I primarily run Linux, but occasionally need to run something in Windows.\u00a0 So I use the open source VirtualBox program to run Windows XP in a box (where it belongs).<\/p>\n
Most of the time, I create a new VM for a specific task.\u00a0 For example, around tax time, I might create a VM that has nothing in it except WIndows XP and Turbo Tax or Tax Cut — or better yet — Tax Act.\u00a0 To make this a little easier, I create a VM that has a fresh copy of Windows XP on a 10GB hard disk, and then I made a compressed copy of the disk image file.\u00a0 It compresses nicely down to 700MB, just about right to fit on a CD.\u00a0 So step one of doing my taxes is to copy this disk image file, uncompress it, and create a new VM that uses that disk.<\/p>\n
That is, I treat the Windows OS as disposable<\/em> — create a VM, use it, save my files somewhere else and then throw the VM away.<\/p>\n Every once in a while, though, I need more than the 10GB that I originally allocated to the VM.\u00a0 For example, iTunes usually needs a lot more storage than that.\u00a0 So I need to resize the Windows C: drive.\u00a0 It turns out that this is very easy to do with the open source tool “gparted<\/strong>“.\u00a0 This comes included in Ubuntu Live CD’s, so I just boot the VM into an Ubuntu Live CD session and prepare the new, larger disk.<\/p>\n Here’s the step-by-step, gleefully stolen from the VirtualBox support forums<\/a>.<\/p>\n