The VM Thread

[[XC]thewildblue]

Here is a quick guide on getting started.

Thewildblues VMware Quickstart Guide


Once you have installed VMware, start up the program and you will be presented with the following screen. From Here select create new Virtual machine.

Now select typical




Now choose you operating system of choice. Lets go with 2000 pro for the moment.


We now choose the name and location for our VMware OS.


You are now presented with your networking choice. For standard use I always use bridged.



You are now asked to specify the size to allocate. I choose 1gb as Im a tight arse. Ive never bothered with allocate now as Im too impatient to wait. It is tight on 1gb though.





Hey presto you nearly ready to go. Now double click memory to specify the amount for your virtual machine. When installing an OS I usually give as much as possible as it takes less time.
Once the machine is all installed you can tune it from there.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...id=37347&stc=1



Its as easy as this to allocate memory, just move the slider or enter the number.

I have found that I can run as low as 32mb for windows 2000.


Next double click CDROM. This is where you can choose you device of choice (if you have more than one drive) or instead choose an ISO image to install from. Once done click ok.



You are now ready to power up your virtual machine. Install your OS as per normal.

Once you click inside your virtual machine you are locked in there. To release the cursor press ctrl and alt together. Once you have installed your OS you can then install VMtools from the VM menu, install VMtools.

VMtools allows you to move around without the need to press ctrl alt to release the cursor.

To enter ctrl alt delete to log in you now use ctrl alt insert to login to a virtual machine.

Once you have created you VM machine go to the folder and copy all the files to a new folder.



Now start up this V machine and you are prompted if you want to create a new ID, select yes and also remember to rename the network name and IP address so it wont conflict with your previous machine. Once this has been done you can power up the original. You can repeat this as much as your machine can handle.

One thing to remember if you have specified a low disk space allocation, remember to adjust the swap file size accordingly as otherwise it will exceed disk space pretty quick due to having a swap file for say 256mb of ram. Also feel free to turn off as many unneccessay services as possible.

I wouldn’t install Dimes until the last moment on each as otherwise you will have say 3 machines with all the same Dimes ID, which I don’t thinks helps the points. Remember each dimes client will consume more bandwidth.



In order to create quick copies of newly installed VMs use the clone command, located here


Select from current state, rather than snapshot.


Now create a linked clone, this requires the original, but that shouldnt be too much of an issue.


Now name, this can be whatever you choose.


It should now appear on your VM list. This can be done numerous times as required.




The thing to do next is disconnect the network card before booting each VM as otherwise you will have IP conflicts on your network and also name problems. This can be done by right clicking in the bottom right of the VM on the NIC and select disconnect. Make your changes reboot and then enable the same way.