Using VMware to teach Operating Systems
I'll admit it, I'm not normal. My classes are pretty high on the geek level, but, there are just some things that are really, really cool. You see, I love VMware Server. I used it way back when on my Red Hat 9 laptop, and I think I've loaded it on just about every Linux machine I've used ever since.
About a year ago, VMware made their server free to the public, and that, my friend, was all I needed. Now the joys of virtualization were no longer relegated to my own desktops, I could share this with my students too! As soon as the school year started I downloaded VMware Server, registered for my free serial numbers and began making plans to use this tool to teach whatever operating system I was teaching at the time. This meant I could install XP on machines that we built, then install VMware and any other operating system I wanted to use.
Fortunately for me, the VMware Server Documentation area is good enough for me to point my Honors CET 2 students to the site and they could do most of the install with very little guidance from me. Even better than that, though, was an article I found in Linux Magazine called "More Fun with VMware". This article showed how to use VMware Server to load DOS and play "old school" DOS Abandonware games.
Even better though, when the student becomes the teacher.
I taught a workshop this summer to teachers entering the CET program and mentioned my use of VMware. Todd Thibault ran with the idea and created another tutorial demonstrating how to Install DOS and Windows 3.11 in VMware Server. I've included his very detailed documentation here for your download and perusal.
Todd gives detailed instructions to do this activity, but, you'll need a copy of Windows 3.11 (obviously). Todd is a member of the MSDN Academic Alliance and therefore has easy downloads for Win3.11 and many other legacy and current operating systems. MSDNAA is a great program and I would encourage anyone teaching an IT course to join. Others may have to rely on other means, like checking with your school system to see if they still have an old copy of Win3.11 laying around somewhere or maybe downloading it from somewhere else.
Enjoy and good luck goin' virtual!!
About a year ago, VMware made their server free to the public, and that, my friend, was all I needed. Now the joys of virtualization were no longer relegated to my own desktops, I could share this with my students too! As soon as the school year started I downloaded VMware Server, registered for my free serial numbers and began making plans to use this tool to teach whatever operating system I was teaching at the time. This meant I could install XP on machines that we built, then install VMware and any other operating system I wanted to use.
Fortunately for me, the VMware Server Documentation area is good enough for me to point my Honors CET 2 students to the site and they could do most of the install with very little guidance from me. Even better than that, though, was an article I found in Linux Magazine called "More Fun with VMware". This article showed how to use VMware Server to load DOS and play "old school" DOS Abandonware games.
Even better though, when the student becomes the teacher.
I taught a workshop this summer to teachers entering the CET program and mentioned my use of VMware. Todd Thibault ran with the idea and created another tutorial demonstrating how to Install DOS and Windows 3.11 in VMware Server. I've included his very detailed documentation here for your download and perusal.
Todd gives detailed instructions to do this activity, but, you'll need a copy of Windows 3.11 (obviously). Todd is a member of the MSDN Academic Alliance and therefore has easy downloads for Win3.11 and many other legacy and current operating systems. MSDNAA is a great program and I would encourage anyone teaching an IT course to join. Others may have to rely on other means, like checking with your school system to see if they still have an old copy of Win3.11 laying around somewhere or maybe downloading it from somewhere else.
Enjoy and good luck goin' virtual!!
About the article "Install DOS and Windows 3.11 in VMware Server": where can i find the WIN31.ISO file?
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As I mentioned in the article. The only legal way to obtain Win31.iso is to join the Microsoft Developers Network Academic Alliance (MSDNAA) or already have an existing copy of Win3.1.
To join MSDNAA see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/academic/default.aspx
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