[nmglug] VMware free appliances?

[Aaron]

Can the free VMWare player with some of the free LINUX appliance-apps
update its disk images?
i.e.  Can I start with the free "debian minimal-install" appliance,
and then install what I want on it...  to build whatever debian-VM I
want?

Or...  will I need to go with a more complete guest machine,
and hack ways for it to use an NFS or Samba share to add more
stuff?  It would be a pain.  Start up.  rsync my configuration
and extra apps from NFS/Samba to the VM, run my custom
"rest of start-up" script, then go to work?

I'm looking for a way to get around the problem
of my new vista laptop's inability to dual-boot
(short of removing vista!)

           aaron