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virtualbox [2010/01/13 11:20] – 172.26.0.166virtualbox [2011/06/03 12:51] – [Optimal settings for a guest] aorth
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-===== VirtualBox tips/tricks ===== +====== VirtualBox ====== 
-==== Commonly-used commands ==== +VirtualBox is a free, open-source hypervisor from Oracle.  It has performance on par with VMware and is very mature.  We have two virtualization servers which run VirtualBox on top of CentOS, [[biovbox]] and biovboxtest.
-To change between "not attached", NAT,Bridged,internal network and host olny adapter:  +
-<code>VBoxManage modifyvm <uuid|name> [--nic<1-N> none|null|nat|bridged|intnet|hostonly]</code> +
-Set the boot order: +
-<code>VBoxManage modifyvm <uuid|name> [--boot<1-4> none|floppy|dvd|disk|net>]</code> +
-Add a shared folder: +
-<code>VBoxManage sharedfolder add <vmname>|<uuid> --name <name> --hostpath <hostpath> [--transient] [--readonly] </code> +
-Acpi Vm: +
-<code>VBoxManage controlvm  <uuid>|<name>pause|resume|reset|poweroff|savestate|acpipowerbutton|acpisleepbutton| </code> +
-Change rdp address: +
-<code>VBoxManage modifyvm <uuid|name> [--vrdpaddress <host>]</code> +
-Change the Authentication type:  +
-<code>VBoxManage modifyvm <uuid|name> [--vrdpauthtype null|external|guest]</code> +
-**Note**: option "external" will limit access to individual users, The user will be required to use rdesktop-vrdp with username and password: +
-<code>rdesktop-vrdp -u <username> -p - <host ip address>:<vrdp port></code> +
-Change rdp port: +
-<code>VBoxManage modifyvm <uuid|name> [--vrdpport <port>]</code> +
-List all VMs in the server: +
-<code>VBoxManage list vms</code> +
-List all running VMs: +
-<code>VBoxManage list runningvms </code> +
-List guest properties: +
-<code> VBoxManage list -l  vms </code> +
-Note: All the guest parameters(configuration) are in <guestname>.xml+
  
-===== Create a VM =====+  * [[http://www.virtualbox.org|VirtualBox homepage]] 
 +  * [[http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=646613|Tips to optimize Linux guests and hosts]] 
 +====== Create a VM ======
 Copy an ISO to your home directory: Copy an ISO to your home directory:
-<code>$scp <dist>.iso <username>@172.26.0.205:~/</code> +<code>$ scp ubuntu-9.04-desktop-i386.iso alan@172.26.0.200:~/</code> 
-  * SSH to VM server: 172.26.0.205 +  * SSH to VM server: 172.26.0.200 
-<code>$ ssh <username>@172.26.0.205</code>+<code>$ ssh alan@172.26.0.200</code>
   * start the virtualbox application   * start the virtualbox application
 <code>$ VirtualBox</code> <code>$ VirtualBox</code>
-  * Follow the wizzard to create a VM with the following properties:+  * Follow the wizard to create a VM with the following properties:
       - Base Memory: less than 512 MB       - Base Memory: less than 512 MB
       - Network : NAT       - Network : NAT
-      - Harddisk size: less than 30Gb +      - Hard disk size: less than 30Gb
-==== Port Forwarding ====+
  
-If your guest OS is using NAT for networking you will need to enable port forwarding.  There is no GUI for this in VirtualBox, but you can use ''VBoxManage setextradata'' to make the required changes.  If you want to SSH to your VM, for example:+====== Networking ====== 
 +===== Bridged Networking ===== 
 +If your guest is using bridged networking you MUST use this command to allow other users to use the host's physical network card.  Make sure your virtual machine is shut down and then run this command: 
 +<code>VBoxManage setextradata MyMachine VBoxInternal/Devices/pcnet/0/LUN#0/Config/RestrictAccess 0</code> 
 +Each and every VM using bridged networking must use this command.  If you are seeing errors like ''VERR_PERMISSION_DENIED'' regarding the network interface, this is the cause! 
 + 
 +As of VirtualBox 3.1.2 this is still a [[http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/2852|known issue]]. 
 + 
 +===== Port Forwarding ===== 
 + 
 +If your guest OS is using NAT for networking and you want to access services like Apache or SSH, you will need to enable port forwarding.  There is no GUI for this in VirtualBox, but you can use ''VBoxManage setextradata'' to make the required changes.  If you want to SSH to your VM, for example:
 <code>$ VBoxManage setextradata Ubuntu "VBoxInternal/Devices/pcnet/0/LUN#0/Config/ssh/HostPort" 2223 <code>$ VBoxManage setextradata Ubuntu "VBoxInternal/Devices/pcnet/0/LUN#0/Config/ssh/HostPort" 2223
 $ VBoxManage setextradata Ubuntu "VBoxInternal/Devices/pcnet/0/LUN#0/Config/ssh/GuestPort" 22 $ VBoxManage setextradata Ubuntu "VBoxInternal/Devices/pcnet/0/LUN#0/Config/ssh/GuestPort" 22
-$ VBoxManage setextradata Ubuntu "VBoxInternal/Devices/pcnet/0/LUN#0/Config/ssh/Protocol" TCP+$ VBoxManage setextradata Ubuntu "VBoxInternal/Devices/pcnet/0/LUN#0/Config/ssh/Protocol" TCP</code>
 Then you can log in to the VM from your own computer using the port you've forwarded above: Then you can log in to the VM from your own computer using the port you've forwarded above:
-<code>$ ssh -p 2223 username@172.26.0.205</code> +<code>$ ssh -p 2223 username@172.26.0.200</code>
- +
-=== Upgrading VirtualBox === +
- +
-<file>[jmagochi@biovbox ~]$ VBoxManage controlvm CentOS savestate +
-VirtualBox Command Line Management Interface Version 3.0.8 +
-(C) 2005-2009 Sun Microsystems, Inc. +
-All rights reserved. +
- +
-0%...10%...20%...30%...40%...50%...60%...70%...80%...90%...100% +
-[jmagochi@biovbox ~]$ sudo /etc/init.d/vboxdrv stop +
- +
-$ wget http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/3.0.12/VirtualBox-3.0.12-54655-Linux_amd64.run +
-$ ./VirtualBox-3.0.12-54655-Linux_amd64.run +
-$ /etc/init.d/vboxdrv setup +
-</file> +
- +
-===== Expanding a Virtual Disk ===== +
-There is no way to expand a VDI.  What you have to do is create a new VDI, boot the virtual machine to a live cd, and copy over the filesystem (either via ''dd'', rsync, etc). +
- +
-Create new VDI +
- +
-Attach to virtual machine and boot with System Rescue CD +
- +
-Create two partitions with fdisk/cfdisk/parted, whatever: +
-  * 1: 100 MB, boot, type "Linux" (83) +
-  * 2: 30 GB, type "Linux LVM" (8E) +
- +
-Format the boot partition as ext3 +
- +
-==== LVM setup ==== +
- +
-Create Physical Volume from device: +
-<code>pvcreate /dev/sdb2</code> +
- +
-Create Volume Group from PV: +
-<code>vgcreate VolGroup01 /dev/sdb2</code> +
- +
-Create Logical Volumes in VG: +
-<code>lvcreate -L29G -nLogVol00 VolGroup01 +
-lvcreate -L512M -nLogVol01 VolGroup01</code> +
- +
-Format the new partitions: +
-<code>mkfs.ext3 /dev/VolGroup01/LogVol00 +
-<code>mkswap /dev/VolGroup01/LogVol01</code> +
- +
-<note important>Set the disk label on the boot partition to "/boot" using gparted (fstab loads the boot partition based on its label!)</note> +
- +
-Mount both root partitions: +
-<code>mount /dev/VolGroup01/LogVol00 /mnt/newroot +
-mount /dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 /mnt/oldroot</code> +
- +
-Copy everything over: +
-<code>rsync -xrlptgoEv --delete /mnt/oldroot/ /mnt/newroot/</code> +
- +
-Mount both boot partitions: +
-<code>mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/newboot +
-mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/oldboot</code> +
- +
-Copy everything over: +
-<code>rsync -xrlptgoEv --delete /mnt/oldboot/ /mnt/newboot/</code>+
  
-Force SElinux to relabel all files on boot (or else SElinux will deny you to log in) +====== Commonly-used commands ====== 
-<code>touch /mnt/newroot/.autorelabel</code>+===== List your VMs ===== 
 +<code>$ VBoxManage list vms</code> 
 +===== List your running VMs ===== 
 +<code>$ VBoxManage list runningvms </code>
  
-Unmount all mounted logical volumes+====== Updating VirtualBox ====== 
 +===== Stop any running VMs ===== 
 +Either shut down or "save state" for any running VMs.  First, find any users who have "headless" VMs: 
 +<code># ps aux | grep -i VBoxHeadless 
 +jmagochi  4939  3.9  3.5 759372 72268 ?        Sl   Oct05 402:13 /usr/lib/virtualbox/VBoxHeadless -s nobu 
 +jmagochi  4991 12.5  3.2 621588 67632 ?        Sl   Oct05 1281:41 /usr/lib/virtualbox/VBoxHeadless -s lims 
 +aorth    18431  9.7  1.7 998940 36160 ?        Sl   Oct11 129:54 /usr/lib/virtualbox/VBoxHeadless -s b0237553-9653-4461-bd0e-d4d316c16d4f -v off</code> 
 +As the user who owns the VM, save the VM's state:
  
-Install GRUB on the new VDI +<code># su - jmagochi 
-<code>grub +$ VBoxManage controlvm nobu savestate 
-> root (hd0,0) +$ VBoxManage controlvm lims savestate 
-> setup (hd0)</code>+$ exit 
 +# su - aorth 
 +$ VBoxManage controlvm b0237553-9653-4461-bd0e-d4d316c16d4f savestate 
 +$ exit</code> 
 +===== Update VirtualBox ===== 
 +==== CentOS ==== 
 +<code># yum update VirtualBox-3.2</code> 
 +===== Resume VMs ===== 
 +<code># su - jmagochi 
 +$ VBoxHeadless -s nobu & 
 +$ VBoxHeadless -s lims & 
 +$ exit 
 +# su - aorth 
 +$ VBoxHeadless -s b0237553-9653-4461-bd0e-d4d316c16d4f -v off &</code>
  
-==== Renaming the new volume group====+===== Mount a CD to a running VM ===== 
 +Attach an ISO to a running VM.  The CD/DVD device is on the Secondary IDE controller (--port 1), and it is the slave device (--device 1). 
 +<code>VBoxManage storageattach "Debian 504" --storagectl "IDE Controller" --port 1 --device 1 --type dvddrive --medium /usr/share/virtualbox/VBoxGuestAdditions.iso</code>
  
-Deativate all logical volumes +====== Optimal settings for a guest ======
-<code>lvchange -an /dev/mapper/VolGroup*</code> +
-Rename old volume group +
-<code>vgrename VolGroup00 VolGroupOld</code> +
-Rename new volume group +
-<code>vgrename VolGroup01 VolGroup00</code>+
  
-Now shutdown the machine and remove the old VDI.+  * Notes about ''divider=10'': [[http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1006427|VMware]], [[http://www.arrfab.net/blog/?p=62|Blog article]] 
 +  * Set the IO scheduler to ''noop'': 
 +    * Edit the grub command line to set the default IO scheduler, usually in ///etc/default/grub//: ''elevator=noop'' 
 +  * Install guest additions (VirtualBox or VMware) 
 +  * Run a virtual machine-specific kernel: 
 +    * Ubuntu: linux-image-virtual 
 +  * Mount filesystems with ''noatime'' in///etc/fstab//