Hi,
I want to be able to install VMWare onto my Wintel PC and from there;
Create VMs with various Windows OS
Boot into them
Test apps and mess around
Clone them
Ship them to another VMWare user.
Question:
Is there a 100% FREE VMWare client to do this? I have been told that only players are FREE (i.e. someone else will need to create the VM for me)
(Any links will be appreciated)
TIA
Donk.
It's a fine line between Networking and Notworking..."If you can make a girl smile you can make her do anything" - Marilyn Monroe.
VMware Workstation is not free, in fact it's rather expensive ($200). That's the best one to get from Vmware.
VMware Server is free, but it's not got the features that workstation has. Yes, the player is also free, but it takes some screwing around to be able to install OSes, rather than "play" precreated virtual machines.
If I were you, I'd look into VirtualBox. It's completely free, and it's getting fairly featureful. It's what I use now because Vmware pissed me off. I run on Linux, but VirtualBox is for Windows too.
P.S. Oops, sorry, I see the requirement is to ship virtual machines to another Vmware user. Unless you can convince them to be a VirtualBox user, that won't really be viable.
Here's a link to Vmware Server.
http://www.vmware.com/products/server/
Note that I'm not sure what features it has, because I've only used Workstation. I don't know if you can clone, or if Vmware Workstation can open these virtual machines (I think so, I'm just not 100% certain)
Hi Grogan, hope you're well.
Thanks for the reply. The "oops" bit is the kick in the teeth becos *THEY* won't use ANYTHING else.
I have (and I am sure from your recommendation at some point) been using VirtualBox and MS offering "MS Virtual PC" and tried to persuade them to do same but they won't budge.
I guess its time to spend some £££...
Thanks anyway.
See my edit with the link to Vmware Server. Try it and see what it does (It's free)
You definitely have an interface to create virtual machines and can install OSes.
Originally Posted by Grogan
And I think thats really ALL I need.
I'll report back, see you on the dark side...
Enjoy, and I'm always on the Dark Side, so I'll be there waiting
Yes, come to the Dark Side (tm), we have cookies!
Power is something that should be given to those who need it to serve and withheld from those who seek it to rule.
VMWare Server V2.x
So, I registered and downloaded the 580MB installer and went through the pain of installing it. Took around 15 minutes with the various reboots etc.
Summary....
What a bloated pile of dung! Its now a WebApp and has become too cumbersome to be of any use. In addition, once I'd built a VM it became corrupt and refused to start up.
I managed to find a copy of 1.0.6.x VMware server complete with official keys and its working just fine. Plus its just 150MB
Last edited by DonkeyOaty; 02-24-2009 at 07:06 AM.
That's "progress" for us.
I should add, I'm not knocking VMWare as a whole nor what the product does. We use ESX in two (soon to be three) offices and it is brilliant!
Just don't like V2.x server....
Virtual PC 2007 is free, does what I need it to do and small install too.
Yeah, but it doesn't do what we need. It's rather useless to me because they go out of their way to "not support Linux". That means you get shitty display, audio that works poorly or not at all and a big "we told you so" if you complain.
That is the shittiest virtualization product I have ever seen.
A plus point is that ANYONE can set it up and use it. And for basic testing Windows on WinTel its pretty good.
However, I need a VM system that allows me to create true virtual machines onto which I should be able to load any OS...
Mainframes do support Linux on IFL engines
And we have a virtualization engine (Called z/VM) that has been around 40 years... Yes, 40 years...
VMWare is fine for Wintel and they use it here for Nix too... Must have to buy a corporate copy..
... anyone can set up and use any of those products. Vmware Workstation, VirtualBox, they all have GUI's. You don't have to get in to advanced configuration if you don't want to. A dummox could just follow the wizards. Microsoft doesn't have the monopoly on GUIs... in fact they stole the idea in the first place back in the late 80's.
I tried MS Virtual PC just for a laugh (and it was indeed a joke). Dumbed down rubbish.
There isn't even any great need for it. Virtualizing Windows on Windows... the product doesn't even support Win9x anymore.
I beg to differ... I know a few people that could set up MS VM and not the others
As for the need. It is useful for testing purposes and running stuff standalone.
Did the MS VM dog take a dump on your front lawn?
Actually my neighbour's dog did the other day....
I sent it back the same night, its now on their conservatory roof, festering nicely...
See, I don't equate "lack of choice" with "easy". If someone can't think their way through the VMware workstation or VirtualBox wizards to install Windows (gee, do I choose Linux for this? or Windows 2000, or Windows XP?) then they have no business doing it. If they are that limited in skills, how could they work their way through Windows setup?
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