what spec is needed to run 5 win xp 64bit in vmware workstation 7 ?

[growarrow]

hi guys , i need to run 5 windows xp in vmware, + 1 apllication in each windows

what requirement do i need to prepare ?

quad core processore ? how many memory , and what else ?

thnks

[MickLabib]

I have been researching this for some time, as I have started to use vmware workstation 7 too. You need 8 GB of RAM, get the fastest hard disk you can afford. maybe WD Black Caviar and if that application you are going to run on those XP VMs is heavy, you might also consider a quad core CPU. if the application you will run is going to do work simultaneously, then denifitly go and get that quad CPU. Make sure you install VMs as XP SP3, because starting with SP2 XP can utilize mutiple core CPUs, you need to set up the VM to use only 1 CPU and 2 Cores.

Good Luck

[growarrow]

the hdd is also need to be upgrade ?

after i upgrade the hdd and memori to 8 gb + quad core processor , is it certaily i can run 5 win xp sp2 in a row ?

i mean , with no leg to swich between the vm window and the aplication also. cause i only run one same programe in each winxp,

[MickLabib]

Yes it will run with no problems at all, i'm running 2 vista machines and 2 windows server 2008 with no problems. But make sure that your mother board can handle the quad core cpu and the 8 gb of ram.

one more thing, if you only run 1 machine at a time, not running the others on the background with their applications, then no need for the quad core cpu. you can use core duo 2 if you just need the 5 machines to be turned on, but only you work with 1 of them at a time????

make sure you get a fast HD not any HD. I love the WD black caviar, but you might find a better HD in your local area!!!

[growarrow]

thanks for you opinionn!

yesterday i tried vmware running in my freinds dekstop which powered with 3 gb memori and quadcore processor.

but it only level up for 3 winxp and its already heavy when swicth between vm windows.

why this is happend ?

is because the hdd ? and the memori ? i saw the task manager, itu still have 700mb memori in the host, but the dekstop is running like heavy one .

[MickLabib]

If the CPU is Quad but you don't have enough RAM and your HD is not fast, then you didn't do any good. You need the 3 of them to be good :). 8 GB of RAM will make you run even 6-8 XP machines, the fast HD will help alot too.

I have tried it myself

[growarrow]

ow,, thats great! :).

blessed me i found you mike ! :smileygrin:

i planning to buy this part

quad procesor 2.8ghz.

2x4 gb ram ddr 3, total 8gb

WD black Caviar 640 Gb

is GPU also needed?

or you have better suggestion mike ?

THANKS

[growarrow]

one more thing, what is the different between WD caviar Black, Green and Blue ?

[MickLabib]

God bless you too

Black is faster than Blue and Blue is faster than Green, also it's a temp thing. Black has the highest temp between them, but you can solve this with a fan or something.

low-end motherboards will not allow you to have 8 GB of ram, so make sure that it does(check the manual). GPU? actually, it has nothing to do with graphics here but the built-in GPU motherboards architecture is not as good as the free-ones. So you might need a motherboard and a GPU, don't get anything fancy for GPU unless you want play games.

[Bernd_Nowak · Accepted solution]

What application are you running? Might be worth to tell. Because if you're running a rendering software or video compression/uncompression the needed power might be different.

Just a thought because I'm wondering about 5 win xp 64bit (makes only sense if every vm needs more then 3 GB RAM) and I fear that you run some heavy cpu demanding program and that you might don't have enough cpu and/or RAM to run 5 VMs with a heavy load.

[growarrow]

i will running an accounting aplication for testing,

i might need 512 mb ram to run in.

is it will make a quad core cpu enough to run it ?

and 8 Gb ram.

if i need to run a online game in the next phase, will it be enough also ?

[MickLabib]

Yes 8 GB will be enough for running even 8 machines or more, and the Quad CPU will be good of course. You mentioned DDR3 RAM, if your motherboard supports it, it might support i5 Core CPU which is faster than Quad and cheaper too.

To run games you need a good GPU, I like ATI 4850. if you have more money get a better one!

[growarrow]

thanks Mick, im hunting the spec now :D.

btw , what spec do you use now ?

[continuum]

do you want to use a single disk for host operating system and all this VMs ?

then disk I/O will probably be the bottleneck - better add more disks to the system so that you can separate the load over more spindles




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VMX-parameters- Workstation FAQ -[ MOA-liveCD|http://sanbarrow.com/moa241.html] - VM-Sickbay

[MickLabib]

GIGABYTE P43

QUAD Q9550 (JUST GOT IT)

8 GB DDR2 800 RAM

640 GB WD GREEN + 640 GB WD BLUE

GIGABYTE HD 4850 512 MB DDR3

[growarrow]

wow. quad 9550.

thats greatt!.

for those spec, there is no leg at all :).

nice and powerfull one,

[growarrow]

Mike answer is the most help me with the situation

[MickLabib]

Sure man all VMs are working great and everything is really good. As I told you before, if your motherboard supports DDR3 then i might support i5 CPU which is even faster than mine.

Good luck!!!

[growarrow]

hi mick.

i wanna ask how is your cpu temp when running on 5-8 wmware ?

my quad core cpu is 50-55 C degress,

is it normal ?