Virtual PC and Ubuntu

Discussion in 'Linux / Unix Discussion' started by simongrahamuk, Nov 30, 2005.

  1. simongrahamuk
    Honorary Member

    simongrahamuk Hmmmmmmm?

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    Ok guy's, as some of you may know I've been trying to get various Linux Distro's to work with Virtual PC for a while now without much luck.

    Anyway, I'm now more determined than ever to get Ubuntu to run as I really liked the feel of it when I was running it (albeit for a short time) on a work laptop.

    I've installed it as I always do and get to the point where the X windows system loads and the display just goes nuts.

    A bit of Googling found this link which tells you what OS's should run and how to get them running.

    I have followed it's suggestion for Ubuntu 5.10 and pressed Ctrl + Alt + F1 and got to a command prompt (not sure what it's called in linux, a Terminal?), navigated to the /etc/X11 directory and tried to edit the xorg.conf file. But it was here that I got lost!

    After looking for further information through the great thing that is known as Google I realised that to edit the file I need to type sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf. I did this but recieved the error:

    Gtk-Warning **: cannot open display:

    Anyone know what to do?

    Note that I did have to log into the system as myself first, hence the sudo command.

    :blink
     
  2. arisen

    arisen Byte Poster

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    gedit is a graphical text editor thus if your x windows is not running, gedit wont' open.

    Use a text editor you can run from the cli, like vi.
     
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  3. tripwire45
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    tripwire45 Zettabyte Poster

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    Make sure you are logged on as root when editing configuration files on a Linux box (virtual or otherwise). BTW, I wasn't aware that Virtual PC supported Linux VMs...at least not very well. I didn't have a problem installing ubuntu as a VM in VMware Workstation 5.0.
     
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  4. simongrahamuk
    Honorary Member

    simongrahamuk Hmmmmmmm?

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    Virtual PC doesn't officially support them, but apparently they do work. I know this as I have Fedora 4 working. The link that I included in my original post says that I should be able to get it to work, and tells me what to do, unfortunately it isn't working for me.

    The thing with Ubuntu is that it's root account doesn't apparently come with a password set on it, and thats where it's going wrong.

    With Ubuntu when you install you are asked to create a user account which is automatically included in the 'super-user' group so that you can administer the system, unfortunately this account doesn't seem to be able to gain write access to the file I need to edit.

    I guess I'll have a bit more play and do some more research, and if I'can't get it to work will try another distro.....Debian Perhaps.

    8)
     
  5. tripwire45
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    tripwire45 Zettabyte Poster

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    At the command line, type:
    Code:
    sudo -s
    You'll be prompted for a password. Use the user''s password. That'll give you root access.
     
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  6. simongrahamuk
    Honorary Member

    simongrahamuk Hmmmmmmm?

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    Well Guy's I've got a big beaming smile on my face this morning because I've finally got Ubuntu to work in Virtual PC 2004!

    Here's what I had to do (for future reference):


    Thanks for all of your help guy's, and to the Ubuntu Forums where I found this advice!

    I can't remember that last time I felt so satisifed at getting something to work!

    :biggrin :biggrin :biggrin :biggrin :biggrin

    :blink
     
  7. tripwire45
    Honorary Member

    tripwire45 Zettabyte Poster

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    You rock, Simon. Good job. :clap
     
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