Should work with ubuntu as the main box. I think they are talking about more intensive video applications like gaming, because the VM os doesn't have direct access to the hardware, but this should work for just streaming video over IE..although I have not done it myself. I have my main machine dual booted with ubuntu and 7 atm.
On Sat, Dec 19, 2009 at 12:02 PM, Michael Fernando <michael....@gmail.com>wrote: > Looking for list opinions. Yes, I know that it will be all over the place, > but that's what I'm looking for, I guess. > > Currently I have two old Dell boxes. (1) Primary: Optiplex GX270 running > Ubuntu Linux. Yes, it is my primary as I'm a server admin and work with > remote servers all the time. Most used apps are Terminal (for ssh sessions > with X, ie: ssh -Y), Firefox, audacious (to listen to mp3s in the > background). (2) Secondary: Dell Dimension 8200 running Win XP. Used most > of the time to watch streaming video that requires IE. This is the reason > I > have to have a Windows machine. Also used to watch DVDs w/ VLC media > player > or watch sites like pbs.org (occasionally). Two machines have two > monitors, > but I use a KVM switch to share kbd/mouse. > > I've finally received a Dell Optiplex 960 w/ 4Gig of memory. I'm thinking > of replacing both machines with this single box. > > Option 1: Run 64-bit Ubuntu on the physical machine, install Sun VirtualBox > and create a virtual machine to install either Win XP or Win7. People say > that video will suck on the virtual Windows machine since it will use the > video driver from VirtualBox. Anyone doing this? (watch steaming video on > a virtual Windows machine?) Does anyone know if VirtualBox can assign a > physical video card to a virtual machine? (If so, I can purchase another > video card.) If I go this route, I will connect two monitors to the two > video outputs and run the virtual machine in full-screen mode in one > monitor. I can get rid of the KVM switch. > > Option 2: Run 64-bit Windows 7 on the physical machine, install Sun > VirtualBox software and create a virtual machine to install Ubuntu. > Streaming video won't suck since Win7 will use the correct drivers for the > physical video card. But, now my primary machine--the linux one--will > depend on a Windows machine with all that implies. I'm a Unix/Linux guy, > so > by definition, I'm not a WFB. So, putting all my eggs in a single Windows > basket doesn't appeal to me all that much. Other than that, any other > pitfalls I'm likely to encounter? Yes, this will also mean running the > virtual machine in full-screen mode in one monitor and I can get rid of the > KVM switch. > > Option 3: Please suggest. > > (I must run 64-bit OSes, at least as the host OS, to take advantage of all > 4Gigs of memory, correct?) > > Thanks in advance for suggestions/opinions. > > > ************************************************************************* > ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** > ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** > ************************************************************************* > ************************************************************************* ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *************************************************************************
