Is it possible to create Portable VM?

Question

I want to know that is it possible to create a fully portable virtual machine using any of the VMWare like products? My objective is to create a virtual machine (XP as guest OS), install some app in it, put the vm in a usb2 drive (performance is not a matter), and run it in any windows os (xp, vista, 7) without installing anything in host, using any host account (admin, guest, limited). Is it possible to do that using any vmware like product? If possible then which one is my best bet?

Solution 1

Can't be done if you want to take advantage of Hardware assisted virtualization. Basically you need admin rights in order to access all the nifty features that make modern, hardware assisted virtualization so fast.

QEMU can run in a few different modes. When run as an emulator the processor is replicated in software, so hardware assisted virtualization is not necessary. This emulation is slow, but very useful if you're developing for embedded hardware that is different than your main PC.

Solution 2

Do you absolutely need to run the VM on top of Windows? If not, and if re-booting the hardware is allowed, you may be able to install a bootable OS on the USB drive. Boot straight from USB when you're elsewhere, and use the VM tool of your choice to boot from USB when you're back at your desktop (I know VMware and QEMU let you access a raw device).

You may also consider a bootable CD to get to a VM environment, then access the VM on the USB. I know there are CDs that will provide KVM or QEMU (I think Knoppix has it); I've not sure about booting to a VMware Server/Workstation environment.

Solution 3

Vmware ACE.

Specifically Pocket ACE. You'll need vmware Workstation to create the package. Check out the youtube video on how to do it. :D

[EDIT] Ace does not fit the requirement of having no Admin rights on the box.

Solution 4

Vmware Thinapp will allow you to virtualize your app without having to go through the hassle of creating and running a whole VM. Here's another how-to video.

thindownload.com has a bunch of thinstalled apps if you want to try it out.

Solution 5

Might want to Moka5. They supposedly support limited accounts, although they also mention requiring administrator access to install.

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Comments

[Anindya Chatterjee]

Correct me if I am wrong, I think you need to install the vmware player where you want to use the ACE package, is in't? But my requirement is not to install a single bit in the host machine (except the one where I will create the package of course).

[JakeRobinson]

The problem you are going to run into is that every hypervisor you install is going to need admin rights on the machine to do things like create virtual network adapters.

[Anindya Chatterjee]

Yes I know that, but problem is I want a portable .net dev env and which can't be thinapped. :)

[Anindya Chatterjee]

That confuse me a bit, if I have admin rights on a machine, why would I need portable app there? I can directly install my app there, why taking so much burden? BTW, I also tried qemu which kind of fits my requirement, but one big problem is that, it slow like hell and it is virtually impossible to do any work in Qemued XP. That sad. If I get a faster qemu, that would be superfine.

[Christian]

This isn't a satisfactory answer, especially the "can't be done" part. The OP asked for a portable VM without specifically having to run it under non-admin accounts...as such the limitation is in the VM software. In fact, it is very possible, see vbox.me for instance.

[sleske]

Actually, the answer contradicts itself. It can be done (e.g. with QEMU), just not with hardware assisted virtualization. I edited the answer.