saving versions??

[steve]

Im confused about saving versions of the virtual comptuer.

Im testing out some backups and restores.

So basically I want one machine that is the Basic install of
server2003 with all the updates.
then I want to restore several restores of our servers to this virutal
machine as test of our recovery processes.
So I want to restore say machine A. to the basic install of 2003, then
once I get it running and prove that I can do it I then want to start
fresh with the "basic install of server 2003" and restore machine B to
it. In other words I want to keep using the same machine from the same
point in time. So I dont have to keep rebuilding 2003 server over and
over.

Know what I mean ??

I can see an option to save the system I think but I dont understand
how I can go back to the original after I have done all my testing or
even save say machine A under a differnet name and then go back and
then save machine B to another name etc.

regards

[Bo Berglund]

A physical PC is defined by the data stored on its hard drive (the one
it boots off), right?

Well, a virtual PC is the same but its hard disk is really a file on
the host PC hard disk. The file is the virtual hard disk and is stored
with the extension VHD.

So when you have created a machine by installing the base operating
system on it and you are satisfied with its content, then shut it down
and just copy off the virtual disk file on the host to a safe place.

Whenever you want to revert to the old state, just copy the saved VHD
file back on top of the one you use for the virtual machine.
Then you can do whatever you like in it and discard all and start over
at will.

--

Bo Berglund (Sweden)

[steve]

Thanks that helps.

[Charlie Russel - MVP]

Another option is to build your base machine, and then create secondary
machines that use differencing disks. The original machine is marked READ
ONLY, so that it doesn't change, and each of the secondary machines only
stores the differences from that original base machine. You can have
multiple secondary machines using a single base, just be careful about
naming, SIDs, etc if you expect to have more than one active at the same
time. Ideally, you should sysprep the base, or at a minimum use NewSID to
change the side of each secondary machine. Note that once you do this, you
can't ever run the base machine, since it will break all the differencing
disks of the secondary machines.

--
Charlie.
http://msmvps.com/blogs/russel

"steve" <steve...@lycos.com> wrote in message
news:aa5c5349-c4b8-43ed...@z41g2000yqz.googlegroups.com...
> Thanks that helps.

[steve]

Not sure I understand completely but I will read it over a couple more
times try to understand.
thanks

[steve]

Are there any web sites that discuss various scearios like this. I
have not found any good help sites?

Regards

[Bo Berglund]

It goes like this in VPC2007, which is the desktop companion to VS2005
(I have not done this in VS2005, but I'm sure there is a similar way):

1) You create a virtual machine from scratch and install whatever base
software you like to have (OS, service packs, updates etc).

2) Then you shut this virtual machine down for good, it will never
ever be started again....
Make the VHD file holding its disk read-only too.
And you can as well erase the VMC file associated with this guset too,
it will not be needed anymore.

3) Now you create a new virtual disk for the next virtual machine
using the virtual disk wizard. When you do this you will select disk
type as a differencing disk. You will now be asked to point to the
"parent" disk and now you select the VHD file from step 2.

4) Repeat 3 for as many guests you like to have based on the original.

5) Now you have reached the point where you create a new virtual
machine. In the wizard you select "existing virtual hard drive" and
point it to one of the drives created in steps 3-4.

6) Now when you start this newly created guest machine it will be as
if you started the original, only all changes you make will be saved
to the new "differencing" disk file (hence the parent can be made
read-only).

7) Repeat 5-6 for as many vm:s as you like, they will all be separate
but based on the original install.

The beauty of this is that the original is never changed, so if you
want you can simply erase the differencing disk and start over with a
new virtual machine, which uses another differencing disk etc.

I thought that this process would be a bit harder to understand so
when I suggested the VHD copy procedure I did not mention it. But now
when it has surfaced anyway, there you are.

By the way, is there a reason you are using Virtual Server rather than
VirtualPC? With VirtualPC 2007 you get a better desktop integration
and the general management is also simpler than for VS2005.
Of course if you need your virtual machines to start up as soon as
your host machine starts then VPC2007 will not fit the bill....

VPC2007 is not a Windows service, but VS2005 is.

--

Bo Berglund (Sweden)

[Charlie Russel - MVP]

IMHO, this is the best place for help. There is a good book on Virtual
Server from Ben Armstrong, one of the key MS product managers. I'd recommend
it.

--
Charlie.
http://msmvps.com/blogs/russel

"steve" <steve...@lycos.com> wrote in message

news:726db072-8b7b-43dc...@21g2000yqj.googlegroups.com...

[Charlie Russel - MVP]

This works essentially similiar (except for the inevitable UI differences)
in VPC, VS, and Hyper-V. Conceptually the same. You create a base VM, then
shut it down, mark the VHDs read only, and create new differencing VHDs for
your secondary machines. Over time, this is inefficient of disk space and
can have issues with too many machines going against the base VHD, so not
generally a great idea for production machines, but ideal for running
standard tests against a known base line image.

--
Charlie.
http://msmvps.com/blogs/russel

"Bo Berglund" <bober...@myotherhome.sec> wrote in message
news:livni5pm8hpr9kmj7...@4ax.com...

[steve]

Thanks for your instructions on that.

I have to admit I didnt know there was a difference between virtual
server and virtual pc I think I just merged the two phrases together
thinking people called one thing by two different names. Im a little
confused then. I dont know what the difference is between virtual pc
and virtual server?

Regards

[Charlie Russel - MVP]

They are two different products with very different interfaces, but the same
general goal - to enable the running of virtual machines. Virtual PC is
intended for use on desktop or laptop computers by individual users, while
Virtual Server is intended for use on Windows Server operating systems.
While that's their intent, there is a certain amount of crossover where
particular needs, features or preferences indicate one or the other.

--
Charlie.
http://msmvps.com/blogs/russel

"steve" <steve...@lycos.com> wrote in message

news:f61ea9d1-02e9-4b5d...@o19g2000vbj.googlegroups.com...

[Bo Berglund]

Virtual PC is a desktop application that you start up when you have
logged on to the host PC. Inside this application you then start your
virtual machines. Each machine gets its own window from VPC2007 in
which you can interact with the running virtual machine just like if
you were sitting on the console of a real machine.

Virtual Server is a Windows service application with *no* user
interface when it is running. It can be set up to start virtual
machines when it starts up, which happens when the host boots.
But these virtual machines do not have any console to interact with
them, so you typically start an RDP session if you want to do some
work on the virtual machine.

Virtual Server thus is best suited to virtualize server class machines
which should run 24/7 and VPC is best suited for workstation type
machines.
But YMMV

--

Bo Berglund (Sweden)

[steve]

Thanks that seems reasonably clear.

Regards