Installing Linux OS on Virtual PC2007

[mickeyh080]

Trying to introduce my self to Linux as have inherited a Linux server with virtual zero linux knowledge. At present I use Virtual PC2007 for testing, installed on a dual core Vista Ultimate machine maxed out with RAM. Have downloaded Debian/GNU OS from web and run through the install on a new virtual machine without any major hickups apart from when I restart on completion of the install the virtual machine just displays a weird rainbow style pattern on a black background and the mouse pointer seems to change to a large hand and pointing finger. Not very useful and not very encouraging to a newbie. Tried the obvious and downloaded the ISO again same result.

 

Not being one to give in to easily I then downloaded the DVD ISO of Red Hat Fedora V9. This again failed miserably with the install interface loading and upon selection of a new install the installer kicks into life before stopping with an error box saying "an unrecoverable processor error has been encountered" and then resets the virtual machine. Have used the Sha1sum.exe o check the ISO seems fine.

 

Basically I'm a little bit stuffed and was hoping someone could shed some light as to what I'm doing wrong or is it a failing with Linux on virtual PC or dual core processors.

[FN-GM]

Its Virtual PC. I have failed miserably installing a Linux virtual machine, Ubuntu was one of them. I now use VMWare it’s much better than VirtualPC its got allot more compatibility.

[cookie_monster]

Yep or Virtual Box

 

VirtualBox

[localzuk]

Virtual PC has always caused problems for me. Try VMWare, VirtualBox or QEMU. All are 1000% better than Virtual PC

[Geoff]

Another vote for VMWare here. MS seem to of broken Linux support in recent versions of Virtual PC and it would appear they have no interest in fixing it.

[kesomir]

'accidentally broken' eh

 

both virtualbox and vmware are awesome - prefer virtualbox though.

[localzuk]

Another vote for VMWare here. MS seem to of broken Linux support in recent versions of Virtual PC and it would appear they have no interest in fixing it.

 

What? Microsoft not bending over backwards to support rival O/S's? Never!

[mickeyh080]

Thanks for your suggestions, tried installing the Debian on an old machine at work today, worked a dream with no problems.

 

Will be removing Virtual PC from test PC tonight in favour of VMware just to get a Linux system up and running at home.

 

Thanks again for your posts, had the feeling I'd be going crazy with this one as my Linux knowledge is minimal.

[Ashm]

While I would also agree VMWare and virtualbox are better for linux. I sometimes use virtual pc for running ubuntu server to test a few things as I find virtual pc installs less stuff on the host compared to VMWare and virtualbox .

 

For installing Ubuntu Server, the only thing I had to change was to add the option "vga=0×314" on menu.lst for Grub. Runs great after that.

[ifrit1066]

Personally, i wouldn't bother with virtual pc for installing a Linux o/s. Try a linux live CD. Simple put the disc in while booting up and you'll be running a version of linux in no time.

 

Check out SUSE 11.0 live CD to versions (KDE or Gnome , just different user interfaces.

 

Software.openSUSE.org

 

 

 

also has tips, hints and user guides.

[Chris_Jones]

The Virtual PC problem is to do with colour depth - Linux (or certainly Ubuntu) by default wants to use a 24Bit colour depth and this isnt supported by Virtual PC. You have to boot into the console and manually change the bit depth to 16 Bit, Though I cant remember exactly how you do this.