Installing VMware on Windows

Registration and Download

1. Go to VMware.com and register for download. http://www.vmware.com/download/server/
2. When your e-mail arrives Write down the serial number then click on the link provided
3. When the download finishes, double-click on the executable and W A I T ....

Installation
When the installation wizard FINALLY comes up

1. press next
2. Accept the license, then press next
3. Select where you want to install the SOFTWARE. This does NOT have to be where you will create the virtual machines
4. Press Next
5. Select where you want to create the virtual machines. If you have a second hard drive, I would put the images on a different drive than the software
6. Change the FQDN to localhost
7. If you are on Windows XP and use "Fast User Switching" (and you want to continue to use it), uncheck "Allow virtual machines to start and stop automatically with the system". More on this later.
   
8. Press Next
9. Select which shortcuts you want. If you aren't going to be using a virtual machine all the time, I'd uncheck Desktop and Quick Launch toolbar
10. Press Next
11. Press Install... And W A I T some more.
12. When the installation is almost over, you will be presented with a registration screen. It says it's optional and you can do it later. Don't believe it. I spent a full day trying to make an installation work, after I did this. I couldn't get the registration number to work for anything. Oh, by the way, you cannot use the system without entering a registration number. Enter your registration information NOW.
13. Press the Enter button
14. Press finsh
15. If prompted, reboot your computer.

If you did not check "Allow virtual machines to start and stop automatically with the system"
1. Create a batch file named "Start VMware" containing the following:
net start "VMware Host Agent"
Save the file and create shortcuts on the desktop and/or the start menu pointing to this file. Clicking the link will start the required services. If you don't start the services, you will not be able to start any virtual machines.

2. Create a batch file named "Stop VMware" containing the following:
net stop "VMware Host Agent"
Save the file and create shortcuts on the desktop and/or the start menu pointing to this file. Clicking the link will shut down the services previously started. If you don't stop the services, you may corrupt one or more virtual machines.


Using VMware

1. If necessary start the services (see above)
   
2. From the start menu select VMware --> VMware Server --> VMware Server Home Page
3. Your browser will open. If you are presented with a warning about a questionable certificate, you should accept it.
4. You will eventually see a screen prompting you for your ID and password. Enter the ID and password you used to log in to Windows.
5. When finished remember to stop the services (if you started them manually)
   

You can start creating virtual machine images now. (And I'll describe that in a future post)