Installing VirtualBox guest additions in Mandriva 2010 Spring

In this blog post, I have documented via screen capture how to install Mandriva 2010 Spring. I haven't explicitly mentioned that it was being done in VirtualBox guest machine as it does not really matter much, at least for the most part not unless you have a hardware that is not supported by the distribution out of the box.

Mandriva installed VirtualBox guest additions by default but using OSE.

[timus@localhost bin]$ /usr/bin/VBoxControl -v
3.1.8_OSEr61349

What's nice with VirtualBox is that it is progressing at a very quick pace, releasing an update almost on a monthly basis. Majority of the changes since 3.1.8 are small enhancements and bug fixes. You have two options in keeping current, using OSE version or PUEL version. In this post, I will document updating guest additions based on PUEL.

Online repositories are not setup by default in Mandriva, I believe this is a conscious decision to detect the best connection where the user is located. To setup the software online repositories, drill to "Application Launcher Menu() | Tools | System Tools | Configure Your Computer". This can also be accessed from the Plasma Panel . This functionality requires root privileges. Then, select and open Software Management | Configure media sources for install and update.  Click on Add button, then Full set of sources, then hit on Yes. Wait and relax, this can take several seconds on fast internet connection. Once the update is done, you will be presented with a pre-selected items, the default selection should be fine, so click on Ok button.

While we are in this window, it is not a bad idea to try to update the system for any new version of the software, so do Software Management | Update your system. Follow the screen instructions to update your system. Once done, close Mandriva Linux Control Center.

Next, we have to install linux sources. To accomplish this quickly, we need to drop to CLI (command line interface). Do Application Launcher Menu | Tools | Konsole.

From the console, we need to elevate our privileges to a root user, so:

[timus@localhost ~]$ su
Password: 
[root@localhost timus]# 

Here, we issued su command (super user). Supply the root password as required. You should now see root@localhost.

Next stop, install linux sources and devel packages.

[root@localhost timus]# urpmi kernel-`uname -r |cut -d- -f2`-devel-latest kernel-`uname -r | cut -d- -f2`-devel-`uname -r | cut -d- -f1`

This is a long command, if you like to do it quick do copy and paste.

This should not take long on fast internet connection (8Mbps). We should now be ready to install PUEL VirtualBox Guest Additions. From the main VirtualBox menu, do Devices | Install Guest Additions.... You should get a popup that a media has been plugged in, click on VBOXADDITIONS_x.y.z, then select Open with File Manager. This will mount the virtual cdrom for us.

Figure 1. Open with File Manager.

Now, back to the console, do:

[root@localhost /]# cd /media/VBOXADDITIONS_3.2.8_64453/
[root@localhost VBOXADDITIONS_3.2.8_64453]# ./VBoxLinuxAdditions-x86.run 

Of course, VBOXADDITIONS_3.2.8_64453 maybe different in your system depending on your current version number. If all goes well, you should see something like this:

Verifying archive integrity... All good.
Uncompressing VirtualBox 3.2.8 Guest Additions for Linux........
VirtualBox Guest Additions installer
You appear to have a version of the VBoxGuestAdditions software
on your system which was installed from a different source or using a
different type of installer.  If you installed it from a package from your
Linux distribution or if it is a default part of the system then we strongly
recommend that you cancel this installation and remove it properly before
installing this version.  If this is simply an older or a damaged
installation you may safely proceed.

Do you wish to continue anyway? [yes or no]
y
Attempt to remove old DKMS modules...
Done.
Building the VirtualBox Guest Additions kernel modules
Building the main Guest Additions module                        [  OK  ]
Building the shared folder support module                       [  OK  ]
Building the OpenGL support module                              [  OK  ]
Doing non-kernel setup of the Guest Additions                   [  OK  ]
You should restart your guest to make sure the new modules are actually used

Installing the Window System drivers
Installing X.Org Server 1.7 modules                             [  OK  ]
Setting up the Window System to use the Guest Additions         [  OK  ]
You may need to restart the hal service and the Window System (or just restart
the guest system) to enable the Guest Additions.

Installing graphics libraries and desktop services components   [  OK  ]

If you have made this far, that means that you have updated your guest additions successfully. Reboot the system and enjoy!!!

Note that if you receive new versions of VirtualBox that you only have to do the steps from mounting the guest additions from VirtualBox main menu downwards.

References:
VPNClient - How to configure & install Kernel Headers (link)
~ts