[jimmydean]

So Vista was installed on my laptop by default, so the first thing I did was free up some space and installed Ubuntu (currently running 7.10).

Well, Vista would only give up 10GB of my 120GB drive, even though only 20GB or so was actual data. Since I use Vista about once every 2 months or so, it made no sense to leave it occupying 110GB of drive space.

So I was looking at running it in VMWare, but is it better to install it in VM, or reinstall Vista on a 30GB or so partition then access it through VMWare?

I've never used VMWare for Windows installs, but trying to install Vista caused all sorts of slowness. I can set /dev/sda1 to 30GB and install Vista there, then just expand /dev/sda2.

Anyone done this? Any input on the best way to deal with Vista using a Linux host?

 

[H8R]

So Vista was installed on my laptop by default, so the first thing I did was free up some space and installed Ubuntu (currently running 7.10).

Well, Vista would only give up 10GB of my 120GB drive, even though only 20GB or so was actual data. Since I use Vista about once every 2 months or so, it made no sense to leave it occupying 110GB of drive space.

So I was looking at running it in VMWare, but is it better to install it in VM, or reinstall Vista on a 30GB or so partition then access it through VMWare?

I've never used VMWare for Windows installs, but trying to install Vista caused all sorts of slowness. I can set /dev/sda1 to 30GB and install Vista there, then just expand /dev/sda2.

Anyone done this? Any input on the best way to deal with Vista using a Linux host?

Why not do a Fista install on an external drive?

 

[jimmydean]

It's a laptop and I don't want to haul around an external drive.

Since Vista wouldn't give up any more space, I figured the only way around it was to toss it, then reinstall on a limited partition so it had no say in the matter.

I just want to know if it's best to install it, then access, or use VM to guest OS it.

 

[jimmydean]

Also, booting into Vista is painful. It would be nice to just be able to open it and use it.

All I need is IE 7 and Outlook for testing. IES4Linux has some discrepancies between it's version of IE6 and IE6 in Windows, so I need a reliable IE6/IE7 for testing.

 

[binary visions]

You don't have to ask Windows permission for more space. You just need a non-destructive partitioner like Partition Magic. Just, uh, borrow a copy, resize the partition, and trash it.

 

[jimmydean]

You don't have to ask Windows permission for more space. You just need a non-destructive partitioner like Partition Magic. Just, uh, borrow a copy, resize the partition, and trash it.

Too late for that. I got pissed last night and tossed my Vista partition. Seriously though, dual booting is such a suck way to do things. Every time I have booted into Vista, it has taken an average of 15 minutes to run through all the checks, updates, refreshes, and it still doesn't save my dual head setup, so my display is jacked.

If VMWare and Vista don't play nice, I can install XP. I just figured I have the software (legit even) and a valid key for Vista Business, might as well use it.

 

[H8R]

http://lifehacker.com/software/ubuntu/hack-attack-how-to-tripleboot-windows-xp-vista-and-ubuntu-193474.php

Go nuts.

 

[binary visions]

Too late for that. I got pissed last night and tossed my Vista partition. Seriously though, dual booting is such a suck way to do things. Every time I have booted into Vista, it has taken an average of 15 minutes to run through all the checks, updates, refreshes, and it still doesn't save my dual head setup, so my display is jacked.

Um... What?

Turn off automatic updates. If all you're using it for is Outlook or whatever, who cares? And there's no reason it shouldn't be saving your display settings, so troubleshoot that.

It takes me approximately 2 minutes to reboot from one OS into another and both are appropriately customized for my hardware and preferences.

 

[jimmydean]

http://lifehacker.com/software/ubuntu/hack-attack-how-to-tripleboot-windows-xp-vista-and-ubuntu-193474.php

Go nuts.

That's what I had to start with. I hate having to exit Linux just to run a few tests in IE7. I would rather have VM running Vista.

No worries, I will just install XP and leave Vista alone. I have no love for Vista as it runs so painfully slow on my laptop anyway.

<edit for BV> I have had little luck getting much done in Vista as far as configuration. Granted, I've spent all of about 10 hours total in it, but again, it was pre installed with WAY too much crap when I got this machine. I spent some time yesterday trying to clean it up and removing some of the pre-configured crap only to run low on battery power (I was on the bus on the way home). I use a dual head only at work, so every time I booted Vista at work after using it stand alone at home, it switched to using the laptop monitor as the main screen even though I told it to use my 21" wide screen as the main screen while at work.

I know I haven't given it a fair shot, but when I get so much more done otherwise, I feel it's pointless to fight with it.

 

[jimmydean]

Ok, I just spoke to a co-worker and they got XP up and running with IE7 in a few minutes. I am going to give it another shot, then I'll just install XP if Vista wants to be PITA.

 

[binary visions]

I use a dual head only at work, so every time I booted Vista at work after using it stand alone at home, it switched to using the laptop monitor as the main screen even though I told it to use my 21" wide screen as the main screen while at work.

Erm, you told it to use your widescreen as the main monitor, but when you boot it up on the laptop, what do you expect it to do? It has to revert to the laptop screen as the main one. And in an attempt to be consistent, it's going to keep using it as the main screen until you tell it otherwise.

I see why it'd be good to be able to tell it, "every time you see this screen, use it as the main screen" but it seems like a fairly odd reason to dismiss the whole OS. I've never used a system that worked any other way.

 

[jimmydean]

Erm, you told it to use your widescreen as the main monitor, but when you boot it up on the laptop, what do you expect it to do? It has to revert to the laptop screen as the main one. And in an attempt to be consistent, it's going to keep using it as the main screen until you tell it otherwise.

I see why it'd be good to be able to tell it, "every time you see this screen, use it as the main screen" but it seems like a fairly odd reason to dismiss the whole OS. I've never used a system that worked any other way.

It's FAR from the only reason I don't care for Vista. But ubuntu detects the wide screen and I can use it as the main screen, a mirror of the laptop screen, or as an expanded screen. If I don't have the wide screen hooked up, it just displays as normal.

Vista detects the wide screen at boot time, then decided how it wants to display. It's come up as main, as expanded to the right, then expanded to the left. Not by choice, it does it on it's own. If it were consistent, I wouldn't mind.

I ONLY need outlook and IE, so to have ALL of Vista installed on this box seems silly. To have to boot into Vista only for that purpose is also silly.

I just thought I would ask if anyone knew the best VMWare config for Vista, didn't mean for it to turn into a "Why don't you like Vista?" thread.

 

[binary visions]

I'm sorry, were you under the impression that threads don't get derailed on this board?

I posted a suggestion relevant to the original post, wasn't just trying to pick for the sake of picking.

 

[jimmydean]

No worries, BV.

I haven't used Windows as a workstation in a least 5 years now, so the Vista interface didn't come easy to me and I got more frustrated every time I tried to do anything (like trying to uninstall crap last night caused multiple "are you sure?" type security warnings).

My laptop isn't very buff, even though it's new, but it also doesn't need to be to run Gutsy, either. Wine doesn't currently support IE7, so that doesn't help.

XP seems to be straight forward for VM and the Vista I have is "upgrade", so that won't work after all. Thanks for the help and stuff.

 

[jimmydean]

Now that was easy, minus the 3.2 million updates it needs to go through, then I still need to install some software. I gave it 10G to play with, so I hope to have plenty of room (considering that is 3 times what my OS takes up).

 

[Silver]

I've never used a system that worked any other way.

OS X...

 

[H8R]

Now that was easy, minus the 3.2 million updates it needs to go through, then I still need to install some software. I gave it 10G to play with, so I hope to have plenty of room (considering that is 3 times what my OS takes up).

That's rad.

Is it free/opensource or would I have to pay out my urethra for that?

 

[jimmydean]

Ubuntu and VMWare are free for sure, but you would need a copy of XP.

It installs in the virtual machine the same as a stand alone box. I created a VM for it, gave it access to 60% (up to) of memory and 10G. It created a directory and installed.

I am limited to 800x600 resolution (as seen in the pic) and wired network at the moment. I think I can get it to use my wireless with some tweaks, but I'm wired at work anyway.

VMWare was very easy to set up and when you are in the window, it acts just like a stand alone box.

 

[binary visions]

Will VMWare recognize a current install on another partition? I'm just curious if I can "boot" my Windows partition while in Ubuntu or vice versa?

I still want the native installs, but it'd be nice when I just have to do something quick in one OS or the other.

 

[jimmydean]

From what I was reading, it sounds like it, and it's easy. I might create a 30G spot and see about installing Vista native. I installed VMWare server, for native installs you use VMWare Player (also free).

Here is a tutorial on it.

 

[binary visions]

That's pretty cool. Should come in very handy next semester, since I'm enrolled in a Red Hat Academy class for my RHCT. It'll allow me to boot between them without actually having to go through constant reboots. Thanks for the link.

 

[jimmydean]

That's pretty cool. Should come in very handy next semester, since I'm enrolled in a Red Hat Academy class for my RHCT. It'll allow me to boot between them without actually having to go through constant reboots. Thanks for the link.

No prob. That's exactly what I was looking for so I can run tests in all browsers without stopping what I was doing. I was a little disappointed when I found inconsistencies between IES4Linux and actual IE.

 

[jimmydean]

OK, this weekend I am dividing my drive up into 20GB chunks and installing Vista Home, Vista Business, and Vista Ultimate all native and use VMWare Player the access each one through Ubuntu.

I got a frantic email about support issues with legacy apps not being supported after Vista upgrade (shocker, I know).

 

[SkaredShtles]

Hey - which of the VMware apps are free for home use?

 

[jimmydean]

They are now all free from what I heard. You have to register, but I used a crap email address and haven't had issues.

 

[SK6]

Bump...

Updates? Thoughts? I've decided to get VMWare workstation and play around with it. I have Vista 64 bit loaded, so a reformat is a bit more daunting. So I have a "Pristine" XP machine, my "Beater" XP install, and I have loaded Ubuntu since everyone says its the dogs tits...

 

[jimmydean]

My current configuration is this:

partition 1: IT install of Vista
Partition 2: EXT3 Ubuntu install
Partition 3: Linux Swap
Partition 4: Fat32 "shared" (mounted in both Vista and Linux)

In Vista, I had to create a separate hardware profile that used the VMware Virtual SCSI driver. I moved that profile to the top of the list of hardware profiles.

I boot into Linux, then fire off VMware. When GRUB loads, I select Vista, then when Vista loads, I make sure the "vmware" hardware profile is selected.

I run VMware full screen on workstation 2, then do all my other business on 1,3, and 4.

In my virtual machine, I have one processor and 1G of memory allocated for Vista. Vista runs a little slow, but I only use it for Outlook and a few client test scenarios.