Is there a way to install virtualbox-ose without X11?

http://burnz.wordpress.com/2008/09/04/how-to-setup-headless-xvm-virtualbox-on-ubuntu-server/

Implys it can be ran on an X-less OS>

http://burnz.wordpress.com/2008/09/04/how-to-setup-headless-xvm-virtualbox-on-ubuntu-server/

Implys it can be ran on an X-less OS>

VirtualBox Open Source Edition in Ubuntu (virtualbox-ose) doesn't actually have either of those packages as a direct dependency. It depends on a number of X11 libraries (which is probably what pulls in x11-common), and it *recommends* (but does not depend on) virtualbox-ose-qt. Having those X11 libraries doesn't require that you have a full X11 installation, and certainly doesn't require that X11 be running. Those libraries make it possible to run VirtualBox via "ssh -X", for example; in that case, the client would have to have an X11 installation, but the server would just have to have that small set of libraries. The package x11-common itself is only 640 kB when installed and only provides the base framework for an X11 installation; it does not actually provide X11. See http://packages.ubuntu.com/maverick/x11-common. Please note that I am not advocating attempting to run VirtualBox via "ssh -X"; for a virtual machine with a graphical user interface, that would probably perform unsatisfactorily.

As for Qt, the "recommends" relationship between packages causes the recommended package to be automatically installed unless there is a conflict, but does not prevent the recommending package from being installed without it. You can instruct your package manager to install virtualbox-ose without installing virtualbox-ose-qt. If you want help doing this, please post again (and indicate what package management tool you're using, e.g., Synaptic, aptitude).

With that said, your ability to use virtualbox-ose without X11 would be severely impeded by the fact that the Open Source Edition of VirtualBox does not support VRDP. VRDP is one of the proprietary components. This may be why virtualbox-ose in Ubuntu has its x11-related dependencies.

If you are willing to use proprietary virtualization software, and your use of the software is personal or educational or you're willing to pay a license fee, then you can use the full version of VirtualBox.

Please note that the virtualbox-ose package in Ubuntu provides major version 3 of VirtualBox. For example, VirtualBox 3.2.8 is provided in Maverick. However, VirtualBox is now in the 4-series. I bring this up because if you're going to install VirtualBox from an alternative software source (to get the proprietary components), you'll probably want to install the latest stable version (currently 4.0.2). But while VirtualBox 3 is available in two editions--a FOSS edition (OSE) and a proprietary edition--that is not the case in VirtualBox 4. Instead, the one and only edition of VirtualBox 4 is free open source software, and the proprietary components can be added in by installing the Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack (see http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Editions). The VirtualBox website's download page for Linux-based host platforms (http://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads) provides instructions for installing VirtualBox 4.0.2; Ubuntu is a Debian-based distribution, so you should scroll down to that section.

I don't know whether or not those VirtualBox 4 packages declare dependencies on those same X11 libraries, but either way, if you want to use VRDP, you'll need either the proprietary version of VirtualBox 3 (i.e. not virtualbox-ose), or VirtualBox 4 plus the Extension Pack. If for some reason you want to use the proprietary version of VirtualBox 3 instead of VirtualBox 4, it is also available on the VirtualBox website.

If you need any further assistance, please feel free to post again.

Finally, please note that while http://burnz.wordpress.com/2008/09/04/how-to-setup-headless-xvm-virtualbox-on-ubuntu-server/ may provide useful information, actually following those instructions would result in running an extremely old version of VirtualBox.

Hi *,

thanks a lot for your answers. The point that VirtualBox 4.x is by default free if one don't add proprietary extensions was new to me. I'll have a look at it.

The point is that I want to setup a virtual server without GUI (neither host nor guest) and as it is for professional reasons the proprietary 3.x PUEL doesn't help me (mi boss is not really eager to spend money for software licenses and I personally prefer FOSS).

Sorry, I didn't check which package was a dependency and which one was only recommended. I was just surprised about the X11 and Qt dependencies.

Thanks again!

Running with this command ..
 apt-get install dkms virtualbox-4.2 --no-install-recommends

.. pulls in a lot less deps (the --no-install-recommends part).

(Note: I am using the Oracle apt-repo).