HOWTO: Install Windows Vista Beta 2 (With Vmware without burning ISO file) On Dapper

[aktiwers]

Edit : THIS GUIDE IS PRETTY OUTDATED AND THE DOWNLOADS ARE NOT AVAILABLE ANYMORE.
HOWEVER, YOU COULD USE THE GUIDE IF YOU ALREADY HAVE THE ISO, OR AN ISO FROM ANOTHER OS.

Good Luck!

Hi All !

This is my first HOWTO, so I hope it will be useful to some.

This Howto will explain how you Download (3GB+ Download!), install and get free licensens to Windows Vista Beta 2 (that expires June 2007).

THIS IS NOT FOR DUAL BOOTING! YOU WILL BE RUNNING WINDOWS VISTA TRHOUGH VMWARE (a window) ON TOP OF UBUNTU.

I have only tested this on my PC with Dapper 6.06.
I will be using some stuff from this guide made by Peturrr.
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=183209
Okey, lets get started

1) First we need to use some stuff from Peturrr's HOWTO:

First we need to install a few dependencies: In a terminal type

sudo apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r` build-essential xinetd This will install all needed dependencies (atleast I hope so )

This somehow didnt work for me, but I got it installed successfully anyway. So if this makes some kind of error, you could try to go on.

2)
Again, Follow this from Peturrr's guide:

We are now ready to download VMWare Server.

Go to http://www.vmware.com/products/server/ On the menu on the right click: Download VMWare Server Click on the appropriate Download Now button. Register as new user, do give a valid email adres, since you will be receiving the registration key by email. Select the VMWare Server beta (for Linux) Accept the EULA Download VMware Server for Linux. (first mentioned, binary (.tar.gz) ) The Installation Open the downloaded file with the archive manager. Extract it to somewhere, I will use /tmp here. Startup the terminal and go to the extracted files cd /tmp replace with your download directory cd vmware-server-distrib Execute the installation script sudo ./vmware-install.pl You can accept all defaults, only thing you might want to alter is the directory where the Virtual Machines are stored. I have mine set to /home/username/vmware . But offcourse, just accept the settings you want to. You will be prompted for your key during the installation. You will find the key in your email inbox If everything went allright, the installation will finish without any problems We can now test if it worked by starting the VMWare server console Via the menu Applications => System Tools => Vmware Server Console If everything is allright, the server console program will show up. If it didn't, start the terminal and execute vmware

3) Okey if thats working, lets move on to getting Vista downloaded. This is a big file(3gb + )

First go here and download either 32bit or 64bit version. ( I only Tested it with 32bit).


Download Page
http://download.windowsvista.com/preview/beta2/en/x86/download.htm?

As a lot of people want to try this "new" OS, I found that its almost impossible to get access to the downloads. So while I was there, I graped the direct links.

(the board for some reason shortens the link. If you use wget, it should be the full link address) (Using wget will work even though microsoft says "We are currently experiencing a high level of demand bla bla bla")
32Bit Version
http://download.windowsvista.com/dl/preview/beta2/en/x86/iso/vista_5384.4.060518-1455_winmain_beta2_x86fre_client-LB2CFRE_EN_DVD.iso

wget http://download.windowsvista.com/dl/...FRE_EN_DVD.iso 

64Bit Version
http://download.windowsvista.com/dl/preview/beta2/en/x64/iso/vista_5384.4.060518-1455_winmain_beta2_x64fre_client-LB2CxFRE_EN_DVD.iso

wget http://download.windowsvista.com/dl/...FRE_EN_DVD.iso 

4)
Okey, this might take some time for must users. While waiting go signup for your product Key. Its Free and lasts until June 2007!
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvist...y/preview.mspx

Now when you got your CD-Key, save the image on your PC for later use.

5)

Now open Vmware by typing into the terminal:

vmware

6)
Select 'Create a new virtual machine'

• => Next => Next => Select Windows Vista (Experimental)
• => Next => Enter a name and select a location for the Virtual Machine File (It contains the virtual harddisk, so it needs to be atleast 16GB)
• => Next => Select Network type. I use " Brigde: Connected Directly to the physical Network". Pick what suits you best.
• => Next => Choose the size for the Virtual Disk and set other preferences
• => Next => Finish

7)

Now when its done, Clik on the tap of your virtual machine, and Pick:
"Edit Virtual Machine settings."

Click on the CD-Rom Drive and pick Use ISO.
Below that, type in the path to your ISO file from Microsoft, remember at this time it has to be done downloading.

/path/to/your/windows/download/windowsvista.iso

and hit OK.

Hit "Power on This Vitual Machine" and follow the installation!

Remember to have your CD-Key Image ready.

And done!

8 )

Now when you are logged in and see your desktop, click CTRL+ALT
(this will take your mouse out of Vista, and back on Ubuntu)


Click on VM and pick "Intall Vmware Tools..." Now inside Windows Vista, the installation will start. Install it, and it will reboot.

This should give a good bust to the performance!

Thats it, done!

Im afraid Im a Noob myself, so sadly I wont be at much help if anyone has any errors. But post them below anyways, maybe others knows how to fix it.

Oh yeah, sorry for any typo's!

Also Please read Paturrr's guide, its real good, and you will get the basic idea.
Im sure I forgot something, let me know.

EDIT:
Added number 8!
Some Screenshots attatched below.

[lucia_engel]

Thanks for the guide, I'll try it out when the link works again. I want to try other distros too, now that I know you can just use iso.

Some general VMware questions:
- I have a / and /home partitions. When I allocate space for Vista in VMWare, which partition does it use?
- How much space should I allocate for a very basic Vista install?
- Can files be shared between the virtual machine and Ubuntu?
- I'm guessing I can install softwares to Windows from CDs right? (ie. photoshop)

[aktiwers]

Originally Posted by lucia_engel Thanks for the guide, I'll try it out when the link works again. I want to try other distros too, now that I know you can just use iso. Some general VMware questions: - I have a / and /home partitions. When I allocate space for Vista in VMWare, which partition does it use? - How much space should I allocate for a very basic Vista install? - Can files be shared between the virtual machine and Ubuntu? - I'm guessing I can install softwares to Windows from CDs right? (ie. photoshop)

Yes this should work with other distro's as well
About your VMware questions:

1) While creating the Virtual Machine, it asks you where to store it. You can pick where you like. I place mine on another Hard disc. (in my case its /media/sda1/vmware/)

2) As I say in the guide (proberbly wasnt clear enough, sorry), they reqiure 16gb as minimum.

3) Yes! I havent got this working my self, but like in my point 7 in the guide, in the "Edit Virtual Machine settings." you can add a lot of things. Just click on the "Add" button. You can add hard discs, cdrom drives, floppys and more.
I also forgot to say, if you want sound working, simply go ad it there.

4) Yes, simply add the cd-rom drive as I just mentioned

[raffytaffy]

Can using vmware cause any problems in general? Bcse i have a windows xp pro sp2 cd id like to try out..but im worried id mess something up....and if i do use it..does windows actually get instaled in a directory used by vmware?

[lucia_engel]

Thanks for the reply.

Sorry, I have one more question.
Do you need a virtual harddisk for each virtual machine? (ie 16GB for vista, 8GB for XP, 8GB for random distro).

I appreciate your help.

[FredB]

Originally Posted by lucia_engel Thanks for the reply. Sorry, I have one more question. Do you need a virtual harddisk for each virtual machine? (ie 16GB for vista, 8GB for XP, 8GB for random distro). I appreciate your help.

Every virtual machine is like a real machine. Each one needs an hard disk

Also, no need to launch vmware using sudo vmware. A simple vmware and all will work. Using sudo is like running it as root == bad thing.

And Vista is not the only OS you can emulate this way. You can also emulate another ubuntu, or worse like Fedora Core 5

[FredB]

Originally Posted by raffytaffy Can using vmware cause any problems in general? Bcse i have a windows xp pro sp2 cd id like to try out..but im worried id mess something up....and if i do use it..does windows actually get instaled in a directory used by vmware?

Windows will run in a close space, using a lot of file for its hard disk drive. No problems if you run VMWare using only your user rights.

And VMWare installs a shortcut in applications / System tools Menu (for Ubuntu), I don't know if you use Kubuntu where is the shortcut.

[bluevoodoo1]

Good guide. I guess I'll have to suck it up and use 16 gigs to install it (trying it with 8 gigs wasn't enough it seems. bah!)

Originally Posted by FredB Also, no need to launch vmware using sudo vmware. A simple vmware and all will work. Using sudo is like running it as root == bad thing. And Vista is not the only OS you can emulate this way. You can also emulate another ubuntu, or worse like Fedora Core 5

1. Agreed.

2. Agreed... I've had breezy, dapper, Suse 10, FreeBSD all working with VMware... (though fedora core 5 or Solaris 10 doesn't seem to want to cooperate).

[aktiwers]

Removed the "sudo"
Didnt know, added it because I had some permition problems. But its working fine now.

[bluevoodoo1]

Anyone's internet working with Vista? All other OSes that I've got working with vmware have had internet working, but not Vista. Probably a blessing in disguise...