[XCSSA] vmware, and that "other" OS
xcssa@xcssa.org
xcssa@xcssa.org
Thu, 3 Aug 2006 09:34:11 -0500
------=_Part_115494_24788171.1154615651832
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Disposition: inline
On 8/3/06, xcssa-admin@xcssa.org <xcssa-admin@xcssa.org> wrote:
> 2) If it involves VMWare on a sturdier base (Linux), what distros does
> VMWare work with (in practice, I think the only officially supported
> distro is RHEL)?
I've run VMWare on RH, FC, Debian, Ubuntu, and Gentoo. In all but some rare
cases you'll need gcc and the linux headers to compile the vmware module for
your kernel. vmware-config.pl takes care of all the dirty work and warns
you appropriately if you are missing something.
3) If it involves VMWare, can guests access hardware that the host
> doesn't have drivers for?
VMWare can make USB devices available to the guest. PCI devices can't be
seen by windows unless they added that feature recently. I've used a USB
scanner in a windows VM that was not supported in Linux.
4) How good is stuff like game support (DirectX) under VMWare?
Last I tried DirectX support was not usable. I think some support is there
now but it can't take advantage of hardware acceleration. Some older slow
games might play ok but don't plan to play any new games.
It appears that VMWare is moving away from the simple virtual machine toward
virtual servers and virtual desktops in a large managed environment. This
focus on business needs will most likely limit their work on Direct X and
other game friendly support.
On the plus side, you can use the free VMWare Player as if it were the real
deal. You just have to hand edit the config files (there are web tools to
make configs out there) and create or download a disk image.
To solve the whole re-install problem, VMWare has a persistent flag that you
can set that will return the system to it's original state when it's powered
off. It's also very easy to backup the virtual disk file to CD or another
disk. You can also expect VMWare to remain constant so even if you swap out
video cards or buy a complete new computer, your vmware will still look the
same to windows and it won't complain a bit.
I should probably disclaim this by stating that I haven't used Windows in a
VMWare in about a year now and even then it was just to run iTunes to burn
up a couple gift cards I got. Thankfully jHymn was able to rip the DRM and
I haven't needed to boot it back up again.
--Anton
------=_Part_115494_24788171.1154615651832
Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Disposition: inline
On 8/3/06, <b class="gmail_sendername"><a href="mailto:xcssa-admin@xcssa.org">xcssa-admin@xcssa.org</a></b> <<a href="mailto:xcssa-admin@xcssa.org">xcssa-admin@xcssa.org</a>> wrote:<div><span class="gmail_quote"></span>
<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">2) If it involves VMWare on a sturdier base (Linux), what distros does<br>VMWare work with (in practice, I think the only officially supported
<br>distro is RHEL)?</blockquote><div><br>I've run VMWare on RH, FC, Debian, Ubuntu, and Gentoo. In all but some rare cases you'll need gcc and the linux headers to compile the vmware module for your kernel. vmware-config.pl
takes care of all the dirty work and warns you appropriately if you are missing something.<br></div><br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
3) If it involves VMWare, can guests access hardware that the host<br>doesn't have drivers for?</blockquote><div><br>VMWare can make USB devices available to the guest. PCI devices can't be seen by windows unless they added that feature recently. I've used a USB scanner in a windows VM that was not supported in Linux.
<br></div><br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">4) How good is stuff like game support (DirectX) under VMWare?</blockquote><div>
<br>Last I tried DirectX support was not usable. I think some support is there now but it can't take advantage of hardware acceleration. Some older slow games might play ok but don't plan to play any new games.<br><br>It appears that VMWare is moving away from the simple virtual machine toward virtual servers and virtual desktops in a large managed environment. This focus on business needs will most likely limit their work on Direct X and other game friendly support.
<br><br>On the plus side, you can use the free VMWare Player as if it were the real deal. You just have to hand edit the config files (there are web tools to make configs out there) and create or download a disk image.<br>
<br>To solve the whole re-install problem, VMWare has a persistent flag that you can set that will return the system to it's original state when it's powered off. It's also very easy to backup the virtual disk file to CD or another disk. You can also expect VMWare to remain constant so even if you swap out video cards or buy a complete new computer, your vmware will still look the same to windows and it won't complain a bit.
<br><br>I should probably disclaim this by stating that I haven't used Windows in a VMWare in about a year now and even then it was just to run iTunes to burn up a couple gift cards I got. Thankfully jHymn was able to rip the DRM and I haven't needed to boot it back up again.
<br></div><br>--Anton<br><br></div>
------=_Part_115494_24788171.1154615651832--