Parallels + Ubuntu + Linux new user + MBP = Oh Sh*t

[R.Youden]

Ok guys. I need to install Linux on my mac and thought the easiest way would be to use Parallels. Anyway I installed Ubuntu without any problem but I could not get a decent screen resolution so I found this on a website:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install linux-restricted-modules-$(uname -r) #Okay if it is already installed
sudo apt-get install xorg-driver-fglrx
sudo depmod -a
sudo aticonfig --initial
sudo aticonfig --overlay-type=Xv

Anyway after I rebooted I got this image (at bottom of post). If anyone can explain what I have done wrong and how I can fix it I would be very grateful.

Thanks.

 

[mkrishnan]

Parallels doesn't give you hardware access to the graphics card at this point, does it? I don't think you can use ATITools for the virtualized graphics in Parallels.

I think what you actually want to be doing is to reconfigure the X server to know about the higher resolutions like in this article:

http://muffinresearch.co.uk/archives/2006/08/13/running-ubuntu-under-parallels-desktop-for-mac/

Or this set:

http://www.simplehelp.net/2007/04/2...-using-parallels-a-complete-walkthrough/#tidy
http://www.simplehelp.net/2007/04/3...o-ubuntu-while-running-in-parallels-for-os-x/

 

[R.Youden]

Thanks for that.

Do you know how to get from the screen shot back into Ubuntu?

Thanks

 

[mkrishnan]

If you have GRUB options, you can choose the "recovery" mode from there to boot in text and then fix it; if you don't, you can use an Ubuntu live CD....

 

[R.Youden]

Yeah I have the Live CD. Is there an options in Parallels to boot from the CD?

Sorry I am proper new to the Linux lark!

 

[mkrishnan]

Try holding escape as soon as Parallels starts to boot Ubuntu? I'm not sure.

 

[jackiecanev2]

From what it looks like, you are trying to configure an ATI card? Is it a last gen MBP, ie what is your card, and did you change all of your XGL configuration settings (I'm assuming that you were using a guide, as most do) and did you try changing your session to XGL?

I've never used Ubuntu in Parallels, but I've got the demon ati-x1400 card (which is not ubuntu friendly), and I've been running ubuntu complete with beryl and whatnot for a awhile and I love it. Why, if might ask, are you trying to virtualize ubuntu??

ps: grub and dual booting is probably preferable, and definately easier...

 

[jackiecanev2]

http://wiki.cchtml.com/index.php/Ubuntu_Edgy_Installation_Guide

forget that it's for edgy, it will work on feisty. AND, i forgot to mention that if you really have a program with feisty, install edgy first. then install your card, then upgrade to feisty. edgy doesn't have the same boot problem with the ati cards that feisty does. how all of this works in parallels, i don't know.

and check out www.ubuntuforums.org for some help if you need it.

 

[Guy Incognito]

You might also have better results with VMWare Fusion (currently a free Release Candidate) than with Parallels. VMWare's Linux support is robust, whereas Parallels's is pretty flaky.

 

[R.Youden]

Thanks for your help.

I need Linux for a university project and I just thought that Parallels would b the easiest way to go!

Anyway; I go fed up with the whole thing so I un-installed everything and tried again... Now when I boot of the Ubuntu CD I get the following message (at the end of the post). Now when I try to install (Ubuntu into Parallels rather than using the Live CD option) it freezes at about 15%.

Any help, thanks...

 

[mkrishnan]

Are you winging it and trying to install Ubuntu under Parallels on your own, or are you following one of the sets of directions? In my first reply, the second link (I think) is a full guide for Ubuntu under Parallels... I'd recommend that you start over and follow it explicitly, to the letter, inasmuch as possible. From what I read, it seems a little bit complicated to get this setup to work, although you can definitely do it.