VirtualBox

Blast from the ActiveX past by way of iDRAC6

Recently we acquired a Dell PowerEdge R610. It’s got the goodies and we plan on running a bunch of VMs on there for shits and giggles.

But beware if you’re trying to use iDRAC6. It’s a nifty technology for sure but it has left behind by the Internet moving forward. Now, there are plenty of guides out there on how to get it to work in “modern” settings i.e. Windows 10, Linux ≥ 2020:

But it was this comment that turned us on to the real solution for this:

First we need to obtain and configure a VM for our purposes:
1. Go to Virtual Machines – Microsoft Edge Developer and download the VM for your platform of choice. Since iDRAC6 is from 2008 we went with a Windows 7, IE8 32-bit VM; as we want the ability to manage this from a local workstation we went with a VirtualBox VM.
2. Import it into VirtualBox. You may want to adjust the hardware settings and give it a bit more RAM.
3. Turn it on. You may want to adjust the graphical settings.
4. Open IE and go to the iDRAC IP address or URL. We’ll use https://idrac6.lan. Click Continue to this Website (not recommended).
5. Once the site loads, on the top right go to Tools → Internet Options → Security tab → Trusted Sites. Click the Sites button.
6. In the “Add this website to the zone” enter the iDRAC URL, e.g. https://idrac6.lan. Click Add.
7. Make sure to remove the checkmark from Require server verification (https:) for all sites in this zone.
8. Click Close, then click OK to close the Internet Options window.

Next we need to configure iDRAC:
1. Login to iDRAC.
2. On the left menu make sure you’re in the System menu item.
3. On the top of the main pane go to Console/Media → Configuration.
4. Configure the Virtual Console:
– Enabled: Checked
– Max Sessions: 4
– Remote Presence Port: 5900
– Video Encryption Enabled: Remove this checkmark
– Local Server Video Enabled: Checked
– Plug-in Type: Native. This is the specific setting that makes iDRAC6 choose between ActiveX or Java.
5. Leave Virtual Media on teir defaults.
6. Click Apply
7. Log out of iDRAC, close IE.

At this point you should be able to connect to the virtual console:
1. Open IE and log back into iDRAC.
2. Go to the System left menu, then on the top tab menu go back to Console/Media.
3. Click Launch Virtual Console. IE will freeze for a few moments while it talks to iDRAC and then it will request permission to install the ActiveX control. It will freeze again while it’s installing. Once everything is done the Virtual Console should start it. If it doesn’t or it’s too slow (like moving at >5 FPS), close IE, log back into iDRAC, and restart the virtual console.

Now you have a functioning VM that can give you longer term access to iDRAC6 servers without having to deal with Java bullshit… at least until the iDRAC6 default certificate expires in June of 2024

iDRAC6 - Configuration page, with CA Root Certification Information for the website showing an expiration date of 2024/June/03

When you reboot the VM Windows 7 will download a whole bunch of updates but you should be able to keep using the virtual console. Just make sure to take a snapshot of the VM and you should be good to go.

A fair warning is also necessary:


DO NOT USE THIS VM TO ACCESS THE INTERNET. YOU WILL GET HACKED


We also tried to use the virtual console with Video Encryption enabled but we couldn’t get it to work.

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VERR_CPUM_INVALID_HWVIRT_CONFIG

The error message from Virtualbox reads:

"Cannot enable nested VT-x/AMD-V without nested-paging and unresricted guest execution!

(VERR_CPUM_INVALID_HWVIRT_CONFIG). "

Encountered this error when trying to run any VM under VirtualBox Version 6.0.12 r133076 (Qt5.6.2). I’m assuming all versions of VBox are affected when running under Windows 10.

Looking around the web found this reddit post where this solution is proposed:

PS C:\Windows\system32> bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype off

On my system (Windows Version 10.0.18362.329) it didn’t ask for a reboot but even after rebooting VirtualBox still didn’t work. That’s when I remembered I had enabled the Virtual Machine Platform option in the “Turn Windows Features on or off” section of Programs and Features. Disabling this feature and rebooting allowed Virtualbox VMs to boot without issues.

Here’s how to disable the option through PowerShell with Admin rights:

PS C:\Windows\system32> Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -online -FeatureName VirtualMachinePlatform

I’m not sure if other Hyper-V options would affect VirtualBox in the same way but it’d seem they do. Posting up here mostly so it doesn’t get lost in social media link morass.

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VirtualBox 2.0.6

Actualicen. Hace que Las Cosas Funcionen.

Ahorita tengo mi Nokia E62 conectado a una instancia de WinXP si tener que hacer trabajo adicional aparte del que ya había hecho. Así que todo bien.

Mi iPod de tercera generación también funciona! Los añorados días de Winamp + ml_ipod han regresado. Ya nada de sufrir con Amarok o Rhythmbox! Una razón menos para probar Songbird!

Esto, señores, es Progreso.

No quiero sonar tan condescendiente… pero la mayoría de los programas en Linux todavía les falta un tramo por avanzar, es todo. Me siento mas cómodo utilizando Winamp + ml_ipod, así que si existe una oportunidad de usarlos, la tomaré.

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VirtualBox 2.0.6

Do upgrade. It makes things Just Work.

Right now I’ve got my Nokia E62 connected to a WinXP instance without having to do any additional work than what I did before. So it’s all good now.

Hey! My third gen iPod works too! The halcyon days of Winamp + ml_ipod have come back. No more suffering around with Amarok or Rhythmbox! Even less reasons to try Songbird!

This, my friends, is Progress.

I don’t want to sound too condescending… but most music software on Linux still have some ways to go, is all. I’m most at home with Winamp + ml_iPod, so if there’s any chance I can use that, I will.

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Direcciones IP estaticas en Ubuntu 8.10

Parece que no soy el único que ha tenido broncas con NetworkManager 0.7 en Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex.

Yo acabe por quitar NetworkManager por dos razones:

  • Necesitaba que mis maquinas virtuales tuvieran acceso a la red local (con Host Networking) en VirtualBox.
  • Los servidores DNS de mi ISP valen pa’ pura madre. Les gusta apuntarse el trafico entre si en un circulo vicioso a cada rato, dejando a todos sin una conexión al internet funcional.

Para configurar Host Networking me encontré un bonito tutorial en el wiki de Documentación de la Comunidad Ubuntu. Los conflictos comenzaron después, ya que note que mi conexión al internet se torno inestable y solamente reiniciando el sistema podía recuperar la conexión.

De ahí esta la situación con los nameservers de mi ISP(Telnor). Fallan por lo menos una vez a la semana y son lentos como la chingada, así que quería configurar mis alternos preferidos de OpenDNS. Lo malo fue que a NetworkManager no le parecía la idea y rehusaba aceptar una configuracion manual. Al tratar de declarar los nameservers manualmente, sobre-escribe el archivo /etc/resolv.conf cada vez que el sistema inicia.

Así que después de lidiar con estas patrañas por un par de días desinstale NetworkManager y puse mi solución en launchpad.

Tengo una configuración de red rara en la cual el módem DSL actúa como el servidor DHCP principal para computadoras conectadas con Ethernet y WiFi. Dado que alkhemy no tiene tarjeta WiFi, estoy usando mi router WRT54G(DD-WRT) como un puente inalambrico; conecto alkhemy al router via Ethernet, el router se conecta al módem DSL via WiFi, por lo cual no hay necesidad de que el sistema “mantenga viva una conexión a toda costa” (tomado del man page de NetworkManager). También tenia la duda de si las maquinas virtuales podrían conectarse a la red sin problemas y si el router podría lidiar con ellas sin darse un tiro; Me puedo saber satisfecho ya que no he tenido problemas después de tener esta configuración por una semana.

Ojala y se arreglen los problemas con NetworkManager mas pronto que tarde. No estoy seguro si otras distribuciones de Linux estan siendo afectadas por esto, pero si lo estan puede que el problema empeore. Ya esta llegando la hora en que Ubuntu tenga una edicion concentrandose en arreglar bichos en lugar de agregarle cosas nuevas. Pero yo que se.

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Ubuntu 8.10 Static IP addresses

It looks like I’m not the only one to have run into difficulties with NetworkManager 0.7 in Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex.

Myself I was forced to get rid of NetworkManager for two reasons:

  • I needed my virtual machine instances to have Real Networking (better known as Host Networking) in VirtualBox.
  • My ISP’s DNS servers suck. They like to point traffic to each other in an endless loop from time to time, leaving everyone without an internet connection.

To setup Host Networking I found a nice tutorial in the Community Ubuntu Documentation wiki. However, after that I noticed some strange stuff happening with my Internet connection, as all access would be lost and only a reboot would get the machine to go back online.

Then there’s the question of my ISP (Telnor) nameservers. They fail at least once a week and are slow as hell, so I wanted to configure my preferred alternates from OpenDNS. Problem was NetworkManager was having none of that, as it will rewrite /etc/resolv.conf on every single boot.

So after dealing with this nonsense for a couple of days I got rid of NetworkManager and posted my solution to launchpad.

I have a weird network setup, in which the DSL modem acts as the main DHCP server for both wired and wireless hosts. However, since alkhemy has no wireless card, I’m using my WRT54G(DD-WRT) router to act as a wireless bridge; I connect alkhemy to it via Ethernet, the router connects to the DSL modem via WiFi, so there’s no need for my computer to actively work on “keeping a connection alive at all costs” (from the NetworkManager man page) There was the question whether the virtual machines would be able to network and whether client router would be able to deal with them without barfing; I’m happy to say I haven’t encountered any issues after running everything for a week.

Hopefully someone will get around to fix these problems with NetworkManager sooner rather than later. I’m not sure if other Linux distributions are being affected by this, but if they are it’s going to get messy. It’s getting to be time Ubuntu had a release concentrating on bug-fixes rather than adding on features. But what do I know.

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VirtualBox en Ubuntu 8.10

Al fin me arme una computadora nueva (mas de eso después). Le puse el RC de Intrepid Ibex como sistema operativo y ha funcionado de maravilla. Para ser un release candidate, ha funcionado mejor que Hardy (el cual duro instalado por ahí de 20 minutos antes de que me enfadara).

Como tengo suficiente CPU y RAM para un par de maquinas virtuales instale VirtualBox 2.04. Agregue el siguiente repositorio en Synaptic modificando los existentes en la pagina de descargas deVirtualBox:

deb http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian intrepid non-free

Ya con eso instale el programa después de que Ubuntu se quejara de una firma inexistente. El atajo de VirtualBox no es agregado al menú de GNOME hasta que reinicias el sistema o reiniciando la sesión de usuario. Ejecute el programa con

VirtualBox

en una ventana de Alt+F2. Aguas con las mayúsculas, son necesarias.

De ahí instale una maquina virtual de WinXP y le instale los componentes de Guest OS. Pero cuando trate de configurar las conexiones USB en el Host, me dio el siguiente error:

Could not load the Host USB Proxy Service

El mensaje de error tiene mas información, pero esta es la parte importante y lo que la gente busca en Google. Encontré bastantes tutoriales y un montón de artículos relevantes, pero el que me dio la solución fue este.

Lo que termine haciendo fue agregar mi usuario al grupo vbusers (dice este articulo)

sudo adduser $USER vboxusers

Después agregue esto al /etc/fstab:

none /proc/bus/usb usbfs devgid=46,devmode=664 0 0

Reinicie el sistema, inicie la maquina virtual y todo funciono. Antes de hacer todo esto trate usando el VirtualBox OSE que ya esta en los repositorios de Intrepid pero necesito el soporte a dispositivos USB. Luego no vayan a decir que no apoyo al Software Libre.

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Virtualbox on Ubuntu 8.10

So I finally built a new computer (more on that later). Put the Intrepid Ibex RC on the system and it’s been working flawlessly. For a release candidate, it’s working out much better than Hardy (it was installed for about 20 minutes).

Since I’ve got enough CPU and RAM to put a couple of VMs, went with VirtualBox 2.04, which I got ahold of by adding the following repository in Synaptic, which I kludged from the VirtualBox downloads page:

deb http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian intrepid non-free

Then installed the program after fussing with a dialog box reporting a missing signature. The program launcher doesn’t get added to the GNOME menu until you either reboot or logout and log back in to your session. Launched the program with

VirtualBox

with Alt+F2. Mind the capitalization. It matters.

Then installed a WinXP VM, then installed the Guest OS components. But when getting around to configuring USB on the VM Host, I got this error message:

Could not load the Host USB Proxy Service

There are more details, but this is the important part and what people are looking for on Google. Found a lot of tutorials and a ton relevant articles, but the one that pointed out the solution was this one.

What I ended up doing was adding myself to the vbusers group (per this tutorial):

sudo adduser $USER vboxusers

Then adding this to my /etc/fstab:

none /proc/bus/usb usbfs devgid=46,devmode=664 0 0

Rebooted, started up the VM, and everything worked. Now, I did try out the VirtualBox OSE in the Intrepid repositories, but I do need the USB support so don’t begin ranting I don’t support Open Source.

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