Windows 7: Win7, Linux Mint and VMWare on same machine ?

I can't really comment on this as my hardware only supports MBR.
I've never used UEFI.
Also I always use AMD based hardware, so I can't comment on any Intel idiosyncrasies.

When I've installed a Linux Distro, everything has worked out-of-the-box on my PCs, but I generally don't use the latest-and-greatest hardware.
However as many people say "Your Mileage May Vary".

I swapped from Ubuntu 10.04 to Linux Mint in 2013 when I couldn't get my new graphics card to work correctly (I hated Unity so Ubuntu 12.04 was unacceptable).

I chose NAT (Network Address Translation) for the network settings as I hoped it would provide additional protection compared to using the "Bridged" option.

My reasons are:

   Quote: Originally Posted by lehnerus2000

Unless you want to run modern games, I would suggest that you use a Linux Host and a Windows VM:

• You should be able to avoid W7 driver issues
• Your Linux Host OS shouldn't be affected by Windows malware
• LM18.3 uses less resources, so more can be allocated to the Windows VM (e.g. cores & RAM)

Also as @dg1261 posted:

   Quote: Originally Posted by dg1261

I'll let others address the Windows activation issues (I personally don't see it as a factor, as you'll need to deal with activation regardless of whether it's on the host or the VM), but in terms of potential exposure to malware, it ultimately would be better to have Windows in the VM.

Your host is always going to be exposed to the internet. Your VM is only exposed when you're running the VM. If you think Windows is going to be the more vulnerable OS, then it's better to have it be the VM, where it will be exposed less often.

You should be able to activate W7 normally even if it is a VM.
However MS wants everyone to move to W10, so they may throw up obstacles.

You could try converting your current Activated W7 install to a VM (via a Macrium Reflect Image).
Convert a Macrium Reflect Image to a VM.

Your PC may struggle as your CPU doesn't have much grunt and your Total RAM is only 4GB.

@Botard

Thanks for that information. I'd played with the virtual disks of XP in VM's ages ago but didn't keep up with the addition of the Win7 OS.

Very helpful, thank you.

@lehnerus2000

Again, thank you for your thoughtful and detailed reply at #11.

Your comment that MS is pushing people onto Win10 underlies my initial motivation for this topic. Intel has agreed (aquiesced ?) to this in that Intel CPU's higher than G6 (ie. G7, G8 to date) will not install or run Win7 together with various Intel wifi and audio chips. Slowly, as one's hardware breaks down, replacing it will push Win7 out into the cold. That will take a while, though - I ran a backup Win2k/XP notebook installation that took about 15 years to fall off its' twig.

"Converting a Macrium Reflect image to a VM" - wonderful !! I'd dismissed that possibility as being too optimistic, too Pollyanna, to be viable. Yet it's not, it seems. Activation is an issue - MS has required PC manufacturers to encode the Product Key in the BIOS (now UEFI) since Win7, then "activate" it online after installation. If you install a legally purchased Win7 ISO over this, the BIOS encode remains but the new Product Key and online activation are now entered into the Registry. So a Macrium Reflect image restores these Registry settings into the VM and overcomes the activation issue ... I think

So again, very helpful comment. Something to test that may resolve a pointed issue.

I have windows 10 as host xp, Ubuntu, win 7 and Phoenix OS, as guests ....sometimes I run all at once noe issues

Which VM are you using ? And, I guess, how much RAM do you have to allocate to each of these ?

Most interesting to me - I'm assuming the Win7 installation is in a VM (if that's wrong, please correct me) with a Win10 host. How did you activate the VM Win7 install ? Lehnerus2000 above has suggested deploying a Win7 Macrium Reflect image into the VM - I have yet to test this but it seems a very likely solution.

Welllllllll I av vmware workstation..... and yes win 10 is host as it's best for majority of graphics applications cad gaming etc ....licensing mhhhhhh let's just say they are easily has through various means

I thought the original point was to avoid W10 and continuing to use W7. :)

OTOH, If you want to play the latest games, you probably have no choice but to run W10.

Win 10 is not half bad ...better than 7 to me n I use tons of old software ...And I find that all of my stuff are compatible with 10

@lehnerus2000

" ... the original point was to avoid W10 and continuing to use W7"

Well, that's my point, anyway.

But how to install Win7 into a Linux VM and handle the activation issue is one of the considerations. Your suggested solution of installing a Macrium Reflect image into the VM is still the most potent. The Macrium website page that you linked to discusses the legal methods of deploying a full Win7 image into a VM. I'm looking at that carefully now - it needs the commercial version of Macrium, which is not necessarily so cheap - and it seems a good answer.

I've also looked at the Linux sites for experiences of the ins and outs of VM's with various versions of Ubuntu. A hornet's nest at times with furious kernel swaps and changes of versions, but both VBox and Linux are freeware so coping is the obvious choice.

You've been very helpful here.

If you don't mind the always-on Telemetry and you can stop it from installing dodgy drivers/updates/upgrades, W10 runs smoothly.

I got sick of having to spend hours fixing W10 after updating/upgrading.
Now I keep my W10 Home and W10 Pro VM disconnected from our network.
Its the only way to be sure W10 can't send Telemetry, or download dodgy drivers/updates/upgrades.

That's what I thought. :)

I'm using Macrium Reflect Free (v6.3).
I've created VMs from Macrium Reflect Free Images.

It should be straightforward if your PC only has one OS installed.
You may need a W7 install disc if you have boot issues.

Macrium Reflect does include a Boot Repair tool, but I haven't used it, so I can't comment.
Make sure you create the Macrium Reflect Recovery disc before you start experimenting.

My PCs are multi-boot and I've never been able to get more than one OS to work after the "Image to VHD" conversion.
I tried to create a VM of my triple boot system (XP, W7 & LM) but I ended up having to create 3 separate VMs.

I used this (old) procedure:
http://kb.macrium.com/knowledgebasearticle50005.aspx