Problems with demo VM

[lloydsystems]

Hi,

I am hoping to implement opsi on CentOS 6, if I can successfully work around the dependency on Samba 3 - I am running Samba 4 AD.

I decided to try the demo VM to learn about installation and setup of opsi. I downloaded the current (4.0.2) opsidemo VM and opened it in VMware Workstation 6. The VM booted and entered the setup routine, where I provided all details. After the VM rebooted I found the following problems:

1. No X-windows/desktop - only tty - even though the guide said there should be a GUI.
2. German language, even though I was sure I selected English.
3. Keyboard mapping all screwed up - probably related to item 2.
4. No networking. Could ping the VM's own IP but nothing else.

Assuming I must have been half asleep and done something wrong, I blew away the VM and started again, but got exactly the same result. Next I tried importing the VM instead of opening it, and went through the setup routine again. This time I still had problems 1, 2 and 3, but now the network was functioning. At least now I could ssh into the VM with a keyboard that works! I managed to find all the files to edit to fix the language and keyboard issues. I really don't like Debian and its retarded offspring like Ububtu - everything is in the wrong place, called the wrong thing and works the wrong way.

But I still can't get X-windows to work. I get a splash screen at boot up, but LightDM fails and it drops back to tty. The log files are no help - it just reports 'illegal instruction'. I have tried many different things including
- aptitude update
- aptitude safe-upgrade
- Installing VMware tools
- Reinstalling LightDM
- Switching to gdm
- Installing video drivers (don't know why in a VM, but getting desperate)
The list goes on, but nothing works. And searching the internet for solutions to a Ubuntu problem, you can look at 100 sites with 100 different reasons and fixes, none of them any good.

Not that I'm desperate for X-windows, but without it you can't run opsi-configed, which makes it difficult to test opsi. Eventually I found I could run the opsi-product-updater which downloaded an opsi-admintools package including opsi-configed. This I copied from the depot share to a Windows client and could run it! This is not really clear from the manuals what to do. It's sort of there, but in different places - like a jigsaw puzzle.

A demo VM should 'just work' out of the box. Yes, you have to read the instructions, and I do, but you don't expect these issues. I have it working (without X-windows) but it has taken 100 times longer than it should have. At least this may help the developers or anyone else who finds these problems.

Regards,

Stephen Jones

[d.oertel]

Hi,

I'm very sorry about your experience. The VM does normally run out of the box with out any problems and it is tested many, many times.
But we will recheck again with an english setup.

regards
d.oertel

[koepkek]

Hi

we have tested our VM with english setup again and habe no problems.
There is an Xfce as X-Desktop installed. The language of 1stboot-script is english, also the Keyboard-mapping. It seems you have another problem. The VM is created on VMWare Workstation 6 and works also on VMWare-Player and Virtuell Box.

I'm sorry, but I have no idea, what's wrong at your installation.

regards

Karsten Köpke

[lloydsystems]

Hi,

I, too, am at a loss to explain it. I am sure you tested your VM, but I did it 4 times - 3 with full workstation and 1 with player only - and got the same thing every time. I managed to fix everything except for X-windows. LightDM just fails every time and I can't find the reason for it. I won't waste any more time on it because everything else is working and I'm quite happy to use the console - I never install X-windows on servers. I have opsi-configed running on a Win7 VM.

So far from my testing I really like opsi and I am looking forward to implementing it. Just waiting to sort out compatibility with Samba 4.

Thanks for your efforts.

Regards,

Stephen Jones