[PLUG] VirtualBox on Slackware

[Ben Koenig]

My build order for VirtualBox using the SBo scripts would be as follows:

1) acpica
2) virtualbox-kernel
3) virtualbox

At this point I would test to make sure everything is working. If yes,
build and install virtualbox-extension-pack for other features. You don't
need the 'addon' packages, those are for use in a Slackware guest, not a
host.
Don't forget to create a vboxusers group and add yourself to it.

i'll also keep a copy of the build scripts and source archives on my local
system in case I need to rebuild it. virtualbox-kernel builds a kernel
module, so when you install security updates for your kernel this will need
to be rebuilt and reinstalled.
The other packages should be fine as long as you don't change the version
of the kernel package when you rebuild.

You can install from the self installing script they provide, but you will
probably need to re-run this script every time there is a kernel update. It
would be much cleaner to use a tgz package for it.

Also, these tgz package files you are creating are portable. You can back
them up to an external HDD or something so that you don't have to keep
rebuilding them. In the event that you need to reinstall Slackware or set
up a second computer, you can just install these packages without having to
go through all this compiling again.





On Sun, Dec 2, 2018 at 2:25 PM Tomas K <tomas.kuchta.lists at gmail.com> wrote:

> This is turning into general discussion - still I see the original
> point of this email tread in a need to reuse existing VirtualBox
> virtual machine image/installation.
>
> So it makes little sense to try do anything but VirtualBox.
>
> Often, the decision to use vBox was made decade or even longer ago.
> There was very little of KVM back then, so the choices were Xen, vBox
> or VMware. I would argue that Xen versus vBox 10-15 years ago was
> really matter of taste, remember vBox was being actively opened by Sun
> Microsystem.
>
> I do not think that it is good idea doing fresh long term virtual
> machine build in VMware or vBox today - Given the almost infinite
> desire/need for longevity of these installations; and our experience
> with fully commercial software over the course of multiple
> acquisitions. If VMware or vBox changes their mind about their license
> or support - one would find it extremely difficult, if not impossible,
> to install that VM on your next hardware 3-5 years from now.
>
> Tomas
>
> On Sun, 2018-12-02 at 13:43 -0800, King Beowulf wrote:
> > On 12/2/18 6:13 AM, Chuck Hast wrote:
> > > I see all of this and wonder if you have given thought to VMWare
> > > Player,
> > > for personal use it is
> > > free, I use it all of the time when I cannot get something to run
> > > under
> > > Wine, it sees the USB
> > > stuff quite well.
> > >
> > > I have not had issues with it seeing devices. I use it to program
> > > radios, I
> > > am running Win 10
> > > on a Ubuntu Mate 18.04 host. The radios look like serial USB
> > > devices to the
> > > OS. Most of them
> > > work just fine under wine, but one which seems the program is all
> > > buggered
> > > up and even a
> > > trick to run on Windows. Oh, I also use it for some Garmin stuff
> > > that will
> > > not work on Wine.
> > > Garmin should be ashamed, they sure use Linux behind the GPS
> > > screens on
> > > their products
> > > but cannot come up with a decent piece of software for Linux to
> > > talk to
> > > their products.
> > >
> > > Here is a bit from them about running workstation (player is WS
> > > without the
> > > license)  under
> > > Slack:
> > > https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/113
> > >
> > >
> >
> > Chuck,
> >
> > It all depends on one's linux zealotry and personal preferences.
> >
> > qemu - fully open source
> > Virtualbox - partially open source (uses qemu code in places)
> > VMWare - fully proprietary.
> >
> > qemu uses KVM modules already present in the Linux kernel.  VB and
> > VMware have their own mystery binaries.
> >
> > The link you posted has some factual errors.  Slackware uses a BSD
> > style
> > init system, which is NOT "unusual" and is also fully compatible with
> > System V init scripts.  See also http://www.slackware.com/config/init
> > .php
> >
> > Secondly, the statement
> >
> > "Keep in mind that Slackware is not an explicitly supported
> > distribution, mostly because of its unusual file layout."
> >
> > bespeaks of a great deal of ignorance regarding Linux file systems
> > and
> > layouts.  I personally prefer qemu (fewer extra dependencies but
> > harder
> > CLI configuration), with Virtualbox as a second choice (nice gui).
> >
> > -Ed
> >
> >
> >
> >
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