RHEL and Windows simultaneously?

[nmeyers at javalinux.net (nmeyers at javalinux.net)]

On Wed, Apr 12, 2006 at 09:04:10AM -0400, Scott R Ehrlich wrote:
> Quoting nmeyers at javalinux.net:
> 
> >On Wed, Apr 12, 2006 at 06:39:05AM -0400, Scott Ehrlich wrote:
> >>I currently have my system booting Windows XP installed on a 40 Gig IDE
> >>drive.  I'm going to add an 80 Gig IDE drive to the system, and plan to
> >>RHEL on it.   I'd ultimately like to make RH the primary OS and be able to
> >>boot the existing installation of XP in a window within RH (not
> >>dual-boot).
> >>
> >>I presume there is a program within RH or the Linux world to permit this?
> >>
> >>I initially thought of VMWare, but that is a self-contained
> >>software computer.
> >
> >Not sure I understand why you're excluding VMWare - what you're describing
> >is exactly what VMWare does. I'm not positive, but VMWare may be the
> >only one of the bunch that will run an OS installed on a partition,
> >without requiring you to create a virtual drive on the host system's
> >filesystem.
> >
> >Nathan
> >
> 
> The responses thus far have been great for my inquiry.   I am not at all
> dismissing the option of VMWare.   From my experience, I've had to freshly
> install an OS within VMWare's virtual computer.   I've never used it to 
> produce
> a VM of an existing OS under the parent OS.
> 
> But remember, XP is configured for my existing hardware.  If VMWare can 
> simply
> act as a bridge to bring the XP install as a VM within RH, then it may be 
> the
> answer.
> 
> Can it?   I'll also double-check VMWAre's web site for more details.

No - it'll see a different set of hardware when you run under VMWare.
I've done exactly that (started up an existing Windows installation
under VMWare); it isn't pretty. You really can't share an installation
between VMWare and hardware. Now, in a few years, when you've got a CPU
with real virtualization support, the story may be different...

By the way, all the responses I'm sending to this discussion on the
bblisa list are awaiting moderator approval, since I'm not a member of
that list. That's why cross-posting isn't generally a good idea :-(.

Nathan



> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Scott
>