Setting Up Linux with Virtual Machines: My Experience and Pros/Cons

I needed a Linux environment to practice DevOps tools, but I use Windows on my laptop for daily tasks. I didn’t want to risk breaking my main OS by installing Linux directly or setting up a dual-boot. So, I decided to use a virtual machine, which lets me run Linux inside Windows. I picked VMware Workstation Player since it’s free and easy to use.

Installing Linux with VMware: Quick Steps

1. Download VMware: I got VMware Workstation Player (free version) from their site.

2. Download Ubuntu: I grabbed the Ubuntu 22.04 ISO from the Ubuntu website.

3. Set Up the VM:

• In VMware, I created a new VM and selected the Ubuntu ISO.

• I named it “zasem-nitro” gave it 20GB disk space, 4GB RAM, and 2 CPU cores.

4. Install Ubuntu:

• VMware ran the ISO, and I followed Ubuntu’s setup — chose language, timezone, and did a minimal install.

• It took about 15 minutes, and I had Ubuntu running!

5. Test It: I opened the terminal, ran ls and pwd, and everything worked perfectly.

It was quick and didn’t affect my Windows setup at all.

Pros and Cons: Linux as Main OS vs. VM/Dual-Boot

Linux as Main OS

Pros:

• Best performance since it uses all your hardware.

• No extra software slowing things down.

Cons:

• Risky. If something breaks, you’re stuck.

• Some apps I use don’t work well on Linux.

Dual-Boot (Windows + Linux)

Pros:

• Good performance since both OSes run directly on hardware.

• Separate systems for each OS.

Cons:

• Partitioning your drive is tricky and risky.

• Rebooting to switch OSes is annoying.

Virtual Machine (VMware)

Pros:

• Safe. my Windows stays untouched.

• I can run both OSes at the same time.

Cons:

• Slower since it uses more resources.

• Needs a decent computer to run smoothly.

My Experience and Why I Chose VMware

After setting up Ubuntu in VMware, I spent a few days testing it. I practiced commands like ls and touch and installed Apache to run a web server. If I made a mistake, I could just reset the VM—no stress. I also tried dual-booting on an old laptop with Linux Mint, but rebooting to switch OSes got old fast. So, I stuck with VMware. It lets me keep Windows as my main OS, use Linux when I need it, and not worry about breaking anything.

At the end…

Using VMware to run Linux has been perfect for me. It’s safe and lets me learn without stress. If you’re new to Linux, I suggest starting with a VM instead of dual-booting or making Linux your main OS.

Have you used VMs or dual-boot?

Share your thoughts in the comments!