Using Boot Partition for both a VM and Native

[GarryG]

I'm getting a new PC in a couple of days ... and have decided to go back to using Linux as a main OS on it ... (been way overdue)

The few remaining Windows apps I need will work fine under VMware (Notes, Office, ...), regrettably they don't work together well using Wine/Crossover. Anyway. For the rare occasions (I figure once or twice a month) that I require more or less the full performance and resources of the box for Windows, I would like to just shut down everything and boot from the same physical partition into Windows.

Will this work? I know VMware can use a physical partition (or was able to formerly) instead of a flat file. Any idea how XP will react to such an installation? Otherwise I reckon I will just have to do a minimal XP install with just the necessary apps under VMware and another one for native use ...

Tnx

[oreeh]

In theory this could work.

The problem is the different hardware presented to XP.

You could try to use different profiles and select them at boot, but you will have problems with Windows activation.

[VirtualNoitall]

Hello,

Here is a good link with other links to how this: works:http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?messageID=105652&#105652

This is actually done using Workstation so if you have follow-up you will likely get the best discussions on the Workstation forum.

[GarryG]

OK, the limitation about this only working with parallel IDE drives pretty much kills my idea ... my new PC has SATA, which of course is addressed via sda-device ... I tried it anyway, but XP crashed early during the boot process (well, it did manage to show the XP boot screen) ... tnx anyway!!!