Running Ubuntu under Windows/running a Windows app under Ubuntu

[Ouattara Oumar Aziz]

> Basically what I'm trying to do is have a bare-bones Ubuntu server
> system that I can run either under Ubuntu (95% of the time) or as a
> virtual machine under Windows XP Pro.
> 
> Lets see if this scenario works:
> 
> I run my server as a virtual machine under VMware all the time.
> 
> 95% of the time it'll run under Ubuntu as a VM, but, sometimes I'll
> boot into Windows and run it there under VMware Player.

Let's see if I understand your scenario. When playing with VM we have to 
be clear.
You have a computer let's call it *Server*.
What you wanted was to run Server under Ubuntu almost all the time. But 
you suspect you'll have to go under Windows. So you want to create a VM 
(called *VMServer*) that would launch your local Ubuntu installation 
when you are under windows.

But now your new scenario is to install Ubuntu on Server and another 
Ubuntu on VMServer. Then to launch VMServer either when Server is under 
windows or when Server is under Linux.

Did I understand well ?

If yes, the second option seems more interesting for your use.

> Question 1: can the Windows VMware Player run VMs created under Ubuntu
> using the Ubuntu VMware?

VMs config files are Independant from the OS used to create them so you 
shouldn't have any problem.

> Question 2: is it safe (as in data corruption/recovery) to keep my
> shared files on a virtual disk (separate from the Ubuntu server
> virtual machine)?

Well, what I suggest is create a *real* partition on Server that will 
keep your files. Then add a new virtual disk on VMServer that will point 
the partition out. So that you'll access that partition even if VMServer 
is not running. BUT be careful not to access that partition form 
VMServer and Server at the same time. Don't even access it when VMServer 
is running.

wattazoum