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I've installed Ubuntu inside a virtual machine running on Windows 7's Virtual PC. One thing I've noticed right away is that it has to capture the mouse and not all the hardware works as expected. I didn't have such problems in my virtual Windows XP. Is there anything I need to do to either Virtual PC or within Ubuntu that will get them to cooperate as well as Windows XP seems to?

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7 Answers 7

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VirtualBox (a competitor of Virtual PC) has integration tools for Ubuntu and other Linux distros. If you are planning to make use of virtual Ubuntu, I'd suggest you try VB.

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This is generally to do with installing tools/additions. They enable greater compatibility between guest and host.

I know some Linux distributions are better at handling the Microsoft Virtualisation stack and have native support, however I do not think Ubuntu is one that is compatibly out of the box.

I have done a search for you and it looks like Microsoft have only released their (additions?) package for Suse and Redhat. You can obviously still use Ubuntu without problems, however you will not benefit from the enhanced support and integration you get with either Microsoft OS's or the above Linux distributions.

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If, in Virtual PC, you go to Tools>Install Integration Components (which should work in Ubuntu) you won't have those problems. It should allow seamless integration like XP Mode.

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My installation worked with Windows Virtual PC. All I had to do is create a drive with a specified size (I didn't want to get into trying to create a partition using an expandable Windows Virtual PC drive). Select the downloaded Ubuntu ISO from the settings of the Windows Virtual PC and place it in the disk drive. Boot up the Ubuntu Virtual PC and install it with all of the default options.

I haven't addressed any interoperability issues yet with mice or networking, etc... just got it installed and booted.

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  • This doesn't address any of the OP's question.
    – Jay Bazuzi
    Jan 26, 2012 at 7:15
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Ubuntu can be made to install but you need to change some boot options. Specifically add this:

vga=791 noreplace-paravirt

Full explanation how to do this here:

http://www.hanselman.com/blog/InstallingUbuntu104LTSOnWindowsVirtualPCOnWindows7.aspx

Linux Mint Debian works out of the box.

Edit: Linux Mint is unstable without noreplace-paravirt option, but the vga drivers work at least.

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Virtual PC does not include virtual machine additions for Linux. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_pc#Linux_guests.

Virtual Server supports some versions of Linux; those additions may work with Linux. They come in RPM format, though. You can download them here: http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=22363

Hyper-V replaces Virtual Server, and includes some Linux support. See: Link

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The slow way that might work:

Wait for the MS code to improve Linux in Virtual PC to get accepted into the Linux kernel and then wait for that kernel to get into Ubuntu (or put it in yourself).

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