Windows 7 Ultimate + OpenSUSE 11.2 (Seamless)

This is a demonstration of Windows 7 Ultimate as a host operating system with a custom OpenSUSE 11.2 (Gnome) installation on top in seamless application mode running in a Virtualbox with paravirtualization. What you see in this video is how it looks like even on a slow-ass notebook and what makes it interesting. Sorry for lame video quality, I used my mobile to film it because I was too lazy to pollute my host OS with questionable shareware that might probably not be able to film all screen contents because of the video driver wizardry.

Some interesting facts about this installation:

- The virtual machine autostarts into console-only window mode, effectively giving you a full-featured internet server and firewall that consumes only 24mb of ram. It uses bridged networking to access the internet. Windows can be instructed via a single click to re-route traffic through linux, effectively putting it behind the virtual machine for maximum security and features (e.g. traffic shaping, source-based routing), expanding your Windows 7 computer to an enterprise-grade internet router/server at the same time.

- When entering 'gui' at the linux login prompt, an Xorg server with Gnome will be started, waiting for you to hit RSTRG+L to go into seamless application mode, enabling *nix applications for your windows desktop with full 3D and Sound support. When done using gnome apps, the Xorg server can be unloaded again to free massive ram and giving you back the console-only virtual internet server in window mode.

- Usage of full compiz-fusion effects are possible. However in seamless mode, cubes and other virtual desktop fancyness are not used so that there is no interference with your active and visible windows desktop. Actually, you don't see the linux desktop at all, only the taskbar, linux will integrate into your windows desktop (as demonstrated in the video). Compiz effects will be used for application windows only. You need to hack video drivers and Xorg to make Compiz work with the latest version of Virtualbox and OpenSUSE 11.2, it's been a damn pain in the ass.

- After shutting down the virtual machine, the Windows 7 host OS can be instructed via another single click to route internet traffic directly again, putting it back into normal connectivity mode. If Windows 7 is needed to connect to the internet (e.g. WLAN), the virtual machine can be run in NAT mode (no router features possible, in that case this installation can be instructed to boot directly into seamless gnome by issueing a simple command to enable or disable the autostart of the gnome desktop).

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Windows 7
• OpenSUSE 11.2
• Virtualbox
• Paravirtualization
• Seamless Application Mode
• Seemless Application Mode
• Compiz
• Internet Router
• Internet Server
• Virtual
• Virtualization
• NAT
• bridged networking
• Xorg
• Gnome
• beryl

[arkorum]

I see you play eve : )

[csrpazzi]

that seems like ubuntu portable but with opensuse.

Ubuntu Portable lets you execute linux software on a Windows desktop and only shows the gnome menu like you are showing the menu bar from suse.

[Evi1M4chine]

Why would you taint your Linux with nasty Windows? BTW: You dont need a fast machine to use Compiz with a VM. You only need a fast machine because shitty Windows eats up all your resources for its pointless bling and criminal DRM shit.

But as I see youre a Facebook user. Which already makes you a subhuman anyway.

[gychang00]

how is this done?, seamless win7 and linux

[3vilalex]

sry, just read the description :D

anyways, how can i do this?

please tell me what it's called so i can search for a tutorial, or give me a link

thanks so much

[3vilalex]

wow, very nifty

does compiz work with it?

this is interesting

thanks