VMWare possibilities

I'm considering putting Ubuntu on an old but good (3-4 years) laptop 
that currently has WinXP Pro on it.  I'd love to run WinXP virtualized 
on Ubuntu for those apps that haven't made it over (Quicken, WMDRM-based 
MP3 players, etc)

I *think* I can download VMWare's Converter to turn the physical disk 
into a virtual machine.  Then back everything up twice (heh), then 
install Ubuntu.  Next steps would be to install the Linux VMWare player 
and recover the converted virtual machine, and I should be up and going. 
  I think.  Or do I need VMWare Workstation?

Anyone ever done something similar before?  Or know of any how-to web 
sites that offer tips?

AndrewB wrote:
> I'm considering putting Ubuntu on an old but good (3-4 years) laptop
> that currently has WinXP Pro on it.  I'd love to run WinXP virtualized
> on Ubuntu for those apps that haven't made it over (Quicken,
> WMDRM-based MP3 players, etc)

I'm addressing something different than your qx here.

'old but good' sometimes implies lower on resources than optimal

Virtualizing XP under Ub requires more resources than just running Ub or
just running XP.  (As does virtualizing Ub under XP.)

If resources are tight, they would be better conserved by using WINE
than virtualization.


-- 
Mike Easter
kibitzer, not SC admin

Mike Easter wrote:
> AndrewB wrote:
>> I'm considering putting Ubuntu on an old but good (3-4 years) laptop
>> that currently has WinXP Pro on it.  I'd love to run WinXP virtualized
>> on Ubuntu for those apps that haven't made it over (Quicken,
>> WMDRM-based MP3 players, etc)
> 
> I'm addressing something different than your qx here.
> 
> 'old but good' sometimes implies lower on resources than optimal

The laptop runs XP Pro very well.  And it's stable (can't recall my last 
blue screen o' death).  It's a Pentium M 1.60Mhz with 1gb of RAM.


> Virtualizing XP under Ub requires more resources than just running Ub or
> just running XP.  (As does virtualizing Ub under XP.)

True.  I've had very good experiences running WindowsXP under Parallels 
on a MacBook for work.  I also have Win2000 installed under one of the 
open source virtualization products on 32-bit Ubuntu.  Very nice, but 
some of the settings, such as video, have some issues.  It runs at less 
colors than the display it's being shown on.


> If resources are tight, they would be better conserved by using WINE
> than virtualization.

Yup, probably so.  However, with Quicken's integrated use of IE and a 
http stack, and who knows what iTunes does (ipodservice.exe?  etc), I'm 
not sure WINE is an option for me.

AndrewB wrote:

> I'm considering putting Ubuntu on an old but good (3-4 years) laptop
> that currently has WinXP Pro on it.  I'd love to run WinXP virtualized
> on Ubuntu for those apps that haven't made it over (Quicken, WMDRM-based
> MP3 players, etc)
> 
> I *think* I can download VMWare's Converter to turn the physical disk
> into a virtual machine.  Then back everything up twice (heh), then
> install Ubuntu.  Next steps would be to install the Linux VMWare player
> and recover the converted virtual machine, and I should be up and going.
>   I think.  Or do I need VMWare Workstation?
> 
> Anyone ever done something similar before?  Or know of any how-to web
> sites that offer tips?
> 
> 
> AndrewB
I use Kubuntu here and vmware-server. I run windows vista as a vm, plus
openbsd and several other OS's (all in virtualized mode).

believe me, you will need some horsepower if you expect to run more than
one.
1. ram: need lots of it! (more than 2 GB recommended)
2. cpu capability (single core will work, but for optimum performance, 2 or
more cores is better)
3. fast hard disks <this is a must>.

here is what I have at home:

machine:
single AMD 1.9Ghz dual core (AM2) cpu with hardware virtualization support
8 GB ram
1 TB hard disk storage (comprised of 4 drives)
running kubuntu 7.04 (feisty_fawn)
vmware-server (ver. 1.0.5)

this just covers the basics....

the machine itself (the cpu/motherboard and ram) cost me roughly $600 to
acquire and build). the drives i added later for capability.

so? what have you got?


-- 
I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or
numbered!

Hi guys,

NO intentions to hijack the thread, so if this is inconvenient, just say 
so and I'll start my own thread.  But ... it feels like I have a good 
place to ask a question here that might be simple to answer.

New to Linux other than some past playing with Knoppix a few years back. 
My son however talked me into trying Kubuntu instead (he's lucky he 
lives in another state at the moment!).

Using the Live CD; not installed on hard drive; just bootong with the CD 
right now.  Don't want to mess with dual installs etc. yet.

How in heck, once I get the live CD booted up, do I switch to/examine 
another drive?
I can see everything fine on the CD drive, including sub folders, etc., 
but I simply can not figure out how to see the files on Drive D thru F 
and G, an external drive.  I've shot-gunned a few things but that's not 
the right way to do it, and apparently it's so basic a question that the 
Help isn't much, well, help<g>.

Like I said, no intention to hijack the thread; if it's not a "hey 
stupid, just ... " sort of thing, let it go and I'll get back with a new 
thread.

Regards,

Twayne



> AndrewB wrote:
>
>> I'm considering putting Ubuntu on an old but good (3-4 years) laptop
>> that currently has WinXP Pro on it.  I'd love to run WinXP
>> virtualized on Ubuntu for those apps that haven't made it over
>> (Quicken, WMDRM-based MP3 players, etc)
>>
>> I *think* I can download VMWare's Converter to turn the physical disk
>> into a virtual machine.  Then back everything up twice (heh), then
>> install Ubuntu.  Next steps would be to install the Linux VMWare
>> player and recover the converted virtual machine, and I should be up
>>   and going. I think.  Or do I need VMWare Workstation?
>>
>> Anyone ever done something similar before?  Or know of any how-to web
>> sites that offer tips?
>>
>>
>> AndrewB
> I use Kubuntu here and vmware-server. I run windows vista as a vm,
> plus openbsd and several other OS's (all in virtualized mode).
>
> believe me, you will need some horsepower if you expect to run more
> than one.
> 1. ram: need lots of it! (more than 2 GB recommended)
> 2. cpu capability (single core will work, but for optimum
> performance, 2 or more cores is better)
> 3. fast hard disks <this is a must>.
>
> here is what I have at home:
>
> machine:
> single AMD 1.9Ghz dual core (AM2) cpu with hardware virtualization
> support 8 GB ram
> 1 TB hard disk storage (comprised of 4 drives)
> running kubuntu 7.04 (feisty_fawn)
> vmware-server (ver. 1.0.5)
>
> this just covers the basics....
>
> the machine itself (the cpu/motherboard and ram) cost me roughly $600
> to acquire and build). the drives i added later for capability.
>
> so? what have you got?



-- 
Regards,

---
I'm not old;
just chronilogically challenged