I am new to VMware.

Can I used it to install and run Fedora Core 6 and CentOS simultaneously on the same PC?

yes you can

Yes... If you have enough RAM. That's the idea of Virtual machines, letting you use one machine to mimic many...

You want to run a virtual CentOS load on a Fedora 6 boot? Isn't CentOS a build off Redhat/Fedora?
hehe, yeah VMWare can do it. That's $$$ though. Not sure if it's your best route of travel.

Edit: Beat to it.

I don't need to run any KDE, Gnome, or any such GUIs.
I would install one of these GUIs and use it maybe once a month.

Most of the time, both FC6 and CentOS would run in console mode.

So in what order should I do the installs?

VMware
FC6
CentOS

(I would need VMware player. Correct?)

yes but the virtual machine isn't installed on a seperate parition, you use whats called vmware config files and vmware harddisks and you should install what ever operating system you don't want to be running in a virtual machine

I see.

So this PC has 1 ethernet card.
Typically, it would be assigned an IP address by the DHCP server based on the card's MAC address.

So how FC6 and CentOS get a different IP address? (Or would they?)

In other words, how would I:

ssh FC6_server
vs.
ssh CentOS_server

http://FC6_server
vs.
http://CentOS_server

You could use ifconfig to assign the same MAC Address.
or if your like GUI http://www.alobbs.com/macchanger/

I think what you really want to do is create a dual booting system...
I don't believe virtualization is what you're looking for here.

1. VMWARE requires a window manager like gnome or KDE to work at all, this would be taxing on your computers resources
2. With vmware you run one OS inside the other, causing reduced performance on both operating systems
3. You'll need to BUY vmware workstation to have any kind of real performance in your guest operating system

I suggest that you not even think about virtualizing unless it's absolutely necessary that you are running both OS's at the same time, I think you should just install either one of the OS's first, make sure to leave some unpartitioned space on your hard drive for the second, and then install the second on that unused space. If you install a bootloader (my preference is Grub) during the second install to your MBR then you should have the dual boot setup automatically.


Just my $.02

edit: delete double post

krazytekn0, I understood what you said.

Won't a dual booting system allow me to run FC6 or CentOS?

The main requirement I have is that - both FC6 and CentOS need to be running simultaneously.

If they HAVE to be running simultaneously, a Virtual PC application is what your looking for. VMWare is a good one.

Virtual machines take a toll on your computers performance, but if you have a relatively new machine you may find as I do that it is actually pretty smooth.

You can get a 30 day eval of Vmware workstation and see if it will perform adequately for you. That is what I would suggest.

Don't forget that VMware Server is free. It can run on Windows or linux as well.

With VMware Server you do not need a GUI for your linux. We run a lot of VMware at work for CentOS and RHES and we never run a GUI.

Regarding VMware Workstation I was pretty certain that you could do the install with the GUI then drop to console mode and let it run like that, but I guess I could be wrong.

You can also give the VM's direct access to the network, which means they will DHCP for their own address. Or you can give them access to the host for network access.

Again, assuming you're looking at VMware Workstation why not take advantage of the 30 day eval and see if it will do what you want it to?

Plus you could check out VMware Server...