Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Users GuideCopyright 1984-2009 Virtual Bridges, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Table of Contents.................. 1End User License Agreement................. 3PART 1: Win4Lin Pro Desktop.................. 4Welcome to Win4Lin Pro............. 4Host System Requirements: Software............. 4Host System Requirements: Hardware.............. 4Supported Guest Windows Versions.................. 5Installing Win4Lin Pro................. 5Preparing for Installation.................. 6Package Installation.................. 7Package Removal................... 7Package Update................ 8Using the Win4Lin Pro Console................. 8Guest Configurations................. 8Installing a new Session........... 9Removing or Reinstalling an Existing Session............ 9Starting, Stopping, and Aborting Sessions.............. 10Backing up and Restoring Sessions................ 10Adjusting Session Properties................ 16Adjusting System Settings.................. 18Exiting the Console............... 19Running Guest Windows Sessions............. 19Launching a Guest Windows Session....... 19Accessing the Win4Lin Pro Pop-up Menu for Runtime Functions............. 19Using "Floating" Windows Applications............. 21Maximizing the Win4Lin Pro User Experience........... 21Understanding the Virtual Machine Environment................... 23Performance............. 24Accessing the Network From Windows................. 25Printing from Windows................ 26Benefits of "Snapshot" Mode.............. 27Accessing Linux Files from Windows.............. 28Understanding the Virtual "D:" Drive................. 29Advanced/Expert Topics.................... 32Troubleshooting................ 32Windows Installation Issues................ 32Windows Runtime Issues............ 35Appendix A: Using Hardware Virtualization (KVM)............ 35Additional System Requirements for KVM................. 35Loading KVM Drivers............. 36Setting Permissions for the KVM Device....... 36Determining if a Guest Session is Using Hardware Virtualization......... 37Disabling Hardware Virtualization for a Guest Session................. 37Getting Support for KVM................... 38PART 2: Win4Lin Pro VDI.............. 39Overview of Additional VDI Functionality................. 39Multi-session Licensing............... 39Dynamic Renewable Desktops.......... 39Remote Access to Server-based Windows Desktops

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Table of ContentsWin4Lin Pro 5.5 Users Guide

.............. 40Multi-user System Requirements and Scaling

.................. 40Physical Memory (RAM)

..................... 40Swap Space

..................... 40Disk Space

..................... 40CPU Cores

.................. 41Server Density Examples

.................. 42Installing Win4Lin Pro VDI

................ 42Basic Installation and Licensing

............... 42Applying Additional "Bump" Licenses

................ 44Connecting Users to Win4Lin Pro VDI

............... 44Remote Access Methods and Clients

................. 46Controlling Log-in Behavior

.................. 46Fire wall Configuration

.............. 47Remote Display Security and Encryption

.................. 49Provisioning User Accounts

............... 49Static (Stateful) Desktop Sessions

................ 49Dynamic Renewable Destkops

.................... 54Session Management

..................... 55Network Printing

..................... 56Troubleshooting

.......... 56Virtual Bridges Clients, VNC, or RDP Connections Fail

................ 56Multi-user Performance is Poor

........... 56Remote Printing Fails (Virtual Bridges Client Method)

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Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Users GuideTable of Contents

End User License AgreementIMPORTANT - READ CAREFULLY: This Virtual Bridges, Inc. End User License Agreement ("Agreement")is a legal agreement between you (either an individual or a single entity) and Virtual Bridges, Inc. for theuse of the software product Win4Lin Pro.

BY INSTALLING THIS SOFTWARE, YOU AGREE TO THE FOLLOWING TERMS.

The software program(s) and related documentation that you are about to install (collectively, the"Software") are a proprietary product of Virtual Bridges, Inc. By installing the Software, you acknowledgethat you have read these terms and agree to be bound by them. If you do not agree to any of these terms,you should not install the Software, and you must delete all copies of the Software.

1. Ownership: Virtual Bridges, Inc. and its suppliers retain ownership of all patents, copyrights,trademarks, trade secrets and other proprietary rights relating to or residing in the Software. Youacquire no rights, express or implied, in the Software other than the limited right to use the Softwareas expressly specified in this Agreement.

2. License: Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and your payment of the applicablelicense fee, Virtual Bridges, Inc. grants you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, personallicense to use the Software in conjunction with the Linux operating system. You may use the Softwareon a single computer.

3. Use of Microsoft Windows: Virtual Bridges, Inc. does not supply a license for the use ofMicrosoft Windows. You are required to have a Microsoft Windows license and access toMicrosoft Windows installation media to use the Win4Lin Pro Software.

4. Backup Copy: You may make only one (1) copy of the Software solely for backup or archivalpurposes. With the exception of the foregoing, you may not copy the Software.

5. Restrictions: You may not modify or create derivative works of the Software. You may not distribute,sell, assign, sublicense, lease, loan, rent, timeshare or otherwise transfer the Software or your right touse the Software to any other person or entity. You may not remove or alter any trademark, logo,product identification, copyright notice or other notice on the Software. Since the source code for theSoftware constitutes a valuable trade secret of Virtual Bridges, Inc., you may not derive or attempt toderive the source code by any means such as reverse engineering, decompilation or disassembly.You may not permit or cause anyone else to do anything prohibited by this paragraph or Agreement.

6. No Warranty: THE SOFTWARE IS LICENSED TO YOU "AS IS" AND "WITH ALL FAULTS,"WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. VIRTUAL BRIDGES, INC. AND ITS SUPPLIERS DISCLAIMALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED AND STATUTORY, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATIONTHE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ANDNONINFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE QUALITY ANDPERFORMANCE OF THE SOFTWARE IS WITH YOU. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THEEXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES, SO THE ABOVE EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TOYOU.

7. 7. Consequential Damages: VIRTUAL BRIDGES, INC. AND ITS SUPPLIERS SHALL NOT BELIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, EXEMPLARY, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTALOR OTHER DAMAGES OF ANY KIND (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS) UNDER ANY THEORY OFLIABILITY, EVEN IF VIRTUAL BRIDGES, INC. HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OFTHE SAME. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS LIMITATION OF LIABILITY IS REASONABLE, ANDTHAT THIS LIMITATION OF LIABILITY IS A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF THIS AGREEMENTWITHOUT WHICH VIRTUAL BRIDGES, INC. WOULD BE UNWILLING TO LICENSE THESOFTWARE TO YOU. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF CERTAINDAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

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End User License AgreementWin4Lin Pro 5.5 Users Guide

8. Limit of Liability: Virtual Bridges, Inc.s total liability to you arising from the Software or this Agreementshall be limited to the total amount you have paid to Virtual Bridges, Inc. under this Agreement.

9. 9. Government End Users: If you are an agency or instrumentality of the United States Government,the Software and its related documentation are "commercial computer software" and "commercialcomputer software documentation," and pursuant to FAR 12.212 or DFARS 227.7202, and theirsuccessors, as applicable, the use, reproduction and disclosure of the Software and documentation aregoverned by the terms of this Agreement.

10. Term: You may terminate this Agreement at any time by destroying all copies of the Software,whether in electronic form or embodied in a physical medium. This Agreement will terminate immediatelyand automatically if you breach any of the terms of this Agreement. When you no longer have a license touse the Software, you must immediately discontinue use of the Software and erase the Software from yourcomputer. Paragraphs 1, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 12 shall survive termination of this Agreement.

11. Audit Right: Virtual Bridges, Inc. has the right to audit your use of the Software to ensure compliancewith the terms of this Agreement.

12. General: This Agreement is made and entered into in Travis County, and will be subject to the laws ofthe State of Texas, USA, without regard to choice of law principles. If any provision of this Agreement isunenforceable under applicable law, such provision will be deemed modified so as to be enforceablewithin the limits of applicable law and the other provisions of this Agreement will remain in full force andeffect. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between you and Virtual Bridges, Inc. regardingyour use of the Software and may be modified only in a written agreement signed by both you and VirtualBridges, Inc. You must agree to all of the foregoing terms if you wish to install the Software.

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Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Users GuideEnd User License Agreement

PART 1: Win4Lin Pro DesktopThis part of the Users Guide relates to the core features and functions of Win4Lin Pro 5.5 for Linux. It isappropriate for understanding all uses of the product, whether desktop or server. The following topics arecovered in part 1:

Welcome to Win4Lin Pro

Installing Win4Lin Pro

Using the Win4Lin Pro Console

Running Guest Windows Sessions

Maximizing the Win4Lin Pro User Experience

Troubleshooting

Appendix A: Using Hardware Virtualization (KVM)

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PART 1: Win4Lin Pro DesktopWin4Lin Pro 5.5 Users Guide

Welcome to Win4Lin ProWin4Lin Pro is a solution for installing and running Windows desktop virtual machines andapplications on top of Linux. It provides the benefits of virtualization technology without thecomplexities associated with it. Win4Lin Pro does the hard work for you, so you can focus on yourapplication needs and maximize your productivity when working in or migrating to a Linux environment.

The typical usage of the product is to install Windows inside a virtual machine, and then loadWindows applications inside that session. This will allow you to run Windows applications for whichthere is no Linux equivalent, and still maintain your native desktop for the bulk of your work. WithWin4Lin Pro, Windows becomes a guest instead of a control point. It becomes an integrated part ofyour desktop, sharing printer(s), files/folders, and networking with your host Win4Lin Pro system as ifit were just an application.Finally, Win4Lin Pro presents a virtual hardware environment to Windows. Windows never interacts(nor sees) your "real" hardware, which is controlled by your host Linux system at all times. Instead,Windows sees a very consistent set of virtual devices that will not change even if you make changesto your actual system. This keeps Windows more stable and eliminates the risk of Windows crashingyour real hardware. Finally, you should not need to (and must not) install any special device driversinside the virtual Windows sessions, since Win4Lin Pro automatically configures Windows to work onyour platform regardless of what equipment you actually have.

Host System Requirements: SoftwareLinux kernel 2.6.x glibc 2.3 or higher XFree86 or X.org 4.3 or higher

Host System Requirements: Hardware32 or 64-bit Intel or AMD Athlon/Opteron processor, 1.5GHz minimum 512MB of RAM minimum 10GB of free disk space (at least 8GB free in your home directory) Graphics card and monitor capable of 1024x600 minimum resolution CDROM or DVD drive, or access to ISO 9660 CDROM image files

Supported Guest Windows VersionsWindows 2000 Professional or Advanced Server, any service pack except 3 Windows XP Home Edition Windows XP Professional Edition

Media must be bootable retail, OEM, or "Reinstallation" CDROM. Most "Recovery" CDs, or OEMCDs dependent on a specific type of BIOS, may not be installed.

For the most up to date information, including limitations, known issues, and exact guest Windowsmedia support, please see the Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Release Notes.

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Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Users GuideWelcome to Win4Lin Pro

Installing Win4Lin ProIn order to install Win4Lin Pro you will need the following:

root (or sudo) access to your system Win4Lin Pro binary package matching your Win4Lin Pro kernels CPU architecture Windows media, either a supported CDROM or an ISO 9660 CDROM image file

Preparing for InstallationOn Linux, Win4Lin Pro must be able to build device driver modules to provide virtualizationcapabilities. These modules are included with the product, but must be compiled for your hostkernel. This is done automatically. However, certain additional software packages may need tobe installed first, depending on the version of Linux you are using. Typically these packagesrepresent the kernel build "toolchain", and allow device drivers and loadable modules to compileon your system. Specific information for popular distributions is listed below.

Fedora Core, RedHat Enterprise Linux, and CentOS1. Make sure you are connected to the Internet and have applied all system updates;

reboot the computer if you are instructed to do so after updates install 2. Log in as root, or become root with the su command 3. Run the following commands:

yum update kernelyum install kernel-devel gcc

Novell Open SuSE 11, SuSE Linux Enterprise 111. Apply all online updates to your system, and reboot it 2. Open a terminal window, and run the following command:

sudo zypper install gcc make automake \autoconf kernel-source kernel-headers

The above command is 2 lines, but may be entered in a single line if you remove the /character. Be sure to enter your password when prompted.

If for any reason you have problems with these steps, please refer to the file /usr/share/doc/packages/kernel-source/README.SUSE on your computer.

Novell Open SuSE 10, SuSE Linux Enterprise 101. Apply all online updates to your system, and reboot it 2. Install the packages kernel-source and gcc using the Software Installation feature of

YaST (or the Install Software item in the Computer menu.) The gcc package is alsoknown as the "System GNU C Compiler"

If for any reason you have problems with these steps, please refer to the file /usr/share/doc/packages/kernel-source/README.SUSE on your computer.

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Installing Win4Lin ProWin4Lin Pro 5.5 Users Guide

Ubuntu 6.06 LTS and newer, or Debian GNU/Linux "etch" and newer1. On Ubuntu, run Synaptic and make sure that the "Community maintained (Universe)"

software Repository is enabled; this step is not required on Ubuntu 7.04 and newer 2. If Synaptic is running, close it 3. Open a Terminal window, and run the following command:

sudo apt-get -y install linux-headers-$(uname -r) gcc

The above process may need to be repeated each time the kernel is updated. If however,you compiled your own kernel using make-kpkg or similar, you probably do not need toinstall additional kernel-headers.

Recent Mandriva Desktop Distributions1. Make sure your system is up to date by using the Mandriva Linux Control Center and

choosing Update your system 2. If any updates were installed, make sure to reboot your computer 3. Open a Terminal or Konsole window 4. Log in as root, or become root with the su command 5. Run the following command:

urpmi gcc kernel-desktop-devel

Other Linux DistributionsWhile there are many other Linux distributions in use, the ones listed above represent themost popular and best supported for Win4Lin Pro. If you are installing Win4Lin Pro on adistribution not listed above, and need instructions for installing the kernel build toolchain,please contact your Linux vendor for help. Alternatively, most Linux vendors maintain userforums where this information is most likely widely available. Win4Lin Pro has identicalrequirements to other software that requires special device drivers, including tools from othervirtualization vendors.

Package InstallationOn some systems you may be able to install Win4Lin Pro packages simply by double clicking onthe package file icon itself. Otherwise, installing Win4Lin Pro on your system requires you to runa specific command as the root user, or with sudo access:

RPM Format (RedHat, Fedora, CentOS, others), 32-bitrpm -ivh Win4LinPro-5.5-655.2234.i386.rpm

RPM Format (RedHat, Fedora, CentOS, others), 64-bitrpm -ivh Win4LinPro-5.5-655.2234.x86_64.rpm

Debian Format (Debian GNU/Linux, Ubuntu, others), 32-bitsudo dpkg --install win4linpro_5.5-655.2234_i386.deb

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Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Users GuidePackage Installation

Debian Format (Debian GNU/Linux, Ubuntu, others), 64-bitsudo dpkg --install win4linpro_5.5-655.2234_amd64.deb

Package RemovalTo remove Win4Lin Pro, run one of the following commands as root or with sudo access:

RPM Format (RedHat, Fedora, CentOS, others), any architecturerpm -e Win4LinPro

Debian Format (Debian GNU/Linux, Ubuntu, others), any architecturesudo dpkg --remove win4linpro

Package UpdateThe recommended method of updating a Win4Lin Pro package is to first remove the existing one,and then install the new one, per the instructions above.

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Package RemovalWin4Lin Pro 5.5 Users Guide

Using the Win4Lin Pro ConsoleThe Win4Lin Pro Console is the main tool to install, launch, and manage guest Windows sessions. Toenter the console, launch it from your desktops system menu. Depending on your Linux version, theWin4Lin Pro Console icon may appear under the Applications, Accessories, or Utilities menu.Otherwise, you may enter the console by running the following command:

win4console

Guest ConfigurationsThis window contains a list of installed guest Windows sessions. If you do not yet have anysessions installed, it will appear blank. Selecting a session will enable certain buttons to the rightfor performing appropriate actions on it. If the session is running, it will be highlighted in green.

Installing a new SessionTo install a new guest session, click the Install New... button. The installer dialog box will thenpop up, allowing you to specify options for the new session.

Configuration directory (relative to Home directory)The name of the folder within your home directory where the virtual machine files will beinstalled for this session. Win4Lin Pro will pick a default one for you.

Window titleThe title of the virtual machine window when it is running, and as it will appear in theconsoles Guest Configurations list.

CapacitySelect the amount of RAM to allocate to the virtual machine, in megabytes. For best results,do not exceed half your systems total RAM. Note that in virtualization, more RAM does notmean more performance - it just means more capacity. In fact, allocating too much memoryto a virtual machine may actually have a severe impact in overall system performance andresponsiveness, so try to select the lowest value possible here.

Select the maximum size of the virtual C: drive, in gigabytes. The disk image may not beresized after installation, so be sure to assign enough disk space to host all the applicationsyou intend to install on top of Windows. The file containing the virtual C: drive image willgrow to this maximum size as Windows consumes more and more disk space, but no larger.

Installation media

Select whether Win4Lin Pro should automatically detect and install Windows from yourprimary host CD/DVD drive, or should use a specific device or image file instead. You mayinstall from any CD/DVD device, or from an ISO 9660 image file containing supported,bootable Windows media.

If your Windows media is an Upgrade CD, you must check the Device or image file forupgrade verification media box, and provide the name of a device node or ISO 9660 imagefile containing a previous version of Windows for upgrade verification purposes. The

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Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Users GuideUsing the Win4Lin Pro Console

Windows installer will require this when installing from the Upgrade CD. For example, if youare installing Windows XP Upgrade, you may designate a Windows 2000 CDROM or image file here.Please note that you cannot (and should not) eject the Windows CD during installation, so you mustspecify the verification media up front. If your computer does not have 2 CDROM drives, you will need torip the previous version of Windows CDROM into an ISO 9660 image file first.

Unattended installationIf you want to install Windows without any user interaction, and your version of Windowsrequires one, you must provide a valid Product Key here. You must type this key exactly as itappears in your Microsoft documentation, including hyphens. It is case sensitive. If the keyyou enter is not correct, the Windows installer will give you an error and prompt you for acorrect one at the appropriate time.

Desktop iconIf you do not want a Linux desktop icon to launch the session after installation, uncheck the Create a desktop icon for this session once it is installed box. You can always launch guestWindows sessions from the Win4Lin Pro Console instead.

Once you have adjusted the installation options if needed, click the Install... button to begin the installation.

There is no limit to the number of guest sessions you may install, provided you have enough diskspace. Concurrent session limits apply when you actually run the session(s). Depending on yourWin4Lin Pro license, you may be entitled to run between 2 (for Desktop licences) and 25 (ormore, for Server licenses) concurrent sessions.Win4Lin Pro installs Windows with default options, suitable for most users. After installation, youmay adjust properties for the session if you need a more specific configuration. For informationon how to do this, see Adjusting Session Properties below.

Removing or Reinstalling an Existing SessionTo remove or reinstall an existing session, you must first make sure the session is not running.Next, select the session in the Guest Configurations window. Finally, click either the Remove...,or Reinstall... button to remove or reinstall the session, respectively. Note that either operation isnot reversible, and will result in loss of anything you have installed in the respective Windowssession. Win4Lin Pro will prompt you before allowing you to perform either operation. Use with caution.

If you choose to reinstall the session, you will be presented with the installer window as if youwere installing a new session, with the appropriate values filled in as defaults. See Installing anew Session above for details on what these options mean.

Starting, Stopping, and Aborting SessionsTo launch a guest session that is not running, select it in the Guest Configurations window, thenclick the Start/Resume button.

To shut down a guest session from the console, select it in the Guest Configurations window,then click the Shutdown button. This will send a signal to the running Windows session toexecute a normal Windows shutdown. You may accomplish the same thing by just using the

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Removing or Reinstalling an Existing SessionWin4Lin Pro 5.5 Users Guide

Shutdown function inside Windows itself for that session if you prefer.

To abort a session that is unresponsive or will not shut down, select it in the Guest Configurationswindow, then click the Abort button. Note that this method should only be used if shutting downthe session normally fails, and may cause data loss of any documents you may have open withinWindows. Use with caution.

Backing up and Restoring SessionsMaking regular backups of your Windows sessions is strongly recommended to avoid having toreinstall due to normal Windows corruption that happens over time. Win4Lin Pro provides simplesingle-click Backup and Restore functions for this purpose. The Win4Lin Pro Console works withbackup sessions within your home directory only. For more advanced backups and/or archiving,you should consider copying the contents of the session configuration directory itself, to whateverdisk or media you prefer.

To backup a session, first select it in the Guest Configurations window, then click the Backup...button. If a previous backup exists, you will be prompted to overwrite it before continuing. Oncethe backup completes, the backup session will appear at the bottom of the Guest Configurationswindow, allowing you to either remove it or restore from it.

To restore a session from a backup, first select that backup from the bottom of the Guest Configurations window, then click the Restore... button. If you attempt to restore on to a sessionthat exists, you will be prompted to overwrite it before continuing.

Adjusting Session PropertiesTo adjust the properties for a guest session, first make sure to stop it if it is running. Next, select itin the Guest Configurations window, and click the Properties... button.

The session properties dialog box is divided into tabs, each corresponding to a functional groupof settings. You may move between tabs as much as youd like until you are satisfied with thesettings, then click the OK button to accept them.

GeneralTo change the title of the virtual machine window, enter a new value for the Session title field.

To adjust the amount of RAM for the virtual machine, adjust the RAM assigned to virtualmachine (in megabytes) slider to the desired value.To explicitly set a keyboard locale for the session, select a value from the Keyboard locale(ISO 639) list. Note that Win4Lin Pro general detects your keyboard locale automatically.Use this setting only if keyboard input in Windows is not working properly.

DisplayTo request that the session starts full-screen automatically, check Start in full-screen modeby default. You may switch in and out of full-screen mode once the session is running bypressing Shift+F12 and toggling the Full-screen option in the pop-up menu.

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Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Users GuideBacking up and Restoring Sessions

To start the session with the guest window maximized automatically, check Start maximizedif possible. Note that it is up to the desktop environment (GNOME, KDE, etc.) to size thewindow properly, and on some systems this option may have no effect.

To provide more precise (but slower) mouse cursor tracking to Windows applications, check Disable fast mouse cursor tracking. This may be required for certain precision graphicsapplications, such as CAD. You may turn fast mouse cursor tracking on and off once the session isrunning by pressing Shift+F12 and toggling the Fast mouse option in the pop-up menu.

To set the fast mouse cursor to be the same as the MS-Windows guest arrow cursor whenusing fast mouse cursor tracking, check Use default MS-Windows arrow cursor when usingfast mouse cursor tracking.

To disable the shared clipboard, uncheck Enable Cut/Copy/Paste between host and guestapplications (shared clipboard).To disable the use of X Shared Memory, uncheck the Use XSHM (X Shared Memory)extension, if available, on local displays. Note that you should uncheck this option only if youare having problems with the display of your virtual machine. In almost all cases, this option should be lefton, as it improves graphics rendering performance on local displays. If you use a remote display, theoption has no effect.

Audio

You may explicitly select the type of host audio that your guest session will use for playbackand recording. In most cases this is not necessary as Win4Lin Pro detects this automatically,but for example, you may want to use a different setting than the automtically detected one.If applicable to the setting you choose, you will also be given the choice of audio quality below.

If you choose ALSA audio, you may also edit low-level parameters for how the virtualmachine will use the audio system. The default values are generally appropriate for allsystems, and should not be modified unless you are certain of what you are doing. Note thatsetting incorrect values may result in complete loss of audio in the virtual machine, or eventhe virtual machine crashing when guest audio applications try to play or record sound.

If you have problems with the guest and you are using ALSA audio, you should try usingOSS audio instead. This is especially true if you have applications that need to record sound,not just play it back. Note that using OSS will require that your system has the appropriatemodules loaded, and that the /dev/dsp device is readable and writeable for the user yourun guest sessions as. You will also likely have to close all other Linux applications that maybe using sound (e.g. Firefox) before starting your guest session if using OSS audio.In general, if you run guest applications that need to record sound (i.e. recording, voicerecognition, etc.), you should explicitly select OSS audio for best results.

NetworkingFor almost all uses, you should select Use Basic TCP/IP and UDP/IP Networking as it is themost secure and provides the best use of system resources. It allows outbound TCP/IP andUDP/IP connections only, and is adequate for most Internet-enabled Windows applications.This type of networking works with any firewall (hardware or software), VPN connection, andeven dial-up connections. To your Linux system, Windows appears as any other Linux

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Adjusting Session PropertiesWin4Lin Pro 5.5 Users Guide

application that accesses the Internet.

Select Use NAT Networking if your Windows network clients need more advancednetworking functions. For example, if you have a Windows application that demands PORT mode FTP,you should choose NAT Networking. This form of networking works behind any hardware firewall. In somecases, you may need to disable your software firewall, if you are running one on your Linux host. NATNetworking works with any Ethernet connection, wired or wireless, as well as most VPNs. It presents anenvironment to Windows that looks similar to a port-blocking firewall/router, within your Linux system. Itdoes not allow inbound connections to your Windows session, and does not require a dedicated IPaddress for each Windows session.

Select Use Bridged Networking to fully expose the guest Windows virtual machine to thenetwork. The session will require a dedicated IP address that Windows can acquire via DHCP (orprovision statically), and will appear like a standalone computer on the network. Note that this is notcompatible with most wireless network interfaces. Bridged Networking requires that your computer isconnected constantly to a permanent, physical, wired Ethernet network.

To use Bridged Networking, you must select a network interface to bridge to. The Bridge device list will show all devices on your system that were either created wth bridge-utils,or with the System Settings dialog box of the Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Console.

In rare cases, you may have to assign a MAC address yourself to the session in order to useBridged Networking. While Win4Lin Pro assigns a unique one automatically, some routers (in very rarecases) may have problems with it. Check Assign MAC address (expert) and enter a 6 octetEthernet MAC address if this is the case. Do not do this unless you know exactly what you are doing.

In most cases you will need to configure system-wide settings in the System Settings dialogbox of the Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Console before you can use Bridged Networking.

For more information on networking, please see the section Accessing the Network from Windows in Maximizing the Win4Lin Pro User Experience.

PrintingTo disable automatic printing to your default Linux printer, uncheck Allow automatic guestprinting to default host printer ("Default Printer", or \\HOST\host-printer in guest). Note thatunless you install other printers in Windows, the default configuration expects to print to this resource.

To disable Windows to drive your default Linux printer directly, uncheck Allow raw guestprinting to default host printer (\\HOST\guest-printer in guest).To prevent Windows applications from being allowed to create PDF files on your Linux host,uncheck Allow guest to print tp PDF files on host ("Host PDF File", or \\HOST\host-pdf in guest). Note that this virtual printer is configured by default on Windows.If you prefer to use a special printcap file for Windows instead of the default options,check Use custom printcap file (expert), and specify the name of a printcap file to use. printcap files that Windows understands must be in the following format:

|:...

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Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Users GuideAdjusting Session Properties

For example, to provide access to Windows to the host printers lp and lpcolor, the printcap file you specify would look like this:

lp|lp:lpcolor|lpcolor:

The above file would expose the following print queues to Windows:

\\HOST\lp\\HOST\lpcolor

Note that Windows cannot identify printer names if they exceed 15 characters in length.Also, if you use a custom printcap file, you must install matching drivers to print fromWindows. Custom printers are unfiltered and do not accept PostScript output unless theprinters themselves are PostScript printers.

If you use a custom printcap file, and want to enable printing to the default host printerand PDF virtual printer from Windows anyway, make sure the file has the following lines in it:

host-printer|host-printer:host-pdf|host-pdf:

For more information on printing, please see the section Printing from Windows in Maximizing the Win4Lin Pro User Experience.

Other DevicesTo allow Windows to access a CD/DVD device directly, check Enable virtual CD/DVD deviceby default. Then select Automatically use primary host CD/DVD device if available, or Usedevice or image file, and specify a CD/DVD device or ISO 9660 image file you have readaccess to. Note that you can also change the CD/DVD device or image file while Windows isrunning by pressing Shift+F12 and choosing CDROM... from the pop-up menu.

To allow Windows to access a floppy device or image file, check Enable virtual floppy device (A:), and specify a device name or image file that you have read (and optionally, write)access to. This device will be accessible from Windows as the first virtual floppy drive, or A:.Note that B: is used internally by Win4Lin Pro.

To allow Windows to access a host device as COM1:, check Enable virtual serial port (COM1:), and specify a device name that you have read and write access to. This deviceshould be a serial device on your host, such as /dev/ttyS0 . This device will beaccessible from Windows as the first virtual serial port, or COM1: .

Protection

To prevent Windows from making changes to the virtual C: drive, check Run guest sessionin copy-on-write "snapshot" mode. In this mode, any changes to Windows system files orapplications are not persistent. Use this feature once you have a stable Windowsconfiguration to prevent degradation and corruption of your virtual C: drive or Windowssystem registry. Note that in this mode, changes to your documents and/or user settings arestill persistent.

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Adjusting Session PropertiesWin4Lin Pro 5.5 Users Guide

Note that even if you use "snapshot" mode, it is still strongly recommended that you makeregular backups to prevent corruption to your user settings. See Backing up and Restoring Sessions above for more information on making backups.

For more information on "snapshot" mode, please see the section Benefits of "Snapshot" Mode in Maximizing the Win4Lin Pro User Experience.

Shared FoldersTo disable access to your Linux home directory from Windows, uncheck Enable guestaccess in "HOME on Host" (\\HOST\HOME). To allow access but write protect your Linuxhome directory from Windows, check Read-only access to user home directory.

To disable access to your Linux Documents directory from Windows, uncheck Enable guestaccess in "My Documents" (\\HOST\Documents). To allow access but write protect yourLinux Documents directory from Windows, check Read-only access to user documents directory. To use a specific Documents directory instead of have Win4Lin Pro find oneautomatically, check Specify user documents directory and specify a directory that you haveread (and optionally, write) access to. Note that if you disable this share, you should changethe location of the My Documents shell folder in Windows, since it defaults to \\HOST\Documents, which maps to your user documents directory on Linux.

To disable access to your host removable devices and mounted directories from Windows,uncheck Enable guest access in "My Host Computer" (\\HOST). To allow access but writeprotect these devices from Windows, check Read-only access to system removable deviceand mount directories. Note that even if you do not specify read-only mode, Windows accessto these directories is still limited to what your Linux user has permissions for.

For more information on shared folders, please see the section Accessing Linux Files from Windows in Maximizing the Win4Lin Pro User Experience.

Time and Date

Uncheck Keep guest time and date synchronized with host if you prefer to let Windowsmanage its own time and date.

To synchronize the Windows time "bias" with the Linux time zone, check Keep guesttime-zone synchronized with host users time-zone. Note that this sets the time-zone inWindows as an offset of GMT, and in some cases the time zone may not be exactly correct.For example, Eastern Time may be represented as Atlantic Time in Windows depending ondaylight savings time settings. However, the time itself will always be correct in Windows ifyou check this option.

RDP

If you have a Windows XP Professional (or better) guest, you can enable RDP accessdirectly into the session. Enabling this option causes the session to start in "snapshot" modeand without a display, running in the background until you connect to it with the win4-winapp program.

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Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Users GuideAdjusting Session Properties

If you want to have the session listen on a public RDP port, check Listen for RDPconnections on public TCP port (expert), and specify a port if you want something other thanthe default 3389. Use this option with extreme caution as it will expose your Windowssession to the entire network for remote login.

If you specify a public TCP port, you can connect to the session with any standard RDPclient, such as rdesktop on Linux, or Remote Desktop Connection on Windows.

Note that if you are using Bridged Networking, the virtual machine will be exposed to theentire network via RDP even if you do not specify a public TCP port. Unless you know exactly what youare doing, it is strongly recommended that you do not enable RDP at all if you are using Bridged Networking.

Advanced

Use the Enable enhanced VBE graphics check-box to enable or disable enhanced graphicsmodes in your Windows guest. Note that if you check this option, you will have to install a3rd-party VBE graphics driver in Windows. Windows XP has a built-in VBE driver, but it maystill prompt you to install a driver. You can let it search and fail, and then have it not promptyou again. If this box is already checked, this means Windows was already installed withenhanced VBE graphics and will not have any driver issues. Do not change this settingunless you know exactly what you are doing.

To have the Windows virtual machine use legacy 16-bit "Soundblaster" audio, check Uselegacy "SB16" virtual audio device. Note that there is almost never a good reason to checkthis box, as the default virtual audio for Windows is far superior and works automatically. Ifyou do enable this option, you will have to manually install a 16-bit "Soundblaster" driver inWindows. Do not check this setting unless you know exactly what you are doing.

Check Enable dedicated, disk-backed memory pooling (slow, but allows you to overcommitsystem memory) to have the virtual machine use a regular disk file to back up its virtualmemory instead of the normal shared memory pool. There is almost never a good reason touse this option, as it will have a severe impact on your guest Windows sessionsperformance. If you check this option, Win4Lin Pro uses your Linux home directory to storethe memory image. If your home directory is not on local storage or you prefer to use adifferent location (i.e. a faster disk), check Specify backing directory and specify a directoryon local storage that you have read and write access to. Do not use dedicated disk-backedmemory pooling unless you know exactly what you are doing.

If your host kernel is version 2.6.22 or newer, and your hardware is Intel VT or AMD-Vcapable, Win4Lin Pro will use hardware virtualization automatically if possible. In this case,the option Do not use hardware virtualization (via KVM) if available will be visible. To disablethe use of hardware virtualization, even if possible on your system, check this box. If you donot see this option, Win4Lin Pro is not able to use hardware virtualization on your systemand this setting would have no effect.

Due to the experimental nature of the KVM driver in Linux at the time of this writing, you mayexperience random crashes (guest and/or host) when using hardware virtualization. If this isthe case, please disable it using the above mentioned check-box. Doing this will default tousing slightly slower (but stable) software virtualization.

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Adjusting Session PropertiesWin4Lin Pro 5.5 Users Guide

For the most up-to-date information on KVM use and Win4Lin Pro, please read the ProductRelease Notes carefully.

If you experience application problems inside your guest session, you should considerchecking the Use (safer, but slower) "User mode" Virtualization box under Software Virtualization. Note that this may slow your guest session down significantly, but it may berequired in order to run certain legacy applications using Software Virtualization.

Adjusting System SettingsTo adjust system settings, click the System Settings... button in the main window. The Win4LinPro 5.5 Console will attempt to gain administrative access and will prompt you for a password ifneeded. If it cannot achieve this, you can log in as root, and run the following command directly,in order to open the System Settings dialog box:

win4console root

The System Settings dialog box is divided into tabs, each corresponding to a functional group ofsettings. You may move between tabs as youd like until you are satisfied with the settings, thenclick the OK button to accept them.

LicensingThe current product license is displayed in this panel. To install a new license or change theexisting one, click the Install/Change... button.

Software UpdatesThis panel controls how the Win4Lin Pro Console checks for software updates on theInternet, which can help you learn about important fixes and enhancements to your product.

To disable the automatic update checking, un-check the Alert Console users automaticallywhen a new software update is available for this product check-box. You may always returnto this panel and check for updates manually at any time.

Check the Check for pre-release software updates box to learn about early-access fixes andenhancements. Note that such updates may not be entirely stable for production.Pre-release updates, however, can sometimes help solve issues you may be having withouthaving to wait for the full release cycle to roll the fixes in. Use this feature at your own risk,and at your own discretion. If this box is grayed out, this means you are running a betaversion of the product and pre-release updates will be checked automatically.

At any time, you may click the Check for Updates Now... button to contact the download siteand look for an updated version of the product at that moment. This requires that you areconnected to the Internet. Note that no information, personal, private, nor otherwise, istransmitted from your computer during this step.

If software updates are available, you will have the opportunity to visit the download siteautomatically from your web browser. Alternatively, you can defer and visit the reported URLat a later time. Note that Win4Lin Pro does not actually download or apply any updatesautomatically - you do this simply by downloading the appropriate package from the abovementioned download site, and following the instructions for Package Update in the section Installing Win4Lin Pro.

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Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Users GuideAdjusting System Settings

Virtual MemoryIn this panel, you can adjust the amount of system RAM that Windows sessions will haveaccess to, as a percentage of physical RAM. Win4Lin Pro provisions a shared memory pool(in /dev/shm) based on this information. Note that this is total for all concurrent sessions,not per concurrent session. For best results, do not adjust beyond 75% or risk system-wideperformance loss. Adjusting beyond 90% may render your entire system unusable asconcurrent Windows sessions consume more and more memory.

Note that this setting does not increase the limit of memory that can be assigned perWindows session.

If you are using the desktop version of Win4Lin Pro, there is almost never a good reason tochange this setting from its default value.

NetworkingTo change the default private IPv4 subnet used for NAT Networking, specify one in NATIPv4 Subnet. Do this only if 192.168.84.x is not private to your system on the network. Ifyou change it, be sure to specify the first 3 octets of the subnet only. The netmask willalways be 255.255.255.0.

To have Win4Lin Pro automatically create a bridged network when your system boots, check Bridged Network Interface, and specify the physical Ethernet device to bridge.

Do not use specify a Bridged Network Interface if you intend to suspend or "hibernate" yourcomputer. Some Linux distributions may not enable networking correctly if this option is setand you resume from a suspended or hibernated state. You should instead provision thebridge yourself using bridge-utils if you plan on suspending and/or hibernating your system.

Remote Access

To disable Remote Access, uncheck the Enable Remote Access for virtual desktops check-box.

To disable Remote Access from RDP Clients, uncheck the Enable RDP "Gateway" forRemote Access from Standard RDP Clients check-box.

To present a normal Linux desktop when users log in remotely, select the Start NormalSystem Desktop Session option.

To start or resume the first available guest Windows session for each respective user whenlogging in remotely, select the Start/Resume First Available Guest Windows Session option.

To prompt users if there is more than one available guest Windows session to start whenlogging in remotely, select the Prompt User if there is More than One Available Guest Session option.

To present a normal Linux desktop if a user has no guest Windows sessions installed whenlogging in remotely, check the Start Normal System Desktop if no Guest Windows Session Available check-box.

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Adjusting System SettingsWin4Lin Pro 5.5 Users Guide

Remote Access options require Win4Lin Pro VDI. Also, the options explained above applyonly to remote logins using Virtual Bridges Clients, VNC, or RDP protocols. Other connection methodsmay still use the win4 command to start sessions regardless of the options set here. Formore information on access methods and clients, please see Connecting Users to Win4LinPro VDI in PART 2: Win4Lin Pro VDI.

Dynamic SessionsDynamic Session Load Management is enabled by default. On high density configurationsthat take advantage of Dynamic Renewable Desktops, this feature can help reduce overallsystem load up to 35% by automatically reducing the priorities of idle sessions. To disableuse of this feature, uncheck the Enable Dynamic Session Load Management check-box.

Note that changing system settings may require you to restart your computer in order for them totake effect. If this is the case, you will be notified after accepting the changes with the OK button.

Exiting the ConsoleTo exit from the Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Console, click the Exit Console... button.

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Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Users GuideExiting the Console

Running Guest Windows SessionsLaunching a Guest Windows Session

There are 3 ways to launch a guest Windows session:

1. From the Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Console (see Using the Win4Lin Pro Console for moreinformation).

2. From a desktop icon created as the guest Windows session installed. 3. From the win4 shell command (expert).

For usage information on the win4 shell command, run:

win4 -help

Accessing the Win4Lin Pro Pop-up Menu for Runtime FunctionsWhile running a guest Windows session, you may press Shift+F12 to access the Win4Lin Propop-up menu. From this menu you can perform various runtime functions such as togglingfull-screen and fast-mouse modes, and changing the virtual CDROM device.

Using "Floating" Windows ApplicationsIf you have a Windows XP Professional (or better) guest session, you can use "floating" Windowsapplications instead of the full Windows desktop. Note that this does not work on Windows 2000or Windows XP Home.

Using the Win4Lin Pro Windows Application Icon toolAfter you have installed a Windows XP Profession guest session, you can run the Win4LinPro Windows Application Icon tool to create a "floatng" application launcher on your desktop.You can find this tool in your Linux system menu, under Applications, Accessories, or Utilities. Alternatively, you can run the following command:

/usr/lib/win4linpro/bin/win4-winapp-icon

The Win4Lin Pro Windows Application Icon tool offers the following options:

Title

Specify the title of the desktop icon that will launch the application.

Windows command

Specify the full path to a Windows executable to launch with the desktop icon. The pathmust be exact. For example, to launch Internet Explorer:

C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe

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Running Guest Windows SessionsWin4Lin Pro 5.5 Users Guide

You may want to copy the full path from the Windows shortcut itself for the respectiveapplication to ensure that its correct.

Windows session

Choose the guest Windows session to run this application from. Make sure to choose asession that is Windows XP Professional (or better).

Note that all fields are required. When you are finished, click the OK button to create the icon.

Launching "Floating" ApplicationsTo launch the "floating" application, first make sure you shut down the guest Windowssession it runs from if it is running as a regular desktop (i.e. started from the Console.) Next,double click on the desktop icon you created for the application using the Win4Lin ProWindows Application Icon tool. If this is the first application you run from this session sinceyou logged into your Linux desktop, some Windows system components will have to start inthe background first. This may take up to a minute (or more) depending on the speed andload of your system. As soon as those components start, your "floating" application willlaunch. Subsequent launches of "floating" applications from this session will not have this delay.

Alternatively, you can use the win4-winapp command to launch "floating" applicationswithout creating a desktop icon for them. For details, run:

win4-winapp

for usage information.

In order for "floating" applications to work, you must not set an Administrator password inWindows. By default, the Administrator password is blank after you install Windows. If youchange the Administrator password, you will not be able to use "floating" Windowsapplicatons from that session.

Also note that guest Windows sessions that serve "floating" applications are automaticallystarted in "snapshot" mode and with local RDP enabled. You should not try to run fulldesktops from RDP clients (nor win4-winapp) at the same time you run "floating"applications, or this may cause your "floating" applications to exit abruptly. For best results, itis strongly recommended that you launch "floating" applications strictly from desktop iconscreated with the Win4Lin Pro Windows Application Icon tool.

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Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Users GuideUsing "Floating" Windows Applications

Maximizing the Win4Lin Pro User ExperienceThe following sections contain valuable information, tips, and techniques to ensure you get the mostout of your Win4Lin Pro product.

Understanding the Virtual Machine EnvironmentUnder Win4Lin Pro, Windows runs as a guest inside a Virtual Machine, or a secure containerproviding an environment for Windows to run in. This environment is very specific, and does notcorrelate to your real underlying hardware at all. For example, the video driver that Windows usesin this virtual machine environment is not the same as the one Windows would use if youinstalled it on the same PC natively, since the real hardware is not exposed. The followingsections explain how Windows interacts with each respective component on your system, andwhat to expect when you are running inside the virtual machine environment.

CPUWin4Lin Pro provides a normal x86 CPU environment for a 32-bit version of Windows to runon. Windows will execute most CPU instructions directly "on the metal" for maximumperformance. Only "privileged" instructions are emulated, in order to prevent Windows frominterfering with the host Linux kernel, or performing hardware-related tasks such asrebooting the physical computer. Because of this, Windows can never crash your "real"computer, since it is running in a controlled virtual environment. Even if the virtual machineenvironment aborts, this only kills the Linux process it is running under. It does not affect anyother applications on your system.

In some cases it is possible for a Windows application to consume a large portion of theCPU resources on your system. You can use the Windows Task Manager (taskmgr.exe)to identify such applications and correct the behavior. If Windows is idle, it should notconsume any significant CPU time on your Linux host at all.

MemoryYour host Linux operating system controls memory even though a portion of it is "assigned"to guest Windows sessions. To your host Linux system, Windows looks like any other normalapplication and may therefore have its memory swapped out when the kernel needs to makeroom for other applications. Regardless of what your host Linux kernel does, Windows willalways think that it is seeing real memory, and therefore, all Windows applications shouldwork as expected with regards to memory.

Disk

The "C:" and "D:" drives that Windows uses inside the virtual machine are actually storedinside image files in your Linux home directory. Windows never writes directly to or readsdirectly from a real hard disk on your computer. If you decide to allow access, Windows willhowever interact with your CD/DVD drive and optionally floppy drive on your system. Youcan also provide an ISO 9660 image, for example, as the virtual machines CDROM drive.

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Maximizing the Win4Lin Pro User ExperienceWin4Lin Pro 5.5 Users Guide

Video

Windows will render graphics through a virtualized video card. You should not install any3rd-party video drivers, as they will simply not work within the virtual machine. The rederingis ultimately done through the X server on your Linux host, so that your host desktop is incontrol of your computers real graphics card at all times. While the virtual graphics card willnot perform like your real graphics card, it is fast enough to run almost all Windowsapplications (except some 3D programs and games.)By default, Windows is configured with an 800x600 desktop size. To change this, simply usethe Display Control Panel in Windows, or right click on an empty space on the Windowsdesktop and click Properties. Then use the Settings tab in the subsequent dialog box tochange the resolution. You can also drag the virtual machine window itself, and Windows willautomatically try to find a supported resolution to resize to within the window.

Audio

Win4Lin Pro automatically detects the best playback and recording method available on yoursystem, and enables it for Windows. In turn, Windows plays and records audio via avirtualized sound driver. As with video, you should not install any 3rd-party sound drivers onWindows as they simply will not work within the virtual machine. The environment allows forplayback and recording of CD-quality audio. You must however use your host Linux systemsmixer program to control sound levels, as well as channels. Windows will play and record toand from your default playback and record channels, respectively. If you change theconfiguration on your host, you do not need to restart Windows in order for the changes toapply to the virtual machine - they will apply automatically.

NetworkingWindows will communicate with your network connection via a virtualized network device.Depending on the type of networking you configured for the virtual machine, you may havemore than one virtual network device. Win4Lin Pro will configure the networkingautomatically and you should not change it, unless you are using Bridged Networking andwant to configure a static IP address for Local Area Connection 2. You should not changethe configuration of Local Area Connection for any reason.

See Accessing the Network from Windows below for more information.

Removable storage devices (such as USB memory sticks, etc.)While Win4Lin Pro does not allow Windows to communicate with hardware directly, you canuse the My Host Computer feature in Windows to access removable storage devices. Formore information, see Accessing Linux Files from Windows below.

PrintingIf you have a printer attached to your Linux computer that works, and you have designated itas a default printer, then printing in Windows should work automatically. You should notinstall special print drivers unless you cannot print from Linux to begin with. In that case, theprinter must still be connected to and detected by your Linux system in order to be availableto Windows, and it must be designated the default printer, even if there are no drivers forLinux to control the printer with.

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Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Users GuideUnderstanding the Virtual Machine Environment

Printers under Win4Lin Pro look to Windows like network printers. For more information, see Printing from Windows below.

PerformanceWin4Lin Pro runs Windows at or near native speeds for most operations. The actual performancewill depend heavily on your system resources, the version and type of your host Linux operatingsystem, and what other activity there is on the host computer when you run Windows. MostWindows applications should run with an acceptable degree of speed and response time. Theonly exception will be applications heavily dependent on graphics processing (especially thosewith 3D features) - you may notice them to run considerably slower than native.Some general performance-related configuration tips for guest Windows sessions are:

1. Disable System Restore in Windows XP. While this feature may provide tangible benefiton a native Windows installation, it has far too much overhead to use inside a virtualmachine. It is better to backup your guest Windows session regularly rather thanallowing Windows to constantly consume resources creating restore checkpoints on itsown. Please see the section Backing up and Restoring Sessions in Using the Win4LinPro Console for more information on backing up a virtual machine. You can also use"snapshot" mode to prevent corruption of Windows system files and applications.

2. Disable Automatic Updates in Windows. Again, the overhead of this feature in a virtualmachine is far too great. Instead, it is better to run Windows Update manually when youwant, even if on a regular basis.

3. Assign as little memory as possible to the Windows session. Unlike on a physical nativeinstallation, more memory for a virtual machine does not mean more performance - itjust means more capacity. In fact, assigning too much memory to the Windows virtualmachine may slow down your system overall because it takes away cache space for thehost Linux kernel. For example, 512MB of memory is generally more than enough toassign to Windows, and in some cases, it is too much. While you can assign up to1152MB (1.1GB) or more, dont do this unless you really need it for the applications youplan on running under Windows. Regardless of whether your host system has as little as512MB or as much as 8GB (or more) of physical memory, you should still assign as littleas possible to Windows for best results.

4. Limit the amount of software that you install on Windows. Think of the virtual machine asa platform to run certain applications, not as a real computer. Remember that the moreapplications you install on Windows, the more resources Windows consumes, and theslower it runs. This is true whether you run in a virtual machine, or directly on a nativePC. Note that anti-virus and anti-spyware software specifically tends to be extremelyintrusive and consume large amounts of resources. While it is often necessary to runsuch tools, try to configure them to do as little as possible. Remember that it is veryeasy to backup and restore the virtual machine, should any real corruption or infectionoccur. Furthermore, if you run in "snapshot" mode, it is usually not necessary to haveanti-virus software scanning your virtual "C:" drive at all times, since infections will notbe persistent.

5. Make regular backups after you make significant configuration changes to Windows, sothat you can restore often. Remember that Windows simply degrades over time in termsof performance, as the registry grows, etc. While on a native system the only option to

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PerformanceWin4Lin Pro 5.5 Users Guide

reclaim performance is often to reinstall, with a virtual machine you can always restorefrom a good backup instead, saving countless hours, days, or weeks of configuration. Please see thesection Backing up and Restoring Sessions in Using the Win4Lin Pro Console for moreinformation on backing up a virtual machine. You can also use "snapshot" mode to prevent corruption ofWindows system files and applications.

Accessing the Network From WindowsBasic Networking

If you configured the guest Windows session with Basic Networking (the default),this issimilar to running Windows on a native PC connected to a residential firewall/router device.Inbound traffic is blocked, so you do not have to install firewall software on Windows unlessyou wish to restrict outbound connections. Furthermore, the MAC and IP address of thevirtual machine is also virtual, and is independent of whatever real network topology you areconnected to. This means that the virtual machine will automatically route outbound whetheryour host computer connects via PPP, PPPoE, LAN, or any other protocol that your hostoperating system can route TCP and UDP traffic on.

You should never change the IP address, netmask, or default gateway of your Windowssession, as they are configured automatically to work with the virtual network stack. Thenetwork for the virtual machine is configured on the 10.0.2.x subnet, and is consideredprivate and visible only to that virtual machine session itself. It will not interfere with your"real" network at all. However, it is indeed possible to connect to other computers on yourLAN, not just hosts on the Internet, simply by referencing them by their IP address.In very rare cases, you may need to change the DNS server address configured in Windowsand replace it with the real DNS address your host uses. You should do this only if DNSdoes not work at all from your Windows session, and in general, this will not be necessary.

There are currently several restrictions to Basic Networking from guest Windows sessions:

1. It is not possible to PING hosts or addresses. However, they can still be accessedwith other network clients, such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, etc.

2. It is not possible to browse the Windows network using My Network Places.However, shares on remote Windows computers may still be accessed using theirnetwork path. Note however that users must specify the remote computers IPaddress rather than its name when accessing shares on it. For example, if aWindows computer named SERVER on the network provides a share named FILES, its IP address must be determined first. If you do not know the IP address, itcan be determined by examining the network settings on the remote computer, orcontacting your system administrator if you are on a corporate network. Forexample, if the computers IP address is 192.168.1.5, and you want to accessthe share FILES on it, you can simply type \\192.168.1.5\FILES into the Start->Run... dialog box on Windows, or map a network drive to it using this path.

3. Windows NT or 2000/2003 Server Domain Logons are not supported.

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Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Users GuideAccessing the Network From Windows

NAT NetworkingNAT Networking is similar to Basic Networking except that it allows Windows greater accessto outbound network protocols. When you configure a guest Windows session with NATNetworking, a second virtual network interface will automatically appear in Windows, called Local Area Connection 2. You should never modify its settings for any reason, nor thesettings for Local Area Connection.

With NAT Networking it is possible to run more advanced network clients, such as PORTmode FTP software, or log in to Windows NT/2000/2003 Server Domains. However, thesession will not receive any inbound network traffic, nor will it appear on the external networkat all.

On some Linux systems, you may have to disable your software firewall in order to use NATNetworking properly.

Bridged NetworkingBridged Networking gives Windows complete access (and exposure) to the Ethernet networkyou bridged it to. It is the equivalent of provisioning a standalone Windows PC on a LAN.The session will need a dedicated IP address, either static or dynamic (via DHCP). BridgedNetworking requires a constant connection to a permanent, physical Ethernet network anddoes not work with wireless interfaces.

You should use Bridged Networking only if you need inbound connections to your guestWindows session .

With Bridged Networking, a second virtual network interface will automatically appear inWindows, called Local Area Connection 2. This interface is bridged to the Ethernet network.You may modify it as needed, including changing it to use a static IP address. You shouldnot modify the configuration for Local Area Connection under any circumstances, however.

You will likely have to disable any software firewall on your Linux system in order to useBridged Networking properly. You should consider running network security software inWindows, such as a Windows firewall, since the session will be fully exposed on the networkyou bridge it to.

Printing from WindowsDriving a Printer from Windows

Win4Lin Pro automatically configures Windows to seamlessly print to your default Linuxprinter. If you dont have a driver for your Linux printer, and wish to drive it from Windowsinstead, you can use the \\HOST\guest-printer share to print to it. This requiresinstalling the printer in Windows and providing a driver for it yourself. To do this, do thefollowing (in Windows):

1. From the Start menu, select Settings, then Printers.

2. Double click Add Printer.

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Printing from WindowsWin4Lin Pro 5.5 Users Guide

3. Click the Next button to start the wizard.

4. Leave the Type the printer name... option selected, and enter \\HOST\guest-printer for the printer name. When you are finished typing thename, click the Next button.

5. Click OK when the Connect to Printer dialog box appears.

6. Choose the appropriate manufacturer and model of your printer, or provide a driverfor it.

7. Click the OK button to install the driver, and click Finish when prompted.

You should do this only if you cannot print from Linux to your printer. If you can print fromLinux but not from Windows, make sure that you have designated the printer as the defaultprinter in Linux.

If you provided a custom printcap file and wish to print to one of those printers, you needto install a driver for it like you do for \\HOST\guest-printer above. However, youshould substitute the printer name in the printcap file for guest-printer. For example,to print to the custom printer lp, you would use the path \\HOST\lp.

Creating PDF Files from Windows ApplicationsTo create a PDF (Portable Document Format) file from any Windows application and save iton your Linux file system, simply print from the application but select the Host PDF Fileprinter from that applications Print Setup dialog box. When you print to this virtual printer, adialog box will automatically pop-up on Linux prompting you where to save the generatedPDF file. There is no need for additional 3rd party software, neither on Linux nor onWindows, to use this feature.

Benefits of "Snapshot" Mode"Snapshot" mode is the perfect way to keep your guest Windows session running correctly forlong periods of time. It will ensure that any changes to the virtual "C:" drive are not persistent,therefore keeping the system registry, settings, and applications from changing. It is notsomething you should use if you plan on constantly installing new software in Windows, but onceyou reach a configuration that you are comfortable with, then it makes sense to turn it on so youcan protect your configuration from unintended changes or degradation.

Even though the virtual "C:" drive is protected in "Snapshot" mode, the virtual "D:" drive can stillmaintain persistent changes. The virtual "D:" drive is intended to store just user settings. Forexample, if you are operating in "Snapshot" mode and make a change to a setting in anapplication that you use, that setting will be persistent. The next time you run your session, it willstill apply. If however you accidentally (or unknowingly) delete files on the virtual "C:" drive,corrupting application folders, all you have to do is abort the session and launch it again, and itgoes back to normal.

The only important difference of operating in "Snapshot" mode is that you need to plan ahead ofwhen you intend to make changes to Windows. For example, if you intend to run Windows Update, you should first disable "Snapshot" mode, and then launch the session. Once youcomplete the Windows updates and all the corresponding reboot cycles, you can turn "Snapshot"mode back on to keep the virtual "C:" drive from changing until you disable the mode again in the

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Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Users GuideBenefits of "Snapshot" Mode

future.

An interesting benefit of running in "Snapshot" mode is that you can instruct any anti-virussoftware in Windows to not constantly scan file access on the "C:" drive. This is because even if the "C:"drive becomes infected, you can just restart the session to eliminate the infection. You may want to have itscan the "D:" drive, however, since changes to that drive are indeed persistent. Disablig constant scanningin anti-virus software helps to offset some of the performance penalties of running such applications invirtual machines.

For more information on enabling and disabling "Snapshot" mode, see the section AdjustingSession Properties in Using the Win4Lin Pro Console.

Even if you use "Snapshot" mode, you should still make regular backups of your session just incase your virtual "D:" drive becomes corrupted.

Accessing Linux Files from WindowsBy default, Win4Lin Pro automatically configures shared folders so that Windows can access filesthat you normally maintain on Linux, and vice-versa.

Your Linux home directory is accessible from the Windows \\HOST\HOME path, or by doubleclicking the HOME on Host icon on the Windows desktop.

Any documents you save or open from Windows applications will be located in your Linuxpersonal documents directory by default. This makes it very easy to share documents betweenLinux and Windows applications. Unless you specify a different one, Win4Lin Pro will detect youruser documents directory automatically. It checks for the existence of the following folders of yourLinux home directory, in the order that they appear:

1. Documents

2. MyDocuments

3. My Documents

If Win4Lin Pro cannot find one of the above folders, it creates and uses Documents in your Linuxhome directory automatically.

You can also access the shared documents directory from Windows by double clicking on the My Documents icon, or accessing the path \\HOST\Documents.

Most Linux systems will automatically mount any removable storage you plug into your computer,such as USB sticks or memory cards. To access files on these devices from Windows, you canuse the My Host Computer function, which is located in the Start Menu. On Windows 2000 andWindows XP with "Classic" Start Menus, you will find the function right at the top of the menu.Otherwise, it will appear under All Applications. If you cannot find the item, you can access thepath \\HOST directly.

Note that access to files under My Host Computer will still be governed by the permissions of theLinux user that runs Windows. Even if a path appears, your Linux user ID may not have writeaccess to it, for example.

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My Host Computer Items

cdrom If your Linux system has a directory named /cdrom, then youcan access it from this folder in Windows. Most Linux systemsautomatically mount CDROMs here.

Documents Your regular Linux personal documents folder; this isequivalent to accessing My Documents from the Windows desktop.

HOME Your regular Linux home directory; this is equivalent toaccessing HOME on Host from the Windows desktop.

media If your Linux system has a directory named /media, you canaccess it from this folder in Windows; on some Linux systems,removable media such as memory sticks, digital cameras, orCDROMs are automatically mounted here.

mnt If your Linux system has a directory named /mnt, you canaccess it from this folder in Windows; on some Linux systems,removable and/or fixed media is mounted here.

Printers and Faxesguest-printerhost-printer

access to the default printer attached to your Linux system;see the section Printing from Windows above for more information.

Understanding the Virtual "D:" DriveUnlike on native Windows installations, Win4Lin Pro automatically provisions a second virtualdisk for Windows, or "D:". The configuration is fully automatic. Win4Lin Pro instructs Windows tostore user settings on virtual drive "D:" instead of "C:", allowing you to run in "Snapshot" modewhile retaining the ability to keep persistent user settings between sessions.

While the virtual "C:" drive can grow to 8 gigabytes (or more), the virtual "D:" drive is limited toapproximately 500 megabytes. This provides more than enough space for user settings inWindows. The only thing you should avoid is storing large files on the Windows desktop, becausethese will consume space in "D:". It is a good habit to store large Windows files on shared foldersinstead of on either virtual drive, so you should do that instead.

If you create additional users inside the guest Windows session, their settings will also be storedon the virtual "D:" drive.

In cases where more than 500 megabytes of space is needed for the virtual drive "D:", pleasesee the section Resizing a Virtual Drive "D:" Image in Advanced/Expert Topics below. The virtualdrive "D:" may be resized to up to 256 gigabytes, but doing so requires command-line interactionwith both Linux and the Windows guest. For best results, do not attempt to resize it unless youabsolutely need to.

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Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Users GuideUnderstanding the Virtual "D:" Drive

Advanced/Expert TopicsThe following sections cover topics that are recommended for expert users only. They mayrequire command-line interaction with your Linux system, and possible command-line interactionwith the guest Windows virtual machine as well.

Resizing a Virtual Drive "C:" ImageGenerally, it is recommended that you select a large enough disk image at the time that youinstall Windows. However in the rare case where you need to resize it later, this is possibleusing the win4-gow-resize command. You will need to find the path to the disk image fileyou want to resize (called GUEST.IMG in the folder where you installed Windows.) The win4-gow-resize command takes 2 parameters: the path to the GUEST.IMG image youwant to resize, and the new size, in gigabytes. For example, to resize the default win4sessions disk image to 16 gigabytes, you would run the following command, as the userwho runs Windows:

/usr/lib/win4linpro/bin/win4-gow-resize $HOME/win4/GUEST.IMG 16

Make sure you run the above command only after backing up your session, and thatWindows is not running when you resize the image. Note that you may only size the imagelarger, not smaller.

Next, you will need to instruct Windows to use the newly expanded space. While you cannotresize the existing C: partition within Windows, you can create an additional one. To do this,select Administrative Tools from the Control Panel, then Computer Management, then Storage, then Disk Management. Right click on the new unallocated space in the graphic,and select New Partition.... Follow the instructions to create a new partition in that space.You can then use that new partition to store additional Windows files on.

Resizing a Virtual Drive "D:" ImageThe virtual drive "D:" image is also resizeable in cases where this is necessary (i.e. due toapplication installation requirements, etc.) Unlike the virtual drive "C:" image, however, it isalso possible to simply extend the Windows partition to cover the space, rather than havingto create a new partition to fill the extra space. Note that doing this requires a Windows XPguest, or access to the Microsoft DISKPART.EXE program.

The resize procedure starts the same as for the virtual drive "C:" image (see previoussection), except that the file to be resized from Linux is called USER.IMG. For example, toresize the default win4 sessions virtual drive "D:" image to 2 gigabytes, you would run thefollowing command, a the user who runs Windows:

/usr/lib/win4linpro/bin/win4-gow-resize $HOME/win4/USER.IMG 2

Make sure you run the above command only after backing up your session, and thatWindows is not running when you resize the image. Note that you may only size the imagelarger, not smaller.

The next step is to start Windows, and open a command prompt (or run CMD.EXE). Once inthe command prompt, run DISKPART.EXE. At the DISKPART> prompt (which may takeseveral seconds to appear), type LIST VOLUME, and press RETURN. This will bring up a

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Advanced/Expert TopicsWin4Lin Pro 5.5 Users Guide

list of "volumes" in the virtual machine. The volume you are interested in is "D:", and isgenerally volume number 2. Once you have determined the number of the "D:" volume (generally 2), usethe SELECT VOLUME command as follows:

SELECT VOLUME 2

Note that if LIST VOLUME numbers "D:" as something other than 2, you will need to replacethe 2 in the above command with whatever number is appropriate.

Finally, use the following command to extend the volume to fill the extra space:

EXTEND

There is no need to restart the session after extending the space - the extra space will beavailable immediately. The virtual "D:" drive should now fill the entire size that you specifiedin the win4-gow-resize command above.

Please note that DISKPART.EXE is a Microsoft application, and is neither developed norsupported by Virtual Bridges. Use at your own risk, and always backup your session first incase you need to revert. For more information on the DISKPART.EXE command, please seethe Microsoft knowledgebase article ID 325590, titled How to use Diskpart.exe to extend adata volume in Windows Server 2003, in Windows XP, and in Windows 2000. The articlealso contains a download link for the DISKPART.EXE utility for Windows 2000, since it is notincluded in that version of Windows.

The above mentioned Microsoft knowledgebase article may be accessed from the followingURL, at the time of this writing:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/325590 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/325590)

Installing Windows Outside of Your Home DirectoryIn some cases you may want to install Windows in a location other than your home directory.To do this, you must create a symbolic link to the directory you want to install Windows in,and that link must be relative to your home directory. For example, if you have not yetinstalled Windows, but you want to install it in a directory called /space/win4 instead of $HOME/win4, you would need to run the following command:

ln -s /space/win4 $HOME/win4

After you do this, you can run the Win4Lin Pro Console and do a normal Windowsinstallation, specifying the folder win4 in the installation dialog box. You can name the foldersomething different than win4 if you prefer - the above example was for illustration purposes only.

Note that you must have read/write access to the folder you link into your home directory toinstall Windows on.

Recovering a Corrupt Guest SessionIn rare cases a guest session may become corrupt to the point where you must boot from arecovery, installation, or "rescue" CD. If you keep current backups it is easier to just restorefrom a recent backup than attempt this procedure. Otherwise, it is possible to use such tools

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Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Users GuideAdvanced/Expert Topics

as the Windows Recovery Console, which require booting from a CDROM or CDROM image.

To do this, first identify the configuration name of the session you want to recover. You cando this by running the Win4Lin Pro Console and seeing what directory it is installed in. The configurationname is that directory name, relative to your home directory. For instance, if the directory name is /home/user/win4, then the configuration name is win4.

Next, use the win4 commands -recovery flag to launch the session:

win4 -recovery

For example, if the configuration name is win4, you would use the Linux command:

win4 -recovery win4

You will be asked to insert the Windows 2000/XP CDROM if not inserted already. Note thatyou may use other recovery discs as well. If you are using your Windows installation disc,once the installer comes up, select the Repair option. Note that during this time it is normalfor Win4Lin Pro to consume 100% of the CPU core it is running on.

To specify an ISO image file to boot from, or a different device rater than your defaultCDROM device, use the -cdrom flag for the win4 command. For example, to recover the win4 session and boot from the file winxppro.iso, you would use the following Linuxcommand:

win4 -recovery -cdrom winxppro.iso win4

You should run the win4 command as the user who runs Windows, in all cases, and neveras root, nor with sudo in front of it.

Note that Virtual Bridges does not develop nor support any recovery software, neither fromMicrosoft nor other 3rd parties. Use at your own risk, and always backup your session beforeattempting this. For more information on the Windows XP Recovery Console, please see theMicrosoft knowledgebase article ID 314058, titled Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console. At the time of this writing, the article is available at the following URL:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058)

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TroubleshootingWindows Installation Issues

Windows Installation Aborts

If the Windows installation stops abruptly at any stage, this is most likely due to defective orunreadable media. It is strongly recommended that you rip the media to an ISO 9660 imagefile and install from that instead of directly from the physical CD or DVD. Alternatively, try adifferent Windows CD.

Failures not related to bad media likely indicate that Win4Lin Pro does not support theversion of Windows you are trying to install. In this case, try a different version of Windows.

Windows XP Installation is SlowCertain "slipstreamed" Windows XP CDROMs may cause the Windows installer to takelonger than expected to copy files from the CD or ISO 9660 image. Once the file copy stageis complete, the installation resumes at normal speed. This is a known issue and should notaffect the installation otherwise.

Windows Runtime IssuesSound does not play and/or record in Windows

Make sure that the user you run Windows as has access to the /dev/dsp, or /dev/snd/*device; also make sure that sound works from Linux applications, and that the Linux mixersettings are not muting the playback and/or record channel.

Windows cannot printMake sure that the printer is properly configured in Linux, and that you can print from otherLinux applications (such as Firefox, etc.); also make sure that you have designated a defaultprinter in Linux. Even if you only have one printer, in some cases you will still need toexplicitly designate it as default using the Linux Printer Administration settings.

Windows runs too slowlySee the section Performance in Maximizing the Win4Lin Pro User Experience.

Windows consumes too much host CPU timeRun the Windows task manager (taskmgr.exe, or press Control+Alt+Delete) anddetermine which Windows application or process is consuming the CPU time. Either kill theprocess or exit the application. Note that in some cases this is normal for certain Windows applications.

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Win4Lin Pro 5.5 Users GuideTroubleshooting

Cannot send Control+Alt+Delete to WindowsMake sure your Linux desktop environment is not trapping this key combination. You mayneed to check/adjust your desktop preferences to change this behavior.Alternatively, you may press Shift+F12 to bring up the Win4Lin Pro pop-up menu, and thenselect the option to send Control+Alt+Delete.

Keyboard input in Windows is not correctSee the section Adjusting Session Properties in Using the Win4Lin Pro Console forinformation on choosing an appropriate keyboard layout for Windows to use.

Control key does not seem to work (GNOME Desktops)If you are running Win4Lin Pro in a GNOME desktop, and you cannot correctly send Controlkey combinations to Windows (such as Control+C), make sure that the GNOME MousePreference Show position of pointer when Control key is pressed is not checked. This optioninterferes with the behavior of the Control key, and can be disabled by editing the Linuxdesktops GNOME Mouse Preferences.

Windows desktop window does not refresh properlyIn rare cases, some X11 environments may not send appropriate events to the virtualmachine to refresh. This is especially possible when toggling in and out of full-screen mode.You can refresh the Windows window explicitly by minimizing it and then restoring it againusing your desktop environments normal minimize/restore buttons.

Windows does not start, or is generally corruptRestore from a backup. See the section Backing up and Restoring Sessions in Using theWin4Lin Pro Console for more information.

To attempt a rescue/recovery (i.e. using the Windows Recovery Console), please see thesection Advanced/Expert Topics in Maximizing the Win4Lin Pro User Experience.

Windows XP does not detect a CD/DVD changeIn order to change a physical CD/DVD and have Windows XP detect that there is a new disc,you will first have to eject the o