PC Advice (virtualizing existing windows install)

Sushi K · Joined: 08 Dec 2007

So my Windows Box shit the bed last night (probably MoBo or Power supply) and instead of reinstalling I want to get a new box install Ubuntu and VMware server. Then virtualize the old windows install from the actual harddrive. Anyone done this before or have advice? Is virtual box or W4L better?

Also general virtual machine thread.
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pofcorn · Joined: 24 Oct 2007

A quick google search came up with this

I haven't done this myself, but there's a good chance it will work. Just be prepared for lots of conflicts with existing drivers (video card and whatnot.)

VMware Server is very good, but Workstation is better (also not free.) Version 6.5 is pretty epic with Unity (Windows Start menu on your Linux desktop and vice-versa.)

Broco · Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Location: Headquarters

I suspect your pain level will be lower if you just reinstall Windows from scratch. This is one of those things that you think will save time but actually backfires.

Sushi K · Joined: 08 Dec 2007

falsedan · Joined: 13 Dec 2006 Location: San Francisco

Windows doesn't take kindly to its hardware changing unexpectedly underneath it. Virtual machines present certain standard hardware to the virtualised OS, so you may need to install new drivers, reactivate Windows, or (horrors) install a different version of HAL_*.dll. Best bet is to have set up a second hardware profile before booting it as a VM.

Getting VMWare to use an existing physical partition is no biggie, VirtualBox is harder (have to use the closed-source version). Xen is a bastard (in general).

Why bother booting the old install? Create a fresh install of Windows on a new logical volume, attach the old install as a second drive, run your recovery programs in the fresh install.
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Sushi K · Joined: 08 Dec 2007

falsedan: the PC i got from work sucks so I'll probably just do that, again.

If it weren't for catastrophic PC failures I'd never upgrade.
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Gironika · Joined: 05 Dec 2006 Location: Dragon Range

VMWare works quite well for a "free" aka 0,-$-version. If you care about USB-support take the non-free-version from sun rather than the OS-version ubuntu offers in its repositories.

And make a iso for whatever system you're installing, saves time you can spend on making a clean sweep windows-install (especially since hardware will change big-time, I suppose?)
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