VMLite - an alternative Windows XP Mode impl

tcarrbrion · 14 Nov 2009

Will VMLite run other operating systems such as Linux? I would like to be able to run XP mode and Linux from a Windows 7 host.

huisinro · 14 Nov 2009

yes, it supports other OSes as guest: Linux, win2k and above

Night Hawk · 14 Nov 2009

That will likely turn out to be a good sub for SUN's Virtual Box since the full paid version rates higher from the start. Hopefully the Lite will remain a free for home user type release there.

Adding further to that what do you make of this one?

5 things missing in VMware's new virtual desktop app, View 4

By Eric Lai
November 13, 2009 06:53 AM ET

Computerworld - With VMware Inc.'s release of View 4 last week, the company is promising two things: Full desktop performance at a desktop price tag.

Desktop virtualization requires huge amounts of data to be constantly streamed from server to client. Moreover, the cost of building out a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), including servers, storage, network bandwidth, thin clients and software licenses, has generally outweighed potential savings in IT labor and security costs.

That is a "huge, huge change" in View 4, asserted Rick Jackson, chief marketing officer for VMware. View 4 is so efficient that some apps run faster virtually than when loaded from a local hard drive, he said. Moreover, the "acquisition cost barrier" has been "neutralized."

"I don't see how a CIO with a large desktop population doesn't look at this," Jackson said in an interview this week.

For all the sizzle, analysts cite five ways the steak isn't fully cooked.

More at: http://www.computerworld.com/s/artic...top_app_View_4

huisinro · 16 Nov 2009

yes, VMLite will remain free as it stands today. We will add new unique features for the comercial version that are not avaible from any other vm vendors, e.g., a new way of creating a vm, direct boot of virtual disk files on physical machines, etc.

jedy48 · 16 Nov 2009

hi despite is me recorded it doesn't make me never make the download,come? any other links?

huisinro · 16 Nov 2009

We activated all registered users, pls try to login and download the binary. Should work even if you didn't get the activation email. If you forgot your passwd, send us an email to reset.

jimbo45 · 16 Nov 2009

Hi there
what does this product ACTUALLY DO that is better / offers more than what's out there already. What's it's X-factor or WOW idea.

Even the new version of VMWARE PLAYER (Version 7) can CREATE VM's now and has full 3d video capability.

If you really want a FAST efficient vm system try vmware server R2 -- it's free and doesn't consume many system resources at all. It also allows you to run your virtual machines as system tasks and have them running in the background without needing you to actually be logged on to the host machine at all.

The Host can start the VM's without any user having to be logged on - great way if you also want to log on to your VM's remotely without having to start a usr session on the HOST.

I might have mis understood something here -- although I am normally very supportive of people developing products I can't see this one going beyond "Dustbin" stage.

Like those people in "The Dragons Den" I'm saying -- I'm Out on this one.

(If you have access to "Murdoch Vision --aka SKY TV in the UK -you can watch The dragons den on various of the satellite channels -- budding entrepreneurs have to make a sales pitch to 4 "dragons" who if the ideas are good will invest money in their ideas -- great program).

Cheers
jimbo

pparks1 · 16 Nov 2009

jimbo45 said:

Even the new version of VMWARE PLAYER (Version 7) can CREATE VM's now and has full 3d video capability.

Hey, thanks for that information. I didn't realize they made those changes to the Player Product.

I usually use Sun Virtualbox at home as I don't like having to dork around with the VMWare Server web interface...but I don't like the way that VirtualBox stores the .vdi file which make cloning machines a pain as the UUID's are the same.

I'm going to give VMWare Player a shot at home and see if that becomes my new home platform of choice.

Workstation was never necessary as I didn't need the functionality of the paid-for product.

Night Hawk · 17 Nov 2009

huisinro said:

yes, VMLite will remain free as it stands today. We will add new unique features for the comercial version that are not avaible from any other vm vendors, e.g., a new way of creating a vm, direct boot of virtual disk files on physical machines, etc.

That's one good thing there! The images here will show how fast the XP Mode went on following the Virtual PC also installed first there just the same and then once running the "C:\Program Files\Window XP Mode" selection immediately added in the preconfigured XP Mode's vmc information in order to load from the vhd itself.

The one thing noticed right off was how the internal drives besides the XP Mode's C designation are all tucked away in the H folder rather then seeing them listed below individually.

huisinro · 17 Nov 2009

interesting to note that you got so many drives over there. Are some of them network mapped drives on host?

VMLite's file sharing is quite different from Microsoft XP Mode. Microsoft relies on the RDP/RemoteApp technology and treats the vm as a remote machine, all file sharing is done through network, which is also the reason that you see individual drives on top level.

Our implementation should be much faster. For Windows guest on Windows host, we actually forward kernel level file IRPs directly between host and vm to get them processed, this avoids lots of unnecessary conversions, which should be the best performed way.