15b Headless Ubuntu Desktop install [solved]

Good day Crew,

I am pulling my hair out here: In trying to install the latest Ubuntu LTS desktop, I can vnc into the GNU/GRUB Ubuntu Try/Install screen - but as soon as I attempt to try or install the screen pops up: NO VNC.

Any advice for setting up a headless KVM Ubuntu VM?

P.S. I had earlier betas running XEN ubuntu headless... but XEN proved not stable enough for my needs.

<domain type='kvm'>
  <name>Ubuntu</name>
  <uuid>ed6934a3-f9f6-dc5b-2e22-9edcd283083f</uuid>
  <description>CrashplanHost</description>
  <memory unit='KiB'>4194304</memory>
  <currentMemory unit='KiB'>524288</currentMemory>
  <memoryBacking>
    <nosharepages/>
    <locked/>
  </memoryBacking>
  <vcpu placement='static'>2</vcpu>
  <cputune>
    <vcpupin vcpu='0' cpuset='2'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='1' cpuset='3'/>
  </cputune>
  <os>
    <type arch='x86_64' machine='pc-i440fx-2.2'>hvm</type>
    <loader type='pflash'>/usr/share/qemu/ovmf-x64/OVMF-pure-efi.fd</loader>
  </os>
  <features>
    <acpi/>
    <apic/>
  </features>
  <cpu mode='host-passthrough'>
    <topology sockets='1' cores='2' threads='1'/>
  </cpu>
  <clock offset='utc'>
    <timer name='rtc' tickpolicy='catchup'/>
    <timer name='pit' tickpolicy='delay'/>
    <timer name='hpet' present='no'/>
  </clock>
  <on_poweroff>destroy</on_poweroff>
  <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
  <on_crash>restart</on_crash>
  <devices>
    <emulator>/usr/bin/qemu-system-x86_64</emulator>
    <disk type='file' device='cdrom'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='raw'/>
      <source file='/mnt/cache/docker/vm/iso/ubuntu-14.04.2-desktop-amd64.iso'/>
      <target dev='hda' bus='virtio'/>
      <readonly/>
      <boot order='2'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x04' function='0x0'/>
    </disk>
    <disk type='file' device='disk'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='raw' cache='none' io='native'/>
      <source file='/mnt/cache/docker/vm/Ubuntu/Ubuntu/vdisk1.img'/>
      <target dev='hdc' bus='virtio'/>
      <boot order='1'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x05' function='0x0'/>
    </disk>
    <controller type='usb' index='0'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x01' function='0x2'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='0' model='pci-root'/>
    <interface type='bridge'>
      <mac address='52:54:00:e2:2b:68'/>
      <source bridge='virbr0'/>
      <model type='virtio'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x03' function='0x0'/>
    </interface>
    <serial type='pty'>
      <target port='0'/>
    </serial>
    <console type='pty'>
      <target type='serial' port='0'/>
    </console>
    <input type='tablet' bus='usb'/>
    <input type='mouse' bus='ps2'/>
    <input type='keyboard' bus='ps2'/>
    <graphics type='vnc' port='-1' autoport='yes' websocket='-1' listen='0.0.0.0'>
      <listen type='address' address='0.0.0.0'/>
    </graphics>
    <video>
      <model type='cirrus' vram='16384' heads='1'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x0'/>
    </video>
    <memballoon model='virtio'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x06' function='0x0'/>
    </memballoon>
  </devices>
</domain>

Good day Crew,

 

I am pulling my hair out here: In trying to install the latest Ubuntu LTS desktop, I can vnc into the GNU/GRUB Ubuntu Try/Install screen - but as soon as I attempt to try or install the screen pops up: NO VNC.

 

Any advice for setting up a headless KVM Ubuntu VM?

 

P.S. I had earlier betas running XEN ubuntu headless... but XEN proved not stable enough for my needs.

 

<domain type='kvm'>
  <name>Ubuntu</name>
  <uuid>ed6934a3-f9f6-dc5b-2e22-9edcd283083f</uuid>
  <description>CrashplanHost</description>
  <memory unit='KiB'>4194304</memory>
  <currentMemory unit='KiB'>524288</currentMemory>
  <memoryBacking>
    <nosharepages/>
    <locked/>
  </memoryBacking>
  <vcpu placement='static'>2</vcpu>
  <cputune>
    <vcpupin vcpu='0' cpuset='2'/>
    <vcpupin vcpu='1' cpuset='3'/>
  </cputune>
  <os>
    <type arch='x86_64' machine='pc-i440fx-2.2'>hvm</type>
    <loader type='pflash'>/usr/share/qemu/ovmf-x64/OVMF-pure-efi.fd</loader>
  </os>
  <features>
    <acpi/>
    <apic/>
  </features>
  <cpu mode='host-passthrough'>
    <topology sockets='1' cores='2' threads='1'/>
  </cpu>
  <clock offset='utc'>
    <timer name='rtc' tickpolicy='catchup'/>
    <timer name='pit' tickpolicy='delay'/>
    <timer name='hpet' present='no'/>
  </clock>
  <on_poweroff>destroy</on_poweroff>
  <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
  <on_crash>restart</on_crash>
  <devices>
    <emulator>/usr/bin/qemu-system-x86_64</emulator>
    <disk type='file' device='cdrom'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='raw'/>
      <source file='/mnt/cache/docker/vm/iso/ubuntu-14.04.2-desktop-amd64.iso'/>
      <target dev='hda' bus='virtio'/>
      <readonly/>
      <boot order='2'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x04' function='0x0'/>
    </disk>
    <disk type='file' device='disk'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='raw' cache='none' io='native'/>
      <source file='/mnt/cache/docker/vm/Ubuntu/Ubuntu/vdisk1.img'/>
      <target dev='hdc' bus='virtio'/>
      <boot order='1'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x05' function='0x0'/>
    </disk>
    <controller type='usb' index='0'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x01' function='0x2'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='0' model='pci-root'/>
    <interface type='bridge'>
      <mac address='52:54:00:e2:2b:68'/>
      <source bridge='virbr0'/>
      <model type='virtio'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x03' function='0x0'/>
    </interface>
    <serial type='pty'>
      <target port='0'/>
    </serial>
    <console type='pty'>
      <target type='serial' port='0'/>
    </console>
    <input type='tablet' bus='usb'/>
    <input type='mouse' bus='ps2'/>
    <input type='keyboard' bus='ps2'/>
    <graphics type='vnc' port='-1' autoport='yes' websocket='-1' listen='0.0.0.0'>
      <listen type='address' address='0.0.0.0'/>
    </graphics>
    <video>
      <model type='cirrus' vram='16384' heads='1'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x0'/>
    </video>
    <memballoon model='virtio'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x06' function='0x0'/>
    </memballoon>
  </devices>
</domain>

i'm not au-fait with reading the xml, but i can try and help you get a running VM.

it's a little convoluted and i'm not certain it's "the way" , but with a lot of help from jonp i got it working.

see here first,

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=39343.msg367095#msg367095

noting that there are two settings in the screenies that were wrong and needed changing for me ,

the cpu mode, i changed to host passthrough and the machine type to i440x

then start the VM, if it goes to the grub screen and pressing enter either results in a lockup or the behaviour you had before, force stop the VM and start again,

what you're hoping to get by doing that is an efi shell, it may take a few goes , it seems there is some "bug" in ubuntu uefi booting.

when you get to the shell , enter the commands in this post.

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=39343.msg367045#msg367045

which should hopefully get you back to the grub prompt and from there you should hopefully be able to select install and proceed.

hope this helps.....

thanks sparky...

starting as a q35, force stop, then starting twice as a i44 gets me to the uefi screen.

entering the commands gets me back to the ubuntu install screen

selecting install ubuntu immediately drops me out to 'No VNC' just like before.

Sad panda face here.

Any other ideas?

thanks sparky...

 

starting as a q35, force stop, then starting twice as a i44 gets me to the uefi screen.

entering the commands gets me back to the ubuntu install screen

selecting install ubuntu immediately drops me out to 'No VNC' just like before.

 

Sad panda face here.

Any other ideas?

a 14.04 server install works, as soon as i try a desktop version of 14.04 i get the same outcome as you, the VM refuses to boot.

i don't know whether there's an issue with UEFI and ubuntu that needs some other fix or not.

THANK YOU!

I am in the installer now -> can always add a desktop to server os

NM: now it moves past the keyboard selection and then says Installation CD-Rom Couldn't be mounted...

at least I have a terminal though...

the VM does NOT like OVMF -> everytime after keyboard selection the cd-rom (iso) file unmounts.  The SEAS bios is moving forward with install however...

This happens in 'Virtual Machine Manager' when I try to create a OVMF image of Ubuntu on my Ubuntu laptop

thanks again sparky --- I still had to jump through some hoops to get the no vnc issue resolved and your hints helped greatly.

the VM does NOT like OVMF -> everytime after keyboard selection the cd-rom (iso) file unmounts.  The SEAS bios is moving forward with install however...

 

This happens in 'Virtual Machine Manager' when I try to create a OVMF image of Ubuntu on my Ubuntu laptop

Please stick to using the webGui provided mechanism for managing virtual machines on unRAID.  It will be much trickier to provide support if you use the VMM tool as it generates it's own XML independent of our tool.

Please stick to using the webGui provided mechanism for managing virtual machines on unRAID.  It will be much trickier to provide support if you use the VMM tool as it generates it's own XML independent of our tool.

I have been using the advanced GUI view -> I thought the code capture would be easier for a post.

Please stick to using the webGui provided mechanism for managing virtual machines on unRAID.  It will be much trickier to provide support if you use the VMM tool as it generates it's own XML independent of our tool.

 

I have been using the advanced GUI view -> I thought the code capture would be easier for a post.

Oh lol. That's not what I thought you meant. I thought you downloaded the open source virtual machine manager software for Ubuntu. It's a separate project.

Oh yes... on a separate note I tried to create a OVMF on an entirely different machine currently running Ubuntu using 14 LTS and received the same problem:  it would bail on a message regarding the cd rom drive not mounting during the install after the keyboard detection/selection! 

FYI, I moved the OVMF vs SeasBios issue over to here:  http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=39378.msg367421#msg367421

I am no expert but I believe it is a Ubuntu issue. By issue I mean they made changes to how VNC works in the 14 versions. 

Kryspy

I am no expert but I believe it is a Ubuntu issue. By issue I mean they made changes to how VNC works in the 14 versions. 

For initial Install I agree... however... first reboot at end of v12 install does not work.  See here: http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=39378.new;topicseen

So has there been a confirmed issue with the latest ubuntu desktop release? Does stall out when at the language screen via VNC. As limetech said, doesn't want us to really edit the XML files manually, since that really doesn't help the automation of what unRaid is aiming for. I've tried several different settings and it just sits at that first install screen, then freezes.

So has there been a confirmed issue with the latest ubuntu desktop release? Does stall out when at the language screen via VNC. As limetech said, doesn't want us to really edit the XML files manually, since that really doesn't help the automation of what unRaid is aiming for. I've tried several different settings and it just sits at that first install screen, then freezes.

Are you talking 15.04?

So has there been a confirmed issue with the latest ubuntu desktop release? Does stall out when at the language screen via VNC. As limetech said, doesn't want us to really edit the XML files manually, since that really doesn't help the automation of what unRaid is aiming for. I've tried several different settings and it just sits at that first install screen, then freezes.

 

Are you talking 15.04?

14.04.2 Desktop release. It was the one they recommended on their site.

So has there been a confirmed issue with the latest ubuntu desktop release? Does stall out when at the language screen via VNC. As limetech said, doesn't want us to really edit the XML files manually, since that really doesn't help the automation of what unRaid is aiming for. I've tried several different settings and it just sits at that first install screen, then freezes.

 

Are you talking 15.04?

 

14.04.2 Desktop release. It was the one they recommended on their site.

It won't install for you?

No, freezes at the first screen, where you select the language. When used on ESXi box it installed in just a few minutes.

No, freezes at the first screen, where you select the language. When used on ESXi box it installed in just a few minutes.

Well dat ain't right...  I had Ubuntu fired up earlier today and it was fine for me, but I'll double check the version when I get into the office tomorrow.

No, freezes at the first screen, where you select the language. When used on ESXi box it installed in just a few minutes.

 

 

Well dat ain't right...  I had Ubuntu fired up earlier today and it was fine for me, but I'll double check the version when I get into the office tomorrow.

Using Ubuntu 14.04.2 LTS desktop release.