Shoutbox

Hello.

I want to install a Virtual Machine to my computer.
These are my computer specs:
Intel Pentium III
1066 MHz (1.6 GHz)
Windows XP
248 MB of RAM
175 MB of free harddisk space (I can free about 1 GB if needed)

So anyway I searched google and I found this article: Virtual machine shootout: VMware vs. Virtual PC
It describes about the two most famous virtual machine programs: VMWare and Microsoft Virtual PC.

So I was wondering:
Which Virtual Machine is best for me? Probably Microsoft's one because I dont want to install Linux on it. But there would be a problem using Microsoft's one. My mouse is a USB mouse, but since I will install it on a laptop, there is that pad that you put your finger on and you move your mouse.

How do I install a windows version on a virtual machine? Do I need the CD of the windows version I want to install? Are the windows versions included in the program?

Could my pc be in danger using virtual machines? I mean, formatting HDDs to install a windows version etc...

So what do you think?

Thank you for reading.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mike2
Which Virtual Machine is best for me?

---

That depends a lot in what you want to do with it. I haven't tested the latest versions of VirtualPC, but I think that VMWare offers more features than VPC. IMO, VMWare is better, I like it more. It offers a lot of ways to add networking to the guest OS (the one that runs inside the virtual machine) and it has a lot of interesting things.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mike2
Probably Microsoft's one because I dont want to install Linux on it

---

why? I'm not sure if you can or can't install Linux inside VirtualPC (i don't remember), but the fact that it's from M$ (who bought it, didn't develop) doesn't mean it won't support linux.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mike2
But there would be a problem using Microsoft's one. My mouse is a USB mouse, but since I will install it on a laptop, there is that pad that you put your finger on and you move your mouse.

---

I don't get you. Why would be a problem? What has to do an usb mouse and the pad, working together, with installing a virtual machine?

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mike2
How do I install a windows version on a virtual machine? Do I need the CD of the windows version I want to install? Are the windows versions included in the program?

---

I have more experiance with VMWare so I this goes for VMWare. However, for VirtualPC the things are quite similar. There are several options when installing an OS into a virtual machine. The easier and safer one is this: In VMWare you create a new virtual machine. It has a wizard for that. You have to tell the specifications of what you want VMWare to emulate: amount of RAM, number of CDROMs, etc... and one option is what to use as hard disk for the guest OS. You have to choose you want to create a file that will contain the hard disk of the emulated OS.

VMWare will create that file and will expand it as necesary; up to the size you've specified in the configuration. The programs that run inside the virtual machine will see a hard disk of the maximun size, while the file would be a bit larger than the space filled in the virtual hard disk. Once you have that, you power on the virtual machine. Because the hard disk is empty at the begining, nothing will boot and you'll get an error. You have to boot it putting the Windows installation CD into your drive (that you should have configured in the virtual machine). then when you boot, it'll boot using the CD (if not, enter the bios of the virtual machine and set it as needed) and you'll be able to install windows (or linux or whatever). In short: you'll be doing the same as if you were in front a new PC, but all that inside the virtual machine.

Having 175 MB of free hard disk space is nothing. Yo'll have to free some space, because, as i said, the file that contains the hadr disk for the installation of the virtual OS will grow.

The other way, is telling VMWare you want to use a partition of the hard disk as the disk for the virtual OS. All is the same, except for the fact that you'll be installing the OS in that partition. Use this with care, because with this you can f*** things up (the first times, use the file in your disk, instead of the partition). This has an advantage: if you do things well, you'll be able to boot that just-installed-in-VMWare OS directly from your real BIOS (ie: you can be running windows XP, install linux from inside VMware and that reboot windows and start linux.).

Virtual machine (vmware, virtualpc, etc..) come with no OS. You'll have to install one (and yoou'll need its cds) in order to start working. However, you can download (i think it isn't free) a pre-installed copy of several versions of windows that will run with VMware (more info in its site). I have never tested this, but i think it doesn't worth it. imo it's much better to install you yourself the version of windows/linux/etc... you want with the options you like mire, your own configuration, programs, etc....

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mike2
Could my pc be in danger using virtual machines? I mean, formatting HDDs to install a windows version etc...

---

If you use the file method, don't worry. Nothing strange will happen. If you decide you want to use a partition for the installed OS, just be careful and know what you're doing.

In both cases, never run a virtual machine from inside another This is highly unrecommended.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mike2
1066 MHz (1.6 GHz)

---

1066 MHz = 1.066 GHz
1.6 GHZ = 1600 MHz

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mike2
So what do you think?

---

all that

what OS are you planing to install?
what do you want the virtual machine for?

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mike2
Thank you for reading.

---

I have to use Virtual PC because VMWare BSODs when I install it.

If you can use VMWare, use it. Don't assume Microsoft's is bad though, it still does its job and I'm perfectly happy with it.

One thing I've found is that Microsoft make good apps that they need/want to use themselves (Virtual PC, compilers, etc..).

quote:

---

Originally posted by Choli
why? I'm not sure if you can or can't install Linux inside VirtualPC (i don't remember), but the fact that it's from M$ (who bought it, didn't develop) doesn't mean it won't support linux.

---

Well, on the article I posted above, it says that it Microsoft's virtual machine program doesnt support linux...

quote:

---

Originally posted by Choli
I don't get you. Why would be a problem? What has to do an usb mouse and the pad, working together, with installing a virtual machine?

---

Well on the article I posted above, it says that the Microsoft virtual machine does not support usb devices that your real computer has plugged in. So my mouse would not work I guess...

quote:

---

Originally posted by Choli
I have more experiance with VMWare so I this goes for VMWare. However, for VirtualPC the things are quite similar. There are several options when installing an OS into a virtual machine. The easier and safer one is this: In VMWare you create a new virtual machine. It has a wizard for that. You have to tell the specifications of what you want VMWare to emulate: amount of RAM, number of CDROMs, etc... and one option is what to use as hard disk for the guest OS. You have to choose you want to create a file that will contain the hard disk of the emulated OS.

VMWare will create that file and will expand it as necesary; up to the size you've specified in the configuration. The programs that run inside the virtual machine will see a hard disk of the maximun size, while the file would be a bit larger than the space filled in the virtual hard disk. Once you have that, you power on the virtual machine. Because the hard disk is empty at the begining, nothing will boot and you'll get an error. You have to boot it putting the Windows installation CD into your drive (that you should have configured in the virtual machine). then when you boot, it'll boot using the CD (if not, enter the bios of the virtual machine and set it as needed) and you'll be able to install windows (or linux or whatever). In short: you'll be doing the same as if you were in front a new PC, but all that inside the virtual machine.

---

So if I understood right, VMWare, will create only one file that will ask me where to put it. This file will contain everything the HDD on my virtual machine will have. (OS and software I installed?)

quote:

---

Originally posted by Choli
Having 175 MB of free hard disk space is nothing. Yo'll have to free some space, because, as i said, the file that contains the hadr disk for the installation of the virtual OS will grow.

---

Can I use a folder that I will share in lan?
Our other computer has about 20 GB free but I cant install a virtual machine in it because : Intel Pentium II 233 MHz

quote:

---

Originally posted by Choli
The other way, is telling VMWare you want to use a partition of the hard disk as the disk for the virtual OS. All is the same, except for the fact that you'll be installing the OS in that partition. Use this with care, because with this you can f*** things up (the first times, use the file in your disk, instead of the partition). This has an advantage: if you do things well, you'll be able to boot that just-installed-in-VMWare OS directly from your real BIOS (ie: you can be running windows XP, install linux from inside VMware and that reboot windows and start linux.).

---

So, if I use this method, VMWare will install the OS and other software without using a file?

quote:

---

Originally posted by Choli
If you use the file method, don't worry. Nothing strange will happen. If you decide you want to use a partition for the installed OS, just be careful and know what you're doing.

---

So no worrys if I use the file method on a network HDD eh?

quote:

---

Originally posted by Choli
In both cases, never run a virtual machine from inside another This is highly unrecommended.

---

Sounds fun, should do it!
j/k

quote:

---

Originally posted by Choli
1066 MHz = 1.066 GHz
1.6 GHZ = 1600 MHz

---

It seems that I messed it up!

quote:

---

Originally posted by Choli
what OS are you planing to install?

---

Im thinking about installing windows XP and/or windows 98 if I find the windows 98 disc
Oh and Windows 1.0

quote:

---

Originally posted by Choli
what do you want the virtual machine for?

---

Well, I dont know...
Maybe various programs to check compatibility, actually I havent decided...

quote:

---

Originally posted by Choli

---

Segosa: Is windows installing in Virtual PC like Choli described it?

Thank you all!

"So if I understood right, VMWare, will create only one file that will ask me where to put it. This file will contain everything the HDD on my virtual machine will have. (OS and software I installed?)"


Exactly.

And yes, you install Operating Systems on VMware the same way as on Virtual PC.

If you want, get on IRC and I'll answer any small questions you may still have.

could i run Knoppix through WMware?

Yes.

What version of WMWare would you recommend, for installing Linux, on a Windows XP PC?

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mike2
Well, on the article I posted above, it says that it Microsoft's virtual machine program doesnt support linux...

---

anyway, try it

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mike2
Well on the article I posted above, it says that the Microsoft virtual machine does not support usb devices that your real computer has plugged in. So my mouse would not work I guess...

---

maybe those usb devices are cameras, printers and so, but maybe mice do work. I dunno.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mike2
So if I understood right, VMWare, will create only one file that will ask me where to put it. This file will contain everything the HDD on my virtual machine will have. (OS and software I installed?)

---

in fact, it creates a folder (where you choose) and it puts inside that folder several files, with the configuration of the virtual machine. ONe of those files is the HD.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mike2
Can I use a folder that I will share in lan?
Our other computer has about 20 GB free but I cant install a virtual machine in it because : Intel Pentium II 233 MHz

---

you can, but i won't do it. It'll run quite slower.
I've used VMWare 4 in Windows XP with windows 98 as guest OS in my old Pentium II @ 266, 192 MB RAM (96Mb for the guest OS) and it goes very well. You may want to try it.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mike2
So, if I use this method, VMWare will install the OS and other software without using a file?

---

the same as before (the folder with files) but it won't create the big file containing the HD. Instead it'll use the partition.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mike2
So no worrys if I use the file method on a network HDD eh?

---

slow speed, once more be careful with that. Make tests.

edit :

quote:

---

Originally posted by leito
What version of WMWare would you recommend, for installing Linux, on a Windows XP PC?

---

always the last one. But it works with all.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Choli
always the last one. But it works with all.

---

Well, I was looking to its page, and there are many products:

Products:
*  VMware ESX Server
*  VMware Virtual SMP
*  VMware GSX Server
*  VMware Workstation
*  VMware ACE