Does VMWare Workstation/Player allow multiple kernel images?

Question

I am planning to use VMWare workstation for installing linux. But my use case is to have multiple kernel versions as part of development requirement.

Does VMWare allow use of this?

I mean will GRUB or loader prompt me for loading of kernel of my choice the way which it will do on actual system ?

Thanks, kedar

Answer 1

Yes, it will allow this. Linux does not care if it is running in a VM or on real hardware. As far as Linux knows (except for the VMWare tools, of course), it is running on real hardware.

The VM "disk" is just a file on the host file system so can be set up independently of that host file system, including boot loaders and such.

Answer 2

Vmware workstation mimics a true hardware installation very well, almost everything you can do in a physical box you can do in a virtual machine. It's not perfect but it is pretty close to it. I use a 2 physical machine setup to mimic a 10 machine domain lab. The ability to save snapshots or to pause a machine makes it better than a physical machine in some respects.

It is a great tool and one that I recommend for anyone learning IT