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Windows Seven RC on VMware Fusion - installing
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- Category: Windows
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- Written by angusf
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Part 1, Installation, Activation, Virus Protection
Tin - everything is equal, but some is more equal than others
Two operating system releases in one week. Solaris 10 05/09 might not be regarded as being as important as Windows 7 RC but they both got my interest today. This article is about my installation and running of Windows 7 RC from Microsoft Corporation, see my other article about the Solaris 10 05/09 install.
A pause to remember how it used to be not too long ago if you needed to look at various operating systems
But one thing to note about both operating systems for me is that they are both running on the same physical hardware, an Apple Xserve with a Intel processors which cupports VMware Fusion. Its truly remarkable to me to have all my favourite and indeed not so favourite operating systems running on the same metal. In the old days I would have needed a PowerPC for MacOS, a SPARC based workstation for Solaris and a DEC Alpha for Windows NT (ok, ok, perhaps not a DEC Alpha! but I did have one for a long time and I still have the 'imagine being the one without Alpha AXP' pen). Now because of VMware Fusion and Mac OS X Server I can virtualise anything even including Mac OS X itself (although only the server version is licences for virtualisation and then only on Apple hardware so its just as well I bought an Xserve then).
VMware Fusion
Installation of Windows 7 RC from the ISO using the new virtual machine assistant.
All you need to do here is make sure the ISO image you downloaded from Microsoft resides in a disk thats visible to VMware Fusion and select it as shown here. That way VMware Fusion will treat the ISO as a boot image saving you the time and effort of burning one. Nice touch as this removes frankly unnecessary steps and clutter from my desk in the form of CD and DVDs with handwritten labels.
Choose Windows Vista as the version of Microsoft Windows for the new virtual machine assistant.
VMware Fusion tweeted that you just needed to choose Windows Vista from the Choose Operating system screen in the assistant so thats what I did.
Windows Easy Install
To be honest I didnt know if this would work, given this is a new version of Windows and all. But what the heck I tried and set the account name I wanted, the password I wanted and the product key I had got from Microsofts download site, then pressed continue.
Finishing up the New Virtual Machine assistant
I left this on the defaults I think. Seemed about right to me. Windows 7 RC is supposed to be better than Vista pount for pound so they should be OK
VMware Boots Windows 7 RC
Something of an encouraging start
Off she goes
The copying from the ISO image to my new virtual hard disk begins.
Copying continues
Not all that fast but Im on a Raid, perhaps thats bad for copying, who knows.
Installing Windows 7 RC - Expanding Windows Files
I guess Windows files are compressed. I wonder why they cant just stay compressed these days.
Windows 7 RC Splash Screen
OK thats very pretty.
Still going
More installation
Windows 7 Login
The VMware Easy Install worked - my 'admin' account is set up and my password worked
Windows 7 First Time Login, Preparing your desktop
Drum Roll...
Homegroup setup
At this point I dont know what a homegroup is so I turned all these checkboxes off and clicked next.
Windows 7 RC Ready to Run
Here it is. Annoyingly the Wastebasket is still top left. There are new big buttons at the bottom .
Activation and Anti Virus
I activated Windows, nothing new, its just said 'activated' just like XP and Vista. Then it began to warn me about Anti Virus. It sent me to a page full of recommendations from major members of the Virus Cartel, but I wasnt really all that interested as I use ClamWin which is free and works on Servers and isnt real-time so I can control its interference. Maybe Im one of the few that believe this should be maintenance that isn't jumping in your face with indecipherable notifications every time you try to do anything but thats me and ClamWin does exactly what I want and its free.
Turn off Virus protection notices
For rreasons I know not, ClamWin is not on the mainstream list of Windows detectable Anti Virus software so you have to turn the messages off if you dont want to be nagged to death by Windows.
Running ClamWin
But it seems to run well. I updated its files, did a memory scan, followed by a drive scan then set it to run nightly unobtrusively and can now quietly forget about it
Thats it so far. Im installed, activated, and virus free on my VMWare fusion hosted copy of Windows 7 RC.
Note : Window 7 Beta and RC Expiration periods
You must rebuild your test machine with a valid version of your previous Windows operating system before the Windows 7 Beta and RC software expires. Windows will notify you that the expiration date is approaching. Two weeks after the expiration date, your PC will shut down every two hours.
The Beta will expire 1 August 2009 with two-hourly shutdowns beginning 1 July 2009.
The Windows RC will expire 1 June 2010 with two-hourly shutdowns beginning 1 March 2010.
In both cases, you will need to rebuild your test PC to install a new operating system and reinstall all your programmes and data.