Ubuntu 8.10 on Virtual PC 2007
just before lunchtime on Thursday, the 30th of October 2008 by Capt Jake Fortune
Yes, it can be done.
You too can get past the original boot problems because of problems detecting the virtual environment in Ubuntu.
How?
I’m not going to go through the whole process, just try to get you past the initial install problem.
On the Install Ubuntu screen, where you have the F1-F6 prompts at the bottom, hit F4 and then select “Safe Graphics Mode”. Then hit F6, and you’ll see the command line for the install. Delete quiet splash and add vga=791 noreplace-paravirt at the end. Then follow the normal install procedure.
Once installed, you’ll need to edit the grub boot loader. Enter sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst and find the section for the boot options. You’re most likely looking for the first Ubuntu 8.10, kernel … line. the kernel option has a list of arguments like ro xforcevesa, etc. Make sure the end of that line has: ro xforcevesa noreplace-paravirt quiet splash like so.
Now you’re pretty well set except for… screen resolution. What you’ll need to do is sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf and make it look like this:
Section “Device”
Identifier “Configured Video Device”
Driver “vesa”
Option “UseFBDev” “true”
EndSectionSection “Monitor”
Identifier “Configured Monitor”
Option “DPMS”
HorizSync 30-70
VertRefresh 50-160
EndSectionSection “Screen”
Identifier “Default Screen”
Monitor “Configured Monitor”
Device “Configured Video Device”
DefaultDepth 16
SubSection “Display”
Depth 16
Modes “1280×1024″ “1024×768″ “800×600″
EndSubSection
EndSection
Reboot, and you should be all set at this point.
I found the process over at Tech Republic. Additional info is there on attempts to modify the display options and such, even though the instructions are for Hardy Heron 8.04. You know, I wrote for Tech Republic, back in 1999 when they still were done in print rather than online. Too bad they don’t have that old content online anymore. Here’s a copy of what was printed.
Loading OpenSuSE 11 in Virtual PC is similar. Except you need the following boot option only when doing the installation: noreplace-paravirt i8042.noloop clock=pit
After that, OpenSuSE will add that to your boot process automatically. Video is detected normally and you can change sizes.
Fedora Core 10 also loads with an alternate boot option: noreplace-paravirt vga=0x32D clocksource=pit psmouse.proto=imps nohz=off
You’ll have to make sure that’s in the grub command line also, you can get instructions here. Sure it’s for Core 9, but using what I have above will get you there.
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(20 votes, average: 4.90 out of 5)
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October 30th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
It’s working. Thanks.
October 31st, 2008 at 8:00 am
It’s working too ! Thanks.
But, when I select French language, some labels still are in English…
October 31st, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Duuuuuude, you wrote for TR too? Jack Wallen recruited me over there.
November 1st, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Writing for Tech Republic, I worked with Scott McCord and a few others. My article with them occurred right about the time they changed their name from Narrowcast, so that’s been a while (1998/1999). Back then the rate was $150 a printed page which was pretty sweet. Writing for Windows NT Magazine (way back then too) was a little more lucrative. Cobb Group was the best though!
November 1st, 2008 at 5:14 pm
After 24 hrs just a quick update. I’ve got dual monitors on my primary desktop, and now I have Ubuntu 8.1 running on the secondary monitor in full screen mode. Except for not being able to directly slide the mouse between screens, it looks completely native.
Next up, trying to get sound working!
November 1st, 2008 at 5:18 pm
I’m having trouble getting my wireless working with 8.1.
It’s a discrete chipset (intel 4965agn), and the driver loads, everything identifies activates and configures properly.
It wont find the SSID when I scan, but I can enter the SSID manually and it will configure and show me signal strength.
Then when I try to connect, it tries for about a minute, and fails with no error.
Very frustrating.
November 1st, 2008 at 6:15 pm
I was having the same problem with an old laptop. Although it used the broadcom drivers in a Linksys WPC-54Gv1 card.
Using the fwcutter software, it connected great, even using WPA2, only the throughput would drop to 1-2mbps according to the router.
Moving over to ndiswrapper, it would do exactly what you’re saying. Realized it was the WPA settings, only to find out the ndiswrapper driver wouldn’t do WPA. Turned off WPA and could connect great.
Decided that WPA2 on the 4-5 wireless devices I’m using is more important than connection speed on an old PIII and went back to the fwcutter style wireless.
Anyway, what I saw that mirrored the issue you’re having was the WPA. Having the intel chipset is beautiful so you don’t have to mess with the firmware, but there’s a WPA “helper” process that may be causing your issue.
November 2nd, 2008 at 1:56 pm
This site shows how to fix audio in Ubuntu 8.04. It might work for 8.10 too:
http://helpdeskgeek.com/virtualization/fixing-audio-in-ubuntu-when-running-in-virtual-pc/
November 3rd, 2008 at 9:18 am
Hi, I’m a ubuntu newbie and I got mine to work with VPC2007, thanks to your instructions above…then I changed the screen resolution, and now the screen is all scrambled. I cannot see the screen now to reset the screen resolution. How do I restore the screen resolution settings within ubuntu? thanks.
-concatto
November 4th, 2008 at 4:08 am
Hi, I tried to install ubuntu 8.10 on VPC07.
Problem is that installation is blocked on ubuntu install screen.
Any idear ? I tried to install directly on first boot. Maybe I’ve to do it in two times ?
Thanks in ad.
November 4th, 2008 at 7:27 am
Did you had same options when you tried to install directly on first boot ?
November 4th, 2008 at 9:20 am
Since my original reply, I’ve switched to using VirtualBox http://www.virtualbox.org/. I didn’t have to do anything special to get it running, Ubuntu seems to run faster, and VirtualBox supports “snapshots”. Here’s a tutorial with lots of pictures: http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/virtualbox
November 4th, 2008 at 9:25 am
For help troubleshooting the sound issue, I loaded the same virtual image into VMWare Player, and I got sound to work automatically.
So good advice for anyone is that there are so many virtual machine solutions now, if one doesn’t work for you try another.
November 4th, 2008 at 9:27 am
With the virtualbox solution, did you have to select any special startup options? Were you able to change display resolution, sound, etc properly or did you have to do anything special?
November 4th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Check that tutorial–but I didn’t have to press F4 or F6 and put in any special commands–further, once the virtualization tools are installed, the Ubuntu desktop will resize to how big you make the window–maximize the window, and Ubuntu’s desktop size will increase to match it.
Further, my sound works without anything special, although there’s an occasional lag in the playback.
November 8th, 2008 at 7:50 am
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUH MYYYYYYYY God, When I try to edit the “Menu.lst file it says I dont have enough rights to do that, anyone got an idea to fix it? send it to Guthian@gmail.com
November 8th, 2008 at 8:00 am
nvm, fixed it :P had to go via terminal
November 8th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
although now sound wont work, how to fix that. Hmm, time for some research
November 11th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
I can’t get sound to work either. A SB16 is detected, but the modprobe snd-sb16 command won’t work (there is no error message; it just doesn’t seem to do anything). Has anyone solved this problem?
November 26th, 2008 at 3:31 am
okay this is how you get sound to work:
add modprobe snd-sb16 to that file, save and then do this.
Now when done that go here:
system->administration
now you see different options. Choose the first one, users and groups or something,
a popup will come.
click “unlock” button, enter password and lock everything up. now click the user account you currently are on.
homecatalog: /home/”account name”
dubble click it.
another popup comes, now click the “userprivalegies tab”
CHECK ALL the options…
then click okay and then exit out.
Restart and now the sound should work without problems. (atleast it did the trick for me)
(sorry for the long time it took to give response)
yes this is crappy sound lol… sooooooooooo crappy…
November 26th, 2008 at 3:31 am
okay this is how you get sound to work:
add modprobe snd-sb16 to that file, save and then do this.
Now when done that go here:
system->administration
now you see different options. Choose the first one, users and groups or something,
a popup will come.
click “unlock” button, enter password and lock everything up. now click the user account you currently are on.
homecatalog: /home/”account name”
dubble click it.
another popup comes, now click the “userprivalegies tab”
CHECK ALL the options…
then click okay and then exit out.
Restart and now the sound should work without problems. (atleast it did the trick for me)
(sorry for the long time it took to give response)
yes this is crappy sound lol… sooooooooooo crappy…
November 26th, 2008 at 3:32 am
w00pz two comments X-D
December 15th, 2008 at 11:35 pm
Chad Says:
After 24 hrs just a quick update. I’ve got dual monitors on my primary desktop, and now I have Ubuntu 8.1 running on the secondary monitor in full screen mode. Except for not being able to directly slide the mouse between screens, it looks completely native.
If you go under action–>Install or update virtual machine additions and go through the process, it will prompt you to reboot the VM. after rebooting, you will not have to capture or release you mouse.
December 17th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
I just got 8.10 loaded on Virtual PC and everything seems to be working except the wireless. I have told virtual pc to use the wireless card installed on my pc but it still won’t work in Ubuntu. Any ideas on something else I could try. thanks.
January 7th, 2009 at 11:47 am
Great,
Thank You for help
Brandon: Try to select in Virtual PC NAT option
January 7th, 2009 at 11:48 am
Great,
Thank You for help
Brandon: Try to select in Virtual PC NAT option and restart VM
January 11th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Got Ubuntu 8.10 to boot, but for some reason I don’t have permission to save /boot/grub/menu.lst
Any help?
January 11th, 2009 at 5:36 pm
Ok, I got it.. you need to use terminal.
Now i tried resolution and got it stuck at a resolution where it has several shifted pixel rows, many of which reapeat each other. Printscreen isn’t working… :( so I can’t actually show you a picture.
How do I default back to the regular screen resolution without re-installing
January 25th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
After Install, click on system media and disk will appear on desktop. then go into applications, terminals. this command worked for me to find the installed menu.lst and edit it.
sudo gedit /media/disk/boot/grub/menu.lst
..and find the section for the boot options. You’re most likely looking for the first Ubuntu 8.10, kernel … line. the kernel option has a list of arguments like ro xforcevesa, etc. Make sure the end of that line has:
ro xforcevesa noreplace-paravirt quiet splash
now boots. Thanks for the info on this page.
February 8th, 2009 at 9:53 am
Hi there, thanks for the hints. I am almost there BUT I am using MS Virtual Server and Ubuntu 8.10 Server and not succeeding!!
Any more tips for this kind of installation?
February 8th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
I get 1600×1200. How can I set it lower?
February 12th, 2009 at 7:20 am
Once I got it running, a lot of things worked. I got the network, setup a browser, downloaded a document, and opened it with the Open Office package. Thanks!
February 13th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Hi, does anyone know?
I done the first commands:
Delete quiet splash and add vga=791 noreplace-paravirt at the end
But i get i black screen, without any text, seems forever.. anybody has any clue?
All the best,
Ricardo
February 14th, 2009 at 10:54 am
Hi all,
browsing here and there I collected all the necessary info to succeed installing:
Ubuntu 8.10 Server on a MS Virtual SERVER.
Following those steps:
1. Start MS VS and create a new guest OS (will be Ubuntu Server) and point the CD drive to the UBUNTU image in your disk.
2. Start the Virtual Machine and Click on Remote Control.
3. dont change selection and press F6
here delete quite and replace it with “vga=791 noreplace-paravirt” (of course with no “”)
4. press enter. After a little bit of blank screen, the installation will start.
At the end of the installation you will be prompt for username and password.
Do login with the given credentials.
At this point you want to make the changes permanent.
Follow the steps:
Reboot the machine (make sure you add the http address in the trusted zones of IE or you will have to login every time and the following steps will not work)
1. Press ESC quickly when you reboot. You should drop to a command mode interface.
2. Select “Ubuntu 8.10, kernel x.x.xx-xx-generic” from the menu and press “e” to edit.
3. Select “kernel /boot/” etc, from the menu and press “e” to edit.
4. replace “quiet splash” with “vga=791 noreplace-paravirt” so the end of the line now reads “vga=791 noreplace-paravirt xforcvesa”.
[in my test I forgot the xforcevesa and that gave me some issue when installing xserver..]
Now you want to install the graphical interface, the Desktop and the web admin for the servers you installed during setup!!
1) Install desktop Environment
2) Install Webmin
Do the following:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop
This last part will take A LOT OF TIME
AND
it will not work at first.
Type the same sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop one more time after the end when you (most probably) will see:
99% Working…
but never ending!!
Stop the operation, you get the propt again and type: sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop
One more time.
Once this is done, lets install the Webadmin:
Follow those steps:
sudo aptitude install perl libnet-ssleay-perl openssl libauthen-pam-perl libpam-runtime libio-pty-perl libmd5-perl
Now download the latest webmin using the following command or from here
wget http://garr.dl.sourceforge.net/sourceforge/webadmin/webmin_1.441_all.deb
Now we have webmin_1.441_all.deb package install this package using the following command
sudo dpkg -i webmin_1.441_all.deb
This will complete the installation.
Now you can access the web admin:
https://your-server-ip:10000/
HOWEVER, on my first part, when installing the desktop, I still have problems has looks like the xorg is not configured very well and as I dont have enough experience, I do not know how to fix this. The web admin works great.
REMEMBER, I did not add the xforcevesa as I explained earlier. I will do that in my next reboot!!
The credits of those steps do not go entirely on my as I have picked the most out of the following sites. I only replaced ‘quite’ and not add the info mentioned above. Moreover, most of the articles are for Ubuntu 8.04 and in a MS Virtual PC (I use Virtual Server).
Here are the source of my info:
1) http://arcanecode.wordpress.com/2008/04/24/installing-ubuntu-804-under-microsoft-virtual-pc-2007/
2) http://www.ubuntugeek.com/ubuntu-serverinstall-gui-and-webmin-in-ubuntu-810-intrepid-ibex-guide.html
Have fun!!
February 21st, 2009 at 6:58 am
I got 1600*1200 too!
and
does anyone know how to install virtual machine
additions?
February 21st, 2009 at 9:02 am
Did you manage to have Ubuntu 8.10 Server installed on a MS VM and have a fully working desktop? (not Virtual PC)
I tried about anything is out there and it does not work.
I am unable to create a correct manual configuration for X and I gave up this project.
March 3rd, 2009 at 4:34 am
To those who want to have a virtual Ubuntu, just use VirtualBox. It’s free and compatible with Ubuntu. Tried and tested. ;p Ubuntu/VirtualBox and XP/VirtualPC
March 9th, 2009 at 6:39 am
Saddly, I’ve tried all week end long without success… (VirtualPC 2007+ubuntu 8.10)
If I add the vga=791 line I get a black screen that last forever and the leds on my keyboard show something went wrong, and if I don’t add vga (but still put noreplace-paravirt) here’s what I can read : kernel panic not syncing : vfs : unable to mount root fs on unknown block (8,3)
and it stays like that until I shut down the VM
any ideas why I get that message ? how could I fix it ?
March 13th, 2009 at 2:37 am
Just to let you know I found a way :
I installed on another computer (XP) : it worked with vga=791 noreplace-paravirt.
After completing the installation and updating I copied the vhd file to my other computer and then I could create a new VM with that vhd… then I could install cairo dock which works fine under virtual PC as long as you also install xcompmgr and make it start with ubuntu. In the end I just had a little more work to make the sound ok :
the rc.local file wasn’t found from the Terminal windows
I could locate it with gedit but couldn’t save the edited file (not allowed to). So I had to use the sudo -s command in the Terminal then launch gedit from the Terminal… This way I was allowed to save the edited rc.local and after rebooting the sound was ok. Thanks for the great tutorial !
March 18th, 2009 at 12:01 am
I suggest trying Sun virtual Box. pretty easy install on Windows Vista, faster, and more features.
http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads
May 23rd, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Chad, the link to your article is broken. It appears you’ve let bluestream.org go.
November 8th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Hi, you tried to start VMware Workstation and it won’t sync its disk
if you Choose Retry, it doesn’t attempt the operation again.
if you Choose Abort, it terminate this session.
if you Choose Continue, it forwards the error to the guest operating system.
and when you restart the system it works
if you go to recovery mode it will start owrking
fsck 1.4.1 (27-Jan-2009) and the kjournald will start
you go to /usr/share/fonts and get the directory.
then batang_mono.ttf was in there.
you remove the font and batang_mono.ttf is removed. and if you use fc-cache BatangChe will disappear
and if oyu try it it works