Wireless Internet in India

I'm in Kerala. Internet comes via a Wireless USB Modem. Specifically 'TATA Indicom CDMA 1x USB MODEM'.

To get it up and running, I just needed to 'gedit /etc/wvdial.conf', change it thus (I got this from someone else's blog!):

[Dialer Defaults]
Init = ATZ

[Dialer TATA]
Modem = /dev/ttyACM0
Modem Type = USB Modem
+FCLASS=0
ISDN = 0
Baud = 460800
Phone = #777
Dial Command = ATDT
Init1 = ATZ
Init2 = AT+CRM=1
Username = internet
Password = internet
stupid mode = 1

Linux sees my modem on ttyACM0 - yours may differ.

Now do 'sudo wvdial TATA'

Presto, Internet! It's a bit scrappy - it would be nice to have a flashy internet icon in the tray instead of an ugly terminal. So I installed gnome-ppp. Filling out the boxes with the above info (didn't need all of it), it runs perfectly*!

(*might need a restart)

VirtualBox - XP and Vista in Ubuntu

Ive been in Linux (flavour = Ubuntu) 3 weeks now. Linux has no continuous speech recognition. I have RSI (hurty hands). I *need* this. XP & Vista have it now. So I've just torrented an XP ISO from here:

Download Unmodified Original Windows XP with SP3 Integrated Full Retail and VL Install CD ISO Image from MSDN/TechNet Plus via HTTP or Torrent » Tip and Trick

..., installed VirtualBox

• Install dkms
  There's a kernel module vboxdrv that interfaces between the linux kernel and VirtualBox
  
  (irc.freenode.net#vbox) Oct 29 12:20:19 Ohmu: The DKMS package is indeed something what Dell proposed. This package keeps track of kernel changes and will recompile kernel modules on demand.
  Specifically, it'll recompile vboxdrv.
  
  
• spud@spud-laptop:~$ uname -r
  2.6.24-21-generic
  ... so I have to install package: virtualbox-ose-modules-2.6.24-21-generic
  
  
• Logout, login
  
  
• spud@spud-laptop:~$ /etc/init.d/vboxdrv setup (start?)
  
  
• Run VirtualBox, follow the wizard, specify the ISO as the CD drive, make a shared folder
  

Amazing, XP installs & is up in a window. I have sound, internet...

www.calvinshub.com/2008/08/25/how-i-removed-the-windows-xp-sp3-activation/

and presto!

Now I want my VirtualXP to see the shared folder

• Devices -> Install Guest Additions
  (It'll need a reboot)
  
  
• In VirtualXP, Start -> Accessories -> Terminal
  C\Blah> net use x: \\vboxsvr\MyShare
  (... or whatever the name for your shared folder is)
  C:\Blah> x:
  X:\>
  

Now test it:

x:\> echo wibble > wob

Go back to linux and have a look...

spud@spud-laptop:~/.VirtualBox/Machines/VirtualXP/share$ ls
wob

I'm going to share my external USB hard drive.

spud@spud-laptop:~/.VirtualBox/Machines/VirtualXP/share/SamHDD$ ln -s /mnt/SamHDD

Great! It has write permissions too!

Vista
I have a copy on my portable HDD of the Vista DVD. (not an ISO). By running the setup.exe from XP, I've replaced my XP with Vista.

Install Guest Additions the same way.

Had to look at (VirtualBox)->Devices -> Shared Folders to check the name of the shared folder. Then Windows Explorer -> right-click on Network -> Map Network Drive, and stick in \\vboxsvr\whateveritwas

I did some fannying around clicking stuff in control panel. Turned User Account Control off. Then set public/private network, file-sharing on etc. Don't know if it was needed. Feedback welcome!