virtualbox.org

Hi guys,
Spent a frustrating week on and off trying to load the "easy" Linux Mint. THEN found out it has monster problems on installs - much less in VBox.
DID get an old version of Ubuntu to install as a trial (after the mint debacle) and it went on REASONABLY ok and worked..... BUT like a dog! :-{

Would appreciate any experience had in installing a recommended Linux on something like a Windows7 machine with 4G AND be very grateful for what to select in the options.
Looks like Ubuntu in some flavour or other is the world's favourite - but on VBox too? And I'd be happy with it too. But have issues with my 3 versions old one, so would be happy to start again.

Cheers!

I personally found installing the desktop versions of Mint and Ubuntu very easy, though that was a year ago. All I had to do was follow the online instructions and the onscreen prompts in the VM. I'm not sure there are any better options. How well it runs would depend on how much resources you gave to the VM, and how many resources your host could easily spare. Running like a dog is usually a sign that you starved the host or guest of RAM or disk space. You provide no details hence I can't comment on that. I went for 32bit guests so as not to tax my host (which sounds similar to yours, e.g. 4GB RAM).

ps. Moving to Linux Guests, as your Windows host seems to have no significance to the discussion.

Hi Mpack,
Thank you for your reply.
Re onscreen prompts: There doesn't seem to be any - or expected defaults that "should" work in either version, just options.
E.G. How much video memory to allocate? (How to find that out)

In the case of Mint there was a consensus on their Board that it either worked or didn't, in one go - and in many, many cases it just didn't.
No help with VBox there.
(I haven't ever found anyone else using VBox except here and also most people run Linux with Windoze in the Vbox, so I do need specific use help. )

I actually did get Linux to run on my older machine to some degree with help from here, a long time ago. But it also was never very quick and I abandoned it.
I use the Dragon Voice-2-text program which has no Linux version and commercial conversion programs simply don't work with it.
Strangely, it did simply work via VBox in Linux very well, via the Guest Additions, but the Ubuntu install was far too slow to use.

I've managed to install Windows XP in a VBox as a test, with no trouble, altering nothing and it works fine for speed.
But, it has no sound and no Guest ability to share files.

I couldn't follow your "p.s." Are you saying it is immaterial as to which is the primary O.S. ?
My suspicion has always been that my configuration of W7 to Linux in the VBox was the main problem technically, much less the lack of directly-experienced user help, as I seem to be the only unsuccessful installer!

My last thought now is that there may be some difference in the source of the install: whether it is easier/better to use a literal trial/install disk, an ISO, or VDI.
Then, of course, which Linux to use?
I think I'll follow the crowd and start with Ubuntu, so I'll go get the latest Disk install version - no mean feat from Oz with our Net speeds - today right now 2.5M. at 7AM (GMT +10)

Cheers!

Sorry, you are talking in terms of vague summaries of conversations you provide no links to. I'm not sure how to usefully respond to that.

Mint does not just work great or not - and I can't remember reading any such conversation. Like any OS it will run as well as you allow it to run, which depends on how much memory and disk space you give it, plus what burdens you put on it. Also, a VM gets its memory and disk space from a host, so if you allocate (say) so much RAM to the guest that the host is starved of it, then the host will start thrashing the pagefile which will ironically impact the guest as well.

I find that attention to such matters, shutting unwanted apps down rather than minimizing them, removing unwanted background indexers, malware checkers, other OS bloat etc... is the way to get good performance. OTOH lack of attention to such things will ensure poor performance from any OS. It is after all just a tool, no better than the hand that wields it.

This is not to say that there is no difference between operating systems - clearly there is. I just don't recognize your description of an established favorite such as Mint, as always either running great or running like a pig.

Hi Mpack,
The key point is that I'm not a "fanboy" of anything in the world out there. I'm just trying to make a living off the Net and my interest is only in getting tools that work. So, I don't focus on anything not really relative to me and when gratefully asking for help anywhere, I try to cover the background of MY problems and actions.
There was enough negativity about Mint INSTALLATION to kill it for me. Not only on their own Site, but my own private Member lists. Vis: it did not install on my tin box, Ubuntu did, ipso facto.

My problem with Ubuntu before, was that it is massive. However I updated to latest version and it did go on after much ado about what source to use. It would have helped if there was a straightforward way to find out how to to do it into VBox.

UNfortunately, as before, it runs like a dog. :-{
Screen is fuzzy compared to W7. Sharing the Cursor is a flickering pain.
Now, I have seen beautiful installs of Linux on others machines - but never one in my "odd" configuration: Linux ON Windows.

Did I understand you correctly that this shouldn't matter?

My previous experience has been that only on dual installation did I have vastly fewer problems, (as above) but I do need both rapidly available, so when VBox works, it's magic.

Today, I have the current Ubuntu installed - basically in default mode - except for the install source which finally worked: an ISO on a HardDrive.
I will now do the difficult part and RTFM to try and get a little Windows equivalent performance.

------------------------ Just commentary from here ------------------
But what us non-techs always need, but never get, is a simple walkthru with "template" options explained in simple terms.
It's like watching a Home Improvements Show. The demonstrator-in lightning fashion, uses tools that we've never even seen before, and cost an arm and a leg. Erecting a patio seems simple. To a builder. Like the Black Screen Cmd Line is simple to a Nerd/tech-head.

My latest Hosting Provider recently updated to the full CPanel install & support system. Has cut out 90% of Newby service requests. It's all in dozens of simple videos. Very simple Walk-thru's.

Of course, Bill Gates must still regularly sacrifice virgins to ensure the lack of Actual NEWBY End User Support in Linux, I've never seen a pre-configured Box on sale anywhere, RTG.
Even after "Chutzpah"Jobs showed that it is all in the presentation by simply switching to Linux to stay in the comms race and kept on selling RTG Linux boxes at a great premium, to become one of the RICHEST, not even biggest businesses, in the world.
I've even met semi-tech people who have bought an Apple PC....... shows the power of advertising, doesn't it?

Cheers!

Please try to keep your discussion on topic, meaning: make the conversation have something to do with VirtualBox. This is not a Microsoft site, nor even a Linux site.

I'm still having difficulty picking out specific questions in what you say.