Since our department has a license for Microsoft Virtual PC, which lets us simulate another computer in a window, I thought I would try to create a Virtual PC and load it up with xubuntu, a Linux distribution that is intentionally low in hardware requirements.

I am not sure if my troubles are with Virtual PC or with Xubuntu, but I could never get xubuntu to boot up in any standard graphical window. The boot screen was fine, but it didn’t work well after that. Even when I selected VGA from the list of options, it tried to put up a 1600×800 window on my machine. There were some lines of dots on it, but nothing usable.

Next, when I rebooted the machine after installing Virtual PC, my wireless networking stopped working. After a couple of reboot attempts, I started to uninstall Virtual PC, and the uninstall hung. I rebooted the machine and got ready to do a System Restore, but now my wireless is back. The shortcuts to the program are still there, and I’m afraid if I use it it will repair itself and screw up my networking. I will try this again when next I’m in Houston, where IT can fix my laptop if necessary. :)

So one could say my laptop was enjoying St. Patrick’s Day to its bloody fullest. I didn’t know HP was Irish. :)