More about Virtual Machine with Sun VirtualBox

I've been working on a little project on Virtual Machine. And I was trying to setup a network for our networking course, so we can do thing like Beowulf clustering. I used VirtualBox, since it's a cross platform. Because I have tri-boot with Vista/OSX/Fedora. So I can turn on my VM in any system and work on it.

After hours of searching and testing. Finally, I can ssh to and from my VMs and even connected to outside world. Thank you John64 and Vyas(Mohak) testing it for me. There are a lot of things that I'm not quite sure too. But since I've gotta stop playing with my VM and go back to my labs works. I can't spend too much time on it.

Anyway, here is the command to enable port fowarding with the build-in command "VBoxManage". This command allow you control VM configuration and even create a VM with one line command...

= enable Foward ports 2222 to 22 in VirtualBox =
# VBoxManage setextradata vm-F10i686 "VBoxInternal/Devices/pcnet/0/LUN#0/Config/ssh/HostPort" 2222
# VBoxManage setextradata vm-F10i686 "VBoxInternal/Devices/pcnet/0/LUN#0/Config/ssh/GuestPort" 22
# VBoxManage setextradata vm-F10i686 "VBoxInternal/Devices/pcnet/0/LUN#0/Config/ssh/Protocol" TCP

NOte: - vm-F10i686 - is the name in your VirtualBox, not your hostname

= Check configuration with VBoxMange command.
# VBoxManage getextradata vm-F10i686 enumerate

The good thing about using port forwarding is easy. But it has limitation also. Like... if I want to VNC to/from my VM, i'll need to forward another port also. So, instead, my next little project will be working on using DNS server, etc to setup a network (virtual network?) for my VMs. And I'll be using my host (my laptop) as the router, DNS server, etc.

And her are some trick and tips I would like to share with you..
1. If you are setting up same VMs in different machine. You can actually save your image file (.vdi). So you don't have to install again. But it seems a name is writed in the file also. So, I wasn't able to duplicate image file and having two same config VMs running in same host. I may spend sometime to hack about it when I have chance.
2. There is a build-in function called "snapshot" that allow you to capture the system status and recovery it later. But instead, I just copy the image file instead, because it gives me more flexibility when I'm using it in different OS.
3. Install Guest Additions, it's just fun to see a full-screen high resolution Fedora running in your Vista! I was able to have 1440x900 to use my Fedora VM in osx and Fedora host!
4. If you want to have a tri-boot VM with XP, Vista and some Linux. You may want to install XP, Vista and Linux in order. I would suggest to put XP, Vista, Swap as the primary and put all other Linux in your logical drive. Yeah... You can put all different Linux in your vm, Fedora, Ubuntu, FreeBSD... (the list goes on forever)
5. If you have backup, and somehow your vm system is not working. Instead of fixing it, you can just mount the old image file back! It's not a good admin should do, but... if u know the stuffs.. why do it over and over again? ^^

Actually, There are still a lot of things I want to explorer about VM. I could spend a month on it without doing any thing else. But... I'll save this fun later when I'm done the LUX course. Lets put study first. ^^

Nes

Fedora and my dad..

My dad loves technologies.. but not really brave enough to try new stuffs. I've been asking him to try the Fedora Live CD for months, but he told me there is something wrong to boot. Finally, I got a chance to install F10 for him... hehe..

His desktop is full of virus... no matter his Vista or his XP. You know, once you are using Windows, you don't have to worry about virus, cos you'll get virus for sure, so, why worry? Even if you use it very carefully, you may still need to format and reinstall it after 6 months... well.. in my experience...

Anyway, I setup a Tri-boot for him. He got XP, Linux and Fedora 10 running with a 300Gb big storage for him to spend, since he swap his external 500Gb as the internal now. And I think he kinda like it. I've seen him sometime boot up Fedora and try this and that. Of course, I was a little tricky, I put Fedora if he dosen't press any key at start up, hehe.. so he'll get in Fedora instead of other OS.

And, he always got problem with his video capture card in Vista, cos he couldn't manage to find a driver. Then I found that F10 already support his card. Looks like he's gonna use it more than those Windows....

When my dad really know how to use F10's interface, I think i'll do the same thing to my mum's laptop too. I actually, installed Firefox for her laptop and I think she dosen't even know what's the different tho. If I can manage to find a dictionary with real person speaking... then, she's gonna love it.. ^^

Re-installation for T2107...

On 5th Jan 2009, we all get together and reinstall few different OS in the computers in lab 2107. It was fun and we learned a lot.. here are some photos...

















Since I'm so jealous that people can go to FudCon11, I've gotta post more photos here to cover their news, hahaha.. lol

Objective C developers will like this...

I've been thinking to organize a iPhone and iPod Touch Club since last semester. Finally, I've made my first step, got a form from the office.

It's gonna be a club for end user and developer exchange information and learning together. For regular, they can learn how to use build-in application. For developer, it's a good source to exchange beta softwares, tips and tricks. And you can also let people to try your little code.

Since there are a new objective C class starting coming semester, I think there are a lot of people would be interested. ^^

More detail are coming... if it got approved...

Nes

Android on iPhone?

I was searching material to learn objective C for iPhone, then I found there is an artical saying iPhone DevTeam is working on putting Android on iPhone. They have already successfully ported Linux kernel 2.6 to iPhone OS1 and OS2. That's great. I would like to see Android running on iPhone and compare with the original iPhone Drawin OS.

But I guess the result is the same, I believe the OSX Drawin would be more stable and user friendly while Android has more freedom and control on your hardware and system. I believe Android has more potential then iPhone original OS. Right now, Android is not some thing that I want, since an iPhone can do most stuffs that I want. Well.. of course there are somethign I don't like about iPhone, there is no "copy and paste" and I hate that iTune sync! The sync is even worse than Windows Mobile! unbelievable! Android is still a baby, give it 2,3 years, if there is someone give it a fancier interface, it's gonna be a great Mobile OS!

Anyway, I'm really looking forward to Android on iPhone. ^^

Link:
'Open-Source iPhone' – Linux Boot Possible

SYA710-lab08 Making your own Fedora Live CD

livecd-tools running
Okay, now we'll make a live-cd for fedora. I was thinking to build a F10 live cd, it seems my Fedora 9 is working perfect in my labtop. I better not to be a lab's mouse, hehe.. So, here we go, NesFedora 9 Live!

The steps are way to simple, download the kit and than type the command.. of couse, this is in the most case, sometime you may need to trouble shoot if there is something happens.

# yum install livecd-tools
# livecd-creator -c /usr/share/livecd-tools/livecd-fedora-9-desktop.ks --> i choose desktop, cos it's the most common used version.

Then just wait and burn the iso to a CD. Of course, you can play around the kickstart file to put whatever you want in the CD. but don't forget it's a CD, the limit is 640.. or 700, if you're over burn. But I suggest to have a 620 or less, just incase. Because some CD rom dose not support over burn.

So, anyway, enjoy your Fedora live-cd

All Done!!

SYA710 Lab07 - Making a Fedora Custom (Spin) CD

Pungi running
I thought I've bloged about this about but.. it seems I didn't so, here I am, blogging about my experience...

The step to complete the task is easy, here is a simple procedure...
yum install pungi -->
cp anaconda-ks.cfg Nes-ks.cfg -->>this kickstart from root directory, and copy it to a different name so we can edit it to suit our need.
pungi -c Nes-ks.cfg --nosource --force --ver=F9 --> here we go pungi it!!

And we all have trouble making pungi in lab, my way of doing it is disable Selinux, and I believe it's the easiest way to do it. Althought you may lost some protection, but in my opinion, you can enable your selinux any time you want. I myself never like the idea of selinux, it make Fedora sounds like Vista. So, I found that's easier to edit the kickstart and I don't even have to disable selinux every time.

After about one hour of waiting, it depends on what package you put in your iso image and also your connection, then it's time to turn you iso. And you can try it in other machine if you want, so, guys have fun. ^^

Pungi done