Installing OSGeo

This step is only required if you are not using the "Portable-VirtualBox" solution.

Introduction

OSGeo has made it easy for you to get started with a large number of open source geospatial applications and utilities by providing them in a "disk image". A disk image provides an operating system and applications just like they were installed on a disk. You can then run this on a "virtual machine". A virtual machine is a simulation of a real computer in software. This combination allows you to:

• Build enterprise GIS applications without a real server
• Save and load the images to different computers
• Send your images into the cloud to be executed on mulitple computers

Setting up a Virtual Machine From an ".ova" file (Appliance)

We provide an "ova" file that is ready for you to use as a virtual machine. The following instructions will install it.

1. Create a "ProjectsVM" folder for your "Virtual Machine" files.
2. In MS-Windows, copy the "*.ova" file from "\\ad\hsu\cnrssoftware" to the "ProjectsVM" folder.
3. Place virtual machine file (*.ova) in your "ProjectsVM" folder
4. Select "File -> Import Appliance..."
5. Browse to the virtual machine file
6. Click "Next"
7. Click "Import"
8. Agree to the agreement. The new "Appliance" should appear in the list on the left.

Setting up a Virtual Machine from an "ios" file

If you download the "iso" file from the OSGeo site, you'll want to use the following steps to create a virtual machine.

Create a Virtual Hard Disk

1. Open Virtual Box
2. Click “New”
3. Give the new virtual machine a good name
4. Select “Linux” as the “Type
5. Select “Ubuntu (32 bit) for the “Version"
6. Enter at least 1024 for the RAM
7. Click “Create” to create a virtual hard disk
8. Click “Next” for the VDI hard disk
9. Click “Fixed Size” and “Next”
   You’ll want to save the virtual hard disk to a location in a folder and make the disk size about “40GB”

Setting Up Your Virtual Machine

Now, we can setup your personal virtual machine that you will use during class and can take with you to work with in the future.

1. Settings-> Storage -> Empty -> Check Live CD/DVD
2. Click on the CD icon and navigate to the “iso” file
   - This is an installer disk image that includes a desktop but also allows you to install the operating system onto a virtual machine.
3. Installing the OSGeo
4. Click on “Install OSGeo Live”
5. Continue
6. Check download updates
7. Continue
8. Click “Continue” (it’s a virtual machine so it should not erase your hard disk!)
9. Click “Install Now”
10. Fill out the installation dialogs and complete the install
11. After install
    - Detach optical file after install
    - Devices -> CD/DVD Devices -> Remoev Disk from Visual Drive (this keeps it from rebooting with iso disk)

Note: to turn on disk sharing you need to add the "Guest Additions" as described in the next web page "Using Virtual Box".