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I would like to run a Windows XP virtualbox VM on Ubuntu 10.4 LTS.

However, I would like to set it up to that the VM loads on successful Ubuntu Login automatically so that the user thinks they have logged into a Windows account.

Is this possible and how would one accomplish this?

I don't know too much about ubuntu but maybe you could try making a shortcut to the vm in the startup list (if ubuntu has one)

Just to make sure I am not answering you question, do you want the vm to start/pause when the host (ubuntu) boots/shutdown respectively?

If so, I would write a startup script (in /etc/init.d) to start the vm using vboxheadless.

I believe so yes.

Here is what I would like to do:

On power up, load unbuntu to the profile login screen
On successful login, load up a VM (Windows XP) and maximize to fill the screen.
When the user logs out, it will pause/save the VM and log out of ubuntu.
When the user shuts down, it will pause/save the VM, log out of ubuntu and power down.

Would this be accomplished via vbox headless?

Is there a better way?

Hello,

bigfredlab wrote:I would like to run a Windows XP virtualbox VM on Ubuntu 10.4 LTS.
However, I would like to set it up to that the VM loads on successful Ubuntu Login automatically so that the user thinks they have logged into a Windows account

If you want to load your VM on successful Ubuntu login (not boot), I think you would have to do something like:
- write a shell script starting X11 with VBoxSDL as Window Manager (see http://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch09.html#vboxsdl )
- use VBoxSDL --startvm "VM name" --fullscreen --nofstoggle (to start the VM in full screen mode and disable toggling out of it)
- use the script as a login shell (disable ssh/telnet/ftp access for this account)
- when you exit the VM, it should revert automatically to the login prompt

Extended testing would be required in order to be sure that the user cannot escape to the underlying OS...

Best regards,

Hubert