[cobalt-developers] raq os in vmware

["Matthew Nuzum" <cobalt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm getting into some pretty interesting software installs.  I'd like to
perfect the process of getting these installs converted into packages,
but I've run into a few problems.

A: It's sometimes difficult to install the same software package twice,
which means I'd have to do an OS restore between attempts making the
development time very long.
B: I don't have very many unused servers (actually, I have only one and
it goes into production next week)
C: My servers are 45 miles away and getting to them is no fun. My
service provider will shoot my servers if they have to reboot them 18
times a day.

So the holy grail of solutions seems to be to use VMWare.  I can do the
install and then make a copy of the virtual disk.  Then I can do all the
hacking I want and if I fry the system, I just delete the disk and make
another copy of the original.

How else can you do an OS restore in under 60 seconds?

I've searched the list archives and found several mentions of the
subject.  However I haven't heard of any success stories.  Has anyone
tried this and had any measure of success?

Here are the problems I foresee:

A: My computer doesn't have the cool LCD or controls on the front.
Neither does VMWare.
B: What about the ROM/BIOS/EEPROM?  Is there something funny about it
that ties into the Cobalt OS?  I know the rc.* scripts routinely write
to the LCD panel, but that should be a piece of cake to handle (rm -r
/etc/rc.d right?)
C: Licensing.  I'm not really sure what the license is on Cobalt's
software.  I'm a software developer and I like it when people respect my
license wishes.  I'm going to try to not run around violating other's.
D: How the heck would you install it if you don't have a bootable
Ethernet card?

As an alternative, if someone out there wants to trade an old Raq3 or
Raq4 for software installation services, I'd be happy to accommodate.
Contact me off list.

Thanks in advance,

Matthew Nuzum
www.bearfruit.org
cobalt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx