FocusCanada Forums

A bit of nerd posting here --

got tired of fiddling with windows apache software, and figured there's a simpler way to start working on some much needed PHP work...

But ain't no way I'm going to transform all of my computers into linux boxes...

but there's another way...


now if I can get OSX running on a VM image, I'd be set!

Nice, but why not just dual boot with 10 GB for linux? Then you can sample all the different flavours of linux. I'm on a tri-boot for work ubuntu linux, xp, vista, and a dual for home ubuntu and vista. Now I have to try and load Suse onto the work computer as well. LOL

Just so people don't jump at me for xp and vista I need them both to test software compliance for work.

VMs are the best for development because it's easy to get everything to run seamlessly on it - standardized VM drivers.

Good idea Steveo... I do the same thing at home for my webhoting box (for my currently defunct blog which I should be resurrecting soon). It's either going to be Ubuntu 8.10 or CentOS 5 for the final OS.

Word to the wise tho - don't try installing Linux on MS Virtual Server 2005 R2 :P I've tried it on 32-bit and 64-bit binaries of Virtual Server 2005 R2 (current work dev box is VS 2K5 R2 64-bit)... insta-tank. :(

Blackzx3,Nov 11 2008, 08:13 PM Wrote:Nice, but why not just dual boot with 10 GB for linux?  Then you can sample all the different flavours of linux.  I'm on a tri-boot for work ubuntu linux, xp, vista, and a dual for home ubuntu and vista.  Now I have to try and load Suse onto the work computer as well.  LOL

Just so people don't jump at me for xp and vista I need them both to test software compliance for work.
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As NOS said, I can test out a half dozen servers on a single machine, and switch between OSes at the press of a keystroke. No boot-up time, no shutdown time. VM's are insanely convenient for development environments.

I'm basically setting up this one VM, and then going to clone it across multiple VM's so I can test out some migration strategies for this site as well as do development for other personal websites without the need to pay up front for a hosting environment.

Multiple site development, zero cost.

win-win.

Want OS X? Do a search online for OS X Kalyway

It is a version of OS X that has been hacked to run on any Intel based gear. You should be able to find it with good old Google.

I had it running on VMWare ESX for a short while... Don't remember how though, it seems like a lifetime ago. :)

Wow I so don't understand geek. Can someone transalte to simple terms

Yeah, Steve is definitely going about this the right way.

I have 4 VMs of Windows Server 2003 Enterprise R2 running on one Windows XP SP2 64-bit box at work.

The host has 4GB of RAM (which it gets to use all of thanks to 64-bit addressing) and each "guest" OS gets 512MB of RAM. There are two Windows Domain Controllers, an Exchange 2007 box and a Sharepoint Services 3.0 box. All run nice and quick (especially for VMs) and there's zero maintenance on 4 out of 5 total "machines".

How is Microsoft Virtual PC? I've always used VMware. I like their new version which is web-based. I load it on my server in the basement and I can run all the virtual machines on it via my webbrowser. It uses a firefox plugin and pops them up as a window of it's own. Everything is decently quick, and saves resources on my main box.

The web interface has obvious lag though, but it doesn't really bother me.

I only use it to test things though. I've already got a linux server in the basement for web-hosting.

The virtual PC 2007 isn't too bad. It runs pretty fast, actually has a smaller footprint than VMPlayer, and is free -- no questions asked, and that means you can build and play your VM images with one piece of free software.

The only problem I've started running into is an increase in BSODs when running a Cisco VPN client... but it could be that it backleveled something on my TCPIP stack inadvertently, so I'm going to try fixing that.

Also, the NAT networking isn't as easy to troubleshoot as with VMWare (who supplies their own layer of networking protocols to simplify things).

The final nail in MS's coffin (which doesn't affect me really) is that MS doesn't have mature hypervisor support yet.

So VMWare is really a more mature product, while MS is bludgeoning their way in with a slightly inferior, tho fully functional, offering.

* NOS2Go4Me starts downloading MS Virtual PC 2007.

So you've got Ubuntu 8.04/8.10 running fine on it, Steve?

MS VS 2005 R2 Enterprise SP2 cacks HARD installing any version of Linux...

NOS2Go4Me,Nov 14 2008, 02:50 PM Wrote:/me starts downloading MS Virtual PC 2007.

So you've got Ubuntu 8.04/8.10 running fine on it, Steve?

MS VS 2005 R2 Enterprise SP2 cacks HARD installing any version of Linux...
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yup... 8.10

found I had to add into the boot command line from CD (run ubuntu without changing your computer, then install when ubuntu boots from the CD).

and also had to add that line into the boot params at the kernel command line.

google has all the details...

ubuntu boots in about 10 seconds in the VM.

VMware is free as well. They do however ask questions. Which doesn't bother me.

Aka,Nov 14 2008, 09:35 PM Wrote:VMware is free as well. They do however ask questions. Which doesn't bother me.
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The player is indeed free... but what about creating VMs? Normally you need at least VMWare Workstation to do that and last I checked that licensing cost a decent amount of cash.

VMware Server is free. And it lets you create and use VMs.

http://www.vmware.com/products/server/

Interesting, Aka. I've downloaded the software and created an account.

I'm familiar with VMWare Workstation 3-5 and Virtual Server 2005... so this should be interesting, and so should Virtual PC 2007.

Thanks fellas :)

Steve, how did you get Ubuntu 8.10 working in Virtual PC 2007?

Every time I try to install it or run it live, it gives me a hardcore kernel crash.

From the Ubuntu CD boot screen, hi-lite "Try Ubuntu without making any changes to your computer". press F4, select "safe graphics mode",

If that doesn't work, select Try Ubunto without making changes, then press F6, delete "quiet splash" and add "vga-791 noreplace-paravirt" and then hit enter to boot.

Then you can install from the CD instance that starts up.

Once installed, to boot into Ubuntu, you'll need to do the following when presented with the boot screen..

1. Press ‘Esc’ to enter the menu.
2. “Ubuntu 8.10, kernel 2.6.27-7-generic” should be highlighted. Press ‘e’.
3. Hightlight “kernel /boot/…”, the press ‘e’.
4. Put “vga=791 noreplace-paravirt” between “xforcevesa” and “quiet”.
5.Press ‘Enter’.
6.Press ‘b’ to boot. The Ubuntu logo should come up soon.

once in Ubuntu, you'll need to go into the system startup settings and add that to the boot command line so you don't have to enter it every time you go into Ubuntu.

and that's it.

Aka,Nov 15 2008, 06:51 AM Wrote:VMware Server is free. And it lets you create and use VMs.

http://www.vmware.com/products/server/
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hmm.. I could never find that before... thanks for the pointer.

Cool, thanks man. I'll give that a shot today/tonight.

Also, I installed / used / bitched about / uninstalled VMWare Server 2007. I really wasn't impressed - especially by the fact you need to declare a datastore just to capture an ISO to install from.

I'll be using Virtual PC 2007 for myself and retaining Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1 at work for my dev environment there.

Oh, yeah, VMware Server 2 uses that datastore thing. Previous version did not. I suppose I should upgrade from the beta now, it appears they've released it.

I however just use daemon tools for a virtual drive and mount my ISOs there. Makes it easier when I get cue/bin files, which I'm not sure VMware uses, along with a few other formats.