Microsoft KB Archive/824513

= How to Install a Linux Virtual PC =

PSS ID Number: 824513

Article Last Modified on 8/1/2003

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Connectix Virtual PC for Windows version 5.2

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IN THIS TASK

 * SUMMARY
 * Create a Fixed-Size Virtual Disk
 * Create a Linux Guest Operating System
 * Modify the Guest PC Settings
 * Install the Linux Operating System
 * Troubleshoot



SUMMARY
This article describes how to install Linux as a guest operating system in Connectix Virtual PC 5.2.

Note This article is not intended to provide specific installation instructions for the Linux operating system. To obtain installation instructions for Linux, contact your Linux distribution provider.

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Create a Fixed-Size Virtual Disk
Because some versions of Linux use all the available hard disk space in a dynamically expanding disk image, it is best to create a fixed-size disk image to install Linux as a guest operating system. To do so:
 * 1) Click Start, point to All Programs, and then click Connectix Virtual PC.
 * 2) On the File menu, click Virtual Disk Wizard, and then click Next.
 * 3) In Select Operation, leave the Create new floppy or hard disk image option selected, and then click Next.
 * 4) In Select New Disk Type, leave the Create hard disk image option selected, and then click Next.
 * 5) In Hard Disk Location, type the location and the image name (including the .vhd extension) where you want to store the hard disk image, and then click Next.
 * 6) In Hard Disk Image Type, click Fixed size disk image, and then click Next.
 * 7) In Hard Disk Format and Size, click Unformatted (27112 MB maximum) in the Disk format list, and then type the size you want for the new hard disk, and then click Next.

Note Many Linux distributions require 1 to 2 gigabytes (GB) of hard disk space to install, depending on the options you install.
 * 1) Read the information on the Hard Disk Creation Summary page, and then click Finish.
 * 2) When the hard disk image is successfully created, click Close.

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Create a Linux Guest Operating System

 * 1) In the Virtual PC window, click File, and then click New PC.
 * 2) Click Next, type a descriptive name for the Linux guest operating system, and then click Next.
 * 3) Leave the Guide me option selected, and then click Next.
 * 4) In the Which operating system do you intend to run on this PC list, click Linux, and then click Next.
 * 5) Click Next to accept the default memory allocation of 64 MB.

Note You can adjust the random access memory (RAM) that is allocated to the guest operating system in the future. If you assign too much memory to the Linux guest operating system, you may experience performance degradation when you run this guest operating system in Virtual PC.
 * 1) Click Next to select an existing hard disk image.
 * 2) Click Browse, click the new hard disk image (.vhd) file that you created in the previous section, and then click Open.
 * 3) If you want to be able to undo changes that you make during a session in this guest operating system, click to select the Enable undo support check box.
 * 4) Click Next, and then click Finish.

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Modify the Guest PC Settings

 * 1) In the Virtual PC window, click the Linux PC that you created, and then click Settings.
 * 2) Click Memory, and then type 128 in the Total RAM in PC box.
 * 3) If you require access to serial ports in your Linux guest installation, click COM  (where   is the COM port number you want to configure), and then click Host serial port. Click the serial port in the Host serial port list.
 * 4) If you require access to a parallel port in your Linux guest installation, click LPT1, and then click Host parallel port.
 * 5) If you want to modify the network settings, click Networking. Click Virtual Switch to connect to the external network of your host computer.
 * 6) When you finish modifying the guest PC settings, click OK.

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Install the Linux Operating System
 Insert the Linux CD in the CD-ROM drive, click the new Linux virtual PC that you created, and then click Start Up.

Note Follow lettered steps A through F if you receive the following message:Reboot and Select proper Boot device or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device  If you are installing from a Linux boot CD, make sure it is in the correct CD-ROM drive (if your computer has more than one CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive). If you are installing from a Linux boot CD, right-click the CD-ROM icon at the lower left of the  - Virtual PC window, and then click Capture Host Drive   (where   is the drive letter of the CD-ROM drive). If you are installing from a Linux ISO image, right-click the CD-ROM icon at the lower left of the  - Virtual PC window, and then click Capture Image. Click the ISO image, and then click Open. Reset the guest virtual PC. To do this, press the host key+R. Typically, the right ALT key is mapped as the host key. Click Reset to reset the virtual PC.</li></ol>

The Linux installation program starts. Follow the instructions to install Linux on the virtual PC.</li> In the dialog box that contains a message that prompts you to install the Virtual PC Additions, click to select the Don't show this message again check box, and then click OK.

Virtual PC Additions is not currently available for the Linux operating system.</li></ol>

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Troubleshoot
<ul> You may want to create a virtual floppy disk image as a Linux boot disk.

Instead of creating a physical floppy disk, you can create a virtual floppy disk image to start Linux. You must create this disk before you install Linux. For example, create this virtual floppy disk image before you continue to install Linux from the Linux Loader (LILO) configuration window. To do so: <ol> Create the floppy disk image: <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"> In the Virtual PC window, click Virtual Disk Wizard on the File menu.</li> Click Next, and then click Next to accept the option to create a new floppy disk or hard disk image.</li> Click Create floppy disk image, and then click Next.</li> Click Browse, locate the disk image, click Save, and then click Next.</li> Click Finish, and then click Close.</li></ol> </li> Capture the floppy disk image: <ol style="list-style-type: lower-alpha;"> Right-click the floppy disk icon in the lower left of the  - Virtual PC window, and then click Capture Image.</li> Click the floppy disk image that you created, and then click Open.</li></ol>

Note You can also drag the floppy disk image to the floppy disk icon in the  - Virtual PC window.</li></ol> </li> You may have to partition the disk image to install Linux.

If you manually partition the disk image, create at least the swap partition and root partition. Additionally, you may have to remove the existing FAT 16 or FAT 32 partitions if you formatted the drive when you created the disk image.</li> You receive a message that states that there is no space available on the drive that is selected.

To resolve this issue, partition and format the disk image.</li> You cannot move the mouse pointer outside the &quot; - Virtual PC&quot; window during the Linux installation.

By default, you can move the mouse pointer between the host computer Desktop and the window that displays the guest PC. However, if Virtual PC Additions are not installed, or if pointer integration for the guest PC is not enabled, you may not be able to move the mouse pointer outside the guest PC window. Virtual PC Additions are not currently available for the Linux operating system. To release the mouse pointer, press the host key (typically the right ALT key). To return focus to the guest PC window, click anywhere in that window.</li> The virtual PC does not recognize additional CD-ROM disks when you insert them.

You may have to manually release, and then recapture the CD-ROM drive when you insert a new CD-ROM. To do so: <ol> Right-click the CD-ROM icon at the lower left of the  - Virtual PC window, and then click Release Host Drive   (where   is the drive letter of the CD-ROM drive).

Note You may have to release the mouse pointer first. To do this, press the host key (typically, the right ALT key).</li> <li>Insert the next CD-ROM.</li> <li>Right-click the CD-ROM icon at the lower left of the  - Virtual PC window, and then click Capture Host Drive   (where   is the drive letter of the CD-ROM drive).</li></ol> </li> <li>Graphical Interface (X) Configuration

If you are prompted to select a display adapter to configure X, click the S3 Trio64 (generic) item with 4 MB video card RAM.</li> <li>Disable sound servers if you use X

If you use X, you may have to disable any running sound servers. For example, if you use the KDE desktop, disable the arts sound server.</li> <li>Manually configure sound

You may have to manually configure the sound functionality in your Linux guest PC. To do this, use the sndconfig command. Virtual PC installs a Sound Blaster 16 sound card with the following settings:

I|O port: 220

IRQ: 5

DMA 1: 1

DMA 2: 5

MPU: 330

</li> <li>Mouse configuration in Linux

Select a generic 2-button mouse when you configure the type of mouse during X configuration.</li></ul>

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

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Keywords: kbHOWTOmaster KB824513

Technology: kbConnectix kbvirtualpcSearch kbVirtualPCWin520 kbVirtualPCWinSearch

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