Free Computer Consultant ………. Daily Insights

The other day I was installing VMWare ESX server onto a new Dell PowerEdge 2900 server and when I installed the client operating system, Windows Server 2008 64bit, I received this error message:

0xC000035a

Attempt to load 64 bit application; CPU is not compatible with 64 bit mode.

This struck me as very odd for a brand new Dell Server with 12GB RAM and VMWare ESX. Google, however, came to the rescue and I found out that one must go into the DELL Server BIOS and change a CPU setting to “allow virtualization”.

Once that was done, Windows Server 2008 installed just fine.

VPN clients allow you to securely connect your workstation to a host network somewhere else. Typically, a firewall company (Fortinet’s Fortigate line in my case), support IPSec VPN’s to their firewall with VPN client software they supply.

Because of the tight integration between the VPN client software and Microsoft networking components in Windows, loading a VPN client from 2 or more vendors, say Fortinet and Cisco, isn’t a very good idea.

VPN client softwares have a nasty reputation of not playing well together. In fact, it has been known to happen that when you install a second VPN client on your PC, not only does neither VPN client work, but neither does the Microsoft networking to you local network.

In some cases, the only fix is a complete Windows reinstall. Ouch.

Enter the Virtual Machine. What if your need to connect to another network were limited enough that you could set up a simple Virtual Machine instance of Windows to connect to and access that other network?

Not only could you have multiple VM’s for multiple VPN clients so they don’t HAVE to play together at all, but the remote network could be less concerned about whether your PC has been compromised in some way? Yes?

So who needs multiple VPN clients? How about an accounting firm with many clients, high gasoline and other travel costs that make remote access appealing, and a typical lack of standardization between chosen firewall products among those accounting clients?

I have one such accounting firm as my client. I think I just found another use for Virtual Machines.

About 2 weeks ago I had to clean a client’s home PC. AOL 9 would not run at all (no loss in my mind but…), Internet Explorer would lock up.

This machine was protected by Norton 360, however it appears that the malware was imitating Norton 360 pop up boxes to coerce the user to actually install more malware.

The user had decided not to install the WiFi router on his cable modem since he didn’t need the wireless currently and he apparently forgot that sending out a wireless signal is not the only use for the router!

I cleaned the PC up, installed Firefox, reinstalled AOL 9 and it appeared they were good to go.

Long story short, junior was home alone all day on Wednesday and by Thursday it was malfunctioning again - big time. Junior claims he spent the day only on Facebook. Hmm. (Like that’s a wise use of time.)

Maybe a solution is at hand.

Virtual Machine (VM) software has been around for quite a while. In a nutshell, Virtual Machine technology allows you to run a copy of Windows (like XP) inside another copy of Windows (XP, Vista). Anything that happens to the second copy is trashed as soon as you are done and exit.

So if junior surfs the web, I mean, spends all day on Facebook using a Windows XP Virtual Machine, and loads up all kinds of malware, all he needs to do is exit when he’s done and Dad’s PC is right back the way it started when he fired up the VM Copy of Windows.

Sounds cool, but what’s it cost and where do you get it? Well, Microsoft offers Virtual PC free to anyone. Then you download an appropriate “image” of the “guest” PC you want to run inside of your “host” PC and you’re ready to go.

You are safe while surfing because the Virtual Machine technology builds a barrier between the guest PC running inside of your host PC platform. Changes to the guest do not affect the host.

If you want more robust Virtual Machine technology, including some real cool server options, VMWare is the answer. VMWare, however, is not free. But they do have a free player.

VMWare can be considered superior to Microsoft’s Virtual PC due to its ability to run other operating systems. Want to try KUbuntu? Download here.

Virtual PC 2007 is now available from Microsoft. Get a VM Image of XP with SP2 and Internet Explorer here.

This is great technology and can save you time, money and headaches. Check it out.