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VMware creates an imaginary (or virtual) computer for you to then install an operating system and other software into. Your real computer is referred to as the "Host" computer, and the virtual computers you run are known as "guest" computers. The host computer can be either Windows or Linux, and the guest can be just about anything (vmware supports a wide variety of guest OSes, from DOS to Linux).
Your host computer needs to have enough free space, enough free memory and enough free CPU to support your guest system. Each guest system is assigned resources to it, but you can't use more than you've got, and you can't use what you need to keep the host system running. So if you've got a slow computer, installing VMware is going to make things slower. And the systems you run as guests will be even slower. VMware is VERY resource intensive, so you generally want to use the fastest system you can get your hands on and lots or RAM (you can get away with 512mb ram but I would go with a min of 1G.)
A virtual appliance is a pre-built, pre-configured and ready-to-run software application packaged with the operating system inside a virtual machine - usually a linux distro. These may run out of the box with little or no configuration required, others "some assembly required".
Ok got that...
What can you use it for? You can install any OS into a VM so if you are running XP you can install a linux distro into one and run full blown linux on the same machine. A nice way is to install a live CD into a VM, you can get to know linux and still keep your XP at the same time. It will also work the other way as well if you run linux you can install XP on the same machine.
You can even install a test install of XP on your existing XP computer, why? well there's quite a few reasons really. You may want to test some of software that you are not sure how it will affect your existing install. Want to test a new firewall or antivirus software etc. Run some other software like quiksilver, for an interesting (or not) browse spywarewarrior I'll leave you to follow that and stumble upon the myriad uses.
A Virtual Machine enables you to run a 'computer' inside your computer.
1. Download VMware Player (Free of charge) and install.
2. Download one of the *.zip or *.7z compressed appliances.
3. Create a folder on your harddisk like '' or 'elive or 'linuxmint' etc.
4. Extract the contents of the compressed file into the folder created.
5. Launch VMware Player and open the *.vmx file.
| Links | What is it? | Hmm... |
|---|---|---|
| Bagside | One of best places to download Linux Distro VM's ready to run with VM Tools* installed in each one. | One of best places to download Linux Distro VM's limited but most are new releases. |
| The Canned OS Project | Some nice Linux Distro VM's and links | also checkout the main page |
| EasyVMX!: Virtual Machine Creator | Your own VM Harddrives | Install an OS into these |
| Virtual Appliance Marketplace | links to hundreds of virtual appliances from software companies as well as the open source community. | Lots and lots of stuff much of it free. |
| VMPlayer | Allows you to use a Virtual Machine. | YOU NEED THIS!! |
*VM Tools allow you to drag and drop from host to guest and vice versa