Windows Wednesday: How To Install VMware Server in Windows

Eric — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:11:31 +0000

Have you ever wanted to test another operating system but were afraid it would mess up your computer? Maybe on occasion you need to use more than one operation system but don’t want to dual boot. Whatever your reason may be, virtualization is something to look into.

With VMware Server, you can install virtual machines on your computer. As the name implies, this software is designed for use on servers but can be used on regular desktops and laptops. A virtual machine (VM) is a software implementation of a computer that executes programs like a real machine. In other words, you can run an operating system within your current operating system, almost like a program.

Why would I want to install a virtual machine on my computer?
With a virtual machine you can test software in a similar environment to see how compatible it is with your other software. If the software doesn’t work well in your virtual machine then all you do is uninstall the software or even the virtual machine without ever changing your host (actual computer) settings.

Other uses of virtual machines include testing software/Linux distros, running multiple OS at same time (for software issues or personal preference), and no longer needing to reboot.

I personally use VMs on my desktop to try out new Linux distributions. This works great because I don’t have to waste time burning the .iso to a dvd and booting the computer off the live cd. I can actually run the distro in live cd mode from the .iso itself. In fact this runs faster than booting off the cd since hard drives can read and write faster than optical drives. I also have Windows installed in a VM (since I am primarily in Ubuntu) if there is something I need to do in Windows but I don’t want to restart my computer. I can just turn on my VM do what needs to be done and then turn it off, all while working on my actual computer.

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What are the system requirements for VMware Server?
Most modern computers will meet the basic requirements for VMware Server. For example you need a Pentium II or newer processor (AMD Athlon or newer), 512MB of ram, 250MB hard drive space (more if you want to create VMs) and a Windows Server 2000 or newer (XP and Vista will work too).

The recommended requirements are 1GB of memory and several GB of free hard drive space. Each VM requires at least 256MB of memory. Therefore, the more memory you have the fast your host and VM will run. Keep in mind that running a VM uses the same hardware as your host machine. This means if you are running a VM and using your host machine at the same time you can expect to see a drop in performance. You should install the VMware program on your primary hard drive but I’d recommend installing your VMs (which you will have to choose for yourself) on an external hard drive or separate physical hard drive (partitions don’t count). This is primarily because running your host and VM on the same hard drive will cause a huge bottleneck.

How do I install VMware Server?
Start by going to VMware’s website and download VMware server. Click the download button. When the EULA appears scroll to the bottom of the page and click yes.

Under the Windows section download the master installer file Binary (.exe). This file is rather large (146MB) so a broadband internet connection is recommended.

While you are waiting for the download to finish, go ahead and register for a serial key. You will need this key to install VMware Server, but don’t worry, it is completely FREE. All you have to do is fill out the registration form and once it is complete, they will give you a serial key.

If you are going to be installing VMware Server on more than 1 computer you will need more than 1 key. If this is the case, be sure to specify that you need more than 1 key. Remember this is completely free and they do not restrict you on the number of keys.

Once the file has finished downloading, start the installer by opening the file you just downloaded. After a few seconds you should see the following screen:

Click Next to go to the next screen. Then accept the license agreement and click Next. At the next screen click Complete and then the Next button to continue.

The next screen will ask which directory you would like to install VMware Server. Unless you have special circumstances, the default directory is fine. Click Next to progress to the next screen.

At this point the install might ask you if you want to disable the cd auto-run feature that most computers have. The feature they are talking about is when you insert a cd into your cd drive you computer will try to automatically load the cd. This can be a problem with VMs if you are wanting to share the cd drive between your host and VMs. Either disable the feature to be safe or if you like you can leave it enabled. When ready, click Next to continue.

Click Install to begin the installation. The installation may take several minutes (approximately 5) to finish. This is normal so do not be alarmed if it seems like it is taking longer than you expected.

When the installation finishes you should see a confirmation screen. At this screen click Finish. At this point you are finished installing VMware Server. You can now create virtual machines on your host computer.

I will go into detail on how to create virtual machines in a future post. However, you shouldn’t wait until then to try out VMware Server. Installing VM is fairly self explanatory and there is a lot of documentation out there to help you.

If you would like a VM that is already setup and configured you should check out the Virtual Appliance Marketplace.

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Windows Wednesday: How To Install VMware Server in Windows

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