Virtual PC 2007

I want to experiment with different ways to install /uninstall Exchange 2003
on a W2K3 server. If it goes wrong on my test pc I'm faced with a lengthy
reinstall.

If I use Virtual PC and choose 'Turn off and delete changes' am I correct in
thinking the server will be restored to the last saved state - i.e. it will
undo any changes I don't want.

Thanks Anastas

On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:37:44 -0000, "Mikoyan" <Mikoyan@newsgroup>
wrote:

>Virtual PC 2007
>
>I want to experiment with different ways to install /uninstall Exchange 2003
>on a W2K3 server. If it goes wrong on my test pc I'm faced with a lengthy
>reinstall.
>
>If I use Virtual PC and choose 'Turn off and delete changes' am I correct in
>thinking the server will be restored to the last saved state - i.e. it will
>undo any changes I don't want.
>
>Thanks Anastas

More than just the changes you don't want, everything that's changed
since you turned on the Undo Drives.

If you're installing Exchange into a domain, undoing those changes on
just that server are really going to mess up your entire domain
environment.

--
Cheers,
Steve Jain, Virtual Machine MVP
http://vpc.essjae.com/
http://smudj.wordpress.com/

Hi Steve

Cheers for the prompt reply.

Thanks for the warning. I'm just experimenting on two virtual pcs, one dc
and one member server, completely isolated from our main network. Basically
I'm just trying to learn about Exchange and ways to install/uninstall it.

So am I right in saying if I mess up on the Exchange Server, turn off and
delete changes, and do the same on the other server, everything should be
returned to where I began.

Regards Anastas.
"Steve Jain [MVP]" <noreply.-@-.essjae.com> wrote in message
news:tfrme51nm1bcfi5oo9u9bmr8f4hmns08b4@newsgroup

> On Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:37:44 -0000, "Mikoyan" <Mikoyan@newsgroup>
> wrote:
>

>>Virtual PC 2007
>>
>>I want to experiment with different ways to install /uninstall Exchange
>>2003
>>on a W2K3 server. If it goes wrong on my test pc I'm faced with a lengthy
>>reinstall.
>>
>>If I use Virtual PC and choose 'Turn off and delete changes' am I correct
>>in
>>thinking the server will be restored to the last saved state - i.e. it
>>will
>>undo any changes I don't want.
>>
>>Thanks Anastas

>
> More than just the changes you don't want, everything that's changed
> since you turned on the Undo Drives.
>
> If you're installing Exchange into a domain, undoing those changes on
> just that server are really going to mess up your entire domain
> environment.
>
> --
> Cheers,
> Steve Jain, Virtual Machine MVP
> http://vpc.essjae.com/
> http://smudj.wordpress.com/

Mikoyan wrote:

> Virtual PC 2007
>
> I want to experiment with different ways to install /uninstall Exchange 2003
> on a W2K3 server. If it goes wrong on my test pc I'm faced with a lengthy
> reinstall.
>
> If I use Virtual PC and choose 'Turn off and delete changes' am I correct in
> thinking the server will be restored to the last saved state - i.e. it will
> undo any changes I don't want.
>
> Thanks Anastas

If Undo is enabled for the VM, you get just one snapshot to revert your
VM to its baseline state. VPC doesn't permit multiple snapshots to
capture changes to a VM, like you want to add Windows updates to bring
your OS up to a new baseline but sans any applications that you install
atop of it.

You might want to create a guest that is your baseline VM. You only
apply any changes, like updates, to it but don't install any apps on it.
That would be your "Reference" guest. You then create a new VM which is
your "Test" guest. When creating a virtual disk drive for the Test
guest, you make it a differential disk based on the .vhd file (the
virtual disk) from your baseline or Reference guest. You then load your
Test guest to install your apps and do you testing. You can revert back
to its baseline by "Turn off and delete changes"; however, if you ever
"accidentally" save the changes, you can't revert anymore. In that
case, you could delete the .vhd file for your Test guest and recreate
its virtual drive as a differential drive off your Reference guest's
..vhd file.

Thanks, thats a really good tip.

"VanguardLH" <V@newsgroup> wrote in message
news:hcgj3g$k5l$1@newsgroup

> Mikoyan wrote:
>

>> Virtual PC 2007
>>
>> I want to experiment with different ways to install /uninstall Exchange
>> 2003
>> on a W2K3 server. If it goes wrong on my test pc I'm faced with a lengthy
>> reinstall.
>>
>> If I use Virtual PC and choose 'Turn off and delete changes' am I correct
>> in
>> thinking the server will be restored to the last saved state - i.e. it
>> will
>> undo any changes I don't want.
>>
>> Thanks Anastas

>
> If Undo is enabled for the VM, you get just one snapshot to revert your
> VM to its baseline state. VPC doesn't permit multiple snapshots to
> capture changes to a VM, like you want to add Windows updates to bring
> your OS up to a new baseline but sans any applications that you install
> atop of it.
>
> You might want to create a guest that is your baseline VM. You only
> apply any changes, like updates, to it but don't install any apps on it.
> That would be your "Reference" guest. You then create a new VM which is
> your "Test" guest. When creating a virtual disk drive for the Test
> guest, you make it a differential disk based on the .vhd file (the
> virtual disk) from your baseline or Reference guest. You then load your
> Test guest to install your apps and do you testing. You can revert back
> to its baseline by "Turn off and delete changes"; however, if you ever
> "accidentally" save the changes, you can't revert anymore. In that
> case, you could delete the .vhd file for your Test guest and recreate
> its virtual drive as a differential drive off your Reference guest's
> .vhd file.