Ubuntu virtual machine

[MattS]

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Can you have a virtual machine running windows vista/7 and be able to acess and change files (I am going to use my notebook instead of the schools netbooks and I want to be able to dual boot AND have a windows vista/7 virtual machine), but I still need to access and change files (a ubuntu partition, a windows partition, a data partition, and a backup partition).
Would it be possible (for free), and if so how?

[coopstah13]

Virtualization software isn't really meant to run on laptops, you need a lot of memory and CPU power or else they will just crawl.

[MattS]

you need a lot of memory and CPU power or else they will just crawl.

The laptop is fast. 2.56 Ghz dual core centrino, 4 GB ram, 400 GB S-ATA drive. Should I run one?

[Tarthen]

I ran a VM on an old Inspiron. It's possible.

Your Ubunru partition can access the Windows partition fine. If you store the data you want on the Win partition, you don't need a VM. The VM will just be a seperate OS to the already-there Windows OS. And accessing data inside a virtual machine is only possible when the VM is running.

[MattS]

does that mean I can run windows/linux VM on the same settings with the same file as the actual OS

[Tarthen]

does that mean I can run windows/linux VM on the same settings with the same file as the actual OS

No, you can't.