Installing VMware in Windows is quite simple. For those of you who aren’t familiar with VMware, it’s an application that lets you run multiple operating systems at the same time, on the same computer. Many people use VMware because they don’t want to repartition and install a new operating system. Other people use it for developing applications. If there’s a problem with the application, and it wipes the hard drive, everything is safe. So lets get started.

Part 1: Downloading and Registering

1. Go to the VMware website and click Download in the upper left corner.
2. Under Desktop Products, you will see VMware Workstation 4. Click the Download link directly to the right of it.
3. Click the link that says evaluation serial number. This lets you tryout VMware free for 30 days. To buy a license for VMware, it can cost anywhere from $299 to $329.
4. Once you click the link, either enter your email address and password if you have previously registered OR click Register.
5. After filling out the form and clicking continue, you will receive a license file. This enables the use of VMware for trial purposes.
6. Now click the download link in the upper left corner and click Download next to VMware Workstation 4.
7. Click Download Binaries for Windows Operating Systems.
8. Read the long agreement.
9. Click Yes or No, depending on if you agree. You must comply to proceed.
10. Choose a server, then wait for it to complete.

Part 2: The Installation

1. Double-click on the installer, and wait for it to load.
2. Once it loads, read whatever it says and click Next >.
3. Read that long agreement again and click Yes or No. You must comply to continue..
4. Pick where you would like to install VMware. Usually the default is OK, but the choice is yours.
5. Click Install.
6. The setup program will ask you if you want Autorun to stay enabled. Most likely, it will be enabled. My suggestion is that you click Yes. If Autorun is enabled, and both OSes try to use the CD-ROM, it might screw up. So click Yes to disable Autorun.
7. The setup application will ask if you want to use the old extensions for disks or the new extensions. If you are using VMware for the first time, click No. If you have disk images made with VMware 2.0 and before, click Yes.
8. The setup program will ask for Registration Information. If you want, you can open that email you got and enter that serial number now, as well as your name and company. If you click Skip >, it will ask when you first start the program. My recommendation is to just enter the info now.
9. Click Finish.
10. The installer will ask you to reboot. In order to use VMware, you MUST reboot, its impossible to not reboot after install and use VMware. So close your programs, save your data, and click Yes.
11. Once you reboot, double-click on the VMware icon on the Desktop. If you did not enter a serial number when the installer asked, you must do so by going to Help > Enter Serial Number.
12. Once that’s over with, click New Virtual Machine.
13. Read one of the OS install HOWTO’s on OldOs.org.
14. Have fun!