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Thread: [SOLVED] Virtual Machine Question

  1. #1
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    Question [SOLVED] Virtual Machine Question

    Hello. I was contemplating on using a VM. But here are the questions i have:

    1. Is there a list of available (preferably FOSS) software VM's for *ubuntu
    2. How does it work (i've used VM in 'doze and OSX, so is it similar?)
    3. Can i use an already existing partition (highly unlikely, but still awesome if you can use an already bootable partition to upen in a VM) or do i need to set up a Virtual HDD
    4. What about speed and compatability?

    just some general questions one might have about Virtual Machines.
    I've used
    (win) MS Virtual Machine 2007 (garbage)
    (win) VMware [something] (okay)
    (mac) VMware fusion (didnt test a lot to give a judgment)
    (mac) Parallels Desktop (awesome-ish)

    I've seen something called VirtualBox in the repos, but i wanna get all the facts before i dive into this. So, if anyone has some wise wisdome for me, and anyone else who was curious, hit me.

    Obviously, im gonna use it to install XP. Stupid Live Messenger, all my family uses it, even tho i constantly tell them to use something else. I need the Video Chat, i know about amsn etc, but no video with them. Also, wine is a little sketchy when i make flash movies using Flash 8 pro. wine works, but not good enough.

    Thanks in advance

    EDIT: I also wanted to test arch and puppy before i install them
    Last edited by crazyness003; October 10th, 2008 at 03:01 AM. Reason: CHUCK NORRIS

  2. #2

    Re: Virtual Machine Question

    VirtualBox works well. The set up is a little involved, but not terrible. It is best to set up a virtual partition but you can run an existing drive. However, it is kind of wonky. Partly because XP discovers new hardware (set up a "virtual" profile) and may need to reauthorize windows. Partly because you almost certainly have ACPI and ioAPIC set up on Windows and the ioAPIC especially makes VirtualBox very slow. I actually went in and rekerneled mine so it was just a plain jane setup so I could turn ioAPIC off -- it was painfully slow.

    Speed is good, integration is good (but the floating windows don't work well on dual monitor). The display does not do 3d accel so forget games or anything else like that. If you have two monitors it will sit on one or the other and you can move it, but you can't really get two monitors going in any meaningful way. There is some way you can do multiple monitors through RDP but it doesn't look practical to me.

  3. #3
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    Re: Virtual Machine Question

    VirtualBox OSE is open source. I believe Xen is open as well...
    Why can't life have a sudo apt-get install -f command?
    Install VMWare Server 2 on a text-only system
    Need help getting your printer working in Linux?
    It's all about choice, right? Then stop flaming Windows users.

  4. #4
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    Re: Virtual Machine Question

    i'm using virtualBox OSE on Intrepid, here's a screenshot. I'm running off my current Windows partition on the same HDD. (so now i can view/run programs without dual booting).
    I use the ACPI feature from the settings in virtualbox. the ioACPI feature was too slow for me. I ramped up the RAM to about 300MB (cuz i use MS Visual Studio C# and MatLab while in Windows)

    had some trouble in the beginning, but make sure the module vboxdrv runs when booting, and make sure you update your kernals and linux-headers-generic before installing

    just as wd5gnr says, i also had to reactivate windows (while in virtual mode) and setup a Vbox profile in the hardware manager tab in System within the Control Panel.
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    Last edited by run1206; October 10th, 2008 at 04:13 AM.
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  5. #5
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    Re: Virtual Machine Question

    I think VirtualBox is the best VM out there. It is more robust the VMWare I think. I would not recommend the the OSE version. The OSE version in the repos do not have USB support. Your jump drive and other USB devices will not be seen by VBoxOSE. There is USB support in the closed source version

    http://www.virtualbox.org/

    Hope this helps

  6. #6
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    Re: Virtual Machine Question

    Quote Originally Posted by WWSmith36 View Post
    I think VirtualBox is the best VM out there. It is more robust the VMWare I think. I would not recommend the the OSE version. The OSE version in the repos do not have USB support. Your jump drive and other USB devices will not be seen by VBoxOSE. There is USB support in the closed source version

    http://www.virtualbox.org/

    Hope this helps
    VirtualBox OSE supports my USB mouse in windows
    their was a hack to input so it could support USB in the open source version, i don't remember where it was (definitely within these forums somewhere)

    are you running Hardy or Intrepid?
    Last edited by run1206; October 10th, 2008 at 04:30 AM.
    Welcome to the world of Open Source!!!
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  7. #7
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    Wink Re: Virtual Machine Question

    Coolz. So VirtualBox OSE would be my best bet, and you say ther's a way to boot my existing partition? shwiggy! Thats roxor. I dont care how hard it is, i just dont wanna mess up that partition,since its a pain in the [bleep] to clean and reinstall 'doze.
    I might return and get some help for that, but my questions were answered and thanks to all who participated.

    I dont feel like getting closed source, its too microsofty and steve jobs lame (and that is some serisous lamness)...kinda like my video drivers...rats

    anyway, thanks

    I actually went in and rekerneled mine so it was just a plain jane setup so I could turn ioAPIC off -- it was painfully slow.
    What exactly did you rekernel, because that would be a little too over my head.

    Also, im on a laptop (hp tx1000), so dual monitors are not optional. As for ram...i got 2 gigs, and ubuntu only uses about 1gig at any given time, so dedicating about 700mb to XP will give me satisfactory results...i think. Any other pointers i should be aware of would be appreciated.

    - I gnu baby, gnu

  8. #8
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    Re: Virtual Machine Question

    Quote Originally Posted by run1206 View Post
    ...
    I wanted to ask you about your screenshot, whats the icon you got in your awn bar, its the ie icon, almost upside down with a smiley-like smile under it?

    just curious

  9. #9
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    Re: Virtual Machine Question

    Quote Originally Posted by crazyness003 View Post
    I wanted to ask you about your screenshot, whats the icon you got in your awn bar, its the ie icon, almost upside down with a smiley-like smile under it?

    just curious
    ies4linux: it a program to run Internet Explorer 6 within Linux.
    link: http://www.tatanka.com.br/ies4linux/page/Main_Page

    i think they're trying to get IE7 in ies4linux as well, not sure.

    so i switched over to VirtualBox PUEL just a few minutes ago, but now i can't see my USB devices (jumpdrive). keep getting a memory error when accessing the settings and for within settings i can't see the device.

    edit: SUCCESS!!! i searched virtualbox.org and found out the we have the solution in our Ubuntu Help pages:
    https://help.ubuntu.com/community/VirtualBox#USB

    Code:
    USB
    
    To get USB support, you need the PUEL version. Via the GUI, there is an option to enable USB.
    
    Furthermore, your user must be able to access /proc/bus/usb/*
    
    Since Gutsy, /proc/bus/usb is not mounted by default. You need to edit /etc/init.d/mountdevsubfs.sh and uncomment the following lines:
    
            #
            # Magic to make /proc/bus/usb work
            #
            mkdir -p /dev/bus/usb/.usbfs
            domount usbfs "" /dev/bus/usb/.usbfs -obusmode=0700,devmode=0600,listmode=0644
            ln -s .usbfs/devices /dev/bus/usb/devices
            mount --rbind /dev/bus/usb /proc/bus/usb
    
    In order to give users in the vboxusers group write permissions to the devices in /proc/bus/usb, you'll need to edit some rules in /etc/udev/rules.d.
    
    Under gutsy, edit /etc/udev/rules.d/40-permissions.rules to say the following:
    
    # USB devices (usbfs replacement)
    SUBSYSTEM=="usb_device",                MODE="0664", GROUP="vboxusers"
    
    Under hardy, edit /etc/udev/rules.d/40-basic-permissions.rules to say the following:
    
    # USB devices (usbfs replacement)
    SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ENV{DEVTYPE}=="usb_device", MODE="0664", GROUP="vboxusers"
    SUBSYSTEM=="usb_device",                MODE="0664", GROUP="vboxusers"
    
    Then, restart the udev service:
    
    sudo /etc/init.d/udev restart
    
    Now, if you haven't done it already, make sure your user is part of the group vboxusers using the following command:
    
    sudo adduser $USER vboxusers
    
    http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/747
    you have to make a group and gave them access to reading and writing to the devices in /proc/bus/usb

    even though it says Gutsy and Hardy, i'm now running my Kingston USB Drive from within Windows while on Intrepid!
    (screenshot-2)

    crazyness, i agree with WWSmith36, the PUEL version of Virtualbox is better, just make sure to "filter" your USB devices that you want in the setting tab.
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    Last edited by run1206; October 10th, 2008 at 05:58 AM.
    Welcome to the world of Open Source!!!
    Linux User #471120 Ubuntu User #21997
    Jaunty Jackalope 9.04

  10. #10

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