Mac OS X-Boot USB with VirtualBox

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NOTE the files on the 2nd USB can be opened directly in Virtualbox 3.2 installed on the MacBook Air

In VirtualBox Make a "new" Virtualbox appliance where you specify the existing vmdk file on the 2nd USB as the Hard Disk.
This a much simpler solution if you have VirtualBox-3.2.10-66523-OSX.dmg installed on your Mac.

Mac OSX-F14-desktop with Virtualbox Boot USB

  • (This is an experimental Work in Progress; PLEASE TEST)
This is a 4GB USB that is booted on a MacBook Air with a boot helper CD
It opens a Soas-v3-Mirabelle Virtual Appliance located on a 2nd USB
This 2nd USB can be exchanged with that of another student.

This is proposed as a first solution for SL#598 Boot Helper Virtual Machine

How you can get it

Boot USB

  • 4GB USB to be booted in an intel Mac ONLY:
Mac_F14_Vbox.img.tar.bz2
Note will not boot in Non-Mac Machine and will be damaged if you try to do so.
Download it and decompress it (linux)
  • DO NOT try to build or import a Virtual Machine on this live USB - It is only 4GB in size and it will fill up and be destroyed.
You can always dd write a copy from the Mac_F14_Vbox.img if this happens.
  • Use it to point to an existing Virtual Machine on a 2nd 4GB USB ONLY

dd command to copy it to your Boot 4GB USB

  • To Write to your 4GB USB (linux)
/dev/sd(x) BE CERTAIN THIS IS THE DEVICE ADDRESS OF YOUR USB
type mount in terminal to see device (/dev/sdb; /dev/sdc; /dev/sde....etc
root@xxx:/home/xxx/Desktop# dd if=Mac_F14_Vbox.img of=/dev/sd(x)
7831552+0 records in
7831552+0 records out
4009754624 bytes (4.0 GB) copied, 1365.52 s, 2.9 MB/s
root@xxx:/home/xxx/Desktop#

Soas-v3 Mirabelle virtualbox files to put on 2nd USB

NOTE the files on the 2nd USB can be opened directly in Virtualbox 3.2 installed on the MacBook Air

In VirtualBox Make a "new" Virtualbox appliance where you specify the existing vmdk file on the 2nd USB as the Hard Disk.

Prebuilt Soas-v3-Mirabelle 4GB USB img

Download .img file Soas-v3-4gb-Mirabelle.zip
Decompress (linux)
dd write it to a 4 GB USB (linux) -> see above
  • To Write to your 4GB USB (linux)
/dev/sd(x) BE CERTAIN THIS IS THE DEVICE ADDRESS OF YOUR USB
type mount in terminal to see device (/dev/sdb; /dev/sdc; /dev/sde....etc
root@xxx:/home/xxx/Desktop# dd if=xxxxxx.img of=/dev/sd(x)

Build your own using EasyVMX!

xxx.vmx files it creates can be opened in Virtualbox 3.2 which is preinstalled on Mac F14 Boot USB
An installation of VMPlayer (free) is used to create the files we need (linux or windows)
  • web site that builds a vmx file to your specifications (free)
http://www.easyvmx.com/
Works fine, runs on most platforms, and has persistence
VMware Player download (free): http://www.vmware.com/tryvmware/
specified a 8 GB Hard Drive and other parameters
downloaded, in browse, the Custom vmx file as a .zip file
Decompressed the .zip file
Put CD soas-3-mirabelle.iso burned as CD in your CD Drive
Open VMPlayer and point it to this vmx file
CD boots in VMplayer application
Sugar Starts
  • To install to VMplayer Hard Disk:
Open Sugar-terminal:
su
liveinst
Anaconda installer opens
Initialize all disks
custom/create
/boot 200 ext4
/     6000
swap  400
Install proceeds normally
Shutdown
Copy the files created in VMPlayer (this can be used to make 4GB USB's for different students as it starts with firstboot.)
  • To use:
Copy-Paste all files to a 4 GB USB (fat 16 Label: MIRABELLE) and insert it into a Mac booted from the F14 MAC Boot disk with Virtualbox running
In VirtualBox Make a "new" Virtualbox appliance where you specify the existing vmdk file on the 2nd USB as the Hard Disk.
  • Advantages:(2nd USB with personalized .vmdk files)
Portable (Student can take home and run on home Computer)
Run it on different Platforms where Virtualbox 3.2 is installed.

Boot Helper CD's

  • MAC SOAS-3 Mirabelle Boot DISK
soas-3-boot-test.iso (Burn this to a CD and boot with it)
Read Me First & Credits to Programmer
  • MAC SOAS-4 Mango lassi Boot DISK
soas-4-boot-test (Burn this to a CD and boot with it)

How it was Made

  • F14 Desktop USB with Virtualbox installed

References

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