VMware can help in protecting your computer from intruders

[N1LAF]

I am running XP Pro, which works fine with me, but I also set up a Virtual Machine with XP also. In this VM window, I installed all the different browsers to make comparisons and testing of web pages - how they are seen on the different browsers.

I also use this VM window to test third party software, and general web browsing. If I did hit something abnormal or suspicious, no problem, would just copy the VM window folder/files over itself and cleans from the problem.

My VM disk is 10.26 GB, small enough to store on my USB drive as well.

Think of the VM window as a containment field. It is a barrier between your base computer setup and the Virtual computer setup. The disk in VMware is a virtual disk, and shows up in the base computer as a file. As far as I know, and others, please speak up if I got this wrong, that any malicious software running in a virtual machine will not affect the base computer system.

VMware player is a free download. (requires a free registration to download)

To set up your containment system:

1. Download and install VMware player.
2. Create 'New Virtual Machine' and install your OS into it.
3. Install Firefox 9or/and other browser software. You can also install AVG anti virus software
4. Do all your browser customizations.
5. Copy the VM folder to another location, this will be your baseline and restore point

If there is a virus or malware lurking in your VM window, then close VMware, delete the folder, and copy the baseline where the folder used to reside. Start again.

This method will save you lots of hassles. A must to try out third party software. It is also the easiest way to break into Linux - I have Ubuntu 10.04 in a VM window. You can use VMware for windows 95/98/NT/2K/XP/Win7 as well.

Use DOSBOX for Windows 3.1. Believe it or not, there was a need to run Windows 3.1 to run some legacy software to extract data (engineering thing), and DOSBOX does this well, where it is problematic and not supported with VMware.

In using VMware, make sure you download the tools/utilities for each OS system. This will allow the screen resolution to change on the fly as you re-size the VMware window.

There are plenty of resources here on the Island that can help you with questions.

VMware Player Download Link: http://www.vmware.com/products/player/

[N1LAF]

Screen shot...

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[N1LAF]

Browsers..

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[NQ6U]

Even better: Don't use Windows, at least not in an Internet-connected machine.

[N1LAF]

Using DOSBOX for Win 3.1

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[N1LAF]

Ubuntu!

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[ad4mg]

VirtualBox allows you to take "snapshots" at any time of the machine state at that instant. In case of a problem, you simply revert back to one of these snapshots. I wonder if VMware has a similar feature. I'm not near the machine I installed VMware on.

Any issues running Win 3.10 in DosBox such as sound or video? I have no real reason to try this, but it seems interesting. I have a copy of Windows 3.11 for workgroups.

[N1LAF]

For Win311 on DOSBOX, what you need is found here:
http://vogons.zetafleet.com/viewtopic.php?t=9405

There they describe how to install video and sound drivers.
By default, DOSBOX emulates S3 graphics cards. Drivers for that and the Tseng3000/4000 as well
Paradise graphic card drivers, and will natively support SVGA drivers

Joystick drivers

Soundblaster is supported, and have drivers for this also

Win32s (remember this?) is also supported

A site with downloads, tips and tricks to Windows 3.1x: http://www.win31.de/eindex.htm

Full setup description for all these components are found at the website: http://vogons.zetafleet.com/viewtopic.php?t=9405

[W4GPL]

I have a simple question..

Why?

I get why a Linux user might want/need a Windows guest and vice versa, but under what rare circumstances would you need Windows 98 thru Windows 7, and DOS for god sakes? :)

In order to watch TV in my office, I have to use SlingBox (no TV coax in the office), and that's a Windows/Mac only app, so I use Windows XP guest in VirtualBox for that. Heck, even our accounting software runs natively in Linux now. :dunno:

[N1LAF]

I have a simple question..

Why?

I get why a Linux user might want/need a Windows guest and vice versa, but under what rare circumstances would you need Windows 98 thru Windows 7, and DOS for god sakes? :)

In order to watch TV in my office, I have to use SlingBox (no TV coax in the office), and that's a Windows/Mac only app, so I use Windows XP guest in VirtualBox for that. Heck, even our accounting software runs natively in Linux now. :dunno:

Because we have clients that still run Win2K, and in developing software, good to see programs are compatible with the different operating systems. I have a few programs that will not run on OS's later than Win98. Setup is easy to do with VMware, and it is neat to do these things. Last week, a friend asked me if I had a copy of Win3.1 because of a program that would not run after win3.1, and needed to extract/recover data. So I did it - everyone is happy. Windows 7 has some compatibility problems, and VMware 'fixes' that by running XP and/or 2K. Now it is also a 'firewall' in trying different software without crashing the base operating system. You can see some advantages in this.

[W4GPL]

I certainly don't know the circumstances of your support agreements and the needs of your clients, the fact that people are still supporting operating systems virtually discontinued by Microsoft is concerning. :)

And you say "now" -- which makes me think you have some notion that virtualization is something new or unique. Virtualization and cloud computing have been the industry buzz words for 3 or 4+ years now. I'm certainly glad you've found a use for it, but revolutionary -- it's not.

[N1LAF]

I didn't have the need for virtualization until now, and it is new to me. As it is new to me, it is probably new to others too. As I start using VMware, I saw all kinds of uses beyond just virtualization, such as a firewall for running programs downloaded from the net, working software on different OS's on a single computer, as well as solving compatibility problems. And yes, we do have cases where software, placed in CM, is revisited 10+ years later. I developed a test program that uses the printer port as a high speed interface ... 15 years ago and still in use today. The platform was DOS 6.22 and the application developed using Borland C++ 3.1. I still have the software - somewhere. Problem is that after Windows 98, the use of the printer port was basically eliminated by the Overlords of Microsoft - cannot directly access hardware. It was cheaper to keep a computer going running Win98 than to rewrite the software. In the mean time, we have been migrating to another hardware/software system as needed.

So, yes, from your perspective, this is a trivial thing. For me, it is another tool for present and future uses.

[N1LAF]

Any issues running Win 3.10 in DosBox such as sound or video? I have no real reason to try this, but it seems interesting. I have a copy of Windows 3.11 for workgroups.

I have the sound working, got the 'Tada' sound on startup. Also, now running Windows 3.1 on DOSBOX at 1024 x 768 at 64K color. Wicked fast.

I have a copy of Steller 7 that I haven't been able to run after the 286 machine... over 20 years ago....
If anyone is interested, I have a game editor that my brother and I developed for Wolf3d, and it does the double compression for the Wolf3D maps...

[N1LAF]

Speaking of DOSBOX and Windows 3.1, it launched Wolf3D just fine... ran perfect.
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[KC2UGV]

I have a simple question..

Why?

I get why a Linux user might want/need a Windows guest and vice versa, but under what rare circumstances would you need Windows 98 thru Windows 7, and DOS for god sakes? :)

In order to watch TV in my office, I have to use SlingBox (no TV coax in the office), and that's a Windows/Mac only app, so I use Windows XP guest in VirtualBox for that. Heck, even our accounting software runs natively in Linux now. :dunno:

To do it. Same reason to climb a mountain :) Or, to sit in front of a radio to talk to someone 1000 miles away, whilst battling crashes and fade, when you could just as easily call them on a cell phone :)


I didn't have the need for virtualization until now, and it is new to me. As it is new to me, it is probably new to others too. As I start using VMware, I saw all kinds of uses beyond just virtualization, such as a firewall for running programs downloaded from the net, working software on different OS's on a single computer, as well as solving compatibility problems. And yes, we do have cases where software, placed in CM, is revisited 10+ years later. I developed a test program that uses the printer port as a high speed interface ... 15 years ago and still in use today. The platform was DOS 6.22 and the application developed using Borland C++ 3.1. I still have the software - somewhere. Problem is that after Windows 98, the use of the printer port was basically eliminated by the Overlords of Microsoft - cannot directly access hardware. It was cheaper to keep a computer going running Win98 than to rewrite the software. In the mean time, we have been migrating to another hardware/software system as needed.

So, yes, from your perspective, this is a trivial thing. For me, it is another tool for present and future uses.

Check out "Jump Boxes". These are single "appliance" VM's that are meant to be ran in an lab environment. One for a router, another one for a firewall, file server, apache server, ad nauseum.

And, start playing with JEOS (Just enough operating system). It's really neat when you think about it.