Ubuntu 12.04 LTS (w/Script) and Virtual Box

On my SR-2 (dual X5680s), I need that box and the software I run on it to be under Windows. So, I have Win7 with Virtual Box installed to allow me to also Fold Bigadv on that rig without giving up my Windows apps.

I've used a variety of Linux distros within VBox (Linuxrouter's native Linux, Ubuntu 10.10, and Mint). The best performing (TPF-wise) was always Linuxrouter's image since it ran in CLI mode, but I've also had routine problems with it getting garbaged (somehow) over time and have had to reinstall is several times.

So, today, I decided to try installing Ubuntu 12.04 LTS with the Script that we have here in Virtual Box. I couldn't get a standard default install of 12.04 to complete within Vbox (kept getting an "installation crash" statement within a few seconds after Ubuntu would start installing the files. Playing with different things, I found that installing 12.04 the old way with adjusting the partition, using EXT3, swap, etc finally allowed 12.04 to complete the install process.

I got 12.04 installed OK and added the script that is available here. Everything is stable and Folding works, Kraken, etc. But I'm back to the same old problem I've had with Linux desktop installs of seeing only ~85% CPU utilization in Windows Task Mgr. When I would use Linuxrouter's CLI version of Ubuntu, along with the Kraken, etc, CPU Usage would average 94% in Windows. That was about as good as I could ever get it.

Back to my 12.04 installation within VBox. So, I thought, I'll give the CLI settings (that are in the 12.04 Guide) a try to see if I could improve things. I followed the process in the Guide to adjust the Grub file. Rebooted Ubuntu and that's where I encountered a new problem. I get a blank Ubuntu colored screen with no CLI that will appear and it was now stuck that way every time I brought up the Ubuntu machine in VBox. I finally got around the lockup by forcing VBox to boot from another device that resulted in Ubuntu desktop getting reloaded so I could access Ubuntu again.

Sorry for this long thread, but figured that I should try to give you as much as possible. So, I'm back to Ubuntu Desktop now because changing the grub file for CLI mode doesnt seem to work within VBox. Anyone have any ideas or thoughts about what I could/should do to get to a CLI interface in VBox with 12.04 LTS?

Not sure...

But, it's not a problem inherent with CLI. I tried a bunch of combinations last weekend trying to get bigadv folding under windows working with my 2p 2011 machine. I was able to successfully install 12.04 desktop and server, along with 13.04 desktop/server and CentOS. All of them worked, and all of them (minus CentOS obviously) worked with musky's script.

However, I was never able to get CPU utilization above ~80%, and even then it was very inefficient (i.e. at 80% tpf was double compared to native linux).

As an alternative... Do you need native graphics in your windows applications? If not, you could try native linux and run windows in vbox.

is it possible to have 12.04 as your host OS, and virtualize windows? Performance will probably be better that way by a bit.

I don't know for sure about needing native graphics in Windows. I use Photoshop and other Adobe graphic design apps in Windows and have been hesitant to want to redo my Win7 installation for fear it would be a big job and that I might have problems with my Window apps.

Sort of a unplanned blessing from not having every CPU maxed at 100% is that I can run my apps without any or much lag. Back when I began considering Virtual Box, I did some mining here and saw that most people had issue getting CPU utilization above 85% and some were worse. If I use Linuxforge's Ubuntu CLI image, I can hit upwards of 95% utilization, but can't even get close to that with any form of Ubuntu desktop.

Use 12.04 server instead of Desktop, jump on the IRC channel if it still continues and get [h]expert help

Biffa said:

Use 12.04 server instead of Desktop, jump on the IRC channel if it still continues and get [h]expert help

Click to expand...

I downloaded 12.04 Server (64bit) this evening and will play with it tomorrow. I can just add it as another machine in Virtual Box.

Question for you guys. Is the Server version of Ubuntu mainly just a CLI version or are there other things about it that make it different? I'm guessing that the Script we have here would still be applied, or would I not want to do that for 12.04 Server?

texinga said:

I downloaded 12.04 Server (64bit) this evening and will play with it tomorrow. I can just add it as another machine in Virtual Box.

Question for you guys. Is the Server version of Ubuntu mainly just a CLI version or are there other things about it that make it different? I'm guessing that the Script we have here would still be applied, or would I not want to do that for 12.04 Server?

Click to expand...

Nothing different, just has no desktop oriented stuff installed. You can convert server to desktop, and vice versa, by uninstalling/installing stuffs.

Musky's fahinstall script works fine in server version.

I got Ubuntu 12.04 Server installed in Virtual Box, downloaded and ran the HardOCP Script and all looks OK.

But I have one problem I can't seem to get around. When I configure FAH with -configonly, I can't enter my passkey. I keep getting "invalid passkey". I've done a lot of FAH installs, alwsys used the same passkey and never encountered this problem. The passkey is entered correctly and I've tried it multiple times, but the FAH client won't accept it as valid. I've even tried re-entering my user name, team ID, etc and I keep coming back to the same problem.

Anyone have an ideas?

Nevermind, managed to somehow delete the last 4 chars from my text file where I keep a copy of my Password. Back on track and eager to see how this Server version works with TPF performance.

Have 10% completion into a standard SMP (8553). 855x WU TPFs using Ubuntu 12.04 Server (with Script) vs Ubuntu 12.04 Desktop (with Script) are running 18secs faster with the Server version. CPU usage (via Windows Taskmgr) has not changed from what it was running the Desktop version (~83%-85%). But I do have an improvement in TPF with the Server version and that will be helpful with Bigadvs.

I've looked into that CPU usage thing before with Virtual Box. CPU usage as measured and reported within the Ubuntu virtual machine is 100%. But when you go over to Windows Taskmgr, it drops off anywhere from 8-17%. I've searched the net on it, ran across Grandpa's thread over in the VBox Forum, but haven't seen a solution yet. Not many people talking about it either though (other than Folders).

Anyway, thanks for the suggestion of using 12.04 Server. It installed just fine from within Virtual Box with no "installation crash" problems (such as I encountered with the 12.04 Desktop, default install). Musky's Script is a god-send for me (considering a CLI interface) since it does everything for you and I don't have to do a bunch of Console typing!