[AccessD] Virtual PC

John Colby jwcolby at ColbyConsulting.com
Sat Dec 3 00:39:20 CST 2005


Yes, the install of Windows took FOREVER.  No clue why but at times I
thought perhaps it was frozen.  Same with updates (service packs) to Windows
and the like.  As you mention, once running, it does seem to be reasonably
fast running the actual applications, although I still have not gotten to
the point of loading the apps that I am doing this for.  I installed SQL
Server 2005 (took FOREVER) and Visual Studio 2005 (didn't take all that
long, but not quick).  I have not actually run anything yet, other than
FireFox browsing the web and such.

Oddly, VPC installed without a hitch on my EMachines 6805 notebook running
an AMD 64 processor and 1.25g ram.  It took a little fiddling to get it to
recognize the broadcom but it eventually did.  OTOH, I have three desktops
downstairs that it will install on but flat won't recognize the network
hardware on.  Sigh!  No resolution on that issue so far, so those machines
(which have more memory and more /faster hard disks are not running totally
yet.  VPC installed, and it claims I can run it (haven't generated the
virtual disk for it yet) but without the ability to get out to the network
to get drivers and such, I am not sure that it will be useful.

John W. Colby
www.ColbyConsulting.com 

Contribute your unused CPU cycles to a good cause:
http://folding.stanford.edu/
-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Stuart Sanders
Sent: Friday, December 02, 2005 10:43 PM
To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
Subject: Re: [AccessD] Virtual PC

I only started using VPC (2005) a little over a week ago.  I have to install
an app at a client who doesn't have access, so I needed to test the runtime
environment.  (First for me).

Can't really comment on the server installation, but my experience with VPC
on a new notebook running at 2.1Ghz so far seems to indicate doing things
that require a link outside the virtual environment such as
installing/upgrading (installing XP took over half a day ... ) and I was
running it on my hard disk.  Part of that may have been due to me using a
dynamic partition (it keeps growing the partitiion).

Once installed though running things inside the virtual environment was
quite quick.  As an example, I initially had my test app sitting on a
virtual-share accessable to the virtual environment.  Took about 2 mins to
load the access app.  After moving it onto the virtual disk it was almost
instantaneous.  I'll readily admit I'm new to VPC though and haven't read
any docs.

As to the software firewall issue.  That probably depends more on where you
are running it.  If its a controlled environment (your office/home) and you
are strickly limiting what gets installed, then there probably isn't a
requirement.

Stuart

-----Original Message-----
From: lyle.hannum at co.wake.nc.us
To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
<accessd at databaseadvisors.com>
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 2005 16:02:42 -0500
Subject: Re: [AccessD] Virtual PC

> Hi
> 
> Here at my office several people are running VPC with VS2005 and SQL
> 2005
> (ent. ed. for both) with no problems. They say it is slow to load, but 
> then all is well. I will have to ask on the firewall question.
> 
> A related question if I may...have you looked into Virtual Server 2005?
> No
> one here seems to be able to run the admin set up page (hence the use 
> of VPC). I believe a ticket is open at MS with no resolution to date. 
> This is on Win 2003/IIS6, Dual core Intel CPU, 1GB ram.
> 
> Lyle Hannum MCP
> Wake County IS
> 
> 
> 
>                                                                        
>                                                                        
>                       "John Colby"                                     
>                                                                        
>                       <jwcolby at ColbyConsulting.        To:      
> "'Access Developers discussion and problem solving'"                   
>       
>                       com>                             
> <accessd at databaseadvisors.com>, "Tech - Database Advisors Inc."        
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> [AccessD] Virtual PC                                                   
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>                                                                        
>                       11/30/2005 11:21 AM                              
>                                                                        
>                       Please respond to Access                         
>                                                                        
>                       Developers discussion and                        
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>                       problem solving                                  
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> 
> 
> 
> Is anyone using Virtual PC?  I am starting to set it up, using an 
> external Drive on a USB, and I am wondering whether I need to bother 
> putting a firewall on it.  The virtual PC instances will be used for 
> development in the new Visual Studio 2005 / SQL Server 2005.  It seems 
> like rather a large computing load to impose on a virtual machine, 
> although if there is little traffic to the internet perhaps not.
> 
> Thoughts?
> 
> John W. Colby
> www.ColbyConsulting.com
> 
> Contribute your unused CPU cycles to a good cause:
> http://folding.stanford.edu/
> 
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