VMWare for beginners

nirvanix · 2007-11-18 00:35:55

Hi, I have some basic questions about setting up VMWare on Arch Linux. What I'd like to do is be able to run Windows under Arch using VMWare. I'm not sure which product to use: VMWare Server, workstation, or player? If I use Player, it sounds like it's free but I have to get an image somewhere? Are the other versions on a trial basis with an expiry date?

I didn't see a wiki to set up the workstation product is it pretty straight forward?

Thanks.

FizDev · 2007-11-18 01:55:33

VMware Workstation is in the AUR : http://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?d … s=0&SeB=nd

...and so is VMware player and server

For VMware player you'd have to create your an image. I recommend using this http://www.easyvmx.com/

Last edited by FizDev (2007-11-18 01:58:53)

dschrute · 2007-11-18 01:58:38

What I'd like to do is be able to run Windows under Arch using VMWare. I'm not sure which product to use: VMWare Server, workstation, or player?

All of these will let you run windows under Arch/Linux, or vice versa, as a virtual machine. Server and workstation let you create the virtual machine(s), Player only lets you run VM's that have already been created with one of the other products.
But I think you can only have one product installed on a given machine at one time.

If I use Player, it sounds like it's free but I have to get an image somewhere?

Correct. There are VM's available for download ( not Windows though ), or you can run VM's created by one of the other VMWare products.
You could install server or Workstation + create a Windows VM ( or more than one ), and run those VM's in Player ( or Workstation or Server ).

Are the other versions on a trial basis with an expiry date?

Server and Player are free, Workstation costs $$$, but can be run as a trial for 30 days.

I didn't see a wiki to set up the workstation product is it pretty straight forward?

I haven't run any of the VMWare products on Arch, but it's typically straight forward.

Each version ( Player, Workstation, Server ) has it's advantages + intended role. Which one you use depends on what it is you want to do + how you want to do it.

dante4d · 2007-11-19 01:33:15

I used vmware server. It was little problematic. I had to register to get a key - http://register.vmware.com/content/registration.html. Then I followed the arch wiki - http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Installing_VMware. But after that everything worked fine. Windows XP seem to run quite well on my laptop under vmware.

theringmaster · 2007-11-19 04:00:57

Virtualbox is a nice open-source replacement for vmware (how i describe it anyway). It is in the community repo if you want the open-sourced version or there is a *full* edition in the aur. I use it for trying out various other linux/bsd distros and i find it to suit me very well.

dante4d · 2007-11-20 09:40:49

Mmmm, I looked at the VirtualBox site. I must say it looks cute . I'll give it try. I hope it can boot my vmware windows images...

nirvanix · 2007-11-21 05:34:05

Thanks for all the responses. This good advice is what keeps me using Arch!

theringmaster · 2007-11-21 15:11:17

dante4d wrote:

Mmmm, I looked at the VirtualBox site. I must say it looks cute . I'll give it try. I hope it can boot my vmware windows images...

No I don't think that vmware images are compatible with virtualbox, but setting up a vm in this software is a breeze. I've done it a bagzillion times, hehe

dante4d · 2007-11-25 04:44:08

theringmaster wrote:

No I don't think that vmware images are compatible with virtualbox, but setting up a vm in this software is a breeze. I've done it a bagzillion times, hehe

http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Migrate_Windows

We assume that either a physical Windows installation or a VMware image is the source of migration. It is also assumed that a suitable virtual disk image (either VDI or VMDK for VirtualBox >= 1.4) is already present.

Vmware at least uses same image file suffix. I would try, but my virtualbox doesn't want to run any more .

Arch Linux

#1 2007-11-18 00:35:55

VMWare for beginners

#2 2007-11-18 01:55:33

Re: VMWare for beginners

#3 2007-11-18 01:58:38

Re: VMWare for beginners

#4 2007-11-19 01:33:15

Re: VMWare for beginners

#5 2007-11-19 04:00:57

Re: VMWare for beginners

#6 2007-11-20 09:40:49

Re: VMWare for beginners

#7 2007-11-21 05:34:05

Re: VMWare for beginners

#8 2007-11-21 15:11:17

Re: VMWare for beginners

#9 2007-11-25 04:44:08

Re: VMWare for beginners

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