Installing XP on Virtual Box in Ubuntu 7.04

Rocket357 Wrote (from post http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...d.php?t=570542 ) Now then, may I ask you a question? I see in your "Distribution" list that you run XP in VirtualBox on Ubuntu. I have a friend I'm going to set up a Linux machine for, and one requirement is that he has to have a virtual XP install. I've been playing around with VirtualBox since I don't know if Qemu will be "user-friendly" enough for him (I use Qemu, personally, but VirtualBox is nice, I must admit). I use a relatively stripped down Gentoo install for my Virtualization needs...very little overhead (running Fluxbox so I can dedicate tons of memory to the guest OS). I'm not 100% settled on it, but Ubuntu is definitely looking like the distro of choice (or perhaps Mint) for my friend's computer, which will have quite a bit more overhead than what I personally am used to. My question is this: What hardware does it take to get reasonable performance out of a VirtualBox XP install on Ubuntu? I don't need specifics, just a general idea. (My friend has an AMD Sempron with 256MB RAM...I've already advised him to upgrade to more RAM for virtualization purposes).

I installed Automatix in Ubuntu 7.04 (With Ubuntu CE it comes pre-installed.) I used Automatix to install innotex VirtualBox.

It is pretty straight forward so I will add most of the key points.

I ran VirtualBox and created New,

Name - WinXP
Operating System - Windows XP

I left the Recommended memory size at 192MB

BootHardsik, Clicked on new. Checked Dynamically Expanding Image, Image file name WinXP and Images size 10.00GB

After that I finished and mounted the CD/DVD-ROM (Host CD/DVD Drive)

I enabled audio

Enabled Network and left it at NAT (I can access the internet with XP fine with this setting.)

I put the XP cd in the drive I mounted above. THen I clicked start on the VirtualBox Menu.

Followed XP set instructions, put the win98 in to verify the XP upgrade install.

Formatted the XP Virtual Partition and installed it. (I Also put the verification code in when it asked.)

After the install I booted the system and went through the normal XP steps. I also verified it over the internet.

Thats it. It works fine.


The only thing I haven't checked into yet is how to exchange files between the host (Ubuntu) and the Guest (XP).

Also the Virtual Machine doesn't use my 3D card. It doesn't support using hardware like that right now.


Before when I installed it I could install any program I had for XP, except 3D card ones, without any problem.



I hope this helps. It was easy and very fast to install. I am still pretty new to VirtualBox but it was very easy for me to get use to this and do it.


My Hardware Specs are;

Compaq Presario S6000CL, AMD Athalon XP 2800+ (2.08 GHz)

Hardware added/changed,

Nvidia GeForce 6200,
1024 MB memory (Sadly Maxed.)
Two IDE Drives, 80GB each
One SATA drive, 160GB
Unhooked Floppy Drive (never use it anymore.)
Microsoft Wireless Internet Keyboard and Mouse (Mouse is hooked up through USB.)

I am currently using integrated audo (AC97) and Ethernet.

Question: Do you have the Additions cd? and where did you get from?

Originally Posted by {BBI}Nexus{BBI} Question: Do you have the Additions cd? and where did you get from?

I downloaded Automatix from here,

http://www.getautomatix.com/

I just downloaded the .deb package and clicked it to install in Ubuntu.

http://www.getautomatix.com/wiki/ind...Feisty_i386.29

After Automatix was installed I ran it and installed CrossOver, NVIDIA and VirtualBox from the list in Automatix. You can get it with apt-get as well, but I wanted to do it with the .deb package and store it locally.

Originally Posted by Neo-Leper I downloaded Automatix from here, http://www.getautomatix.com/ I just downloaded the .deb package and clicked it to install in Ubuntu. http://www.getautomatix.com/wiki/ind...Feisty_i386.29 After Automatix was installed I ran it and installed CrossOver, NVIDIA and VirtualBox from the list in Automatix. You can get it with apt-get as well, but I wanted to do it with the .deb package and store it locally.

I already use VirtualBox, I just don't have the Additions.iso and I can't seem to locate anywhere to get it from.

Originally Posted by {BBI}Nexus{BBI} I already use VirtualBox, I just don't have the Additions.iso and I can't seem to locate anywhere to get it from.

What is on the VirtualBox additions.iso?


Edit: To install XP and have it set up the way it is now I just installed VirtualBox from automatix2. I wasn't aware there was anything else for VirtualBox but now I am curious, more for me to play around with... lol.

Edit2 - I did some looking around and noticed there are two VirtualBox's. One is open source and the other is standard. The open source one says it has restrictions but the Standard one does not. The one I am using does not seem to have any restrictions that I noticed. I don't know if this helps at all.


From:

http://paulsiu.wordpress.com/2007/07...windows-guest/

There are actually 2 versions of Virtual Box. * Standard version - Not open source but free for use for personal and educational purpose. * OSE version - Open source version with some features missing and no installer. Unless you are hardcore open source advocate, you should download the standard version. The OSE version doesn’t even have an installer. To download VirtualBox. See http://www.virtualbox.org.

I have mentioned that I used VirtualBox on Ubuntu (installed with Automatix.) Well I started having some serious issues with it yesterday. It actually froze the whole computer several times. So I uninstalled it and installed VmWare server (free but you have to register for the serial number.)

This works much, much, MUCH better. I did the same exact things to XP on VmWare that I did on VirtualBox and it never even slowed down let alone freeze up.

I will keep an eye on VirtualBox. I am sure it will get better. I also could have trouble shot this but I am looking for the fastest, simplest ways to get everything set up, in part so I know what will be the best desktop solution for those new to Linux.

Originally Posted by Neo-Leper I have mentioned that I used VirtualBox on Ubuntu (installed with Automatix.) Well I started having some serious issues with it yesterday. It actually froze the whole computer several times. So I uninstalled it and installed VmWare server (free but you have to register for the serial number.) This works much, much, MUCH better. I did the same exact things to XP on VmWare that I did on VirtualBox and it never even slowed down let alone freeze up..

Excellent information. I installed VirtualBox from portage and installed WinXP and Win2k on it, and I noticed some "oddities" that were a bit disappointing. First, the VirtualBox manager started spitting out errors regarding my Windows images, which makes me a bit concerned because I don't want to set this up for my buddy then have to a) explain why he lost his XP install or b) provide constant tech support. Second, I noticed that the snapshot manager doesn't like it when you "reinitialize" the image (I was trying to figure out and fix the aforementioned error messages). When I booted up my Win2k image (which should've been updated to SP4 and should've had a firewall, Antivirus, and anti-spyware installed), I got the "initial install" snapshot, with no options available to use a later snapshot...very, very strange, and very, very disappointing. I'm sure there's a workaround for the second issue (copying over snapshot files, perhaps?), but I'm checking this out for a person who's never used Linux before...so it needs to be "right" the first time.

This is new ground for me...I want to set up a system that isn't designed to be tweaked...I want it to "just work"...and that's something I've never messed with, oddly enough. If it were my machine, I'd be interested in pursuing Virtual box further so I could potentially contribute patches and whatnot (which I may very well do anyways), but for my friend, this needs to be solid "out of the box", so to speak.