VMware on Basic RHEL WS 4.0

[ravisunny2]

I've just bought a Core 2 Duo (512 RAM, 180GB HDD) with Basic RHEL WS 4.0 preloaded.

I need to install windows XP on the same machine.

One possibility seems to be to use VMware.

Can someone please suggest which version of VMware I should use ?

Thank you

 

[Nodsu]

VMware Server is free for single-instance use and it works great.

 

[ravisunny2]

Which option would be better : repartition or VMWare

The PC has only 512 MB RAM (I knew I wasn't going to use VISTA).

And, the Vendor didn't provide the RHEL 4.0 CDs (I'm trying to get them).

Can I use GParted to repartition the disk ? And which version should I use (there are several).

Since the RAM is only 512 MB, which would be a better option: repartitioning or installing VMWare ?

The end purpose is to install XP, and use dual boot.

 

[Nodsu]

Always use the latest version of *parted

With that little RAM, you would have to slim down both Linux and XP to get them to run with VMware tolerably. Dual boot would indeed be a better option.

Mind you, when you install Windows (after allocating a partition), it will walk all over your Linux bootloader and you have to restore it manually (using a Linux CD and the rescue mode command prompt - doesn't have to be RHEL4, CentOS 4 would be ideal) or reinstall Linux afterwards.

 

[ravisunny2]

Thank you, Nodsu.

 

[ravisunny2]

With that little RAM, you would have to slim down both Linux and XP

I have 512 MB RAM currently. If I add 1 GB RAM, will that be enough.

Or do I need a larger memory ? The motherboard has only two RAM slots.

 

[Nodsu]

1.5 GB of RAM is workable. Give the guest 512MB and say that guest memory should never be swapped. This ought to give you a smooth experience unless you actually do something that requires more than 512 or 1GB or RAM in the guest or the host.

PS
Do not try the new VMware Server 2.0 beta. It is horrible.

 

[ravisunny2]

Thank you, Nodsu.

I'll report back my experience.