VMware

[Robert]

Does anyone have a good guide for this?

I've installed it, now I just need to install windows.

[Daz]

Don't know of a guide, but it really is a doddle. Create a new VM (New > Virtual Machine), follow the options (all self explanatory), when that's done, pop in your windows CD and start the VM (click the green play button) - setup will start and away you go :)

The menu's and dialogs will vary slightly with different versions/products, but it's all basically the same.

[Burble]

If you've got common sense you don't need a guide, it's an absolute doddle. Basically create a virtual machine follow the prompts and away you go.

Which version of VMWare have you got?

[Robert]

Bloody thing. It wasn't detecting my XP boot disk...no wonder when it had defaulted to my Deamon tools drive haha.

[Burble]

D'oh!

[Chuckles]

Remember to install the VM tools/drivers after you have done your OS install.

[Dr. Z]

Which version of VMWare are you using? If you are using the free one, VirtualBox is almost certainly going to be MASSIVELY faster. If you are using VMWare workstation, the difference wont be that much.

You can now turn on PAE in VirtualBox too, for those of you that would like to "try" Mac OSX ;)

[Burble]

VMWare rocks. I just setup an additional 2K3 VM on my ESX box in a few minutes. Good stuff.

It's just a shame that there's no patch management for ESX 3.0.2 other than very iffy 3rd party programs and scripts.

[Dr. Z]

ESX is great (running 2.5.3 here) but as you go down from there they get slower and slower.

GSX is fast as, Workstation is a tad slower but still OK, Player is AWFUL.

In contrast, VirtualBox on the desktop is as fast as GSX and supports much more useful stuff in a better way. Presenting every VM via RDP? Yes please!

[Burble]

I've never used player but regularly use GSX and Workstation. When speed is important I'll use ESX but if I just want to test an app I'll fire up Workstation and give that a whirl.

I'm yet to try VirtualBox, I shall have to give it a go.

[Mark]

I use Workstation (legit, paid for) at work and Server everywhere else, and that does for me (I've run four simultaneous VMs in Server 1.x - not recommended, but it works). One of the early Server 2.0 Betas was awful and I never went back.

If VirtualBox really is quicker than Server, supports more than one CPU, and will run as a service, then I may well give it a g sometime. Since I run 90% of my VMs locally (the 10% being run on a headless Linux box in London), RDP doesn't interest me (yet).