How can I emulate Linux on Windows XP?

Question

My PC has both operating systems, but sometimes I only need to do a small stuff on linux while running windows, and I have to restart with linux, and when done restart again with windows.
So I was wondering if I can possibly start my Mandriva Linux in a window while running windows without the need to restart?
What the best program to do that?

Answer 1

There is also a little program called cygwin. Search that and you can not miss the ugly c logo. It will actually run xwindows if you need it to.

RJ

Answer 2

there are two possibilities... vmware (which now lets you use a lot of their programs for free) or microsoft have a product to do the same thing (which I can't remember the name of).

You run vmware and it creates a 'virtual machine' that has access to the disk drive, the screen, the network interfaces and so on... and you load mandriva in it (it's a separate instance from your original mandriva setup though, but you can grab an image of the mandriva to act as the OS in the virtual space if you buy the expensive vmware product).

You can suspend the vmware client... and start it... while mandriva is active, so it comes back *just* where you left it. It may mess with the mandriva clock though...

Answer 3

Use MICROSOFT VIRTUAL PC where you can install Mandriva Linux and run it from windows only. Its free and can be downloaded from microsoft site.