Leveraging virtualization possibly replacing multiple boot

Support & Help Requests
#7

@anon42388993 Thanks - I possibly don’t have those - I installed from Oracle’s site since the version available for 14.04 was 32 bit only. I’ll check when I get to that machine. I’m testing this on Ubuntu 14 LTS with gnome flash back because there’s plenty of room in that partition. I expect that once I install UM 16 LTS there won’t be many, if any, problems.

@DaveB Thanks Dave, your input will certainly shorten my learning curve - which started by updating my bios, trying gnome-boxes [utter failure for me], and finally getting VirtualBox working [I installed directly from Oracle’s site and choose the 64 bit version for Ubuntu 14].
Now that I have one guest os installed and running I’m pretty certain, with guidance from this forum, I’ll be able to proceed with my experiment. From your ear;lier question about Windows - I think spending a little time might disuade me from my original goal of running Windows 7 [I never play computer games] as guest os and installing UM on SSD. There might not be enough space to support the other part of my goal - to eliminate dual booting completely and test to my heart’s content in virtual environments.

#8

If referring to comments left on Ubuntu Software Centre? Think there’s been some misunderstanding, they are not supplying a 32bit only version, description describes CPU code architecture x86, meaning it’s built to run on Intel and AMD (x86 and x64) CPUs.

Before Oracle released a version compiled for 16.04 (VirtualBox 5.0.18 is the first), I’ve been using the Ubuntu Software Centre version, happily running my x64 guest machines. So saying, VirtualBox is one of the exceptions where I prefer/recommend downloading from Oracle, their version includes most files in one .deb (Guest Additions being one example).

1 Like
#9

Those are still needed packages regardless of the download source :slight_smile:

1 Like
#10

@anon42388993 Thanks - these 3 packages were NOT included when installing from Oracle’s site. They will obviously make things a bit better, but did not prevent a successful test last night. I haven’t tried and not certain exactly when toolbar is ;-(

@DaveB the version installed by Oracle when choosing Ubuntu 14 is Version 5.0.18 r106667

#11

I have a Windows 7 “live” disk that boots as guest OS in VirtualBox. I also have a Win 7 “system image” available on a dvd as well as a NAS - thus far I’ve not discovered how to identify either from the guest window. My plan was to install Win 7 fully into using one of the system images. Any suggestions?

TIA

#12

I would recommend using kvm/qemu. From my experience it seems to be a little bit less resource intensive than virtualbox.

#13

Apologise for reply delay!

Not quite sure I understand what you mean by not being able to identify from within the guest window? Probably not what you’re meaning (but just in case), while creating a virtual machine I add custom information in the ‘Name:’ field to help identify various similar OS guests.

If virtual machine is already created, you can edit a guests name using Settings (General -> Basic -> Name:), difference being previously created (virtual) hard drives will retain the original guest name. Unless using the 2GB split option, this can be changed after.

Also apologise if above information is completely off the mark! :slight_smile:

#14

I’ve also used (and like) QEMU. Recommend VirtualBox as it’s simpler to set-up and use, especially for those new to virtualization.

#15

Certainly no need for an apology. :relaxed: The option presented after the Win Repair Disk is running as guest os is to recover from an image previously created. The Image is stored in 3 places:

  1. NAS
  2. local physical internal drive that is NOT the boot drive
  3. DVD
    I’ve not been able to select any of these.
    Maybe this makes more sense ;-(
#16

[quote=“DaveB, post:6, topic:5097”]
Have noticed a few issues with VirtualBox version 5.0.18 and Guest Additions version 5.0.18. If you’re on 5.0.16, I’d hang on for a few days!

Main issues are (right) Ctrl+F (switch to full screen) not working as it should, works instantaneously with 5.0.16, while with 5.0.17 / 5.0.18 there’s a real lag, or screen doesn’t resize at all, then while trying to switch back to window mode the screen doesn’t resize. Also noticed file drag and drop issues…[/quote]

As an update to my (above) previous post snip-it. Had chance to try further tests. Seems 5.0.16 is also partially broken with 16.04 LTS, while screen resize works correctly with 5.0.16, drag and drop no longer works.

Current, best advice is to use VirtualBox 5.018, but make sure guest machines only use Guest Additions version 5.0.16 (virtualbox.org download link for Guest Additions 5.0.16 ISO).

While VirtualBox versions 5.0.16 and 5.0.18 no longer support drag and drop due to 16.04 LTS changes, at least using Guest Additions 5.0.16 allows screen resize to work as expected until a fixed VirtualBox version is available.

#17

Yes, thanks (or at least I hope so!). :smiley:

Couple of points: First, would be very surprised if a previously created host system image will work if restored within a guest. Just to clarify, the image will restore but most likely will not boot into Windows even after trying to fix using a Windows repair option.

Second, Unless a physical storage device is connected to the guest via USB or network (easiest option is USB), it’s not possible for a guest to know storage devices exist containing a system image. For your DVD, have you changed guest Optical Drive settings to Host Drive?

#18

Thanks for your continued help! Well I’m at a loss here … especially with point 2 … point 1 about which you’re absolutely correct [quote=“DaveB, post:17, topic:5097”]
First, would be very surprised if a previously created host system image will work if restored within a guest
[/quote]Did I mention that I’m using Ubuntu 14.04 lts with gnome flashback for my virtualization experiment [UM 16 is in a test partition - too small for this]?

[quote=“DaveB, post:17, topic:5097”]
Second, Unless a physical storage device is connected to the guest via USB or network (easiest option is USB), it’s not possible for a guest to know storage devices exist containing a system image. For your DVD, have you changed guest Optical Drive settings to Host Drive?
[/quote] I am completely at a loss about how to connect a guest to anything :weary: after menu selection prompted by guest…Maybe I’ll adjust my original goal and ignore replacing the SSD Win 7 with UM. I’ve been totally successful with installing a bootable linux iso in a guest session. Since I use Win7 for some really cpu intensive tasks it might not be such a good idea to run it as a guest. My tertiary goal was to test Win10 which I’ve also failed miserably [I thought that by booting a Windows 7 repair disk as gurest I would be able to select win10 iso … not!]

#19

You’re welcome!

I had forgotten you’re using 14.04, if want to try with 16.04 this also possible even with a small partition, unless you literally have no space left on the partition. Way to accomplish this is as follows…

  • Boot Ubuntu MATE 16.04
  • After installing VirtualBox 5.0.18, on main VirtualBox window go to
    File -> Preferences -> General -> Default Machine Folder: (click the drop-down) and select Other, locate your 14.04 /Home and find your previously created virtual machines.

My personally preference is to store VirtualBox VMs folder on a separate SSD partition, away from host OS, it’s then easy to share guest machines with different host operating systems, plus you don’t lose virtual machines if perform a clean host OS install but possibly forgot to backup the guests beforehand.

If trying to connect a USB storage device to a guest while using a GNU/Linux host, this is not possible unless you first add yourself to vboxusers (ignore remainder of this post if already completed this step)…

Control Centre -> Users and Groups -> Manage Groups

…from the list select vboxusers, click Properties, click the blank box next to your username so a tick appears. After clicking Okay, restart the host OS, you will then be able to use USB devices within guest machines.

#20

Thanks for the suggestions. I hadn’t considered storing having a separate area … hmmmm since I have TONS of disk space available can I store virtual machines in a NTFS partition? - this would enable me to also test or trouble shoot Ubuntu problems while running Windows.

I’d like to use a separate SSD partition, but I don’t have any extra space on my SSD. I do have a 1 TB eSata drive formatted NTFS that I keep permanently attached [hence the question above].

Any ideas about how to create a VirtualBox bootable Win7 iso?

#21

Please keep in mind that discussion of illegal downloads/installs is not permitted in the forum.

Thank you

#22

Clarification:
I own Windows 7 license via purchase of a HP tower with Win 7 installed on the included SSD. I’m asking how I can make a iso image that would work in a virtual environment as a guest; or for that matter how to make a bootable iso of Win10 which is also available to me via free upgrade.

I know you don’t know this, but I refrain from illegal activity both cyber and physical.

#23

Hi pfeiffep

It is meant to be a friendly reminder to all, nothing more.

Again thank you.

#24

[quote=“pfeiffep, post:20, topic:5097”]
Thanks for the suggestions. I hadn’t considered storing having a separate area … hmmmm since I have TONS of disk space available can I store virtual machines in a NTFS partition? - this would enable me to also test or trouble shoot Ubuntu problems while running Windows…][/quote]

Absolutely! This is exactly what I do, while NTFS isn’t as fast as EXT4, it’s great for sharing guest machines with different host OS. Consider you want to store virtual machines on an HDD only issue will be slower guest boot times.

Do you need help with optimum partition auto mounting fstab settings for your NTFS partitions while using Ubuntu MATE?

Mounting NTFS drives by editing /etc/fstab
#25

Even though you have a legal licence, that licence is tied to the host machine. If you had bought a retail (not OEM) version of Windows 7 on DVD, then that license could have been de-activated on the host and moved to the guest.

So you can at least discover if its feasible for you to run Windows 7 within a virtual environment on your system, here’s a Microsoft link to legally download and try different preconfigured versions of Windows within a virtual environment, these are primarily designed for testing IE and Edge but you will also be able to perform other tests as you would with a regular Windows install.

Virtual machines can be used for 90 days. IE11 on Win7 is probably your best option.
https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/tools/vms

Not sure if performance will be as optimal as a freshly installed version of Windows within a guest on your host hardware.

In closing, can’t recommend Window 10 due to privacy issues.

We better start discussing Ubuntu MATE soon, or people may mistake this thread for a Microsoft support forum. :smile:

#26

Yes, I agree it appears that we’re focused on Microsoft instead of Ubuntu MATE.

The test partition I’m using has Ubuntu 16.04 installed with MATE desktop added. This is NOT suggested by me as a method of using MATE. There are duplicate entries created for SMB [my NAS] and other minor peculiar behaviors [one of which was VirtualBox failed to show in the Applications > System menu until a reboot]

After thinking this over a bit more I’ve decided to:

  1. keep the dual boot scenario I’m using - select windows boot loader on SSD at start up, and have /dev/sdb set as default in bios for Ubuntu Mate
  2. abandon tripple & quad boots of separate linux partitions and leverage VirtualBox or possibly Virtual Machine Manager in Software Boutique
  3. do my continued testing on a ‘pure’ Ubuntu MATE 16.04 install
  4. wait for first point release to install UM as my primary OS on my HP desktop.

Your continued guidance and advice is VERY MUCH APPRECIATED