leapinggnome.org

So at work I run linux on my machine. Since the rest of our network is on a windows domain, I run vmware to host a windows virtual machine on top of my linux desktop. All in all, it works really well. I know I am way more productive using virtual desktops and a lite window manager (fluxbox) than I would be using windows XP.

Vmware is pretty neat. When I set it up about 2 years ago, I gave it a 7 gig partition for windows to reside on. Well finally I filled it up — windows has been bugging me about low disc space for the last several weeks. The first step is to resize the container file that stores your guest operating system. Do this by running vmware-vdiskmanager. To resize the vm named Windows-XP-Professional to 12 GB total size, the command looks like:

vmware-vdiskmanager -x 12GB Windows-XP-Professional.vmdk

Now that essentially resized the harddisk on which the vm resides. Now we need to resize the actual NTFS partition windows is using. The best way I’ve found to do this is by using the GParted liveCD. Boot your vm using this CD (press ESC while booting to get to the boot menu) and the graphical interface pretty much takes over. Partitioning is just like using Partition Magic, etc. After expanding the NTFS partition to the full 12GB size available, windows is happy and I have plenty of space.

I did run into some issues where GParted wanted to individually check most every possible SCSI device on my system (/dev/sda, /dev/sdb, /dev/sdc…so on) but that timed out after a couple of minutes and I was able to continue. I chalk that up to a funny configuration I must be using on gentoo, because I didn’t see anyone else was having trouble with it.

To be more specific, Cinco de Mayo was not late at all this year. Just this post about it was. Nik and I had never really celebrated it before, so we decided to go all out in stereotypical americanized Cinco de Mayo fashion. This includes a 6-pack of Corona, a bag of tortilla chips and some salsa. We finished the night off with some genuine mexican cuisine: a run to Taco Bell (ha!). Anyway it was a good night.

Also last night I went out to the DT with some friends – we sat out on the back deck since it was somewhat warm. I’ve been waiting all winter long to be able to do that. It was really quite nice, although a bit brisk. In a couple of weeks here it should be really nice out on the deck there.

Well as of about 7:35 this evening, all my classes and the final exams for those classes are done. I am very happy about that. All of my classes this semester (with the exception of one) have gone very well. I think I have all A’s except for Differential Equations…

That class and I don’t get along at all. I’ve repeatedly subjected myself to it and I only hope that this semester went better. Other than that, I had 2 economics classes and a social studies class: History of the Copper Country.

From an academic standpoint, this semester has gone very well. Under the hopeful assumption that I passed Differential Equations, this will be my best semester since Freshman year. It’s been ok, but I’ve not felt very engaged or very challenged by most of my classes. I look forward to getting back into the swing of my CS and EE classes.