Linux windows 64 vm

BillyBoy13

I have a programmer and a technician and between them at my wits end.

Another programmer wrote me software that would only work in Linux. And then months later it turns out he could have wrote it to work in windows but he has grudge against bill gates so he intentionally makes all his software in such a way that it will not work in windows. Great chap... cost me over 500euro in technician fees to get my network and computers upgraded just because of his own little personal vendetta. And now Im stuck with a bunch of machines that do nothing but cause me problems and only one or two lads in town know how to fix them. When I had windows I could fix some of my own issues and anything I couldnt fix I could shop around and find the best deal. Now Im at the mercy of one or two lads.

Anyway after the first eejit I got a new programmer to write my new software but turns out his software only works in windows :rolleyes: :mad:

So I had to get the technician back out and he installed some virtual box windows. The programmer comes back and it turns out the technician installed a 32 type of windows when he needs 64 windows for the software to work.

The technician comes back and installs qemu which can run windows 64. But its glitchey as hell and only works maybe 60% of the time. The other 40% of the time the windows wont load up properly.

Before I go spending more money on technican fees can someone tell me how can I make this work. I need 64 windows to work on my linux machines. Is there a surefire way to get this working. I just want to call him out and tell him "hey- do xyz on these machines" and not have him sitting around guessing (or acting likes he trying to figure it out and he cant :mad: ).

Cuddlesworth

A quick glance implies that the two machines running Linux are laptops of a unknown spec.

I'm also assuming from the other thread where you imply the linux application "takes over a hour to install on each machine", that either the program itself is horrifically bad or you are being badly ripped off by the programmer and his cousin. Come to think of it, its probably both.

In a ideal circumstance for the situation you are describing, you would be aiming for a relatively modern desktop pc running 64bit Windows 8 Pro or Enterprise. Enabling Hyper-V and installing the Linux OS within the hypervisor. Then using Hyper-V manager to console into the Linux machine when needed. Or you could examine the spec of your current laptops and if possible run the same setup on them.

Or you could install the original Windows OS back onto the laptops and run Virtual PC for the Linux environment. I can't promise that would be a great experience, as your running a OS within a OS with no idea of what exactly the application on Linux is doing.

If the environment is static, you could consider whiteboxing both Linux machines onto ESXI and RDP'ing into them for the Linux app.

Whatever you choose to do, I'd steer clear of the guy who installed Linux on two laptops, charged you for it and then told you to google for wireless drivers.

BillyBoy13

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

A quick glance implies that the two machines running Linux are laptops of a unknown spec.

I'm also assuming from the other thread where you imply the linux application "takes over a hour to install on each machine", that either the program itself is horrifically bad or you are being badly ripped off by the programmer and his cousin. Come to think of it, its probably both.

In a ideal circumstance for the situation you are describing, you would be aiming for a relatively modern desktop pc running 64bit Windows 8 Pro or Enterprise. Enabling Hyper-V and installing the Linux OS within the hypervisor. Then using Hyper-V manager to console into the Linux machine when needed. Or you could examine the spec of your current laptops and if possible run the same setup on them.

Or you could install the original Windows OS back onto the laptops and run Virtual PC for the Linux environment. I can't promise that would be a great experience, as your running a OS within a OS with no idea of what exactly the application on Linux is doing.

If the environment is static, you could consider whiteboxing both Linux machines onto ESXI and RDP'ing into them for the Linux app.

Whatever you choose to do, I'd steer clear of the guy who installed Linux on two laptops, charged you for it and then told you to google for wireless drivers.

OK most of that has gone way over my head. But I expected that anyway But it gives me a base to work it and something to tell this lad on Monday that's what I want done. So thanks for that

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Whatever you choose to do, I'd steer clear of the guy who installed Linux on two laptops, charged you for it and then told you to google for wireless drivers.

You say that like these Linux technicians grow on trees :P I have another chap at the minute (he had to come in and clean up some of the original mess) but he's so flakey and unprofessional with far too many emotional problems.

Actually, I run a site security business, we have 8 computers all on Linux. 2 of them run flawlessly and the other 6 cause me nothing but headaches. I have various custom programs running mainly in assembly but also in python and java and I have a pretty big database too. As we have discovered making changes in Linux is liable to have a knock on effect on my custom software... so a lot of times things have to be done in round about ways. At the moment Im running one or two ubuntus but mainly gentoo. If anyone in the Louth area is good with gentoo and would be interested in working with me send me a pm

Khannie

As an ex gentoo user, allow me to say that gentoo is a bad idea for production machines. It just requires too much attention. Can you migrate the stuff on them over to ubuntu?

BillyBoy13

Khannie wrote: »

As an ex gentoo user, allow me to say that gentoo is a bad idea for production machines. It just requires too much attention. Can you migrate the stuff on them over to ubuntu?

We tried that already because apparently ubuntu is less glitchey. But whatever way the first programmer who doesnt like microsoft wrote the program he done it in such a way that its not keen on ubuntu. I think its to do with low level codes with binaries and interpreters or something like that if that means anything to you.

The technician I have at the minute was the only lad who could really get my network and computers up and running properly and he did that by getting me a copy of gentoo and had to remake the "engine" as he called it.

You know what the funny thing is. They told me that when I get linux i would save a fortune and that its free and I wouldnt have to buy another office product again or pay windows licences and that Id never get a virus. They failed to mention the weekly technician fees and all the headaches that comes with linux :rolleyes:

Khannie

BillyBoy13 wrote: »

I think its to do with low level codes with binaries and interpreters or something like that if that means anything to you.

It does. Sounds like something that could be fixed with proper motivation.

BillyBoy13 wrote: »

had to remake the "engine"

Is this engine the third party software?

BillyBoy13 wrote: »

You know what the funny thing is. They told me that when I get linux i would save a fortune and that its free and I wouldnt have to buy another office product again or pay windows licences and that Id never get a virus. They failed to mention the weekly technician fees and all the headaches that comes with linux :rolleyes:

Honestly whoever gave you gentoo initially, shafted you. It is terrible choice for anyone who isn't absolutely mad about Linux. I wonder if it was an attempt at a "job for life" type thing.

Generally, once you have a decent setup working, that is that (or at least there should be minimal maintenance).

BillyBoy13

Just thought Id come back with an update.

Khannie wrote: »

It does. Sounds like something that could be fixed with proper motivation.

Well apparently the short answer is yes. But the long answer is its a waste of time.

I had 2 separate lads look at it and both of them said that the first lad who made it didn't put comments into it and its very hard to follow whats happening in it. The general consensus was that by the time you'd get it all sorted out you'd be better of just writing a new one from scratch.

Khannie wrote: »

Is this engine the third party software?

No the engine in the gentoo. If that makes sense?

The software itself is actually lightyears ahead of the commercial stuff. Its just the fact it only works in linux is the real kick in the balls.

Khannie wrote: »

Honestly whoever gave you gentoo initially, shafted you. It is terrible choice for anyone who isn't absolutely mad about Linux. I wonder if it was an attempt at a "job for life" type thing.

I wouldn't think so. I mean he would have had to of been in cahoots with the original programmer. Besides, I think its got to the stage that hes sick of dealing with me. I'm not joking when I say every week I'm on the phone to him. That really is not an exaggeration of how bad this is.

Anyway the update is this. I spent all weekend thinking about this mess and I decided today I'm scrapping the whole lot. I have a new programmer in toe who comes very highly recommended. He knows the whole story behind this mess and said he can sort me out for around the 8K mark so I suppose if it gets me away from Linux and back onto windows it will be worth it.

ressem

BillyBoy13 wrote: »

Well apparently the short answer is yes. But the long answer is its a waste of time.

I had 2 separate lads look at it and both of them said that the first lad who made it didn't put comments into it and its very hard to follow whats happening in it. The general consensus was that by the time you'd get it all sorted out you'd be better of just writing a new one from scratch.

The software itself is actually lightyears ahead of the commercial stuff. Its just the fact it only works in linux is the real kick in the balls.

I wouldn't think so. I mean he would have had to of been in cahoots with the original programmer. Besides, I think its got to the stage that hes sick of dealing with me. I'm not joking when I say every week I'm on the phone to him. That really is not an exaggeration of how bad this is.

Anyway the update is this. I spent all weekend thinking about this mess and I decided today I'm scrapping the whole lot. I have a new programmer in toe who comes very highly recommended. He knows the whole story behind this mess and said he can sort me out for around the 8K mark so I suppose if it gets me away from Linux and back onto windows it will be worth it.

Gentoo is not an operating system designed for everyday use. It is supplied for techies that haven't a problem with building the system from source code regularly in search of a percentage point of performance, at the risk of breaking for the most obscure reasons. That techie should not have put it in an office environment and sounds like a well meaning young guy without experience trying to copy what works for him at home into an ill suited environment.

Going by the other thread, the original programmer told his relative to install Centos? While you're waiting for the programs to be rebuilt, you might want to stick with Centos. Way more stable than gentoo or ubuntu for critical machines. Redhat/Centos trained technicians and programmers should be among the most common.

The original pair should have provided a list of recommended hardware, and not made you go blindly shopping. Those 2 Acers use a proprietary wireless card. The cheap workaround would have been to look up a linux compatibility list for a couple of linux compatible USB wireless adapters for €15 apiece, or to only use the cabled network.


A 64 bit install of oracle virtualbox on 64bit centos should be able to run 64 bit windows. But the Intel Pentium B960 processors that some of those Acer aspires e1-531 are sold with do not support Intel virtualization technology.
http://ark.intel.com/Products/VirtualizationTechnology

Best of luck with the new programmer. Ensure that your contract with him includes getting the system deployed on hardware and providing everything to repeat the process (documenting hardware requirement spec, configuration, repeatable deployment ), as many novice programmers run away from this part.

You mention Java, Python and assembly as constituents of your current custom software. I'd hope that it's C rather than assembly, and i guess that it communicates with some security related hardware.

Just be careful as there are a number of ways of writing kernel mode drivers for windows for talking to low level hardware; though less likely, programs can end up in version hell in windows also.

Hopefully the recommended programmer can demonstrate previous work closely similar to your project.

BillyBoy13

ressem wrote: »

While you're waiting for the programs to be rebuilt, you might want to stick with Centos.

We had the Centos for about a week and then when the other lad came in to clean up the mess, for some techno reason we got rid of it and ended up with Gentoo. But I don't mind so much now, its only going to be for another few months and then I'll finally be rid of it. I cant wait, we'll be having some champagne that night!

ressem wrote: »

Ensure that your contract with him includes getting the system deployed on hardware and providing everything to repeat the process (documenting hardware requirement spec, configuration, repeatable deployment ), as many novice programmers run away from this part.

We haven't signed on anything just yet, but I told him I wanted:

1) He has to install windows 8 on every machine
2) He has to put comments in his code
3) He has to get all the drivers working for me
4) He has to install the software himself and not pass me off to another person
5) He has to take full responsibility for those computers for the next 12 months after he fixes them up.

Is there anything Im missing there or is there anything else I should be adding in?

ressem wrote: »

Best of luck with the new programmer.

Thanks

FSL

BillyBoy13 wrote: »

We haven't signed on anything just yet, but I told him I wanted:

1) He has to install windows 8 on every machine
2) He has to put comments in his code
3) He has to get all the drivers working for me
4) He has to install the software himself and not pass me off to another person
5) He has to take full responsibility for those computers for the next 12 months after he fixes them up.

Is there anything Im missing there or is there anything else I should be adding in?




Thanks

There is no way you are going to achieve that for 8k.

A years support on a relatively new OS communicating with specialist hardware alone wouldn't leave much left for developing and installing the system.