[dba-Tech] VM for different versions of Access

Tina Norris Fields tinanfields at torchlake.com
Thu Mar 27 13:49:02 CDT 2008


John,
Thanks again for the reply.
Now, here comes my VM newbie dumb question. 
For the Linux machine, I had to download a "Linux appliance."  (This was 
a VMWare Server installation, so a VMWare appliance.) 
For the Windows VM, I'm using the Microsoft Virtual PC.  Where do I go 
for the appropriate "Windows appliance" (or whatever name it gets in the 
Microsoft setting)?
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
Tina


jwcolby wrote:
> Ahh... Good job, teach me to READ the original post closely.   8-0
>
> Yep, yep and yep.  You can make them locally, then copy them to the external
> drive, and yes, delete the originals on the main machine once they are
> moved.
>
> As long as the host machine has the VM server software installed you can
> even move them from machine to machine for processing.  I have two fairly
> hefty servers and a laptop.  I have installed the server software on all the
> machines so I can just execute the VMs wherever I need to.
>
> External drives are really pretty speedy.  Often the USB channel can read /
> write as fast as the disk so there is no apparent effect of running
> external.
>
> John W. Colby
> Colby Consulting
> www.ColbyConsulting.com 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Tina Norris
> Fields
> Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 12:51 PM
> To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues
> Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] VM for different versions of Access
>
> Hey John,
>
> Thanks for the reply.  It's not a thumb drive, it's a powered 120 GB
> external hard drive, USB connected to my main computer, which is a Dell
> Inspiron 9400 laptop.
>
> Let's see if my thinking is fitting in with what you have just told me. 
> 1) I install the VM Server software on my host machine (already done).
> 2) I create my VM with WindowsXP Pro as the OS.
> 3) I install onto my VM the "stuff I gotta have."
> 4) I copy my VM to provide one each for whatever versions of Office I need.
> 5) Now, I copy my completed VMs to my external hard drive.
> 6) Can I then delete the original VMs that I made on my main machine hard
> drive?
>
> For the class I'm taking on Linux, I installed a VM for Fedora-7 on my
> external hard drive, and it ran.  I'm wanting to put as much as possible off
> on the external drive to keep the main computer as free as possible.  So
> far, the difference in speed hasn't been a real factor.  I don't deal in
> "humungous" databases the way you do.  Could happen, some day, though, so I
> take your advice seriously.
>
> Thanks again for the reply.  Am I thinking straight, here?
>
> Tina
>
> jwcolby wrote:
>   
>> Tina,
>>
>> The first question is why the thumb drive?  They are small and slow.  
>> IIWM, I would do it on a normal external disk.  Remember that you need 
>> not only office but Windows itself.  Plus you likely want other apps 
>> that you use all the time such as 3DFTP or UltraEdit or FireFox.
>>
>> Once you have the VM created and all set up with these "also gotta 
>> haves", then copy the VM and install Office97 on one copy, Office 2K 
>> on another copy, Office 2K3 on another copy etc.  They will be small 
>> but still probably at least 10 gigs or so each.  Having done that, buy 
>> a small laptop hard drive and an external USB driven container to put 
>> it in.  Place all the VMs on that and carry that around in your briefcase
>>     
> or laptop case.
>   
>> As for whether the VMs will run over a usb, AFAIK they will.  The HOST 
>> machine has to have the SERVER software installed to run it however.  
>> This is another reason to bring along your laptop.  Install the server 
>> software on that and then just plug in the disk to your laptop and go. 
>> You can of course also place the server install package on the disk 
>> along with the VMs but then you have to do the VM server software 
>> install on any machine that you want to run the VMs on.
>>
>> John W. Colby
>> Colby Consulting
>> www.ColbyConsulting.com
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
>> [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Tina 
>> Norris Fields
>> Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 11:55 AM
>> To: dba-tech at databaseadvisors.com; accessd at databaseadvisors.com
>> Subject: [dba-Tech] VM for different versions of Access
>>
>> Hi All,
>>
>> Double-posting, since this is a technical virtual machine question but 
>> involves Access.
>>
>> The database I wrote about that got corrupted has been mostly repaired.  
>> That is to say the tables are intact, all the data are there, and the 
>> table relationships are good.  However, there are bits and pieces that 
>> definitely are out of whack.  I am going to remodel the database, to 
>> use only the features the client actually uses and wants, to restore 
>> the switchboard interface the client likes, and then split the sucker 
>> into a proper BE and FE.  Client agrees.  Here is the puzzle: client 
>> uses Access97.  My machine is WinXP Pro with Office 2003.
>>
>> I would like to install a virtual machine and run Office 97 in that 
>> machine (yes, I still have a licensed copy on the shelf - 
>> unbelievable!).  I would like that machine to reside on my USB external
>>     
> drive.  Is this do-able?
>   
>> What are the gotchas I need to watch out for?
>>
>> I have Microsoft's VirtualPC installed as well as VMWare's Server.  
>> The MS VirtualPC seems the better candidate for making a virtual 
>> machine to run another version of Office.
>>
>> Suggestions?  Ideas?  Watch-out fors?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Tina
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>>     
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