Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Xubuntu 6.06.1 LTS VMware Virtual Appliance

(UPDATE: Xubuntu VM has been updated to 1.0.2)


Current Version: 1.0.1

Release Date: 8/30/06
















OS: Xubuntu 6.06.1 LTS
Size: 471MB
VMware Tools: Installed
login: vmware
password: vmware

Download: torrent

Description:
Xubuntu is a complete GNU/Linux based system with an Ubuntu base. It's lighter, and more efficient than Ubuntu with GNOME or KDE, since it uses the Xfce Desktop environment, which makes it ideal for old or low-end machines, as well as thin-client networks.

12 comments:

rxhui said...

The password for sudo is the same password for the user. For the user vmware, the password is vmware.

rxhui said...

That's strange. Here's how things are set up. The VM should boot up automatically and autologin as the vmware user into X. The password for the vmware user is 'vmware'. To execute something as root, use sudo. When prompted by sudo to enter in a password, enter 'vmware'

If you want to switch to the root user, you can run 'sudo su'

You can't run su directly like you can with other distros because the root password is unknown. This is by design in Ubuntu for security reasons; you are never prompted to enter in a root password during installation.

I hope this helps.

gregconquest said...

See my article here
http://tinyurl.com/yxx5wa
in ubuntu forums on vmware ubuntu/kubuntu/xubuntu. I am having a problem changing from the default user, vmware, to me. I want to add myself as the default user, but somehow xubuntu keeps defaulting
to the user "vmware" even though I deleted him. How can I boot into a non-existent user, and why does this xubuntu not ask me to login during boot?

http://tinyurl.com/yxx5wa = http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=1685774#post1685774

rxhui said...

I have no idea how you can boot into a non-existent user. That sounds like a bug to me.

The xubuntu VM is setup to login automatically with the vmware user.

It's configured in:

Applications->System->Login Window->Security Tab

gregconquest said...

Thanks for the reply, rxhui.

I removed the automatic login. Now I seem to be able to login everytime with no problems, but there is still an underlying problem.

I have removed "vmware" as a user and the group "vmware", and in creating the user "greg", I gave him all the powers in the checklist. However, if I go into System -- Users and Groups and attempt to edit the users further, I get this message:

===============
Error
Failed to run users-admin
The underlying mechanism (sudo) does not allow you to run this program. Contact the system administrator.
Close
===============

Trying to use "vmware" as a password fails as well, but as the wrong password.

I am still being locked out by the pre-existing nature of this virtual appliance, right? How can I fully take over this machine, removing all vestiges of the original "vmware" user and making it fully mine?

Greg
PS This is still all being logged in ubuntuforums.org at http://tinyurl.com/yxx5wa

rxhui said...

It looks like you need to be root to make things happy. You can become root by booting into single user mode. The easiest way to do this is to reboot and choose the failsafe option in the Grub menu. If for some reason, it's not there, you can pass 'single' as a kernel option to boot into single user mode. Once in single user mode, run 'startx' and then change what you need to. The default vmware user is in these groups: vmware,adm,dialout,cdrom,floppy,audio,dip,video,plugdev,lpadmin,scanner,admin.
Hope this helps.

gregconquest said...

rxhui said...
You can become root by booting into single user mode. The easiest way to do this is to reboot and choose the failsafe option in the Grub menu.

Wouldn't these xubuntu VM's all have exactly the same boot sequence? In grub, I have:
Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-26-386
Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-26-386 (recovery mode)
Ubuntu, memtest86+
There are no other choices there, other than "c" for command line.

If for some reason, it's not there, you can pass 'single' as a kernel option to boot into single user mode.

It is becoming more and more apparent that this xubuntu VM appliance was designed for a different audience -- IT workers . . . However, I see the VM's as a boon to home users wanting to check into ubuntu and other OS's.

VMware Player was not so difficult to install in Windows. If the xubuntu virtual appliance was accompanied with a minimal FAQ on:
- finding MAC addresses and setting up IP addresses
- personalizing by altering the default identity
it would be easy to recommend to another newbie.

"Pass 'single' as a kernel option"? Please, I see this nowhere. How much of a linux textbook I am going to have to read to begin seeing how to do this?

Disappointed, because this was sooo close.
Greg Conquest

rxhui said...

This option in the Grub menu should put you in single user mode:

Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.15-26-386 (recovery mode)

rxhui said...

gregconquest, thanks for the feedback.
It is my goal to make this VM as easy for new users as possible, but sometimes it doesn't turn out that way. I will revisit your feedback again when I create the next Xubuntu VM release.

gregconquest said...

Thanks rxhui,

I did find some more info here (locally saved; I don't have the url):

If the given root password doen't work, Here is a suggestion I fount in TUX magazine:

All you need to do is reboot the machine. When you are presented with the Grub menu, hit the e key. This will allow you to edit the current boot options. Select the line that begins with 'kernel', hit the e key again to edit that line and add the word single at the end of the line and press the Enter key. Now press b to boot with the modified boot options.

You'll now be presented with the command line. At the command line simply enter passwd and press Enter. You'll be prompted, twice, for a new password.

After you have finished entering the new password, type in exit and press Enter, and the machine will continue booting into the normal process. Your root password has now been changed."

By Robbert, at 2:19 PM


This is for a similar ubuntu virtual appliance. I was able to:
1) change the root password
2) I left "ubuntu" in as a user even though I don't plan to use this ID at all. I'm afraid having an unknown user with pre-existing powers is a security risk.

I am currently upgrading ubuntu to 6.10 and will try this all with xubuntu next.

I'm looking forward to seeing your subsequent VM's :-)

Thanks again,
Greg Conquest

rxhui said...

I updated the Xubuntu VM.

See http://canned-os.blogspot.com/2006/12/xubuntu-dapper-drake-6061-vmware.html

danl said...

Has anyone successfully upgraded to 6.10? When I try to insert a 6.10 CD and enter /cdrom/cdromupgrade, I get permission denied (even if I sudo). Thanks.