Jared Evans Global Microbrand

How to Install Windows Longhorn on VMware

Choose
the guest operating system as "Windows XP Workstation". key to the
install process is not to select the "Longhorn (Experimental)" option
from the dropdown. VM ware is aware of this problem and are working to
get an patch for it.

When
asked to provide the disk allocation space, choose an amount of GB that
will be sufficient for any other files you need in addition to default
Longhorn installation which will consume ~2 GB.

It’s better to use an Longhorn DVD ISO image on your hard drive and assign the VMware D: to that file.

After you finish with setting the virutal machine options (but before you install Longhorn), open the .vmx file and change scsi0.present = "TRUE" to "FALSE" if you don’t have SCSI drive.

Add these 2 lines (which can be removed after Longhorn installation):
disable_acceleration = "FALSE"
      xinfo.noDGA = "TRUE"

Save the .vmx file and start the Longhorn installation.

When Longhorn tries to detect your hardware, it will take a LONG TIME.  Just be patient and let it finish.  This is a beta after all!

After installation reboots the VM, shut down the VM.

Open the .vmx file again and add this line:
Ethernet0.virtualDev = "vmxnet"

The
above line is added as the default driver for the Ethernet card has a
problem, hence you are mentioning an alternative driver.

Save the .vmx file

Change
the VM D: to point to windows.iso that will be in your VMware program
files.  This iso image contains the windows VMware Tools files.

Start
the Longhorn VM again and once it finishes booting up, browse to the
CD-ROM and install the VMware tools.  This will install the SVGA
display drivers as well as mouse, network etc.

Be sure to check out the pop-up behind windows during this process…

If message that says driver is not authenticode signed, just click "install now" to continue.

If message that says driver package not comptatible with Longhorn, just click "cancel" to continue.

You
may also see a message asking you to restart before the VMware Tools
installer has finished. Do not restart the guest operating system at
that time. Wait until the Installation Wizard Completed screen appears,
click Finish, then restart the guest operating system when you are
prompted to do so.

Make sure you didn’t install SCSI driver!  You will need to reinstall if you did so.

Restart the Longhorn VM and you should be all set!