Installing eLxr with VirtualBox

About This Task

Once you have downloaded the eLxr 12 image file, you can install it with VirtualBox as described in this procedure.

For eLxr Server images, you have the option of installing a console-based system, or a desktop environment, such as GNOME or XFCE, and the window manager, such as GDM2 or lightdm.

For eLxr Edge images with OSTree, to take advantage of OSTree functionality, you must perform additional configuration to complete the installation as described in this procedure.

Before You Begin

  • You must have an eLxr 12 image. For details, see Downloading the eLxr Image.

  • You must have VirtualBox, version 7, installed on your Linux, Mac, or Windows host.

Procedure

  1. From the VirtualBox interface, select Machine > New to open the Create Virtual Machine window. Enter the image name, the folder where you want the VM to reside, and the location of your downloaded ISO image, then click Next.

    Note

    For eLxr Edge OSTree-based images, select Skip Unattended Installation.

    ../../_images/create-virtual-machine-window.png

  2. In the Hardware window, accept the 2048 default for for memory, and optionally select the number of CPUs. You must select the Enable EFI (special OSes only) option. Click Next.

    ../../_images/set-memory-processors-select-efi.png

  3. In the Virtual Hard Disk window, select Create a virtual hard drive and specify at least 5GB. Click Next.

  4. In the Summary window, verify your information and click Finish.

    ../../_images/create-virtual-machine-summary-window.png

    The eLxr 12 image will now display in the VirtualBox interface with the status of Powered off.

    ../../_images/vbox-interface-with-elxr-image.png

  5. From the main VirtualBox interface, ensure that your eLxr image is selected, then click Start. What happens next depends on your image type.

    • The eLxr Edge 12 live image will boot directly to a shell with a root@debian:/# prompt. You must specify the installation media location and optionally set drive and kernel parameters to complete the installation. For details, see see Edge OSTree Installation.

    • The eLxr Server 12 image will boot to the Installation selection window. Here you can choose whether you want a graphical or console-based installation.

      Note

      This image also performs an automatic installation if you do not select an option quickly. Once the options are available, use the UP or DOWN arrow keys to halt the timer.

    ../../_images/install-select-installation-type.png

    For this procedure, select Graphical install, then press ENTER.

    Note

    The Graphical install option only refers to the installation steps. You will have the options for eLxr Server installations to choose a graphical desktop. The installed eLxr Edge image is console-based.

  6. Work your way through the installation prompts to complete the installation. You will be prompted to provide the following information:

    • localization information, such as language, country, and keyboard type

    • a hostname for the system and additional networking information

    • a root password and additional user account

    • clock and timezone

    • guided or manual disk partioning - select Guided - use entire disk, then select All files in one partition

    You will manually need to select Yes to write the partition(s) to disk to continue.

    The installation will continue until all base components are installed.

    ../../_images/install-files-installing-until-complete.png

  7. Choose whether you want to scan additional media to include in the APT Package Manager’s package sources. If you do not have any additional source repositories (default), select No, then click Continue.

    ../../_images/install-select-package-sources.png

  8. If you require a HTTP proxy to access the Internet from your eLxr image, enter the proxy address and port information. If you do not require a proxy, leave the filed blank. Click Continue.

    ../../_images/install-http-proxy-for-package-manager.png

  9. At the Software Selection window, choose any additional software options. By default, the installer selects Debian desktop environment, GNOME and standard system utilities. This installs the GNOME desktop with a standard set of utilities. To install a different window manager, deselect GNOME and select another from the available options.

    Optionally select other software, then click Continue.

    Note

    If you select more than one desktop environment, a window will prompt you to choose a preferred window manager.

    ../../_images/install-software-selection.png

    The installer will add the additional components and finish up.

    ../../_images/install-finishing-the-installation.png

  10. When the Installation complete window appears, click Continue to reboot the virtual machine and restart the eLxr image.

    ../../_images/install-installation-complete.png

  11. On system restart, select the kernel option you want to use from the GRUB menu, either standard or rt (real time). You will only have a moment to make this selection.

    ../../_images/install-complete-reboot-kernel-console.png

    Important

    The kernel option you choose will become the default for your system. Only choose the rt kernel if the system requires deterministic processing.

  12. Once it boots, log in as root or as the user you set up to continue.

    For console-based installations, log in from the terminal.

    elxr-server login: root
Password:
Linux elxr 6.1.0-32-amd64 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC eLxr
6.1.129 elxr3-1 (2025-05-21) x86_64

The programs included with the eLxr Linux system
are free software; the exact distribution terms
for each program are described in the individual
files in /usr/share/doc/*/copyright.

eLxr Linux comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY,
to the extent permitted by applicable law.

    For desktop installations, log in from the desktop manager login prompt, for example, GNOME:

    ../../_images/install-gnome-login.png

    Optionally select the Applications icon to view available desktops and applications.

    ../../_images/install-gnome-default-apps.png

Edge OSTree Installation

Once you initially boot the image, the Enter shell for manual install prompt will display. To complete the installation, you must as a minimum specify the installation drive as described in the following steps.

  1. Identify the disk or media you want to install eLxr to with the lsblk command. In this example, the installation disk designation in sda. You will use this option in the next step.

    # lsblk

NAME     MAJ:MIN  RM      SIZE  RO  TYPE  MOUNTPOINTS
loop0      7:0     0    816.3M   1  loop  /usr/lib/live/mount/rootfs/filesystem.squashfs
                                          /run/live/rootfs/filesystem.squashfs
sda        8:0     0        7G   0  disk
sr0       11:0     1      891M   0  rom   /usr/lib/live/mount/medium
                                          /run/live/medium

  2. Set the disk designation in the /usr/share/installer/manifest.yaml file. Note the drive designation from the previous step is set to /dev/sda.

    # sed -i "s|disk: .*|disk: /dev/sda|g" /usr/share/installer/manifest.yaml

  3. Optionally update the /usr/share/installer/manifest.yaml file to set disk parameters and kernel options.

    # vi /usr/share/installer/manifest.yaml

  4. Run tiler to complete the installation.

    # tiler install --config /usr/share/installer/manifest.yaml

  5. Restart the system.

    # shutdown -r now

  6. Once the reboot completes, log in to the system using root for the user name and password.

    localhost login: root
Password:
Linux elxr 6.1.0-32-amd64 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC eLxr
6.1.129 elxr3-1 (2025-05-21) x86_64

The programs included with the eLxr Linux system
are free software; the exact distribution terms
for each program are described in the individual
files in /usr/share/doc/*/copyright.

eLxr Linux comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY,
to the extent permitted by applicable law.

  7. Optionally update the system.

    # apt-ostree upgrade

Results

Now that your eLxr 12 image is running with VirtualBox, you can install a package or packages from the eLxr 12 package repository. For details, see Adding and Updating Packages.