virtualizing...

[Stephen Adler]

Thanks Bill,

My home system is a core 2 quad Q9550. I believe it has the features 
needed to support full virtualization. (vmx)

The bit which puzzles me, is how do the virtual machine share the 
graphics adapter? Is there some kind of virtual adaptor which which 
multiplexes down to the physical adapter? Or are the virtual systems 
running in a console-less mode and direct their output to some virtual 
serial port?

Bill Bogstad wrote:
> On Thu, Nov 13, 2008 at 8:55 AM, Stephen Adler <adler-wRvlPVLobi1/31tCrMuHxg at public.gmane.org> wrote:
>   
>> Guys,
>>
>> I'm thinking I may take on virtualization as my holiday hobby. But
>> before I do, I was wondering if the following concept actually applies
>> to the linux zen kernels.
>>     
>
> I assume you actually mean Xen.
>
>   
>> Can I have linux and windows running virtually, on my desktop, and
>> through some hot key, switch between then, console and all? In other
>> words, say I'm running Linux in full desktop mode, with gnome running
>> and icons on my desktop splashed across my dual monitor setup. Then by
>> typing I dunno F12 or what ever, it switches to a windows desktop, where
>> windows explorer now controls my dual monitor desktop and windows icons
>> are splashed cross my dual monitor setup?
>>     
>
> It depends.  Since Microsoft doesn't support Xen paravirtualization,
> you have to use full virtualization.
> Xen only supports this on CPUs which have some hardware support for
> virtualization.
> Not all AMD or Intel CPUs do.  See this random  web link for some more
> info on this subject:
>
> http://bobcares.com/index.php/blog/?p=121
>
> Bottom Line:  On the wrong CPU you can't use Xen at all to run Windows...
>
> Bill Bogstad
>
>