Installing Linux Virtual Machine

VOLTTRON requires a Linux system to run. For Windows users this will require a virtual machine (VM).

This section describes the steps necessary to install VOLTTRON using Oracle VirtualBox software. Virtual Box is free and can be downloaded from https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads.

VirtualBox Download

After installing VirtualBox download a virtual box appliance from https://www.osboxes.org/linux-mint/ extract the VDI from the downlaoded archive, or download a system installation disk. VOLTTRON version 7.0.x has been tested using Ubuntu 18.04, 18.10; Linux Mint 19; VOLTTRON version 6.0.x has been tested with Ubuntu 16.04, 18.04. However, any modern apt based Linux distribution should work out of the box. Linux Mint 19.3 with the Xfce desktop is used as an example, however platform setup in Ubuntu should be identical.

Note

A 32-bit version of Linux should be used when running VOLTTRON on a system with limited hardware (less than 2 GB of RAM).

Adding a VDI Image to VirtualBox Environment

Linux Mint

The below info holds the VM’s preset username and password.

Linux Mint Credentials

Create a new VirtualBox Image.

VirtualBox VM Naming

Select the amount of RAM for the VM. The recommended minimum is shown in the image below:

VirtualBox Memory Size Selection

Specify the hard drive image using the extracted VDI file.

VirtualBox Hard Disk

With the newly created VM selected, choose Machine from the VirtualBox menu in the top left corner of the VirtualBox window; from the drop down menu, choose Settings.

To enable bidirectional copy and paste, select the General tab in the VirtualBox Settings. Enable Shared Clipboard and Drag’n’Drop as Bidirectional.

VirtualBox Bidirectional

Note

Currently, this feature only works under certain circumstances (e.g. copying / pasting text).

Go to System Settings. In the processor tab, set the number of processors to two.

VirtualBox Processors

Go to Storage Settings. Confirm that the Linux Mint VDI is attached to Controller: SATA.

Danger

Do NOT mount the Linux Mint iso for Controller: IDE. Will result in errors.

VirtualBox Controller

Start the machine by saving these changes and clicking the “Start” arrow located on the upper left hand corner of the main VirtualBox window.