VMware Server on Windows Vista Host

The latest free VMware Server  (VMWare 1.0.x) "works" on Windows Vista host. I have tested it on both Windows Vista Basic as well as Ultimate. I guess by not fixing their incompatabilities for VMware 1.0.x with Vista, VMware is trying to get people to buy their Workstation edition.

VMware server has less problems running on the 32-bit Vista host than on the 64-bit Vista host. The unpleasant user experience that I have noticed is that Vmware Server will spin the hard-drive and will make the Vista unresponsive for a minute or so. It does it during the first time you power up a virtual machine. There are some USB device problems as well. However, since VMware has not got their VMware Server's drivers signed for Vista, the 64-bit Vista's will not allow their drivers to be installed unless of course you disable that during Vista 64-bit bootup. It is not fun. Basically try to use VMware Server on 32-bit Vista host so that you will have less limitations to deal with.

While installing VMware server on Vista towards the end of the installation say "yes" to that unsigned driver installation notification. Once the installation is successful, you might be asked to restart the vista host.

Bottom line is, with Windows Vista, Microsoft is enforcing the mandatory access controls as much as they can now; so if you have to run some application as Administrator, then you need to start it as Administrator. For example, if you want to VMware Network parameters or change the preferences, you need to run the VMware Console as Administrator: namely, right-click on the VMware Console and click on "RunAs Administrator". Because it won't let you change those parameters unless you are running it as Administrator.

 

Comments

[doublepow]

Hi,
Can you tell what the hardware requirements are for running the free vmware on vista basic? Do I add the hardware requirements for the guest OS to this to calculate the total requirements?

Thanks.

[sbulut]

Yes, just add the hardware requirements of the guest to the host. The only additional recommendation I have is, if you are running a laptop get a 7200rpm laptop drive. Depending on how many VM guests you will be running on a desktop, add more spindles to it as well. My rule of thumb is 2400rpm per VM guest for a lightly used and responsive VM guest.

[Install XP Drivers]

Thanks a lot for the article. This is very useful and enlightening, I am a bit shaky on Vista and you have cleared it.