-----Original Message----- From: centos-bounces@centos.org [mailto:centos-bounces@centos.org] On Behalf Of Les Mikesell Sent: Monday, May 18, 2009 3:24 PM To: CentOS mailing list Subject: Re: [CentOS] Solved: Dual-booting CentOS and WinXP
Note that it is also possible to set up VMware and perhaps virtualbox to be able to boot the alternate OS as a virtual machine so you can run both at once if you like. If you don't have the enterprise-licensed version of windows you might need to run it as the host, though. Otherwise it will want to be re-licensed every time you switch between virtual and physical boots and it sees different hardware. With Vmware you have to install the (free) server version to do the setup, although you can later remove it and use the player version at runtime if you prefer.
Thanks for the hint, but it won't work for us, we need the stand-alone machines for a course-lab. Each student working at one machine kind of scenario, though the idea is interesting in order to eliminate dual-booting. Always booting linux and having Windows running in Xen or something at the same time sound appealing actually. I'll see if this is feasible with the course-admins.
Anyway, we have volume licenses for Windows, so no need for re-activation or anything.
Update: Just spoke to the course-admin a quickie. He saw no reason to not run Windows virtual machines on a linux box. I'll look into this after the course is over.