Slackware 11, build 3036

Discussion in 'Parallels Desktop for Mac' started by johnoyler, Dec 12, 2006.

  1. johnoyler

    johnoyler Member

    Messages:
    27
    When I boot up, the USB mouse isn't automatically being attached to the VM. Until I go to Devices->USB->Apple Optical USB Mouse, the VM can't use it (even with the correct kernel modules loaded). Clicking inside the window that this point steals the pointer from OSX, and control+alt releases it.

    If I manually activate the mouse, clicking inside the window then works. However, I neither get the statusbar message that control+alt will give the mouse back nor does it work. Nothing short of shutting down the VM completely or apple+Q will give the pointer back to OSX.

    I have no such problems when running XP.

    Anyone have any suggestions?
     
  2. johnoyler

    johnoyler Member

    Messages:
    27
    Well...

    Some times it feels like I'm invisible. Ignore the slackware part, people. Please, if I've not given enough information, or the wrong information, enlighten me. If you've had similar problems but have no solution, let me know. I hate being the only damn post that never receives replies for weeks on end.
     
  3. johnoyler

    johnoyler Member

    Messages:
    27
    Some tricks I've figuered out already.

    My main reason for using Parallels, is to be able to use those browsers not native to OSX. Particularly IE and Konqueror. Since OSX native Konq is still buggy (but installable/runnable), linux seemed like the solution to this. But I don't really care for a full linux environment.

    To that end:

    To have X run at startup (not an issue for those of you that use more GUI-oriented distributions), simply include a

    /usr/X11R86/bin/startx

    In your ~/.bashrc file. As soon as you log in, it will start up.

    Now, to not have to login at all, you'll want to make some alterations to your /etc/inittab file. Make sure you're using a getty like "mingetty" which should be available for most distros. Replace the console line with something like this:

    c1:1235:respawn:/sbin/mingetty --autologin username tty1

    Now, that will attempt to login automatically after bootup. Still, it will prompt you for a password. To remove that, you're going to need to open up /etc/passwd and look for the line that has your username.

    Most systems that use password shadowing (which is pretty much all of them at this point), will have the line looking something like this:

    username:x:5:5:group:/home/username:/bin/bash

    All fields are delimited by colons, the second field will always be "x". Delete the "x" so that the line looks like this:

    username::5:5:group:/home/username:/bin/bash

    Now, that account will have no password. Autologin will login automatically, loading X immediately afterwards.

    Now, to start Konqueror. I don't really want a full blown window manager, and technically, we don't need one at all, if we only want to run a single app. Open up ~/.xinitrc, and delete everything in it. Then replace with the following (maybe changing the path, if your distro installs Konq somewhere else):

    #!/bin/bash
    exec /opt/kde/bin/konqueror -geometry 1024x768-0+0

    Change the geometry based on the resolution you've set X up with. The 0+0 positions it at the top left, btw. When starting X/Konq like this, there is no window manager. No titlebar up at the top of it, no borders... Konq *is* the window manager. For Parallels, this means it looks almost like an OSX app. You only see OSX's titlebar up there. If it weren't for the Parallels statusbar at the bottom, it *would* look like one.

    Now, say you've screwed something up. You never get a chance to fix things, since it tries to do all this autologin stuff. Wait until Konq starts, then using the Location menu, quit Konq. This will drop you out of X (since you just killed the window manager). You can then make any changes you need to make from the console.

    You can of course optimize the boot sequence to speed things up. Mine goes from start to Konqueror in less than 16 seconds. Getting it down to something like 5-10 seconds oughtta be possible.

    If only I could get the mouse working in linux though, without screwing things up.
     
  4. spook

    spook Bit poster

    Messages:
    8
    have you looked to see if your mouse in parallels is recognised as a ps2 (/dev/psaux) device? that was my solution....
     
  5. Ynot

    Ynot Pro

    Messages:
    387
    Parallels do not grab mouse and keyboard physically, so there are some points:

    1. Inside guest OS keyboard and mouse are connected via PS/2 interface.
    2. You can connect your mouse as USB device, but then you will not able to realize it with Ctrl-Alt combination.
     

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