To Linux or not to Linux....

[Wilhelm5557]

Please help

I'm a newby and wishing to investigate running Linux as an OS. Is there a way to install a VMWare server that acts as a Linux OS on a WindowsXP SP3? ...and if so, which one?

Thanks

Will

[K-MaC]

Hey Will. It is entirely possible to install VMware server and then run a Linux based OS as a virtual machine. I would suggest running Ubuntu 8.04 or 8.10 as you will find the most information on this distribution.

If you found this information useful please consider awarding points and or marking the thread answered.

Cheers

Kevin

[Wilhelm5557]

Thanks, Kevin

Do I download the Windows VMWare server to start with - I mean, does the server I download reflect the OS I want to run it on, or the OS I want to run within it?

Thanks

Will

(...award point on their way... thanks!)

[K-MaC · Accepted solution]

Hey again Will. That is correct, you would start by downloading the Windows version of VMware Server. While you are waiting for that to download I would suggest also downloading a copy of the ubuntu ISO.

Cheers

Kevin

[Ken_Cline]

Will, I think you might be better off starting with VMware Player and downloading a Linux virtual appliance. Server is much more invasive to your system configuration - Player is "just another application"...

Ken Cline

VMware vExpert 2009

VMware Communities User Moderator

[Cooldude09]

Hi Will, Just to add.....We cannot use Linux as an OS and Linux is not a OS, but the kernel for the GNU/Linux OS.....

Regards

Anil

Save the planet, Go Green

if you found my answer to be useful, feel free to mark it as Helpful or Correct.

[Wilhelm5557]

Hi Anil

Apologies for my cluelessness. I've just started reading about this and would like to learn as fast as possible. How would one state my question to be sure to be correct?

Much appreciated

Will

2009/3/4 Cooldude09 <communities-emailer@vmware.com<mailto:communities-emailer@vmware.com>>

,

A new message was posted in the thread "To Linux or not to Linux....":

http://communities.vmware.com/message/1187956#1187956

Author : Cooldude09

Email : anil.g009@gmail.com<mailto:anil.g009@gmail.com>

Profile : http://communities.vmware.com/people/Cooldude09

Message:

[Ken_Cline]

Will,

To see what Anil is referring to, see Linux and the GNU Project. But then, if you want another perspective, look here - and of course, there's always wikipedia.

The phrasing of the question was more than acceptable to all but the most pedantic - so don't worry about it. The greatest majority of the people who use Linux (or GNU/Linux) consider "Linux" to be a perfectly acceptable way to refer to their operating system. I would also speculate that something approaching ALL people who don't use (GNU/)Linux don't know the difference and don't care

Ken Cline

VMware vExpert 2009

VMware Communities User Moderator

[Wilhelm5557]

Thanks a lot, Everyone! I've gone the Virtual Appliance way, downloaded a large file Ubuntu8.10a5.7z and now I'm slightly stuck since I don't know how to open it using VMWare Player! (Sorry about this, Everyone - at least I'm sure I'm having some of you laugh at my attempts! ...which is a good thing!)

Cheers

Will

[RDPetruska]

The .7z is an archive file compressed using 7-zip. Download the free 7-zip tool from their website, extract the contents into a directory; open Player, browse to that directory you created and select the vmx file.