[dba-Tech] VM for different versions of Access

Tina Norris Fields tinanfields at torchlake.com
Thu Mar 27 15:13:23 CDT 2008


Thanks for trying, anyway.  I may put a new VM in the WMWare Server, 
too, and talk more with you about it.
Tina

jwcolby wrote:
> You know what, I do not use the Microsoft VM stuff.  There are a couple of
> reasons, the MS VMs can't see USB ports apparently, and also the disks that
> you can create and add to the VM are not as flexible from the way I read it.
> So basically I use the VMWare server.  It loads on top of my Windows 2003
> Server OS and can run several different VMs at the same time.  It can also
> operate in native 64 bit mode and one of my Windows 2003 servers is running
> the x64 version. 
>
> I can't help you at all with the MS version of VMs.  You don't have to use
> them though.  In fact the same VM that runs on a Linux VM Server machine can
> be moved to and run on the VMWare server software running on top of a
> Windows OS, or so I understand.  One of the VERY cool things about the
> VMWare stuff.  The Windows VMs can only run on Windows host OSes.
>
> 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 2:49 PM
> To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues
> Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] VM for different versions of Access
>
> 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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>>     
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