Do you run a linux desktop in a Windows support job/enviro?

senectus · Guru Joined: 17 Jul 2003 Posts: 534

My current job requires that if I want to use a linux desktop I need to dual boot.
Most of my work is done over terminal services so I can use grdesktop to do that stuff.
I'm sure I can configure Evolution to replace the abomination that is outlook and Open Office will cover my needs mostly.
I'd like to stay in the Gnome enviroment as much as possible and boot into windows only when I absolutely have no choice.

Does anyone else out there do this?

What tools do you use that allow you to stay Linux native?
Do you have any tips?

Thanks for your input guys.. :-)

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b0fh_ · Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2004 9:06 pm Post subject:

I use Win2k under vmWare for all things windoze (bleh).

It's expensive tough... If you don't mind there are cracks for it all around the warez circles...

Peace.
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"Contrary to popular belief, UNIX is user-friendly. It only happens to be picky on its friends."

senectus · Guru Joined: 17 Jul 2003 Posts: 534

I'd be prepared to pay for it if it worked.. (I don't believe in cracks for piracy, only for "no cd" use)

Would VMware let me boot and use the already installed winXP pro I have on this machine?
Would it let me sync through activsync my ppc 2003 XDA2 via USB cradle?
_________________
2800+XP A7N8X FX6600GT
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Belief is 9/10 of YOUR reality.
Wise man say: A skilled troll is a master baiter.

b0fh_ · Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2004 9:35 pm Post subject:

1 YES

Booting the winxp already installed is possible, but you will need to tweak the display, audio and network driver, because the VM presents different devices to the OS than the host system (ie, the network card will likely be an AMD PCNET, sound will be some SoundBlaster flavor and video will be a custom driver "vmware display adapter"). Keep in mind that after you make these changes to winxp, if you try to boot it directly (ie, outside vmware) the display/network/audio will be wrecked and will need to be fixed again ;-)

2 YES

acient vmware 3.2 (which I use) already supports "passing trough" USB devices from the host to the VM. Amazingly, it works even for things that don't have Linux drivers. I used activesync trough it to sync my IPAQ until I installed linux on it too ;-)

Still use it when I need to use some random weird dongle that does not work with linux.

As I said, vmware is pretty expensive (around 300USD I think), but is top-notch software.

Peace.
_________________
"Contrary to popular belief, UNIX is user-friendly. It only happens to be picky on its friends."

b0fh_ · Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2004 9:43 pm Post subject:

Btw, forgot to mention this:

1) windows has 'hardware profiles' that will probably help you in the booting inside/outside vmware issue. Don't know how to set it up tough.

2) vmware has a fully-featured trial version (30-day eval), so download it and give it a try. what I don't know is if they support gentoo, last time I checked there were only RPMs and some .tar.gz dist, which is what I used.

Peace.
_________________
"Contrary to popular belief, UNIX is user-friendly. It only happens to be picky on its friends."

senectus · Guru Joined: 17 Jul 2003 Posts: 534

Ok thanks.

From memory you can use a program called "Alien" to extract the rpm... this essentially makes it a ".tar.gz" install.
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2800+XP A7N8X FX6600GT
www.modmeup.net |
Belief is 9/10 of YOUR reality.
Wise man say: A skilled troll is a master baiter.

dice · Guru Joined: 21 Apr 2002 Posts: 577

b0fh_ · Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2004 11:45 pm Post subject:

That's coolness, but I don't think my license for 3.2 will work with 4.5. sad sad sad.
If you know otherwise, let me know ;-)

Peace.
_________________
"Contrary to popular belief, UNIX is user-friendly. It only happens to be picky on its friends."

b0fh_ · Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2004 11:49 pm Post subject:

Iks just took the time to go to their site and check... 99USD for an upgrade. Those dudes think I'm rich, hehe.
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"Contrary to popular belief, UNIX is user-friendly. It only happens to be picky on its friends."

Edweirdo · Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2004 12:30 am Post subject:

I don't like using windows and I have been windows free at work for about 5 years. Unfortunately, a new application has come around that only works in Windows that I have to use for work. So I use VMware for this. I don't have another partition, so I just installed the entire OS into a virtual hard disk. One of the good features of VMware is that you can suspend and resume the VM. So to get windows running again, you just hit the revert button and you have a running system without have to boot it every time.
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