a truly 'magical' solution!

Of the free virtual programs, which (if any) would be best to accomplish this?

Happy New Year to All

 

Give VirtualBox or MS's own Virtual PC a shot.

 

Can those virtualize an OS? - I hear that some only work with apps.

 

Both for OS's. I believe Virtual PC is good for a MS OS such as XP or Vista (not surprisingly I guess!)

 

Both are WMware-like applications. VirtualPC is free, Virtual Box is free and open source. VMware has some liteware (VMware Player and VMware Server) with some features disabled.
Another option (paid) is Parallels.