Hi,
I would like to set up a Home Office environment and need some advice please:
H/W:[/b] Intel Core 2 Duo on Intel mobo with 1 TB disks in RAID 5
I would like to use a Windows based host OS as I my understanding of Linux admin is nil. I like XP Pro best, and plan to buy VMW Workstation 6 when it comes out.
Q1:[/b] What are the RAM limitations if using 32 bit XP as host? Can it use >4GB? Up to 4GB? What is best?
Q2:[/b] Is it better to use VMW Server for now and then move to Workstation 6, or should I buy Workstation 5.5 now and move. (I know that cost wise it's the same as 5.5 to 6 upgrade is free from now on).
Q3:[/b] With the Core 2 Duo, is it better for me to use 64 bit XP Pro rather than 32 bit? (I have both licenses)? - Reliability, power. flexibility, compatibility are questions for VMW Workstation 6 (when available).
Q4:[/b] Presumably XP64 will allow me to install and utalize much more ram? Is this true?
Q5:[/b] Does the same VMW Workstation for Windows license work on both XP 32 and 64 bit platform? Thus moving up to 64 bit can I use the same license?
I am new to virtualization but it is really exciting as potentially I can now have all my test machines on one physical box. Including a Linux learning virtual PC. Hurrah.
Paul
Hi Paul,
Hi,
I would like to set up a Home Office environment and
need some advice please:
H/W:[/b] Intel Core 2 Duo on Intel mobo with 1 TB
disks in RAID 5
I would like to use a Windows based host OS as I my
understanding of Linux admin is nil. I like XP Pro
best, and plan to buy VMW Workstation 6 when it comes
out.
Q1:[/b] What are the RAM limitations if using 32
bit XP as host? Can it use >4GB? Up to 4GB? What is
best?
Need to use Windows XP 64 bit or Windows Enterprise Edition for > 4GB support
Q2:[/b] Is it better to use VMW Server for now and
then move to Workstation 6, or should I buy
Workstation 5.5 now and move. (I know that cost wise
it's the same as 5.5 to 6 upgrade is free from now
on).
Buy WS 5.5 now so you get a free upgrade to WS 6
Please be sure to read details fof the offer here
http://www.vmware.com/products/ws/tgp.html
Q3:[/b] With the Core 2 Duo, is it better for me
to use 64 bit XP Pro rather than 32 bit? (I have both
licenses)? - Reliability, power. flexibility,
compatibility are questions for VMW Workstation 6
(when available).
See Q1
Q4:[/b] Presumably XP64 will allow me to install
and utalize much more ram? Is this true?
See Q1
Q5:[/b] Does the same VMW Workstation for Windows
license work on both XP 32 and 64 bit platform? Thus
moving up to 64 bit can I use the same license?
Yes
I am new to virtualization but it is really exciting
as potentially I can now have all my test machines on
one physical box. Including a Linux learning virtual
PC. Hurrah.
Paul
Thanks for quick reply.
If I have 4 GB ram installed, is there an advantage to XP64 over XP32?
Currently I have XP32 on the machine, so it would be a chore to go to 64 bit, but if the advantage is worth it, I would do it. I have a spare 64 bit license.
Would VMW Workstation run any faster on 64 bit XP compared to 32 bit?
Thanks.
-paul
Should I use 64 bit XP if I am running with only 4GB ram?
You can run Windows XP 32 bit with 4GB of RAM
Sorry if I wasn't clear enough. I know I can run 32 bit XP with 4GB. My question was "are there any advantages to running 64 bit XP instead of 32 bit if I have only 4GB?"
In other words if I have the same h/w would there be any differences between 64 versus 32 bit host XP.
Thanks in advance,
-paul
Hi Paul,
The only advantage that I can think of is if you has > 4GB of RAM.
Thanks. Then I'll stick with 32 bit as at least all my drivers are working.
-paul
Well, based on your reply, I purchased another 2GB to bring my total physical ram to 4GB. Guess what? Windows XP Pro (32bit) can not use all 4 GB of ram! Please be aware of this for future advices.
Google has revealed that PCI devices need to be memory mapped and thus occupy some of the 4GB memory space that XP32 can address. Thus, some real memory can not be used. With one video card, I loose 1/2 gig. Not very satisfactory.
So now I am forced to hunt down XP 64 raid drivers and switch my host os to 64.
Well, based on your reply, I purchased another 2GB to
bring my total physical ram to 4GB. Guess what?
Windows XP Pro (32bit) can not use all 4 GB of
ram! Please be aware of this for future advices.
Now, you need to purchase a motherboard having a chipset which is able to provide the correct memory addressing.
Google has revealed that PCI devices need to be
memory mapped and thus occupy some of the 4GB memory
space that XP32 can address. Thus, some real memory
can not be used. With one video card, I loose 1/2
gig. Not very satisfactory.
Agree, but let's search further...
So now I am forced to hunt down XP 64 raid drivers
and switch my host os to 64.
Even if you'll switch to 64bit, you'll be able to see only 3.6 or so GB of RAM. As I already said, you need a chipset supporting big memory.
I know definitively that the Intel 3000 MCH will recognize your 4 GB. It's a server chipset, but your Core2Duo will run fine on it.
Rumours say, Intel's 965 and 975 chipset will work, too. But I didn't test it myself.
Anyway, happy patching
Alex