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I have a MacBook Pro running OS X Lion 10.7.2, and I am going to install VMware to run virtual Windows.

I would like to use Ubuntu at the same time; is it technically possible? Do I need to install another virtual machine for that? In this case, which virtual machine is a best choice?

So ideally, I would like to use OS+Ubuntu+Windows, with a shared folder. Is it possible to adjust frequently the memory that a machine occupies?

PS: some info of my hardware:

Processor: 2.5GHz Intel Core i7 Memory: 8GB 1333 MHz DDR3

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  • You do mean "virtual" machines in the title, right? :)
    – JW8
    Commented Mar 27, 2012 at 0:39

1 Answer 1

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Yes it's possible. You don't need to install multiple virtualization software to run multiple virtualized systems.

You can use one virtualization software (VMware, Parallels or VirtualBox for example) to run multiple virtual machines at the same time.

You can edit the Virtual Machines.

Virtual Machine settings

You can change the amount of memory and the number of cores used by each virtual machine among other things, but it requires shutting down the VM you will edit.

Memory and Processor settings

For non Bootcamp virtual machines, you can also change the settings of virtual hard drives by creating new drives, removing existing ones or even resizing existing virtual hard drives (which are just files on your hard drive).

Virtual Drive settings

Getting the best of both worlds.

I would recommend you install Windows in Bootcamp first. Then back in Mac OS you create your Windows virtual machine from the bootcamp install. Follow this procedure.

This way you will be able to either launch Windows from Mac OS and run both systems at the same time and restart your computer to boot into Windows natively for better performance (for video games or power hungry applications).

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  • Thanks for your comment... Someone will install for me VMware and Windows 7 (that I can't install myself because of the license) soon... Shall I reserve some place (or prevent something) for Ubuntu while installing Windows so as to add Ubuntu later?
    – SoftTimur
    Commented Mar 27, 2012 at 0:42
  • @SoftTimur Just make sure there is enough room on your hard drive for ubuntu and the other systems you want to install. I usually install Windows using bootcamp (the apple dual boot). Then back to Mac OS I create the virtual machine with VMware Fusion which detects the Bootcamp install. Then I can use one Windows installation to either use Windows natively or from VMware. Beware, you will have to activate Windows twice. Once from Bootcamp and once from the virtual machine, even if you installed it once.
    – Coyote
    Commented Mar 27, 2012 at 0:57
  • So if I understand well, I can't adjust the room of the folder VMware reserves afterward? I will have to fix some room for Windows and fix some room for Ubuntu within VMware in the very beginning?
    – SoftTimur
    Commented Mar 27, 2012 at 1:28
  • Not really, if you use bootcamp the size of the partition you dedicate to windows will remain fixed. Otherwise you can decide to use virtual hard drives for your normal virtual machines which don't use pre-allocated files (default in VMware Fusion). You can set a maximum size (ex: 30GB) but the file containing the virtual hard drive will take only the space used on the virtual hard drive (ex: 2,1 GB). The file will grow as your virtual machine creates new files. It's the most convenient solution. You can add delete and change the size of virtual hard drives.
    – Coyote
    Commented Mar 27, 2012 at 1:52
  • @SoftTimur I updated my answer with more details concerning the setting you can edit for you virtual machines.
    – Coyote
    Commented Mar 27, 2012 at 2:00

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