Virtual Windows XP on Ubuntu via VirtualBox
Here’s something to add to my to-do list. I just ran across this demo clip on YouTube depicting how to get a virtual instance of Windows XP running on Ubuntu using an open source app called VirtualBox.
One reason I’m keen to try this option is the WINE installations I’ve used for some of my RPG games have run into trouble when switching from one disc to another. Theoretically by running the game within a virtual instance of Windows XP, the game software wouldn’t run into the same problems.
Please note that I’ve yet to try this process yet, so I can’t testify to its effectiveness. Unfortunately VirtualBox does not exist for Hardy Heron yet (Ubuntu 8.04), so I may have to wait or use another machine.
Note: VirtualBox has indicated that “To comply with U.S. export regulations, VirtualBox downloads have temporarily been moved to the Sun Download Center. We are currently working on a more permanent solution that will simplify downloads for various distributions and re-enable old versions as well.”
Click here to visit the Sun Download Center
References:
- “How to run Windows XP on Linux Ubuntu with VirtualBox“, EdgyRootStudios, YouTube
- VirtualBox – http://www.virtualbox.org/
Sorry, but running games in VB won’t work. VirtualBox doesn’t recognize your hardware. It uses artificial hardware. In other words, it only emulates hardware. So hardware acceleration (DX, OpenGL) won’t work. No games.
Bugger
Thanks for the warning on that. I’m still planning on experimenting with VirtualBox, but at least now I know not to beat my head against a wall trying to get games to work.
Would it make a difference if the games were really old. For example the ones I play most are 90’s classics like Baldur’s Gate I & II.
Cheers,
Mike
I can’t recall off the top of my head, but does BG and its ilk use Direct X? If so, probably not. I’m not sure if DOS games would work…they might…but probably not in Windows. That is, just emulate DOS…like FreeDOS.
Yeah BG does require Direct X. So from the sound of things it’s a no-go for gaming. Perhaps there is a trick to using WINE that I’ve yet to discover. I’ll revisit that this weekend methinks.
I’ll also take a look at FreeDOS. Thanks for the heads-up there
Baldur’s Gate runs in WINE. It did the last time I checked, anyway. BG I, Tales of the Sword Coast, Shadows of Amn, and Throne of Bhaal all ran perfectly in WINE for me. I never tried Icewind Dale or Icewind II, though.
Alternatively, there’s TransGaming’s Cedega.
Good luck!
Update: I managed to get Baldur’s Gate working on VirtualBox install, but so far without the sound. I haven’t pursued this much further yet, but I didn’t tweak anything on the installation so it was relatively painless there.
I also got it working on WINE, but there is more tweaking needed here. For some reason I can’t run in full-screen, otherwise it freaks out my monitor. Strangely enough it’s trying to run it on 85 MHz, where as I’ve got Ubuntu configured for 60.
I’m not sure where the 85 is coming from; I couldn’t locate anything in the Configure WINE settings.
I did see something in the forums that sounded similar but haven’t pursued the investigation yet.
In the meantime I’ve found using the Emulate a Virtual Desktop option in the Graphics tab circumvents the problem. Unfortunately the problem there is the cursor isn’t stopped at the edge of the virtual desktop, so I’m having trouble playing the game a bit.
I did have this working on full screen when I’d been using the Hardy Heron version of Ubuntu, but reverted to Gutsy to try out VirtualBox. Not sure if that influenced the problem, but it’s possible.
RE: Audio – found the setting. Just open the VirtualBox settings and go to Settings –> Audio and tick “Enable Audio”. I’m not sure what the various options mean, but I chose OSS and found it worked successfully.
NB: The virtual machine can’t be running at the time, otherwise the Settings option will be greyed-out and not clickable.
Wow. I’m surprised you got any game to run in VB. Maybe I’ll be able to get Age of Empires working in it!
Congratulations. However, I honestly don’t think modern games (e.g., Half-Life 2, Doom 3) would work.
If you can prove me wrong, please do so!
Then you can try your hand at Morrowind – and flush about 200 hrs of your life away as you get addicted
I have two games from the Elderscrolls chronicles but have never really gotten into them too much after realising there was no end to the game. I spent hours the first time I played Morrowind trying to figure out what I missed so I could finish it.
Call me old school but I like to see some credits and have a sense of completion after a while
That said I might try installing it just to see if it’s even possible. So far the only games I’ve installed are from the 90s. Not sure how VirtualBox would handle more contemporary stuff.
Cheers,
Mike
[...] Beginning with some general information (not shown here) I was able to read through the basics of what I was getting myself into, as well as locate support resources should they become necessary. After a quick perusal of the release notes I was fairly confident nothing in the upgrade would pose an adverse impact on my existing configuration. The only potential exception seems to be VirtualBox, which has no version for Hardy Heron yet; so I’m not sure what will happen once the upgrade is complete. (More on my experiences with VirtualBox here.) [...]
Geez… I’m really envious with all of you guys. I couldn’t even get the package to install properly in the version Hardy 8.04 of Ubuntu. I simply get a dependency error: package libqt3-mt not found. When I try to install this package it in turn tells me it requires other packages. I thought that a newer version of unbuntu would at least lessen our dependency to packages. This is even worse when my PC doesn’t have any internet connection and I usually prefer installing packages manually. ;(
I wonder if you could give me some useful threads to at least get VBox working without the dependency hitches… ;(
thanks so much if you do respond,
narf
Hi Narf,
Sorry to hear you’re having trouble, I’ve actually had a couple of people post comments about issues they’re having.
Along those lines, if you haven’t seen it already there’s another thread on a newer post of mine that may prove beneficial. The post itself isn’t the informative part; it’s the comments that follow.
The post is available here: “VirtualBox Runs on Hardy Heron”
Several people have posted issues they had as well as how they got around them. Just based on what you’ve described, one comment in particular from Gary on 7 May may prove useful to you.
He said:
Hope this helps,
Cheers,
MIke
[...] “Virtual Windows XP on Ubuntu via VirtualBox”, Mike Bogle, 8 April 2008 [...]
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