I have a (Virtually) new computer!

[BigV]

I say Virtually, because this post is coming to you live from a virtual machine, a completely RAM based pc living inside my original Dell laptop. The kicker for me is that on this machine I have installed Koppix 4.0, a flavor of Linux. I'm *stoked*!!

To be able to have a live Linux box to practice on will be of great usefulness. In fact, I can make more than one of these "boxes" on this same machine, and practice getting them to talk to one another. Make a change on Thing One and see the effect on Thing Two. Very very cool.

These virtual machines are possible on my Windows XP system thanks to a package called Virtual PC 2004 from Microsoft. I got the software as a gratuity for participating in some user focus group or another, and to thank the participants, we were all given a letter good for one item from the company store. I chose Virtual PC after working on the program in a class some time ago. It is very neat, having all these machines a click away. They're very robust, very realistic. I can't tell the difference, minus the physical box, of course. As this post demonstrates, they can reach the outside world as well.

The only thing I haven't done yet is switch off or suspend this "machine" and come back to it and make it live again. To be honest, there are two places I need to learn to shut 'er down. I need to learn how to shutdown the Koppix VPC, and I need to learn how to manipulate the VPC console. I remember in class that it is possible, since the whole affair is in RAM anyhow, to write a machine's state at a given moment to disk, shut down VPC, shut down the host machine and power it off, then return and reverse the steps and the VPC machine is none the wiser. It was cool in class, I'm looking forward to trying it here.

So, I'll leave this post as my new highmark. I'll test some stuff and come back and see the changes. I'll also be seeking any helpful input on Linux or VPC. Are there any Knoppix users out there? VPC? *chirp chirp* Tennis, anyone? Fine then. I have a whole network of computers right here on my screen. I'm gonna play!

[xoxoxoBruce]

Oh, he’ll never return,
No, he’ll never return,
And his fate is still unlearned
Poor old Big V
He will ride electrons
In the RAM of Koppix
He’s the man
Who never returned

[BigV]

I heard that!

[tw]

Originally Posted by BigV

These virtual machines are possible on my Windows XP system thanks to a package called Virtual PC 2004 from Microsoft. I got the software as a gratuity for participating in some user focus group ...

I'm not sure I understand this package.

Possibility one: the package permits you to boot into any one OS. IOW you don't have multiple OSes running simultaneously.

Poss two: each OS is configured so as to run as a task on the same Windows NT HAL. The original Windows NT did this - programs using NT, DOS, or OS/2 all could be executed on the same machine as separate and simultaneously executed tasks.

Poss three: any OS can execute as a task on NT without any special modifications as long as the OS is written in x86 code. IOW my ATLAS operating system for testing hardware could also run on XP if using Koppix.

Which possibility is reality?

[mbpark]

Tom,

It's an OS you can boot from CD and doesn't touch the hard drive.

I've used it and other OSes like it for Computer Forensics work (there's even a version of Windows, WinPE, that will do the same).

Thanks,

Mitch

[busterb]

Some of the things. I'v read about VPC.
It's a Virtual PC solution--- a complete PC, emulated in software, inside your regular operating system. The VPC thinks it's a fully normal standalone PC, and all apps running on the VPC think likewise, even though the VPC is really just a memory space and special software running in your real, physical PC alongside your normal apps.

When you set up a VPC, you can specify how much memory it will have, and whatever goes on inside the VPC normally cannot--- *cannot*--- reach out to the main PC to take over more RAM or CPU horsepower than you allocated. In fact, the VPC can be totally isolated from your real PC, if you want it that way; or it can connect via networking, just as if it were a separate PC. In any case, a VPC can work as a kind of self-contained sandbox where you can run voracious or even dangerous software with essentially no risk to your real PC. I use a whole fleet of VPCs for testing and research on my PC; not only for trying apps I'm not sure I want on my main system, but also for running Linux and other versions of Windows inside my main copy of XP. It's very cool technology.
More HERE

[Rock Steady]

Good timing on this thread guys. Thanks for the info.

My task at work is to design and implement the deployment and monitoring software for the first product. At the office I have Linux boxes for staging. For working at home, I could use some Linux boxes. Instead of repurposing old machines, I can simply run Virtual Linuxes on my two desktop PCs. Takes less space than going up to four computers in my home office.

I'll have to look into this stuff.

[SteveDallas]

If you haven't, check out Damn Small Linux. They have a bootable CD image, as well as a package that runs under Windows as a "sandbox" type of thing. (It's based on QEMU.) Running it under windows is slow though...

[BigV]

Thanks for all the responses, folks!

tw -- With apologies to mbpark (whose technical advice has heretofore been flawless), the answer to your question is choice number three. Virtual PC is well described in busterb's excellent summary. VPC is a program that runs under Windows XP (and other MS OSs) that permits me to define the hardware parameters of an imaginary (virtual) machine, and then that "machine" runs entirely in RAM. What OS you decide to install / launch on / in this VPC is up to you, within the constraints of the CPU architecture, as you point out.

mbpark -- Your answer is 100% correct if the question is "What is Knoppix?", but I think tw was asking about VPC. Knoppix is indeed hands off boot from cd run only in RAM as the only OS running on that (virtual or real) machine at any given moment. VPC is something else.

busterb -- Bullseye. I would like to emphasize the "...very cool..." part. It is indeed very very cool. I didn't get much from your link, so I'll offer one or two (or more or so) of my own. Good job busterb!

Rock Steady -- I have nothing to warn you about at this time wrt VPC, with this exception: these machines all share the common physical pool of RAM. Don't cheap out on the RAM 2GB would be extravagant for only Windows XP, but would be put to use on the same machine running a couple of VPC "boxes". The incredible usefulness of having the machine "right there" is hard to overstate. There are a couple of caveats, hardware wise. The VPC presumes to have some pretty basic hardware and it's all virtual, of course, so if your testing involves OS-Hardware interaction, perhaps this is not the right tool for the job. But if you're hardware indifferent, you can't beat the mileage you'll get out of having three machines in the same computer. Seriously.

The degree to which you wish to integrate them into the native host machine is entirely up to you.

SteveDallas -- Thanks for the Damn Small Linux tip. I will explore it more. Boot from cd is nice, and Knoppix does that too. My current goal is to have access to my comfortable WinXP resources to help me learn Linux simultaneously, not alternately, and that's where the VPC comes in. Plus (maybe when I get a couple of 1 or 2 GB sticks of RAM for the laptop) I will be able to run multiple machines. I think I can get away with the 1 GB I have divided this way: 768 MB WinXP and 2 VPCs at 128 MB each. We'll see. I want to experiment with two Linux boxes talking to each other.

All -- There is a similar product from MS called Virtual Server. Same product, I don't need the "extra" stuff and since I'm spending my time in front of a pc running XP and not Server 2003, then this one makes more sense for me.

[BigV]

Having said all that...

I still know squat about Linux. I see the desktop (KDE) and numerous applications, but I don't have anything like a set of exercises for the actual OS to do or practice on.

I imagine I feel like some of the people I've helped whose problem was answerable with a command issued at the OS level. They're baffled--what was that you did? Of course, in the normal course of events they never suspect the OS exists. It's all email or Office or the Internet or whatever. Obviously you and I know better, but I don't know where to start...

I'll open the floor to suggestions now, and start with some of my own.

What about user accounts? Creation and maintenance of? Directories and files? Security?

Simple apps that an admin would use? Like editors, or AD maintenance tools?

Ok, that's what I'm looking for to start learning about. I've read the command reference (some), I feel like I'm missing something...

[laebedahs]

BigV,

Want to learn linux? Go through a few installs of Gentoo Linux, or if you're feeling masochistic, do a Linux From Scratch install.

[BigV]

Eewww.

Ok, kidding!

I know how much I learned on the installation of other systems. That is a really good suggestion. I have crippled myself, then, in my choice of practice Linux--the big selling point of Knoppix is the bonehead install. Insert cd, turn power on, start linuxing. I'll look up what it takes to install it for reals. Thanks for the great idea.

[dar512]

I recommend two things, V. First get a copy of the Linux Administration Handbook. It lays things out in a very readable way. You'll find all the generic stuff here. How the file system is laid out, file system security, process security, etc.

However, you should know that Linux is not one monolithic entity. Each distribution is free to choose the default email handler, print handler, even file system handler (some of the Linux file systems are journaling). And, of course, the user doesn't have to stick with the default email system, for instance. He can remove it and install a non-default version.

I recommend starting with what you've already got installed. Read the documentation available for it and figure out how to do the most common stuff. Add a new user. Give them a password. Add them to email distribution, and so on. Once you become familiar with doing this stuff on one version, it'll be a lot easier for the next. (I except here only Sendmail. That thing is incomprehensible for those not willing to make a career out of it.)

Another option is to go through the RHCE (Red Hat Certified Engineer) program. I have no idea if it's any good. But you'd get a structured learning experience.

[BigV]

Thank you dar. I've read through the teaser pages of the first edition (2nd ed not avail) through your link. I like it. I will explore my options for getting a copy ($50.00 right now... I'm gonna shop around a little, you understand). I found this at the library; do you have an opinion here? Linux Problem Solver
Hands-on Solutions for System Administrators. It's available for checkout electronically only, which is new to me. Reading hundreds of pages online of a paper book will be a challenge. I'm going to check out the material now. I mean check it out from the NetLibrary, not just cruise the sample pages. I'll let you know, and I'll keep looking. Thanks again dar.

Oh, forgot. The RHCE deal sounds good, thorough but I'm in a spot where I have the time but not the dime. On my wish list though. (Are you listening, Santa?)

[dar512]

Don't forget your local library and university libraries. University libraries will often give you a borrowing card if you can show local id. I borrowed the first edition of the handbook from a local library. And I've seen RHCE books on the shelves.

I'd browse the card catalog and look for everything they have on Linux and Unix. Take all that seem interesting.