Run Linux on Windows, Simultaneously
Update: Please find direct links to OS.rar/Os.zip below. Care taken to provide the users with appropriate files as not all users have Winrar to unrar the RAR extension compressed files. You can now download RAR and as well as ZIPped files.
What more? You can choose from a variety of Linux flavors.
Many people are afraid of installing Linux, even though it’s free. Why? They think that the installation procedure is quite a complex procedure which would take a geek’s mind in order to get it right. But, that’s not the truth now a days. The installation is a piece of cake as Linux had been supporting GUI for years now. Using the below specified method, you can make Linux run like any other Windows program, just by a double-click.
This method is perfectly reversible and in order to go back to your previous state, all you need to do is, delete a folder and uninstall a program. Sounds quite easy? It is.
1. The first requirement is to download the free VMWare Player which installs just like any other program. No hassles. Just go to VMWare Homepage and download it. Be ready to take on a short survey form there which would take just a couple of minutes.
2. Now download your favorite Linux version. I will provide you with different flavors of Linux, but only one is needed. So, it’s all your choice. The Linux distros would vary by their version specifications and sizes, so the more the size, the more time it would require to download. I prefer settling on Suse Linux. If you prefer to first try on a smaller Linux distro, you can even do that. There are a lot of Linux distributions to test on. So, do not think that these versions are the only ones you can work on.
Suse Linux (680 MB)
Fedora (682 MB)
Damn Small Linux (51 MB)
Puppy Linux (85 MB)
3. Now setup VMWare to talk to Linux. How to get it done? Very simple. Download a little file from Wolphination. Here is a direct link to that file, OS.zip, which you can download OS.zip(ZIP file opens in new window)or a OS.rar file(You can downlaod WinRAR from 9 Essential Tools). Do comment on this post over how hard you have tried to obtain a valid OS.zip file as it had been obsolete from Wolphination Official website. Your comments are what keeps me encouraging. A comment takes less than a minute. 
Now unzip the file into your drive(Say C:\ ) , so now you have C:\OS.
Update: Please find the new links placed to download the required OS file from Wolphination. The earlier provided link had to be discarded as there is no resource there at present.
Place your downloaded flavor of Linux into your OS folder, that is, C:\OS. Yeah, place the .iso file into the OS folder. So, now I have OS.vmx, OS.vmdk and openSUSE-10.3-GM-KDE-Live-i386.iso in the OS folder. Now, you are nearly ready to run for Linux on Windows.
4. You need to setup your VMWare configuration file. This file is nothing but the OS.vmx. Now, open this file using Notepad. On a line that says ide1:0.fileName “C:\Your file” , you need to edit this line and make it point to the Linux version you downloaded. So mine changes to C:\OS\openSUSE-10.3-GM-KDE-Live-i386.iso. Now, save this file and You are ready to blaze your Linux and work on it.
Double Click on OS.vmx and in a min or less time, depending on your RAM, the Linux will start up.
There you are, running Linux like any other windows program. Create a shortcut of OS.vmx on your desktop and you can fire it up from there.
You are done now.
Increase your productivity by enhancing your skillset by working on Linux.
Let Us know if you do follow any other procedure to run Windows and Linux simultaneously. We are all Ears.
Thanks for the post. I too have been loking for this OS.zip. Now I can run my favs while at work.
Perhaps an update to this otherwise fine article about removing the Read only permissions? I was lucky to spot it in the comments. Thanks for the post.
you can try to use another small variant linux from our country, we call it PINUX (pointer linux) from bandung, Indonesia about information just see this link : http://www.pinux.org/ or you can try : Zencafe linux ( http://www.zencafe.web.id/)
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I’ve been looking everywhere for os.zip, thank you very much!
The link for suse linux is out of date
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We might also want to follow the steps on this wonderful Walk through http://www.lifehack.org/articles/technology/beginners-guide-run-linux-like-any-other-program-in-windows.html
Under the Heading: Sharing files between Linux and Windows
[Copied from source page]
Sharing files between Linux and Windows
Using Linux on Windows will be much more helpful if you can share files between Linux and Windows. This process is really easy to set up. The first thing you need to do is to create a “New Folder” on your Windows desktop. Right click on the folder and choose “Sharing and Security…”. On the following screen, choose “Share this folder on the network” and “Allow network users to change my files.” This will let Linux read and write to the folder.
In Linux, go to Places >> Network Servers and you should see your computer. Double click on your computer and you will see all your shared folders. Any data you would like to be used in both Linux and Windows should be saved into this folder.
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I however will be attempting to place my OS folder and necessary contents onto a pen drive [8Gig] with the installer for vmware player
it is my hope I can then take the Puppy Linux to any computer, install the VMware Player and run Puppy Linux. The only problem I foresee is having to set sharing for [pendrive]:\shared\ on each computer I wish to run this system on. I will also experiment with other Linus OS in this manner.