Loading OS into a VMWare Machine from a Physical Machine

[WWGD]

Hi All,
I have VMWare Workstation Software to use VMs . When I create a machine I am asked to load an OS into the new VM:



Is it possible to load the Physical PCs OS into the VM:

 

[Svein]

In effect VMWare creates a blank (virtual) disk. You can use it for data storage or you can install an OS on it (linux, Windows 98,...).

 

[WWGD]

In effect VMWare creates a blank (virtual) disk. You can use it for data storage or you can install an OS on it (linux, Windows 98,...).

Thanks, can I install the physical host's os in the virtual machine? How else can I assign an OS into the VM?

 

[WWGD]

The thing is I installed two versions of Python, 2 and 3, and each has a local server assigned to it( At localhost EDIT: Each copy of Anaconda has a front end and a back end . The front points to localhost 8088 or other localhost).But I am getting error messages. I think the issue is that when I make a client request it is not clear which server will process it. Maybe I can change the ports listening. Or maybe I am off.

 

[MikeeMiracle]

You can use a utility called the vSphere Converter to convert a physical computer into a virtual disk files. You then create a new VM and in the hard disk section you choose "existing virtual hard drives" and point them to the converted disk files. That will allow you to start the physical compuet in a virtual environment.

Runnign VM's is very resources heavy if running microsoft operating systems, you really need a good number of CPU cores and a good amount of memory. You should also go into the BIOS of the machine running VM Workstation and enabled the Virtualisation options on the CPU to allow VM Workstation to directly access your CPU/Memory, without that everything is software emulated and quite slow. You also need to enable this to run 64 bit operating systems.

 

[MikeeMiracle]

You install an OS into the VM using the OS install media just like if it was a freshly built computer. In effect that is what you have created, a freshly built computer with no operating system or software installed on it, you have to do that from scratch. If you have a copy of windows you could use that or you can download Linux varients for free.

I work with Virtualisation so am happy to help you with virtualisation questions but can't help with any software questions.

 

[WWGD]

EDIT: Ok, @MikeeMiracle , I finally got things going but I'm stuck. I am using VMWare on Win 7 Pro 32-bit for my VM, I am trying to download Anaconda 3.7 and I am getting the error message : "Failed to Create Menus" towards the end of the download. I haven't been able to find anything useful in a SO search. I disabled the firewall ( temporarily, of course) What do you suggest?

 

[WWGD]

Followup:
The program was installed :
VMWare program running a Win7 OS 32- bit.

But I cannot access it neither in the searchbox, nor through the file explorer.

 

[WWGD]

Update 2: I can find 'Anaconda' in a box search but it is presented as a collection of files, no clear executable to run. How can I end up with an executable Anaconda, i.e., one I can click to open? Anaconda is listed as being in 'Workgroup'.

 

[pbuk]

Update 2: I can find 'Anaconda' in a box search but it is presented as a collection of files, no clear executable to run. How can I end up with an executable Anaconda, i.e., one I can click to open?

By installing it successfully.

I am getting the error message : "Failed to Create Menus" towards the end of the download.

Which is telling you that it has not installed successfully.

What do you suggest?

Stop using a virtual machine - your hardware isn't up to it, your host OS (Win 7 32 bit, correct?) isn't up to it and is not well supported, Win 7 as a guest OS is very resource hungry, VMWare is not as well supported (without payment) as VirtualBox, 32 bit versions of anything are not as well supported as 64 bit...

Let's go back to square 1:

The thing is I installed two versions of Python, 2 and 3, and each has a local server assigned to it( At localhost).But I am getting error messages. I think the issue is that when I make a client request it is not clear which server will process it. Maybe I can change the ports listening. Or maybe I am off.

This post does not make any sense. Python does not have any 'servers assigned to it'. You can run a Python script that listens on a specific port so that you can, for instance, run a web server, but you are not doing that are you? Why don't you just download and install the Anaconda bundle, accepting all the defaults, and it should create all the right entries in your path so that you can run whichever version of Python you want - and if you want both, see here.

 

[WWGD]

Thanks. I meant Anaconda uses a local server, usually at local host 8888. My host OS is win10 64 bit, with 8GB of RAM. The VM from VMware uses Win7 32 bit. I was hoping to use HyperV , since it is a windows program, but I had trouble installing it and decided to use VMsare instead. Problem now is, in the host machine, I can't even use the search box nor the start menu, as they are both disabled.

 

[pbuk]

My host OS is win10 with 8GB of RAM.

Oh my bad, that is a much better bet for virtualisation. My other comments still stand though - if you want community support, use VirtualBox and a 64 bit Linux client OS (e.g. Ubuntu).

 

[pbuk]

Problem now is I can't even use the search box nor the start menu, as they are both disabled.

In your client OS I assume? My guess is that there are a whole load of updates and patches that need to be applied before this Win 7 install is stable. If you insist on going down this path, make sure you have fully updated it.

 

[WWGD]

Oh my bad, that is a much better bet for virtualisation. My other comments still stand though - if you want community support, use VirtualBox and a 64 bit Linux client OS (e.g. Ubuntu).

Thanks, will give that a try, though I am not familiar with Linux. I know this is a separate issue but can you suggest how to address the search box and start menu being disabled?

 

[WWGD]

In your client OS I assume? My guess is that there are a whole load of updates and patches that need to be applied before this Win 7 install is stable. If you insist on going down this path, make sure you have fully updated it.

Thanks for your help and patience PBUK.
No, in the host machine, win10 home edition 64bit , 8gb RAM.

 

[pbuk]

Thanks for your help and patience PBUK.
No, in the host machine, win10 home edition 64bit , 8gb RAM.

Oh that's a bit of a problem! Things to try... rebooting... uninstalling VMWare... er...

 

[pbuk]

I meant Anaconda uses a local server, usually at local host 8888.

Oh I see what you mean - yes the Jupyter front end defaults to port 8888, and you could have problems with Jupyter for Py 3.7 if your Windows path was pointing to Py 2.7. The instructions I linked to should sort that though.

 

[pbuk]

FWIW I have just installed Anaconda 3 and 2 (in Win 10 Pro) and have them running side by side. You should simply get 2 entries in your start menu:

... and you can run multiple Jupyter instances mixing 2 and 3 at will - it will launch on 8888, 8889, 8890... as available.

Not much comfort if you haven't got a start menu though! Sorry.

 

[MikeeMiracle]

If you want to access resources in your VM from yoru host then it needs to be on the same network. In your Vm network card settings make sure you select "Bridged mode." The default is to use "NAT" mode. Bridged mode will mean it's network is like another physical mavchine and you can then talk to it from your host.

I am not sure if you can change the network settings if you are using VMware Players as opposed to VMware Workstation.

BTW I can help with virtualisation issues, once the OS is installed then you need someone familiar with the application. If you are expecting a start menu item then they are just links to an executable file. If you look in the folder c:\program files\application name then yo should see a .exe file that you can run. You might need to change your windows explorer setings so that it displays the full name of the file before the file extentions will show up.

 

[WWGD]

If you want to access resources in your VM from yoru host then it needs to be on the same network. In your Vm network card settings make sure you select "Bridged mode." The default is to use "NAT" mode. Bridged mode will mean it's network is like another physical mavchine and you can then talk to it from your host.

I am not sure if you can change the network settings if you are using VMware Players as opposed to VMware Workstation.

BTW I can help with virtualisation issues, once the OS is installed then you need someone familiar with the application. If you are expecting a start menu item then they are just links to an executable file. If you look in the folder c:\program files\application name then yo should see a .exe file that you can run. You might need to change your windows explorer setings so that it displays the full name of the file before the file extentions will show up.

Thanks, would you suggest HyperV over VMware for a PC, to help with compatibility issues?

 

[MikeeMiracle]

VMware Workstation all the way if you have VMware Workstation. I don't see compatibility issues with either. You just need to set / configure the guest as if it was being installed on another physical machine. I think the issue you are having is that you are unsure how to make your software setup work on two separate computers.

So long as you can ping the guest from the host and vice versa then the rest is software configuration. Can you ping both? Are you comfortable configuring IP address or using the ping command? It's used to test connectivity between two computers.

 

[WWGD]

Thanks. I am having recent issues with my host machine that don't allow me to check. I will solve them and get back to you.

 

[MikeeMiracle]

FYI

VMware on Windows runs on top of Windows.
Hyper-V installs a hypervisor below the Windows host and all I/O runs via this hypervisor. This ensures that your host and guest have access to the same resources via the same processes.

For server based virtualisation this is fine, for running your home lab, you don't want your host going the hypervisor, you want it to have direct access to your hardware.

 

[MikeeMiracle]

To get a command prompt up, right click on your desktop and select New > Shortcut. Type CMD as the location, click next, type CMD again and click next. That should give you a command prompt icon on your desktop. From there you can run the ping command to check connectivity.

As for your start menu being disabled, you will need to do a web search for this.

 

[WWGD]

@MikeeMiracle :
Can you please help me setup a virtual environment? I am trying to use Graphlab in Python 3.7 and
I am getting the error message:

"Could not find a version that satisfies the requirement graphlab (from versions: )
No matching distribution found for graphlab"

From my research, I was told to create a virtual environment for Python 2.7:

https://stackoverflow.com/questions...hing-distribution-found-for-graphlab#52048347
Thanks.

 

[WWGD]

FWIW I have just installed Anaconda 3 and 2 (in Win 10 Pro) and have them running side by side. You should simply get 2 entries in your start menu:

View attachment 247974

... and you can run multiple Jupyter instances mixing 2 and 3 at will - it will launch on 8888, 8889, 8890... as available.

Not much comfort if you haven't got a start menu though! Sorry.

Thanks again Pbuk, I did install both and overcame issues with Searchbox and Start menu ( Though not fully sure of why; I started using some restore points and somehow got it done). If I may bother you again: Just curious, can you use Anaconda 2, Anaconda 3 at the same time? Any chance you can show me the paths? I am still having some conflicts; I may have used the wrong environmental paths and if possible, I would like some data to reverse -engineer any problem. Or if you have good refs too, would appreciate it. Last one here, promise :).

 

[pbuk]

Just curious, can you use Anaconda 2, Anaconda 3 at the same time?

Well Anaconda is just a launcher for different packages, but no it seems that you can't run them both (or more than one instance of either) at the same time. You can however run different versions of components at the same time - see the screenshot below of Jupyter Notebooks in Python 2.7 and 3.7 together.

I may have used the wrong environmental paths and if possible, I would like some data to reverse -engineer any problem. Or if you have good refs too, would appreciate it. Last one here, promise :).

Well Windows paths are always a bit troublesome, but I don't think that is the problem here as the Anaconda install has not set anything in my PATH. Take a look at the Command Prompt window in the screenshot: the first attempt to run python from my home path fails, the second attempt to run Python37 from its installation path succeeds but the third attempt for Python27 has a problem locating a DLL.

Do the version-switching instructions in the Anaconda docs work for you? If not, or if you really need to execute code simultaneously in both Python2.x and Python3.x (why?), I don't think I can help any more.

 

[MikeeMiracle]

Sorry WWGD, as I last stated I can help you with virtualisation issues but you are having a software issue.