Linux (ubuntu) in Parallels

S

scola77

Junior Member
First of all the primary reason I purchased parallels is for Windows - which runs near flawlessly with RC2. For the heck of it, I downloaded ubuntu and installed it in linux kernal 2.6. Are there parallel tools that I should install to make it run smoother? I notice that when I resize the window, the linux desktop does not change with the resize (like in Windows).

Thanks
 
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Lack of parallels tools for linux - workarounds

Hmm - someone should write a "Lack of parallels tools for linux workarounds" howto.

Until someone (maybe even me but don't hold your breath) gets around to it, here are a couple of pointers:

  • Shared folders - easily replicated using networking - either NFS or Samba. See any HOWTO on Linux file sharing - if you go for NFS there is some helpful shareware called NFS Manager for the OS X side.
  • Clock - there's a well documented issue that causes the Linux real time clock to go haywire in a virtual machine (affects VMWare too). Fix is that you need to add "clock=pit" to the kernel boot parameters (again, look for HOWTOs for your linux version to find out how). Then, you can install ntpd and/or rdate to keep it in sync with a network time server. (HINT: ntpd works by gradually nudging the clock back towards the correct time - if it gets totally out of whack you need to restart ntpd with the "-s" option or use rdate).
  • Video/mouse: no solution, but what you can do is use the X11 display server supplied with OSX to run the linux desktop instead of the Parallels console. This gives you seamless "mousing" at the expense of less-than-stellar graphics performance if applications have lots of graphics or eye candy. Haven't figured out how to get sound working. Details below.
  • Coherence - it should be possible to use X11 to enable Linux apps to run in free-floating windows with Aqua title bars etc. There's a certain amount of faff involved to set up X authentication (especially if you want to keep secure) and, in practice, modern Linux desktops don't work very smoothly this way without some black-belt rejigging of the desktop configuration.

OK - using X11 to get seamless mousing. Lets assume that your Linux VM has a working network connection.

  1. Configure your Linux "display manager" to enable remote X11 logins. On Ubuntu this means:
    System -> Administration -> Login window -> Remote (tab)
    Style: Same as local (...or anything other than disabled)
  2. Reboot the Linux system (OK - there are more elegant ways of restarting the display manager)
  3. On OSX, start the X11 application (I think its installed by default on Tiger? If not its one of the optional packages on your Apple DVDs)
  4. Update - you may need to issue the command "defaults write com.apple.x11 nolisten_tcp -boolean false" in the Mac terminal (try it without first)
  5. In X11, go to the "Applications" menu, do "Customize Menu" and add an application called "Somename" with the command "xnest :1 -geometry 1280x1000 -broadcast -once"
  6. Make sure the VM is running, minimize the window, then go to Mac X11 and do Applications -> Somename - and you should get a big window with the Ubuntu login.

If you go with his, its possible to tweak the Linux config so that it doesn't start the "local" desktop at all.

Snag 1 - Sound doesn't work (anybody know how to persuade Ubuntu that although its talking to a remote display it should use the local sound services?)
Snag 2 - I use bridged networking - if you are using "shared" or "host only" and the above doesnt work then try "xnest :1 -geometry 1280x1000 -query 10.xxx.xxx.xxx -once" where 10.xxx.xxx.xxx is the IP address of your virtual machine/
Hint - if you have dual monitors then something like "-geometry 1280x1000+1680" will stick the linux desktop on your right-hand monitor.
 
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