Automate Guest OS Launch

[vaikz]

Hi,

I´ve been using virtualbox for a long time already using windows as host. Now I planning to switch to Ubuntu and want to use virtualbox and install Windows XP as guest OS. I still need to run windows coz I do have some programming need to run w/ it.

From the title itself, I want to create a shortcut/launcher for me to run my guest os (windows xp) w/o opening the virtualbox program. Is this possible?

Thanks in advance.

Vaikz

[Perryg]

First welcome to the forums vaikz,

Yes it is by creating a (batch file) (script in Linux)with the proper commands in it to run the process. VBoxManage startvm "machine name" where you replace the machine name with the actual name of the machine you created should do the trick. I have used this and it is a way to start the machine. You can read more about this in section 8. VBoxManage reference section of the users guide

Example:

Code: Select all

F:
cd /.virtualbox
VBoxManage startvm "Windows-XPpro"

saved in a batch file will start my Windows XPpro that is stored on my F drive and in a directory called .virtualbox on Windows host.
You can also use the launcher in Linux to do this exact same thing. Simply tell it where the file resides and use the VBoxManage startvm (machine name) as the command to start it.

[vaikz]

Thanks for the reply, but I quite new to linux and don know much on CLI. Can you help me on this?

[Perryg]

Here you go

You can do it by following this guide: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HowToAddaLauncher
You need to save this as your guide: https://help.ubuntu.com/

[HolgerB]

One additional comment:
I´d rather be using VBoxHeadless for launching a VM in the background.

Beside this using a startup script might make more sense than a starter.
Read some more here for the basics:
http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/7393
and here:
http://linuxgazette.net/issue48/tag/50.html

[HolgerB]

This page might also be interesting:
How to setup VirtualBox running as Linux service:
http://www.glump.net/howto/virtualbox_as_a_service