I currently have a dual boot setup with the following:
hda 60gig = windows xp
sda 120gig = debian etch

I want to keep debian as my main OS (host) and use VMware to run windows.
but i want to eliminate the dual boot and use the same 60gig hdd for windows but run it in vmware on debian. I know that you can run windows in vmware on the same hdd as debian and use a seperate computer running windows and run it from debian, but can you just slave a hdd in your linux box and setup vmware to run your windows from the slaved hdd or even just keep the original windows installation on the 60gig and run it in vmware?

Thanks for anykind of help with this.

Joseph

Keeping the original Windows installation is not possible AFAIK.

Putting Windows on that 60 GB is quite easy. Make sure you connected the HDD either as slave of as second master.

Boot in Linux, run cfdisk to partition the new disk as ext3. Most likely you'll find your new disk as /dev/hdb (as slave) or /dev/hdc as second master. Not NTFS, not FAT VMWare installs on the Linux partition. Run mkfs on the new partition.

Mount the new disk by adding a line to /etc/fstab, like:
Use /dev/hdb1 you partitioned on /dev/hbd. If you connected the drive as second master it is likely to be /dev/hdc1.

When VMWare asks where to put the virtual machine, enter /vmware. That's all. Do not forget to run VMWare tools in Windows after installation.

jlinkels

Thank you for the help. I will try it this afternoon.
Again Thanks,
Joseph

Of course you can do that.

Running a physical Windows partition as a virtual machine:

http://blogs.vmware.com/vmtn/2007/01...g_a_physi.html

note that this works with IDE drives, I didn't get it to boot a SATA drive yet.

WOW.. that's good. Does it work with VMWare server as well? They are talking here about VMWare Workstation. Server is the (free) product I use. I have no experience with Workstation.

jlinkels

Yes it does

very cool indeed.. I was going to suggest he use the free vmware converter to make an image from his running windows system, but your response completely dwarfs that answer.

unfortunately I would have to setup a dual boot machine to try it though.. I've already eliminated windows from my home network.. but I do so want to try this.

yanik,

Thanks for this link and I really appreciate all the help from everyone with this. I have one more question though.

I am going to reinstall both OS's on a new computer i built but use the same hard drives. I am going to set Debian as Master Boot Drive (sata) and was wondering if i was to disconnect the Debian drive and connect the 60gig ide drive as primary master and install windows and related software, can I then disconnect the windows drive and set it as PRIMARY SLAVE and reconnect the Debian (sata) drive with the Sata drive as my boot drive then use VMware to run the windows os inside debian?

Thanks,
Joseph