Linux and Virtual Machine

There is always a place for lost subjects who apparently don't fit the previous forums. This is the one...
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hqc001
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2012 8:47 pm

Linux and Virtual Machine

Post by hqc001 »

Hello,
I intend to switch from XP to Linux. To continue ti use Birdiesync I consider following steps:
1. create a XP Virtual Machine with Birdiesync installed
2. create and use contacts and calendar with Thunderbird on a Linux disk
3. install Samba on both Linux and XP VM so that XP can read files on Linux
4. run Birdiesync in the XP VM to synchronise Thunderbird and my Android phone

Does anybody already used such a confoguration?
What do you folks think of such a schema?

Thanks for your thoughts and ideas.

cbhihe
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Nov 16, 2008 11:27 am
Location: Barcelona, Spain

Re: Linux and Virtual Machine

Post by cbhihe »

I don't quite understand what you want to do with Samba.
i) Samba is not *the* solution for window to be able to read (and write) on a Lx volume; ii) Samba is "old".

Just configure your Lx r/w volume as a FAT32 or NTFS or, better yet, as an ext3 formatted volume normally used by Lx on your hard disk(s)...
In the latter case you will have to install a very small and very free and open source app, Ext2FSD, on your Win VM. It allows you to read Ext3 partitions
from Windows by mounting them permanently in Win (provided they are on a fixed HD, not an external one).
If your dual access partition is on an external volume, you can still use ext2FSD but you must load it, execute it and keep it running
in a shell every time you boot your Win VM.
Stay clear from ext4 Lx partitions for the time being, if you want a shared access from Win. It is not a robust solution for window reads and writing from Win may seriously corrupt the partition.
This forum is not the place to get into details on Linux configs. The fact is I am your first reply in almost a week.
Better try your luck on any of the many Linux fora on Internet. Some are excellent.

BTW, I never tried to run BirdieSync from a Win VM, but it should be feasible. However it means that you will also need to.
- execute an instance of Tb on your VM
AND
- share address books and Lightning calendars
AND
- therefore probably also share profiles and emails between them.
IMHO it can be done, but tread carefully.

@ Birdie:
This does not however deal satisfactorily with the fact that there is no Linux port of Thunderbird as of yet !
Nobody in the BirdieSync Team seems to be able or to want to state a clear policy in terms of either:
A) "BirdieSync intends to roll out a Lx port on such and such a date."
or alternatively :
B) "BirdieSync has no intention at present to work on a Lx port for BirdieSync."
Laptop: Dual boot Win XP SP3 || Linux Trusty Tahr (LTS)
Cell: OS Android 4.1.2

hqc001
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2012 8:47 pm

Re: Linux and Virtual Machine

Post by hqc001 »

Thanks cbhihe,
thought Samba would be useful but Ext2FSD will be more practical.
I will try quite soon and will post results of those tests.

I agree with you, Birdisync should be ported to Linux.

cbhihe
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Nov 16, 2008 11:27 am
Location: Barcelona, Spain

Re: Linux and Virtual Machine

Post by cbhihe »

@hqc001:

Samba is good if you want to configure services on a server, that rely on Unix/Linux user privileges for file access.
The uptake is that for clients to access a networked volume, it is completely irrelevant whether said volume and clients share the same file systems.

Using Samba on a Linux/Windows PC for a local user to access an ext3 internal disk partition is like squashing a bug with a Minuteman.
Not only would the setup be too complex for such a simple task, but it would occupy HD space, RAM and slow your machine down. Don't do it.

Use Ext2FSD with Ext3 formatted partitions for Linux. Do not use the more richly endowed Ext4; it would not work well...
With Ext3, yo can expect some overhead on read/write operations from the Window side.

Cheers.
Laptop: Dual boot Win XP SP3 || Linux Trusty Tahr (LTS)
Cell: OS Android 4.1.2

hqc001
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2012 8:47 pm

Re: Linux and Virtual Machine

Post by hqc001 »

Thanks for the infos.

One can hear experience speaking.

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