[lug] Linux | VMware | Xen question..

[Hugh Brown]

On Fri, 2006-03-03 at 16:59 -0700, Ken MacFerrin wrote:
> John Hernandez wrote:
> > Michael Belanger wrote:
> > 
> >>On Friday 03 March 2006 16:26, Ken MacFerrin wrote:
> >>
> >>>John Hernandez wrote:
> >>>
> >>>>It probably won't be practical to use the SAME install of Windows as
> >>>>BOTH a VM (under Linux) and a native OS (via Grub).  You MAY be able to
> >>>>convert your existing XP Pro install into a VM, but going back and forth
> >>>>would likely cause all kinds of driver thrashing due to the differences
> >>>>in hardware representation under VMware.
> >>
> >>Well.. It is possible to use the "Hardware Profiles" in Windows.. Name one 
> >>native and the other Virtual or something.  Choose which when you boot.
> >>
> > 
> > It might be interesting to try this Hardware Profiles approach.  I also
> > wonder if the Windows hardware-tied license would flag you, although
> > that too may be remedied by phoning corporate.  If you attempt it, I'd
> > be interested to know how you fare.
> > 
> 
> Now this sounds just interesting enough to try.  I have a feeling that 
> something in Windows will freak out and make it a PITA but it's worth a 
> shot to only have to maintain one Windows install..
> 
> Thanks,
> Ken


I'm not entirely clear on how you'd do native windows and a vm windows
w/o essentially having two windows installations.  Granted I'm not a
vmware expert, but in my experience thus far, when you create a vm in
vmware it corresponds to a single file on the filesystem.  I really
doubt you could go back and forth.

Is there a reason for wanting to keep the non-vm copy of Windows around?

I'd think you'd just run the windows vm under linux when you needed it
and you wouldn't need to reboot.

Hugh