Wed, 08 Oct 2008
/Admin/virtualization/virtualBox:
Setting up a VirtualBox Virtual Server is Ridiculously Easy
(...at least to get Windows XP installed inside Debian Linux...)
For those who don't know, virtualization software allows one to run
two or more operating systems (or multiple instances of the same
operating system) on the same computer simultaneously, and in a
desktop context be able switch back and forth between them with a click
of a key or mouse. (Note that this is *not* emulation, all OSes are
running natively!)
Why would one want to do this? Debian Linux is my chosen operating
system, but sometimes I do need access to Micro$oft software. Or, one
might have one's Desktop on one operating system, and be doing some kind
of development on a completely different operating system. Etc. And of
course, people who run big server farms have more uses for this kind of
thing then I can even imagine (and I won't bother to list the ones I
know about....)
I finally have enough memory to try out virtualization for myself.
There are a number of options on Debian[5]: VMware[1], Xen[2],
VirtualBox[3], OpenVZ[4], etc.... A cursory look around did not find any
compelling reasons to pick one over another, though there was some talk
of VirtualBox being fast and easy to install. At this point, I can vouch
for the "easy to install" part:
- Install management software and kernel modules:
apt-get install virtualbox-ose virtualbox-ose-modules-2.6.26-1-686
- Add the user(s) that you will be running VirtualBox under to the
"vboxusers" group.
- In the KDE menu, click on System --> VirtualBox OSE.
- In the resulting window, click on the "New" icon, and follow the
instructions to create a new virtual machine (I just accepted defaults).
- At this point, I clicked on the new machine's hardware list in the
right pane to make sure that the CD-ROM, the sound card, and the network
were "turned on" (the network may already have been in that state).
- Insert the Windows XP installation CD in CD-ROM drive.
- In the VirtualBox window, click the "Start" icon to boot the (at
this point still empty) virtual machine, which causes a black terminal
window to pop up.
- Watch the Windows XP installer boot from the CD-ROM in this window,
and respond to prompts until installation is finished.
- Thereafter, whenever you want to use Windows, bring up System -->
VirtualBox OSE, select your Windows virtual machine from the list on the
left, then click the "Start" icon, and Windows will appear in the
resulting window. And its not "just like the real thing", it *is* the
real thing, though there might be some funkiness with hardware access,
as the virtual machine (Windows XP) must go through the host OS (Debian
Linux) to interact with hardware.
Installation was basically a slam-dunk process of accepting defaults.
At this point I have no communication between the Linux and Windows OSes
running on my desktop, and Windows does not use my whole screen. I will
figure that out when I feel the need.
VirtualBox (I think all virtualization software can do this....)
provides the capability of taking a snapshot of your virtual machine at
any point, and then at a later date reverting to exactly this snapshot
if you so desire.
This process was all so easy, that it brings up quite a subversive
thought....
Micro$oft operating systems are quite renowned for their
susceptability to bit rot and not fully repairable infections by viruses
and malware, resulting in increasingly flaky behavior, sluggishness, and
increasing frequency of crashes. Which means that your typical Windows
user finds it necessary to re-install a Micro$oft operating system quite
regularly to restore full function. Without an elaborate and extensive
backup system, re-installing any OS from scratch is a long process.....
Your typical Linux OS will run for years without bit rot, basically
until the hardrive wears out....
So how about this bit rot solution, for someone who wants / needs to
continue using Micro$oft Windows as their primary operating system: do a
basic install of Linux *first*, just enough to run your favorite
virtualization solution. Install Windows in a virtual machine. Hell,
install two each of Windows XP and Vista, if you want. All you need is a
nice big hard-disk. And run all four of them at the same time, if you
have enough memory.... Install all the software you think you will need
in each Micro$oft virtual machine, before you do anything that risks
virus / malware infection. TAKE A SNAPSHOT OF EACH WINDOWS VIRTUAL
MACHINE.
Now use Windows just like before, until it becomes buggy and sluggish
and unusable. Backup up your data. RESTORE THE SNAPSHOT OF YOUR ORIGINAL
CLEAN INSTALL (very fast - and which should include the base OS *and*
most of the software you use). Restore your data. Repeat many times if
necessary.
[1] http://www.vmware.com/
[2] http://www.xen.org/
[3] http://www.virtualbox.org/
[4] http://wiki.openvz.org/Main_Page
[5] http://wiki.debian.org/SystemVirtualization
posted at: 09:51 | path: /Admin/virtualization/virtualBox | permanent link to this entry
