Tom,
Just an update on running McIDAS on Windows using VmWare and RedHat Linux.
After successfully installing RedHat 6.2 as the guest operating system under Windows 2000 and getting McIDAS running as described previously, I attempted to do the same on the Dell Dimension 8200 (1 GB ram, 1 GHz CPU, NVIDIA-GeForce3 video card with 64 MB) in my office. Some comments on that process that might be useful to others:
1. to install VmWare you need a designated directory, partition, or entire disk for VmWare to use for the guest operating system (RedHat in this case). The file systems should be formatted NTFS
2. Installing VmWare is a snap just follow the directions. For networking I have used NAT (network address translation) for the VmWare virtual network connection. Further, that connection should be set up as DHCP.
3. Startup VmWare and create a virtual machine - selecting Linux as the guest operating system.
5. When installation is complete the virtual machine reboots. My installation did not come up in graphical mode and if I attempted startx it gave an error. VmWare has VmWare Tools which needs to be installed before the X-server works properly under VmWare. So run VmWare Tools.
6. VmWare Tools - follow the directions, a file needs to be copied from the VmWare disk, decompressed and installed.
7. I had a problem even after running VmWare Tools - I got an error about my mouse. VmWare Tools creates a file called XF86Config-.vm and links /etc/X11/XFConfig to it. What I did was to delete the XF86Config-.vm, I ran /usr/X11/Xconfigurator to create a new XF86Config-4 for the correct mouse, and then reran VmWare Tools (it uses the info in XF86Config-4). Also I discovered that when running Xconfigurator in the video card section when it asks to "probe" or "not probe" I had to select "not probe" otherwise I got an error with no way to resolve it.
8. I downloaded McIDAS and built it (REdHat 7.3 includes g77 that was nice). It took about 20 minutes to build and install. I configured my ADDE connections and I running McIDAS on my Windows 2000 machine (animating those nice national radar composites), and the nice part is that I can be running McIDAS and when I'm done just iconify VmWare and later bring it right back in a click.
9. There is one problem I have noticed in limited use of VmWare on the Dell ( haven't noticed it on the Compaq) and that is sometimes when the virtual machine boots up there in no network connection (why??). Shutting down and rebooting the virtual machine solves this problem.
10. I just became aware of another product that basically does the same thing as VmWare, its called Virtual PC from Connectix Corp. The article I read noted that Virtual PC also supports OS2 as a guest operating system (wow - is that progress). Anyway there as some businesses that have a large amount of OS2 software and this is a way for them to keep using it. The article said that some have selected Virtual PC over VmWare because they find it to be more robust and handles networking better - cost about $200.
11. I downloaded and install gempak in my virtual machine. I have hardly spent any time on it but all of the program with a graphical interface bombs because of color problems - so it in not clear if it will work or not at this point.
take care,
Charlie
-- Charles H. Murphy Chairperson, Department of Geology & Meteorology Kean University 1000 Morris Avenue Union, NJ 07083-0411 ph. 908-527-2257 fax: 908-527-2517 email: address@hidden web: http://hurri.kean.edu
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