Countdown to Software Architect 2009 – Day two and my love for Boot from VHD

This is one of a series of posts on my preparations for sessions on Azure and ORMs at Software Architect 2009.

The plan for day two:

The Tuesday plan vs actual was … 100% spot on.

  • Install Entity Framework CTP on Windows XP Mode. SUCCESS
  • Install VS2010 into a Boot from HD Windows 7 VHD (Yep… back to plan A as I would much prefer to use VS2010 without a VM but also without installing it direct on my host Windows 7 which I want to keep reasonably clear) SUCCESS
  • Revisit both decks. DONE
  • Play with Entity Framework 4 features. DONE

The good bit:

The installation of the Microsoft ADO.NET Entity Framework Feature Community Technology Preview 1 on top of VS2010 Beta 1 running in Windows XP Mode (Details on the team blog) went smoothly. I now have everything I need to get stuck into Entity Framework 4 (except maybe a couple of extra days). I also was able to get VS2010 beta 1 installed into a Windows 7 “Boot from VHD” without issue. I’m horrified at how many hours I wasted on Monday down “blind alleys” after this approach failed for me first time around – all because my VS2010 install had a corrupt file.

Hence I now have VS2010 Beta 1 running in Windows XP Mode on my host Windows 7

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and in a “Boot from VHD” Windows 7.  This is the output from bcdedit showing my Windows 7 hosts and my “Boot from VHD” Windows 7.

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Good resources to look at for “Boot from VHD” include Mikes screencast and Keiths screencast. I will almost certainly go with my “Boot from VHD” install for the Entity Framework session as it makes the IDE feel more polished and snappier. Downside is I need to install some additional bits into it – such as powerpoint :)

As for the decks. Well, the Azure one is coming together pretty well but I’m having more trouble with the Entity Framework session, primarily because I have only spent an hour with VS2010 EF 4 and there is a lot of new stuff in there. At least I know where the bulk of the rest of this week should go. For Azure I was creating some diagrams showing how it all held together – but a US colleague had already done the work which saved me a lot of time. Top chap.

E.g.

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and

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The bad bit:

None really. It was a pretty smooth day.

And finally, the plan for day three:

  • Gather up good posts and samples for EF 4 (will likely blog this out)
  • Play with EF 4 as much as my day allows
  • Revisit EF 4 deck post play
  • And a late night re-read of the three Azure storage documents from way back (will add links in the next post)