How to run Windows under Ubuntu

January 9, 2007

So I installed a fresh copy of Ubuntu 6.10 Edgy Eft on my Sony Vaio 2.4 Ghz 40 GB 4200 RPM (yuk) HD that has a couple of years on it. I was running Edubuntu and it was running a little bloated, and some of the educational software got a little excessive. So here I am with a fresh install of Ubuntu and loving it. So needless to say, I had to try out Brian’s comment, right? Here is what he said…

Hi I would suggest instead of dual booting to try running XP under VMware Server (its free).
Installing it under ubuntu is easy:
0: sudo apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r` build-essential xinetd
1: download and extract VMware Server
2: sudo ./vmware-install.pl
3: Accept all defaults

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=183209

Can’t be that easy, right? Well, it was enough to catch Miguel’s attention, so I perked up and listened. He’s a few (lots!) ahead of me with open source, so if he digs it, and calls it fantastic, I should too, or at least I should try it.

So I did.

It’s awesome! It works like a charm! The only suggestion I might add is to get a serial number ahead of time. I had to re-run the config script because I didn’t have a serial number handy. No big deal though, just a few extra minutes and a lesson learned.

So go, try this! It’s amazing!

I am going to go play with it some more, but it looks like a solid solution. Now to try and figure out how to install XGL. Or maybe I should just stick with that cool firefox extension that gives you XGL-life effects when you switch tabs. Man I wish I could remember the name…oops.
Do you know the extension to which I refer? It’s installed at work, so I can fix this tomorrow. Or can you help me now?

Posted in Linux distros