Mac OS X-Boot USB with VirtualBox

Running Soas files on a 2nd USB 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.

See: Soas-v3_Mirabelle_virtualbox_files_to_put_on_2nd_USB

• 

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-Mirabelle_no_firstboot

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=Soas-v3-Mirabelle_no_firstboot.img of=/dev/sd(x)

Build your own Virtual Appliance using EasyVMX!

• NOTE we Build the Appliance on a PC running Linux (Ubuntu 9.04) with VMPlayer; then use the Appliance copied to a 4 GB USB inserted into the Macintosh and run from Virtualbox 3.2 for OSX

xxx.vmdk files it creates can be opened in Virtualbox 3.2

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 and save them (they can be used to make multiple 4GB USB's for different students as it starts with firstboot with it's personalization of password and name.)

• To use:

Copy-Paste all files to a 4 GB USB (fat 16 Label: MIRABELLE) and insert it into a Mac with Virtualbox 3.2 for OSX 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

site under construction (Nov 24 2010)

References

• http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Sugar_Creation_Kit#Building_a_bootable_USB_using_a_MacBook_Air
• http://lists.sugarlabs.org/archive/iaep/2010-November/012019.html