Virtualisation and networking

[Roger Oberholtzer]

On Mon, 2008-04-14 at 16:48 +1000, Keith Antoine wrote:
> So I am back once again to see if I can get running with linux and my 
> photography. Now you will be receiving some painful mail
> due to a greater lack of brain cells that last time I was on the list: 
> Oh yes! do you realise I am older too ??
> 
> First up I have had a rebuild but this is probably the last and this was 
> brought about by the new Quad cpu's and the fact that they
> now run virtualisation natively. So I thought that I would install 
> opensuse10.3, also install and run VitualBox, Vmware or Wine.
> Comments please on these and how they have altered over the past 2 years 
> as Vmware looks complicated as to when I last ijnstalled
> it. What is Vitual box like and will wine run Photoshop CS3, Lightroom, 
> OnOne 4. Also their associated plugins but if the main program
> will run I guess the plugins will too. I also have DVB T card Nebulae 
> that I would also like to run.

I can say that I run VirtualBox on OpenSUSE 10.3 and am satisfied. It is
an alternative to vmware. You need to install an OS, like XP or Vista.
One nice thing with virtualbox is that it can run XP (Vista?) so that
the Windows  menu bar at the bottom is drawn at the bottom of your Linux
desktop. When you start a windows app, it runs in a window just like a
native app. Of course, you can still have a Linux window with the usual
complete windows desktop. I think access to locak folders is far easier
to set up on virtualbox. It just works. vmware have a few hoops that
make this less than obvious to set up.

> Now to get to the real nitty gritty: Installed opensuse no real hassles 
> except that I cannot get the network to run. The modem activity is not lit.
> HARDWARE:
> MB: Gigabyte x38-ds4
> NIC: Realtek RTL8168/8111 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet

I do not know if this is supported. On OpenSUSE, you can have a network
device handled in the traditional way, as well as allow it to be
configured via a desktop icon accessible by users. For a non-wireless
nic, it defaults to the traditional way.

Although there is no activity light, is there a link light? That should
light when there is a physical connection, independent of the OS
software status.

> 
> The nic is built into the mb as per most newer boards. I was most 
> suprised to find everything else was recognised including the DVB-T card
> however AFAICS there isn't any routing, which would account for no 
> activity light. Did try and swap to usb but still no light and no internet.
> Now once upon a time I could do the routing tables but not any longer as 
> I just forgot all I knew. Not being able to access the net from opensuse
> does not help either.
> 
> Is there a known problem with this board and nic ? The real problem is 
> that I can accsess the net from windows and get info but when I reboot I 
> cannot
> nowadays remember as the short term memory is now shot for good, sleep 
> aponea does not help either and getting going each day is difficult.
> 
> Anyway guys, its GREAT to grow old, not that I am doing that. Just where 
> should I start ?

Find if the board is supported. What does /var/log/messages say? It
should tell that the board was found, and what it tried to do with it.

> 
> Thanks
> 
> P.S are those two grumpy Ba.....s still around ? Kurt and Lonnie :))
> 
-- 
Roger Oberholtzer

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