Boot Helper Virtual Machine

[CarolineM]

We have computers in computer labs at Schools and we want each student to have their own Sugar, with their Journal and their data.

One way to accomplish this is to install some variety of virtual machine that works like the Boot Helper CD. That is it starts the boot but it looks to the USB for identity and files.

Currently for our Boston Pilots we need this for.

Windows 2000
MacOSX

I am listing this as a blocker because if we could get this to work it would be a huge step towards getting kids using Sugar at the GPA School.  http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/GPA

Note that in this case we have access to the machines so we can manually install anything. We do not necessarily need the same solution for both OSes. We don't necessarily need one-click easy install.

Also note that the student Mac Laptops do not have parallels software. Teachers do, but the new student laptop cart does not.

[CarolineM]

Put example use case here:  http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Gardner_Pilot_Academy#Enhancement_Tickets

[sascha_silbe]

Bulk change distribution=SoaS -> component=SoaS

[satellit]

 http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Emulator_image_files#VirtualBox

Virtualbox Prebuilt Appliances seem to Work well on intel Mac's

[satellit]

Another suggestion: Put the individual Student's Virtual Machine Appliance on a their USB stick and open it from the Mac or Windoz machine running VMplayer or Virtualbox.( Note that USB sticks are about 10x slower than HD install.) Then the student can open it on any machine at home or school. Plus the Appliance can be copied (or exported in Latest Virtualbox) from the stick for a backup.

[satellit]

Suggestions:

1_) Install Virtualbox on USB and use it to open files on 2nd USB (Easy to do with Persistence file )
Use appropriate Boot CD (below to Boo)t USB

2_) Build a Remix with Virtualbox installed to Autostart. ( I am not sure how) Burn Remix .iso; then Boot CD with "C" on Mac; point Virtualbox to Student's files on a separate USB

Look at:

 http://people.sugarlabs.org/Tgillard/soas-3-boot-test.txt
 http://people.sugarlabs.org/Tgillard/soas-3-boot-test.iso
 http://www.wronkiewicz.net/soas-4-boot-test.iso

How to make a bootable USB using only Mac:
 http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Sugar_Creation_Kit#Building_a_bootable_USB_using_a_MacBook_Air

[satellit]

This may be the nicest. and simplest, solution:
 http://wiki.sugarlabs.org/go/Mac_OS_X-Boot_USB_with_Virtualbox#Running_Soas_files_on_a_2nd_USB_in_Virtualbox_3.2_installed_on_the_MacBook_Air

[pbrobinson]

This release of Sugar on a Stick is end of life. Please test against the latest version of SoaS available at  http://spins.fedoraproject.org/soas/

If the problem still exists please open a new bug report detailing the issues in the new release or post to the mailing list.

Please join the mailing list at  http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/soas for assistance or questions about Sugar on a Stick.