boot XP via VMware thru Grub?
 

Hi

I have successfully installed VMware server on my Linux box and installed a XP guest O/S.

I can run XP from a terminal with "vmrun start /var/lib/vmware/virtual machines/XP" and all is okay, full screen, and VMware tools installed so the SVGA is fine.

It is absolutely brilliant. I would even say running XP through linux and vmware is FASTER than XP native....cannot believe it, dont know how, but it just seems much more responsive. ????

Anyway, is there anyway I can setup grub and linux to boot my VMware guest O/S from the GRUB boot menu. Like, I want the capability to boot a GRUB menu option called "XP" that actually boots linux, auto logs in, and runs my VMware guest XP O/S. Then, when I power down the XP guest O/S, the linux box shuts down.

Like I said above, I can accomplish this from the command line in linux, but I want this ability for my 6yr old daughter so that she is blisfully unaware linux is the primary O/S.

Thanks in advance.

This will take a REAL guru to resolve me thinks :-)

No, but one can add the line to someplace like say the /etc/rc.d/rc.local file (CentOS). As for powering down the system when you shutdown the guest OS better to ask this in the VMware Communities;

http://communities.vmware.com/index.jspa

yes, but the trouble with an /etc/rc.d/... update is that EVERYONE gets a XP guest O/S, booted when the box is powered on.

need to be a bit clever here...

I want my box to present an "XP" option at Grub, which actually boots linux then a virtual XP.

Its all in place, almost, just need some way of starting "two" systems from Grub, one real linux, and the other ... linux with a virtual XP guest.

ANYBODY?

Is there anyone who knows how to do this...

To add clarity, I guess what I would like to do is...

1. Setup grub to add another option, say "Virtual XP".
2. Allow user to boot "Virtual XP"
3. Boot the option and load the kernel.
4. Start X, autologin and autostart VMware server to run my Virtualized XP.
5. When user closes VMware, the system reboots.

I already have VMware server installed, setup with XP installed as a virtual machine. This runs fine.

It is 1,2 and 5 that I'm not sure about.

Anyone?