Pinguy, VirtualBox and an empty error message

[pofadda]

DL'ed Pinguy ISO and tried to install it on a Toshiba Satellite Pro L10 laptop, via VirtualBox under XP Pro. I used VBox because it would install/run direct from the (1.3GB) .ISO so freeing me from fiddling with trying to burn a DVD of it from my other box - a Mac. Also VBox can virtualise - they say - using older, non-hardware virtualising - chips.

It got as far as the desktop and empty menu bar and then threw up a blank error message and hung, forcing me to do a VBox shutdown.

So,
a. is there any way to install it or run it live without a CD/DVD, maybe via a USB, preferably as an ISO?
b. does the above empty error and halt indicate something I could do to install it via VBox?
c. It seems to be large-ish distro when installed; will the 6GB of the spare partition be enough to run it? Data space is not an issue.
d. Any reason I should not bother to investigate this distro?

Thanks in anticipation...

[Citadel1980]

I don't know about using VirtualBox because I don't use it but I do know that you can run PinguyOS via a USB thumb drive.

I have PinguyOS on a 4GB USB thumb drive. I used UNetbootin to install as an ISO.

The info for UNetbootin can be found on SourceForge -


http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/


I have used PinguyOS on a USB thumb drive and it works as LiveUSB/CD/DVD and I also have installed it from this USB thumb drive.

It works for me.

[pofadda]

Thanks Citadel.

I went and burned a DVD, verified it, and booted the laptop with it. It stopped somewhere under a black screen and I had to crash the machine.

You don't say what age your machine is. Mine has a 1.6GHz Intel Pentium M with 1GB RAM.

[Citadel1980]

poffada,

I'm using WinXP and Ubuntu 10.04 on a Dell Dimension E512 - late 2006 model.

Dual Core - 2 Pentium D chips - 2.66GHz

3GB RAM, 1 - 160GB hard drive with a 20GB WinXP Partition, 20GB Ubuntu / partition and a 90GB Ubuntu Home partition.

1 - 320 GB internal HD for documents, video, pictures and whatever.

1 - 320 GB external USB HD for backups.

And a drawer full of USB thumb drives with various GNU/Linux - whatever the flavor of the week is.

Dell 177FP 17 inch monitor - 1280 x 1024. Sufficient for what I do.

ATI x300 128 MB graphics card (original card) supplanted by Nvidia 8400GS 512 MB graphics card.

x300 is dreadful for all GNU/Linux so I bought the Nvidia card from Newegg last Thanksgiving for $25.

Works ok for watching streaming video, downloaded video, playing music and whatever. I don't play any games so can't tell you anything about that.

Also have a System76 Pangolin laptop with Ubuntu 10.04. Works great because it is made for GNU/Linux.