The Ubuntu Virtual Machine: For An Internet Safety Layer (Part III)
Joe M posted in Home Support, free stuff, products on May 27th, 2009
In the previous two posts, I covered:
Downloading the Ubuntu ISO image
Installing VirtualBox (Sun)
Setting up the basic VM hard drive for Ubuntu, for the install
Associating the Ubuntu CD image with the VM hard drive
Before we get started… Remember this screen?
Note: At this point, I still have to deal with the default behavior of the mouse capture. When I click on the VM, I get a message telling me that I have to use the Right-CTRL button to release the mouse from the window. I can check the box, not to display the message again, but I have to remember to use the Right-CTRL button.
Just remember, it’s a toggle.
If it’s on, Right-CTRL turns it off.
If it’s off, Right-CTRL turns it on.
Now, let’s move on to the install.
Notice that “Live Session User” is in the upper right hand corner of the screen.
Ideally, this is the same screen that we would see if we burned the CD, and booted it on actual hardware, instead of inside of a VM.
The next step in the process is to begin the install.
I double-click the Install icon on the desktop.
The Welcome screen displays.
From here, I choose my language (or take the default, English) and click Forward.
Next, I select the time zone, or take the default since it’s correct for me.
I click Forward.
For Keyboard Layout, I take the default, USA.
I click Forward.
The next option for me to choose is regarding disk space.
I select Guided – Use Entire Disk, if it is not yet selected.
I click Forward.
Next, I have to enter my user options for the install.
I type in my full name (or as much as I want of it.)
I choose a user name. It will grab your first name, by default.
I choose a password, then re-type it for confirmation.
I choose a name for the virtual machine, to identify it on the network. This is the name I will use to ping it from a command line, or to access it from other machines on the network.
I click Forward.
I get a confirmation screen, displaying all of the options I just chose during the previous screens.
After I confirm all of my options, I click Forward.
The install process will take about 30 minutes or so.
(This is a good time to take a coffee or bathroom break.)
Once the install finishes, I get a message.
I don’t want to restart.
Since I have a couple of things to do at shutdown, I choose Continue Testing.
To shutdown, I click on the upper right hand corner of the screen and choose Shutdown.
That brings me back to the VirtualBox manager.
I have a change to make to unload the Ubuntu CD image, now.
I click the Settings button.
I click CD/DVD-ROM in the left pane.
I uncheck Mount CD/DVD drive.
I click OK.
Next, I click the Start button.
Ubuntu starts up, and I have to enter my username and password.
Now, I am logged into my Ubuntu VM, running on top of Windows.
I can now make changes to my desktop, install software inside of it, apply updates, etc.
The next time I reboot and log on again, all of the changes I mentioned will be there.
The basic function of the virtual machine is there.
I still have to get rid of the mouse capture behavior and the Right-CTRL button.
I want to cover that in the next and last portion of this series, along with a couple of other minor items.