HOWTO: Install Parallels on Ubuntu

[Frak]

Parallels Workstation is a program capable of completely emulating hardware to run other OS's.

Until now, Parallels has had problems compiling the the newest kernel (2.6.21.5 or something like that), but Parallels has come out with a fixed file for correcting the mistake.
I have created this thread to help those who have valid licenses and want to use Parallels.


STEP 1
Install Necessary Packages

sudo aptitude install libqt3-mt-dev build-essential libstdc++5

STEP 2
Install Parallels
>>Download Here<<
Then, either automatically install it, or save it to desktop and double click it and install it. Your choice.

STEP 3
Configure Parallels
In the Terminal

sudo parallels-config

And agree to the license agreements.

FINISHED
Now all to do is enter your license code, and your ready to Virtualize.

[El Gabito]

The last command has changed and is now

sudo parallels-config

instead of "configure"

[Frak]

Thanks, I'll change that.

[rpb]

I am on feisty and had a few more problems. I did not have the linux-headers for my kernel installed which would not let me compile the parallels drivers. Once I had those, I also needed libstdc++5 to not get the prl_dhcpd error.

[Frak]

Thanks for the info.

I'll add that to the post.

[LuisC-SM]

Hi.

I have 2 weird issues.

I installed parallels just the way mentioned above with no compiling single issue. I'm running compiz-fussion on fesity.

The first issue is: on a fresh boot, when I try to run parallels it gives me the next popup window:

"Module vm-main is not found. Parallels Wrokstation 2.2 is installed, but it has not been configured for your running kernel. To configure it please login as root and run parallels-config"

So I run AGAIN parallels-config (as root) and everything is ok, BUT ... my parallels window is so translucent that I can hardly read. So what I do is just to restart metacity and works fine. If i restart commpiz-fusion it seems not to work. But at this point I don't really care if I use emerald or metacity, I just want to not to run parallels-config everytime I boot.

Just FYI I have a VALID serial.

Thanks in advance for the help you can give me.

Luis

EDIT: I must add 2 more things.
1. The license agreement was never showed, however before the license agreement I inserted my serial number in this format XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX (with separators)
2. Running from a terminal I get the next error:

Now you can run Parallels Workstation 2.2
Issue parallels command.

cacho@Toshiba-Laptop:~$ parallels
X Error: BadDevice, invalid or uninitialized input device 169
Major opcode: 147
Minor opcode: 3
Resource id: 0x0
Failed to open device
X Error: BadDevice, invalid or uninitialized input device 169
Major opcode: 147
Minor opcode: 3
Resource id: 0x0
Failed to open device

But parallels works just fine so...........????

[Frak]

For one, Parallels uses QT, which some apps written in QT have problems existing with Compiz-Fusion.

And for the X Error, don't worry about it. You get that error because you're not using a Wacom Tablet. It happens every time you use a Graphical app from the terminal.

[LuisC-SM]

Thanks a lot for your prompt response

For one, Parallels uses QT, which some apps written in QT have problems existing with Compiz-Fusion.

Yes! and also I read this:
http://forum.parallels.com/showthrea...ghlight=compiz
So it seems that this will be an issue using compiz-fusion

And for the X Error, don't worry about it. You get that error because you're not using a Wacom Tablet. It happens every time you use a Graphical app from the terminal.

Again, thanks a lot I was thinking this had to be with the license agreement. :/
Luis

EDIT/UPDATE: the fix for the transparent window is explained in the next link and works just perfect:
http://forum.parallels.com/thread940.html

So now the next is to figure how to avoid running parallels-config again and again

[LuisC-SM]

SOLVED

This is the workaround found here: (By: martin_42)
http://forum.parallels.com/showthrea...rallels-config

The installer doesn't set up the /etc/init.d stuff, so the drivers don't get loaded. Running the parallels-config script doesn't fix that, but it has the side-effect of loading the drivers right at the end!

A workaround is to edit the launch command script /usr/bin/parallels so that the second line reads:

/usr/lib/parallels/autostart/drivers_start

While you're there, you may as well add an extra line at the bottom:

/usr/lib/parallels/autostart/drivers_stop

If I recall correctly, those 2 scripts use illegal syntax for /bin/sh. So to get them to actually work, you need to edit drivers_start and drivers_stop, and change line 1 in each case from #!/bin/sh to #!/bin/bash (and install bash on your box if it ain't there already).

I think I had to change the parallels-config script to use /bin/bash before that would run without errors.

All things considered, it's amazing that such a highly technical product works so well once it's up and running, but has silly little errors in some trivial scripts! I can only speculate that the parallels guys tested on a Linux distro that has subtly different behaviour from Ubuntu, so presumably the installation and start-up scripts worked with no problems, whereas they run into little snags on ubuntu/kubuntu edgy and feisty.

Did you get the sound working in Feisty BTW?

Cheers

I hope this helps newcommers

Cheeers

Luis

EDIT/UPDATE: Sorry to post bad news, but I was so happy when I thought this had already worked whe I logged out my session and logged back in ... but now that I have restarted same thing is happening... The "good" news is that with that workaround but without adding the second command (/usr/lib/parallels/autostart/drivers_stop) and running as root, it just WORKS... even if I restarted it.... so I must just find a way to change the group (chown) to "/usr/lib/parallels/autostart/drivers_start", although I really don't know if this will help any.
If someone asks why to "chown" /usr/lib/parallels/autostart/drivers_start? ... just 'cause it is asking me for the root password and keeps on telling me the passwd I issued it's just wrong... ((

2nd EDIT/UDATE: S O L V E D !!!!

Ok. I'll tell you what I did.

cd /usr/lib/qt3/plugins/inputmethods/
sudo chmod 755 *
sudo parallels-config

Rebooted and now is working just fine

By the way, the solution I found it here:
http://forum.parallels.com/showthread.php?t=4495
The last post is the one I followed.

So, I believe the best to do to the original thread is to update it for the newcommers (just IMHO)

Cheers Luis

[BDNiner]

I hope that I can get this running. I have compiz fusion installed about parallels installs and runs no problem. I need to get my license when i return home from work, that way i can see if windows XP can run inside ubuntu. If it can that will be great. Means i can install VZAccess and use my blackberry for internet, hopefully. I still need to get my blackberry to be recognized though.

I still can't get parallels to run after rebooting after following these steps. I am still required to run parallels-config to get up and running. Has anyone successfully installed XP? I get about half way through the installation and it hangs when windows is installing new devices.