checklist

general help / a step-by-step tutorial

Postby mattz » 4. Jul 2008, 14:39
The parameter "RunAtDomain=" MUST NOT BE EMPTY, OR ELSE VBoxVmService WILL FAIL!

If you are not running within a domain-controlled environment, paste your local computer's name here (e.g. "RunAtDomain=winserver" -- as always: no quotes here or anywhere else within the .INI-file!!!!)

'This is my .INI file (works like a charm):

Code: Select all   Expand view
    [Settings]
    ServiceName=VBoxVmService
    PathToVBoxSDL=C:\vbox\VBoxSDL.exe
    PathToVBoxVRDP=C:\vbox\VBoxHeadless.exe
    PathToVBoxManage=C:\vbox\VBoxManage.exe
    RunAsUser=vboxuser
    RunAtDomain=winserver
    UserPassword=vboxsecret123
    [Vm0]
    VmName=ubuntuserver-dev
    CommandLineUp=c:\vms\startup.exe 0
    CommandLineDown=c:\vms\shutdown.exe 0
    WorkingDir=C:\vms
    StartupMethod=vrdp
    ShutdownMethod=savestate
    VrdpPort=3389



Some comments:

The host-machine's hostname IS "winserver".
There is an actual user-account on this local system: "vboxuser" (that's the login-name!)
This user-account "vboxuser" has administrative privileges (or else VboxVmService will not run!).
A password has to be set for the user' account! In my demo-case, this password is: "vboxsecret123". Passwords on Windows are case-sensitive!

I used the account "vboxuser" to create the virtual machines, that are to be controlled by the service. This user has to have FULL ACCESS to the Machines' configuration data as well as their .vdi-files!
Any hardlinks in the filesystem point to the original VirtualBox.xml-file that was created for this user and is located at: "C:\Documents and Settings\VboxUser\.VirtualBox\VirtualBox.xml".

Double check, that you have:
---------------------------------------------------------------
- Microsoft Windows 2003 Resource Kit Tools
- Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime (version 2005 or later)
- Microsoft Dotnet Framework 2.0

installed on your host machine.



Checklist:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

0. set your host-computer's name to "winserver", save & reboot

1. create a local user "vboxuser" with admin-privileges

2. secure this account with the password "vboxsecret123"

3. log out of your winbox

4. log on to the system as "vboxuser"

5. fire up your virtualbox-application

6. create a vm called "vmtest" for testing purposes and install some linux within

7. start the vm "vmtest" - make sure that it works alright

8. shut down the vm

9. uninstall VBoxVmService if you have it installed:
type: VboxVmService.exe -u [ENTER] in a command-prompt

10. unzip a fresh copy of the latest vboxvmservice-package to "c:\vms"

11. open a command prompt

12. type:
del "C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\.VirtualBox\*.*" [ENTER]

13. type:
del "C:\Documents and Settings\NetworkService\.VirtualBox\*.*" [ENTER]

14. type: fsutil hardlink create "C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\.VirtualBox\VirtualBox.xml"
"C:\Documents and Settings\vboxuser\.VirtualBox\VirtualBox.xml" [ENTER]

14a. type: fsutil hardlink create "C:\Documents and Settings\NetworkService\.VirtualBox\VirtualBox.xml"
"C:\Documents and Settings\vboxuser\.VirtualBox\VirtualBox.xml" [ENTER]

15. type: cd c:\vms [ENTER]

16. type: notepad VBoxVmService.ini [ENTER]

17. delete all contents within the ini-file, then paste the following:

Code: Select all   Expand view
    [Settings]
    ServiceName=VBoxVmService
    PathToVBoxSDL=C:\Path\to\your\VirtualBox\install\VBoxSDL.exe
    PathToVBoxVRDP=C:\Path\to\your\VirtualBox\install\VBoxHeadless.exe
    PathToVBoxManage=C:\Path\to\your\VirtualBox\install\VBoxManage.exe
    RunAsUser=vboxuser
    RunAtDomain=winserver
    UserPassword=vboxsecret123
    [Vm0]
    VmName=vmtest
    CommandLineUp=c:\vms\startup.exe 0
    CommandLineDown=c:\vms\shutdown.exe 0
    WorkingDir=C:\vms
    StartupMethod=vrdp
    ShutdownMethod=savestate
    VrdpPort=3389



18. update "C:\Path\to\your\VirtualBox\install\" to match your local system's setup, save the file and quit notepad

19. type: VBoxVmService.exe -i [ENTER]

20. open up the windows taskmanager, change to the process tab and check the option "show processes for all users"

21. switch back to the command prompt and type: startup_cli.exe 0 [ENTER]

22. you should be seeing several "cmd.exe" processes appearing and disappearing within taskmanager's process list. "VBoxSVC.exe" should come up first, then "VBoxHeadless.exe"

23. all done