Linux

[Lucky Luke]

Well, I have a new computer, a AMD 64X2 @ 2.4Ghz and 2gb ram. So now I can run virtualbox, with win XP in it, and that way run PDS on win XP without the need to reboot. It works really fine.

Hi, its great to see you visiting our forum. Why not try Proton Compiler for FREE? Download the FREE version of Proton Compiler, Its called Amicus18 and its available from HERE Already using proton Compiler??? Get rid of these pesky messages... get LICENSED USER STATUS

Here is how to get it working:

Download virtualbox. You need the USB support, so the OSE won' t do. The OSE can be found in add/remove (in Ubuntu), the closed source version (with USB suport) can be found here: http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads.

Follow the instructions on Virtualbox.org to install it. Then make a new virtual machine, get the settings right (like serial ports on /dev/tty0, adding a new USB filter for the spark-key-dongle, getting yourself the right user acount permissions, adding a line to a configfile to get USB working, etc.) Howto can be found here: http://www.ubuntugeek.com/howto-inst...b-support.html If you want to run WinXP in VirtualBox give it more RAM than in the Howto, something around 1gb will do, but do not give it more RAM than your computer has installed and be sure to keep some for Ubuntu itself. Also the virtual harddisk should be a bit larger, like 5gb.

To use a serial port PIC programmer like the WISP, go to the serial port settings, fill in /dev/tty0 as port path, and select host serial port.

Good luck!

[Darlington]

Ben is whipping out is LPKF willy already ; lol

He he. Why not..

@ Luke

I might give that a bash. Thanks mate

[brown]

I have spent hours trying to get VMWare and/or VirtualBox to use the sparkey dongle. It has been the same old story about "A Service installation section on this INF is invalid" on both virtualization programs, in windows 98 and XP clients -with Linux hosting it.
I tried every inf and suggestion I could find. Finally I got it to work in VirtualBox, I used the vista32 spark key files and changed the inf as follows:

...picbasic.org says that my inf is an invalid file and wont take it, so I've tried to attach it as a zip,
Here it is as code as well:

 
[Version]
Signature="$CHICAGO$"
Class=USB
ClassGUID={36FC9E60-C465-11CF-8056-444553540000}
provider=%MSFT%
LayoutFile=layout.inf
DriverVer=08/05/2007,5.00.2064
CatalogFile=sparkey.cat
 
[Manufacturer]
%MfgName%=Microsoft
[Microsoft]
%USB\VID_01b4&PID_0f1f.DeviceDesc%=BULKUSB.Dev, USB\VID_01b4&PID_0f1f
[PreCopySection]
HKR,,NoSetupUI,,1
[DestinationDirs]
BULKUSB.Files.Ext = 10,System32\Drivers
[BULKUSB.Dev]
CopyFiles=BULKUSB.Files.Ext
AddReg=BULKUSB.AddReg
[BULKUSB.Dev.NT]
CopyFiles=BULKUSB.Files.Ext
AddReg=BULKUSB.AddReg
[BULKUSB.Dev.NT.Services]
Addservice = SPARKEY, 0x00000002, BULKUSB.AddService
[BULKUSB.AddService]
DisplayName    = %BULKUSB.SvcDesc%
ServiceType    = 1                 
StartType      = 2                 
ErrorControl   = 1                 
ServiceBinary  = %10%\System32\Drivers\sparkey.sys
;LoadOrderGroup = Base
[BULKUSB.AddReg]
HKR,, DevLoader,,"*ntkern"
HKR,, NTMPDriver,,"sparkey.sys"
[BULKUSB.Files.Ext]
sparkey.sys
 
;---------------------------------------------------------------;
[Strings]
MSFT = "spark ltd"
MfgName = "spark ltd"
USB\VID_01b4&PID_0f1f.DeviceDesc = "SparK Usb Key "
BULKUSB.SvcDesc = "sparkey driver"

I think what made it work was I uncommented these parts:

 
;CopyFiles=BULKUSB.Files.Ext

but I am not certain since I was changing it all over.
I hope this can help save somebody else a couple of hours of misery.
Regards,
Jon

[Lester]

Hi all, i've been following this thread with interest.

On the Amicus forum, i made a, little offer:

We'll give an Amicus Board or any Crownhill shield or a surprise box of goodies - your choice - to the first person to produce an article on how to get Amicus fully running in a Linux environment.

I'll extend that offer.

For the first, comprehensive article on how to get proton up and running reliably (with sparkey) within a Linux environment, i'll arrange a refund of the current price of PDS.

All I'll want is a comprehensive article and maybe a few attachments if required, a VM would be great or Winebottle etc

Anyway, first come first served, seems like youre pretty close. I dont mind if two of you collaborate on the article and go 50/50 or if one goes after the Amicus offer see: http://www.myamicus.co.uk/showthread...ighlight=linux

[Lester]

Originally posted by user BROWN, Edited by Admin to fix a fromatting issue.
Promoted to an article in the LINUX section of the WKI.
if you try this method and it works, please post your confirmation, User Brown could be a winner !!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

First, follow Lucky Luke's instructions:

Download virtualbox. You need the USB support, so the OSE won' t do. The OSE can be found in add/remove (in Ubuntu), the closed source version (with USB support) can be found here: http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads.

Follow the instructions on Virtualbox.org to install it. Then make a new virtual machine, get the settings right (like serial ports on /dev/tty0, adding a new USB filter for the spark-key-dongle, getting yourself the right user account permissions, adding a line to a configfile to get USB working, etc.) Howto can be found here: http://www.ubuntugeek.com/howto-inst...b-support.html If you want to run WinXP in VirtualBox give it more RAM than in the Howto, something around 1gb will do, but do not give it more RAM than your computer has installed and be sure to keep some for Ubuntu itself. Also the virtual harddisk should be a bit larger, like 5gb.

To use a serial port PIC programmer like the WISP, go to the serial port settings, fill in /dev/tty0 as port path, and select host serial port.

One thing to mention is that for USB, the linux user account you are using needs to be a member of the vboxusers group, here is a quote from the documentation:

On newer Linux hosts, VirtualBox accesses USB devices through special files in the file system. When VirtualBox is installed, these are made available to all users in the vboxusers system group.

Instead of bothering with that, I just run "sudo VirtualBox" sudo may not be appropriate for some people!

After that, extract the windows vista spark key driver from the beta forums and replace the inf file with this one here.
If you don't have access to the beta forums you can probably just use the sparkey.sys from your CD. - I misplaced my CD...
Plug in the spark key and when it prompts you for the location of the drivers, direct it to where you saved the spark key drivers, like on your desktop.

if you prefer VMWare, the spark key works using the same INF file as above. I have tested it.

In VirtualBox, I installed XP using a restore CD for my Dell laptop.
In VMWare, I used a Windows XP Pro CD.
both installs went without a hitch
I gave XP 512 MB Ram and it works fine.
Performance is just fine, in VirtualBox I can also run Netflix! VMWare was kinda jerky with Netflix on my computer.

[brown]

Here is a new link to the INF attachment
Due to a formatting issue with my old post, the old link became invalid.

Regards,
Jon