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Thread: Looking for a virtual environment

  1. #1
    Agony Aunty-Online Moira's Avatar
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    Lightbulb Looking for a virtual environment

    I would like to try installing Ubuntu in a virtual environment on my PC here - previous attempts to dual boot with it have failed, and I thought this might allow me to use it on a PC that I'm working on all the time, that has a reasonably high spec and will give me a chance to see what I can do with a linux OS without it affecting the rest of my system. While I have it on this old laptop (and everyone is no doubt bored rigid with the networking problems ), tbh I can't really see me using that machine now that I have a newer, much higher spec dual core toshiba laptop.

    I was recommended VM Ware, but it looks so complicated, even deciding what to download! After registering, I received this email:

    Attached to this email are two license files that you will need during the installation of VMware Lab Manager and VMware ESX Server 3.0.1. Please follow the instructions for each product below.

    VMware Lab Manager 2.4 Beta
    ===========================
    Please copy the LabManager.lic file to the server where you will be installing the VMware Lab Manager software. During the installation process, you will be asked to point to the Lab Manager license file.

    VMware ESX Server 3.01
    ======================
    You can skip this step if you already have ESX 3.0.1 servers up and running that you will be using with VMware Lab Manager. You should use this license file only if you need to set up new ESX 3.0.1 servers for the duration of the beta program. The ESX 3.0.l license file included in this email is host-based and should not be used with a license server. After installing ESX 3.0.1, point the Virtual Infrastructure client on each ESX 3.0.1 machine to this license file.
    My head is spinning after all that - does there not exist somewhere, a fairly easy was of setting up a virtual environment to install an OS on like Ubuntu where I can operate within a sandboxed environment? If I download VM Ware, what exactly do I download and install?
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  2. #2
    Jaded Network Admin nebulus200's Avatar
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    You probably want the Workstation...(and get the workstation version for whatever OS you are using)...once you get the software installed you can go about creating a new virtual machine and telling it what OS you are going to install...

    http://www.vmware.com/download/ws/
    There is only one constant, one universal, it is the only real truth: causality. Action. Reaction. Cause and effect...There is no escape from it, we are forever slaves to it. Our only hope, our only peace is to understand it, to understand the 'why'. 'Why' is what separates us from them, you from me. 'Why' is the only real social power, without it you are powerless.

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  3. #3
    AO übergeek phishphreek's Avatar
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    nebulus: I would prefer the workstation, however, only the server and player are free? http://www.vmware.com/products/free_virtualization.html

    I do know that you can use the vmware player and download a virtual appliance. They have ubuntu 6.06 availble in a vmware appliance. They have a whole bunch of different vmware appliances available. Just download and run.

    http://www.vmware.com/searchngl/sear...vmtn_appliance

    http://www.vmware.com/vmtn/appliances/

    If you want to create your own images, you'll need either the server or workstation version. After you install the server, it is pretty straight forward. You setup your virtual hardware profile and install just like you would on any other box. I prefer to use .iso images because it's faster than a cd/dvd. You can mount the .iso as a virtual cd rom when creating your hardware profile.
    Last edited by phishphreek; November 29th, 2006 at 02:56 AM.
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  4. #4
    Just a Virtualized Geek MrLinus's Avatar
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    As someone who works for VMware and uses it daily, I'd humbly suggest the VMware server. This would allow you to play with a variety of virtual machines at the same time. ESX is an enterprise level virtualization OS and runs bare-bones on hardware (it kicks ass to put it mildly). Workstation has long been the defacto standard for developer usage and Player is the newer, single appliance product (can run off a USB key if you want).
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  5. #5
    Jaded Network Admin nebulus200's Avatar
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    Ahh, well you can try them all for free (trial version), which I thought is all Moira was wanting to do, so I didn't concern myself with whether one of the end products was free or not.
    There is only one constant, one universal, it is the only real truth: causality. Action. Reaction. Cause and effect...There is no escape from it, we are forever slaves to it. Our only hope, our only peace is to understand it, to understand the 'why'. 'Why' is what separates us from them, you from me. 'Why' is the only real social power, without it you are powerless.

    (Merovingian - Matrix Reloaded)

  6. #6
    Just a Virtualized Geek MrLinus's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by nebulus200
    Ahh, well you can try them all for free (trial version), which I thought is all Moira was wanting to do, so I didn't concern myself with whether one of the end products was free or not.
    Yes you can but ESX is rather hardware specific and wouldn't be beneficial since you would replace the whole OS with it. Workstation would be fine but there is more power in VMware Server, IMO.
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  7. #7
    Senior Member very_unhappy's Avatar
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    i'm sorry to butt-in but what exactly is the "player"

    what does it do?

    EDIT

    Is it like you somehow have preconfigured virtual machine that you just drop into the "player" and it will run it?

    If that's the case how do I make Windows virtual machine ... what do you actualy run .. is it like *.iso
    Last edited by very_unhappy; November 29th, 2006 at 04:25 PM.
    /dev/humor: not found

  8. #8
    Agony Aunty-Online Moira's Avatar
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    Yeah I wondered that .... anyway, I registered for the Server and I'm downloading it as we speak. I asked for and got 3 keys. I'm now downloading Ubuntu from the link phishphreek80 gave (thank you!) and will give this a go when I get a chance.

    Many thanks.

    EDIT OK, I don't get this. The VMWare installed fine, but did tell me that IIS wasn't enabled (which I don't want). I don't see this being an obstacle though. I downloaded the virtual Ubuntu file and extracted it to the desktop. However creating a new virtual machine and browsing for the files just came up blank - they didn't have an extension VMWare was looking for. I then tried to put a normal Ubuntu disk into my PC and it came up offering to run from the CD.

    The new virtual machine was looking for an OS it wasn't finding, either on one of my many ubuntu images on the PC, the virtual thing I'd downloaded, or the contents of the CD. Where do I go from here?
    Last edited by Moira; November 29th, 2006 at 06:59 PM.
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  9. #9
    Senior Member very_unhappy's Avatar
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    Moira ... It's a good thing you brought this up because I was about do the same thing (to play Starcraft in Ubuntu) and came up w/ the same problem

    ... I guess the question is how the hell you create "virtual machine" I don't see any extensions that vmware would understand either... am i missing front-end of some kind...
    /dev/humor: not found

  10. #10
    Just a Virtualized Geek MrLinus's Avatar
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    Make sure that you create the VM using the Interface. That will be available as an additionally download from the site (the remote console is seperate from server itself). You would log into the server locally, and select Create New Virtual Machine. You can point the virtual CDRom to the physical one you have or an ISO to do the installation. Make sure you have Connect at Power on selected.

    Might want to check out http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/server_pubs.html and look for the following guides:

    - Guest Operating System Installation Guide
    - VMware server Administration Guide

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