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Re: [LUG] Installing Debian / Devuan in a VM on Windows 10

 

On 03/09/18 20:07, Henry Bremridge wrote:
> On Mon, Sep 03, 2018 at 06:57:20PM +0000, mr meowski wrote:
>   
>> Honestly it's hard to see how you could possibly be going wrong... It
>> really is just clicking on a couple of obvious buttons in a GUI.
>>
>> Details? There are also a million billion HyperV guides out there
>> ranging from guru to complete beginner.
>>
> Thank you
> 
> Reasons: I have to have windows but I find it really difficult to use after
> debian. Otherwise frankly I would scrub the windows and just use Debian
> 
> I will try again tomorrow evening, and try and look at the millions of
> websites. last two times it was "cannot find boot". I know I am doing
> something silly and it is driving my nuts.

Make 100% sure you've enabled the virtualization settings in the laptop 
EFI - they are often disabled by default. If you 'know' that's not the 
problem then double check because you might still be wrong.

If you don't know HyperV well it's incredibly easy (arguably simpler, 
especially in terms of it's basic user interface than VMWare or VBox) to 
get the hang of just by clicking about in in a little bit. If you don't 
know it well but are familiar with another virtualization platform, 
especially VBox, just use that instead: _especially_ if your plan is to 
install an entire Debian system as a VM and run it in fullscreen mode 
all the time for daily operations. Despite Microsoft's best efforts 
mainlining their drivers into the Linux kernel HyperV still isn't the 
best choice for that kind of fullscreen, 3D, always-on environment. If 
that's what you're aiming for definitely use VBox instead, and if you 
know VBox at all, run away screaming from HyperV. Not only that but 
completely uninstall it from the laptop as well, it'll clash with other 
virtualization platforms and prevent one or the other running.

On the other hand if you want the ease and convenience of your native 
Debian apps but on a Windows system, there are much better choices.

https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Microsoft/Windows/SubsystemForLinux

https://chocolatey.org/

There are native windows applications for all the things you asked for: 
shells, vim, latex and spreadsheet functionality. If it's just the 
actual Windows operating system and desktop paradigm you're struggling 
with, I'd suggest sticking with it. There are far, FAR more similarities 
between a generic Linux desktop and a generic Windows desktop than 
differences. The vast majority of keyboard shortcuts work the same, 
there is a cursor you move with a mouse and click on icons, a friendly 
menu with all your tools in, a clearly accessible $HOME folder for your 
stuff... Except for largely pointless bells and whistles I don't 
actually see much except cosmetic differences between BSD, Mac, Windows, 
UNIX and Linux desktops once you're actually sat in front of them: I 
mean they're all *still* using the same desktop paradigms that have been 
around for what, 30 odd years?

If I were you I'd just stick with the Windows 10 system and enjoy 
playing with and learning something (for you at least) different. It's 
good enough for ~90%+ of the rest of worlds users to manage after all, 
how difficult can it be?!

Cheers

PS> That weak CPU and 4Gb of RAM are going to suck for running a VM by 
the way - if the laptop doesn't at least have a SSD just forget it.
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