Getting Started

Getting started:

This post is simply to simplify how to run ubuntu in a virtual machine from windows and make it ready for development. Well I will simply say what I have done and worked for me, I tried lots of stuff that didn’t work, so this is what actually worked. I installed the ubuntu iso image from the net. The first step was to create a virtual machine image and install the ubuntu.. I had choices, virtual PC 2007 or vmware player or sun virtual box… VMware player doesnot allow you to create a new image, just play existing What worked fine with me, is creating the image and installing the system with virtual pc then run it in vmware..

So the process is as follows:

  • Install Virtual PC and VMware player (both are free)
  • Create a new image in Virtual PC.
  • Boot the vm from the cd or iso image.
  • Before proceeding with the installation from the menu where you choose to install or boot from the first hard drive or whatever, you have to note that Virtual PC does not support 32 bit Graphics, so you have to press F4 and choose safe graphics mode.. that lowers it to 24 bits.
  • Continue the installation normally
  • When done with the installation, close the virtual machine and Virtual PC.
  • Run the vm from VMware… it should boot normally.

Now, everything is ready for development. Note that the ubuntu does not include the development packages by default so you have to add them.

  • From any terminal, type the following:

now, you are ready..

  • I personally, installed netbeans as an editor. It is nice and it works fine.

That’s it, you are ready to go. Of course, there could be a dozen other combination that works fine… but I hade many failed installations and problems with virtual machines so I thought I document one that worked..