Vurtualo Box In Ubuntu

[thaimite]

I have been running dual boot Ubuntu and Windows XP for sometime, and over the past 3 months Ubuntu has been my default and I find I am using Windows less and less, however there are a few applications that I use in Windows that cannot run under Ubuntu.

These are generally specialist programs like Multi media database (collectorz) and Phone synchronisation programs that I cant (or don't want to) replace, for various reasons.

In addition, although I use Open Office I have some spreadsheets from work that require MS office as they have many macros and VBA code that will not run under Open office.

Eventually I want to remove my XP partitions and only have Ubuntu, so it seems I have 2 option virtual box or Wine

I am interested to hear other peoples experience with either of these options for running windows programs.

Which gives the best performance, what are the advantages, disadvantages of each.

Final question what does the community recommend for DVD ripping software. What ever it is must support Thai subtitles.

In windows I have many options, some are more powerful and some are faster, but for movies with Thai subtitles I use Auto Gordian Knot. Google tells me runs under Wine, but in general I would rather stick to native Linux programs if possible

Thanks in advance for your comments

Edited June 4, 2010 by thaimite

[siamect]

I think you should go for Qemu or Virtualbox. I use both... Qemu is more lovable but Virtualbox is easier to setup. There is a gui for Qemu that is supposed to make it easier to setup but ... never used it.

I know that some people claim that they use wine successfully but I think that whole project is kind of starting from the wrong point with the wrong goals and going in the wrong direction.

Martin

[dave_boo]

I have always used VirtualBox, but am a bit concerned now about its longevity.

Dvd ripping is done by libdvdcss, technically. If you're talking about trancoding which is the conversion from mpeg2 to your favourite container/format than handbrake wins hand down in my opinion. Note you better like x.264 since that is what it focuses on. If you MUST have an xvid/divx than dvd::rip is pretty good. Hope you realise that whatever you install to transcode all uses the same set of libraries, so please make sure you gave the latest svn! Oh.....handbrake supports Thai subtitles as does dvd::rip(iirc---been a while since I used it).

[welo]

I think it's possible to migrate a virtual machine from VirtualBox to Vmware or other solutions. It's merely a matter of converting the virtual harddisk, then create a new virtual machine based on it. You might have to change/update drivers but should be no problem. I moved from VirtualPC to VirtualBox this way - VirtualBox can even use VirtualPC's VHD files.

Not that I'd do it on a daily basis but there should be a migration path if VirtualBox is really discontinued. Is it currently possible to migrate from VirtualBox to Qemu?

[thaimite]

I think it's possible to migrate a virtual machine from VirtualBox to Vmware or other solutions. It's merely a matter of converting the virtual harddisk, then create a new virtual machine based on it. You might have to change/update drivers but should be no problem. I moved from VirtualPC to VirtualBox this way - VirtualBox can even use VirtualPC's VHD files.

Not that I'd do it on a daily basis but there should be a migration path if VirtualBox is really discontinued. Is it currently possible to migrate from VirtualBox to Qemu?

Thanks everybody for your helpful and insightful replies.

I have now installed virualbox and will try it as soon as work stops interferring with the useful stuff I want to do at home!!

One further question on this subject, as the Windows XP license is tied to the machine hardware, does this mean I would need a new license to install it on a virtual machine?

An experiment i may try is to see if I can load an Acronis image of my boot windows on the virtual machine. Has anybody tried this?

I expect that by using an Acronis image I will probably spend ages sorting out drivers, but as it is a virtual machine that can easily be wiped I think it is worth a try.

While on the subject of Acronis, is there a good Ubuntu equivalent of this utility?

As for the DVD ripping I have also installed handbrake as recommended although the stable release is not compatable with Ubuntu 10.04 the nightly build seems to have installed OK, and once again when I get some time I hope to try it out

.

Edited June 7, 2010 by thaimite

[dave_boo]

Thanks everybody for your helpful and insightful replies.

I have now installed virualbox and will try it as soon as work stops interferring with the useful stuff I want to do at home!!

One further question on this subject, as the Windows XP license is tied to the machine hardware, does this mean I would need a new license to install it on a virtual machine?

An experiment i may try is to see if I can load an Acronis image of my boot windows on the virtual machine. Has anybody tried this?

I expect that by using an Acronis image I will probably spend ages sorting out drivers, but as it is a virtual machine that can easily be wiped I think it is worth a try.

While on the subject of Acronis, is there a good Ubuntu equivalent of this utility?

As for the DVD ripping I have also installed handbrake as recommended although the stable release is not compatable with Ubuntu 10.04 the nightly build seems to have installed OK, and once again when I get some time I hope to try it out

.

And thank you for not being an idiot. Some idiot that did recommend handbrake forgot to mention to get the nightly build. You, in a shocking display of imitative for the posters in this subforum, went out and found the information yourself. Kudos.

And to answer your question; yes the XP license is tied to the hardware machine, although a call to Microsoft may allow you to activate it in your virtual machine; especially if you retire the original partition (or never run Windows Update on it). On the other hand I somewhere have a bunch of XP licenses that I could fork over to you if you send me a PM.

I doubt that you could use an Acronis image in your virtual machine, the drivers issue you mention probably being a show stopper. And if you go to Applications->Add/Remove Applications in Ubuntu's menu you can search for backup; I would recommend "luckyBackup" since it utilises rsync. There's a couple of others, but i use what I'm used to---and rsync is an old trusted *nix programme that I don't want to learn the switches for nor RTFM and make a CRON job.

[thaimite]

Thanks for the info Dave and do not worry about the Nightly build issue. I spend most of my day answering stupid questions from others so know how easy it is to forget to tell somebody the obvious. I only mentioned it to warn others who may also want to try Handbrake.

As far as Ubuntu back up is concerned, I do have a backup program running, but I was looking more for something that wuold give me a 1 step bootable restore file like Acronis does for Windows so that in the evnt of a Hard Disk replacement I do not have to wory about replacing drive partitions and reinstalling the OS etc. Being relatively new to Ubuntu I am still finding out where things are kept and what needs to be backed up for personal files and system files etc.

As for your kind offer I may well take you up on that later, but there is no urgency at the moment until I get a little more time.

Another thought just struck e as the XP license is tied to the hardware, and the hardware it sees will be "virtual hardware" in this case, does that not mean that anybody running XP under virtual box could use the same key! I am not really looking for an answer on that just posing the question out of interest. I suppose at the end of the day it depends on how virtual the virtual machine is. e.g. does it report actual or virtual CPU information?

[Richard-BKK]

We use in our little office two levels for running MS Windows software, the first, and often enough, is Crossover Linux Professional (release 9.01) which is capable of running MS Office up to version 2007. We also use Crossover Linux Prof. For running some other MS Windows programs like Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 and few more...

For the second layer for running MS Windows programs we use VMWare Workstation 7.01, this gives us a stable and fast alternative for running any MS Windows programs that isn't capable of running with Crossover Linux. For the more adventures user VMWare Workstation is also capable of running Apple OSX86, the how to on that can be found with a few simple search queries.

[welo]

Here my collections of links on how to migrate an existing Windows installation to a virtual machine. There is actually a wiki entry on this topic on virtualbox.org (first link)! The main point is that if you 'prepare' your Windows LIVE install prior to making the snapshot you will have it easier later on. (This is actually not a virtualbox issue but a general 'problem' when migrating Windows to new hardware/a new PC)

I never did the actual migration since the idea came up AFTER 2 or 3 months of using Windows 7. But the topic was interesting enough to do some research - I still have my old Windows XP hardware image on my backup drive... Hm...

Migrate_Windows - VirtualBox

Convert Physical Windows Systems Into Virtual Machines To Be Run On A Linux Desktop | HowtoForge - Linux Howtos and Tutorials

How to Convert a Physical Hard Drive to a Virtual Machine | Microsoft Musings

Migrate_Windows - VirtualBox

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/ee656415.aspx

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/w7itproappcompat/thread/113c3f94-5e24-435d-8521-8fcfe852451d

howto convert existing windows xp into a virtual machine virtualbox - Google Search

Btw it is absolutely legal to activate your Windows on the virtual machine if you don't use the original installation any more AFAIK. Only exception are Windows OEM versions which are tied to the hardware. Unfortunately OEM licenses are very popular and wide spread.

Edited June 9, 2010 by welo

[thaimite]

Thanks for that Welo.

I will be bookmarking those links for further investigation. I think I have a non OEM windows because if I remember correctly, I wanted the professional version when I bought this machine and paid an extortionate price for the upgrade, but I have bought that many copies for other machines in the family I may be wrong. I am sure I shall soon find out

Thainite

[welo]

Easy to check for a live system...

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Version Identification

Windows may have been preinstalled on your computer. These installations are referred to as OEM installations.

To determine whether you have an OEM installation of Windows, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.

2. Click Performance and Maintenance, and then click System.

3. Click the General tab.

4. Locate the number that is displayed under Registered to.

This number typically contains 20 digits. If digits 6, 7, and 8 contain the letters "OEM", you have an OEM installation of Windows.

For example, the following sample Product ID number indicates an OEM installation:

12345-OEM-6789098-76543

source: MSDN, How to Determine the Version of Windows XP in Use

[thaimite]

Thanks

I should of thought of that. Next time I boot in to Windows I will check.

Currently I am learning more about the internals of Uburtu with an interesting problem.

I have been trying to get my fingerprint reader working. I have got the drivers working, but it is not working with the Fprint Project demo. However in the process I have managed to do something that has messed up my sudo password. I can log on to the PC with my password, but anytime I try to do anything that needs sudo it tells me my password is incorrect!!.

I have checked that I am still a member of the admin group and tried updating my password, but no success. I believe the problem is with my common-auth file in /etc/pam.d, but as I have to boot in to recovery console to edit it, then reboot to try out my editing and browse the forums for more ideas it is a slow process. I am making headway though as originally I could not even log on due to an extra entry in the same file.

This is tending me to stick with dual boot rather than a virtual machine. In the future if I have other issues like this, at least I can use windows to browse the net for solutions.

Edited June 10, 2010 by thaimite

[jobsworth]

I am a geek.

I run it all.

I first install Windows XP.

Sorry, much as I have issues with Bill Gates, it is still the most stable OS at the moment.

Then I install Ubuntu Linux as a dual boot.

(Watch out for GRUB2 use only GRUB1 or WUBI will scramble your MBR.

Install Ubuntu 9.04 and then update it to 10.04 online.)

How do you get Ubuntu to be the default on boot?

Then I install Sun Virtualbox, now renamed Oracle VM (why?)

on both Windows XP and Ubuntu.

Then I install Windows XP in Virtualbox on Ubuntu and

I install Ubuntu in Virtualbox on Windows XP.

There can be a problem with the latest Oracle VM on Windows XP.

I have had some blue screens.

Something to do with 32 bit software running on a 64 bit Athlon system (I think.)

Of course all the time I have Windows XP underneath everything.

Using "shared folders" I can always access files on C:\.

Much as I love Ubuntu Linux it is still not stable enough for long term data storage.

Ultimately it would be best to use only Ubuntu Linux but not yet.

I suggest that you avoid WINE. Under a different configuration I nearly lost everything

and finished up with a Windows XP partition on J:.

[thaimite]

To make Ubuntu the default, download and install Startup Manager from the Synaptic package manager, then all boot options are very easily controlled. I now have all my problems sorted (but still not time to play with virualbox. Currently I am helping a work colleague install Wine on a removable USB drive so as he can set his system to be dual boot just by plugging in the device, and he also has a full PC he can take with him on his travels in the form of a portable disk.

[dave_boo]

I am a geek.

I run it all.

I first install Windows XP.

Sorry, much as I have issues with Bill Gates, it is still the most stable OS at the moment.

Then I install Ubuntu Linux as a dual boot.

(Watch out for GRUB2 use only GRUB1 or WUBI will scramble your MBR.

Install Ubuntu 9.04 and then update it to 10.04 online.)

How do you get Ubuntu to be the default on boot?

Then I install Sun Virtualbox, now renamed Oracle VM (why?)

on both Windows XP and Ubuntu.

Then I install Windows XP in Virtualbox on Ubuntu and

I install Ubuntu in Virtualbox on Windows XP.

There can be a problem with the latest Oracle VM on Windows XP.

I have had some blue screens.

Something to do with 32 bit software running on a 64 bit Athlon system (I think.)

Of course all the time I have Windows XP underneath everything.

Using "shared folders" I can always access files on C:\.

Much as I love Ubuntu Linux it is still not stable enough for long term data storage.

Ultimately it would be best to use only Ubuntu Linux but not yet.

I suggest that you avoid WINE. Under a different configuration I nearly lost everything

and finished up with a Windows XP partition on J:.

You call yourself a geek and then make the claim that XP is the most stable OS out there......?

From reading your post, I doubt you actually dual-boot. Mentioning wubi and the fact that "Windows XP underneath everything" makes me think that you're actually ONLY running XP with Ubuntu on top. And if you had tried to dual boot you would have found out that Ubuntu allows you to access your "C:\" drive at any point in time, or even mount it as "Windows XP" if you were so inclined.

Don't know how you think an operating system that is used in 91% of the world's super computers is not stable enough for long term data storage and the operating system that is used on all of 1% of the same computers is?

[Niloc]

/home/colin/Downloads/Juice_2.2_install.dmg.gz

I an trying to get an iPodcast Downloader to work but it simply will not install!!

The 'juice' site gives me the above file but what is a 'dmg.gz'? and how do I install it?

any assistance appreciated....

Colin

[shriah]

There is no linux version Juice according to their site Juice, the cross-platform podcast receiver.. You can try some of the application they suggest but most of the application they suggest is out of date, the package you have is 4 years old !! Try Rhythmbox it should be able to handle podcast or you can try banshee which is my default music player and it will also handle podcast from rss.

To answer you question .dmg.gz is for Mac OSX , you cannot install it in linux . Ubuntu install package will be .deb like this http://www.icepodder...er_54-1_all.deb , this is one of the application suggested in Juice.

Edited June 22, 2010 by shriah

[jobsworth]

Hello dave_boo,

Thank you for your kind reply to my post.

Perhaps you could help me further.

I was talking about desktop PCs and laptops

which is probably what most Thaivisa members are using

and not super computers.

As you rightly say I am not dual booting at all.

It is just what some people call dual booting.

It is in fact running Ubuntu Linux as an application on Windows XP.

Perhaps you can advise me on how to do it because I cannot.

I tried before and failed.

What I did was to install Windows XP on half a hard drive

and then install Ubuntu Linux on the other half.

I was unable to persuade either to see the other.

Than I tried visa versa.

I installed Ubuntu Linux on half a hard drive

and then installed Windows XP on the other half.

Again I was unable to persuade either to see the other.

Either of these solutions would be true dual booting.

I know that Windows XP does not support ext3,

the format used by Ubuntu Linux,

while Ubuntu Linux does support FAT and NTFS,

the formats used by Windows XP.

How do you install Windows XP and Ubuntu Linux on the same system

so that they can dual boot and Linux can see Windows files?

Thank you for your time.

[dave_boo]

Hello dave_boo,

Thank you for your kind reply to my post.

Perhaps you could help me further.

I was talking about desktop PCs and laptops

which is probably what most Thaivisa members are using

and not super computers.

As you rightly say I am not dual booting at all.

It is just what some people call dual booting.

It is in fact running Ubuntu Linux as an application on Windows XP.

Perhaps you can advise me on how to do it because I cannot.

I tried before and failed.

What I did was to install Windows XP on half a hard drive

and then install Ubuntu Linux on the other half.

I was unable to persuade either to see the other.

Than I tried visa versa.

I installed Ubuntu Linux on half a hard drive

and then installed Windows XP on the other half.

Again I was unable to persuade either to see the other.

Either of these solutions would be true dual booting.

I know that Windows XP does not support ext3,

the format used by Ubuntu Linux,

while Ubuntu Linux does support FAT and NTFS,

the formats used by Windows XP.

How do you install Windows XP and Ubuntu Linux on the same system

so that they can dual boot and Linux can see Windows files?

Thank you for your time.

1) Install Ubuntu.

2) Go to System->Administration->NTFS Configuration Tool.

3) Choose your Windows partition and set a mount point.

4) Make sure that "Enable write support for internal device" is checked.

5) You're done.

Plus you're mistaken about the fact that XP can't read ext3; there is an IFS here to do just that (but be warned that you lose the journaling part of ext3).