Dual Operation

[jlittleII]

Looking for advice on this issue.....OK I have the laptop setup to dual boot, and it runs great, but I am sick and tired of my boss climbing my frame when I am working in Linux, but he needs me to do something else in Win XP.

So I know about VMware, but their instructions say that I will have to install it before I install Linux (I have VMWare for Windows).

The system is very happy, stable and doing exactly what I want it to do, so what can I do to get concurrent Linux and XP sessions, without trashing the Linux stuph, and starting pretty much all over again ?



Thanks,

JohnL

_________________________________
If life was so easy, I would have tried it a long time ago !!

[Alex Cavnar, aka alc6379]

You can install VMware in Linux.

There are versions available. I run Windows 2000 Professional inside of my VMware install under FreeBSD almost daily. It comes in handy to have a Windows install you can run without actually booting your Windows install!

If you have the Windows version, you will have to install Windows, then you'll install VMware, and then install Linux inside of a virtual machine. If you had the Linux version, you could install VMware inside of your preexisting Linux install, and then make a new install of WinXP inside of a virtual machine without having to wipe out your current Linux install.

[jlittleII]

I see the arrangement, and since I am not shoehorned, withe way, I will have to either, Load VMWare in the windows environment, and destroy the linux portion and start over, or get the linux version of VMWare, and destroy windows to set it up in the virtual machine.

Ouch......especially when the system is so rock stable.

But I guess anything worth doing, always requires some work !

Since I am not a Linux guru, but more a moderate knowledge user, which way do you think would be the best way to go, given limited Linux knowledge on my part ?

VMWare Windows with Linux inside virtual or VMWare Linux with Windows inside virtual ??

Thanks,

John L

----------------------------------------------------
If I had known life was this easy, I would have started earlier

[mdwatts]

You can run a guest operating system from a real installation (rawdisk access) instead of installing as a virtual.

Check the VMware documentation on 'rawdisk'.

[jlittleII]

I have version 4.3 of VMWare for Windows, and there is no reference for rawdisk ops.

I may to obtain the upgrade, or buy the linux version if this option is on either one.

Would be interested to know if this might be case, then I can make an informed purchasing decision ?

JohnL


_______________________
Maybe I only think life is easy, and I was born 200 years to early ?

[o0zi]

Have you heard of wine (http://www.winehq.org/), or doesn't it suit your needs?

About the VMWare Linux with Windows as virtual or VMWare Windows with Linux as virtual, which OS do you use more? If you use Linux more, make sure it's real and not virtual, and the same for Windows.

[jlittleII]

Actually my bind is that I am just about in the "middle" of the learning curve with Linux, utimately I would like Linux to be my primary OS, and maintain Windows Xp for client work and the like.

The company I am currently engaged with is Die Hard Microsoft Windows, and they are intollerant of my working with Linux, but a person has to ean a paycheck !!

That was the thought of a VMWare type apparatus that would allow me to switch at any moment, then switch back if the Boss shows up over my shoulder.

Mind you I am not cheating the company by this, but when ther is a down moment, I like to continue my advancement in learning Linux.

So to be more direct with the answer, Linux would be the primary and Windows would be the alternate.

This also is part of the reason WINE doesn't quite get me were I want to go.


JohnL

[mdwatts]

Originally posted by jlittleII
I have version 4.3 of VMWare for Windows, and there is no reference for rawdisk ops.


Have a look at

http://www.vmware.com/support/ws4/doc/ws40_disks.html#1046465

[jlittleII]

OK, I see what you were getting at ( I misread it the first time around), but now I am in real trouble because the techniques as described are over my head.

I am going to have to reread that several times, because it contains a number of warning messages, that I do not quite understand the consequences of yet, so I will get these read, and make sure that I fully understand it first, and then I will jump back in, since I am sure that I will have questions about it.


JohnL

__________________________________________________ _
If life was that simple, there would be simple questions with simple answers

[mdwatts]

I used the VMware rawdisk access back in version 3 when I had Linux as the host os and W2K as the guest using rawdisk. Worked fine as far as I can remember.

VMware 4 has likely improved on rawdisk access.

[jlittleII]

Ah yes, but that is why you are the Grand Master, and I am a Junior Grasshopper ........<g>

The Grand Master has already gained wisdom and the ability to not be fearfull when making changes to the way configurations work.......Grasshopper still has yet to achieve such knowledge, but I too shall overcome such obstacles.


JohnL