1

How can I install a modern (Jammy) Xubuntu Core on a UEFI system?

I am trying to install a "desktop virtualization" host based on Ubuntu. I have been playing with XEN (project) on Ubuntu Server and Desktop. I am not happy with the huge amount of configuration required for getting "comfortable" VMs up and running even when building on a minimal Ubuntu Desktop as lean host system.

Recently I was evaluating Oracle VitualBox which makes virtualization comfortable. So now I want to build with Xubuntu / Oracle VirtualBox.

So I started with minimal installation of Xubuntu Jammy (downgraded to GA kernel for a maximum of stability). I noticed that LibreOffice (libreoffice-core and libreoffice-common) are installed, as well as Snap. Both (and maybe even more packages, of which I am not aware) are not needed on the host system.

I found Xubuntu Core which seems to be a better base for the system. But it also seems to be somewhat outdated?

How to install Xubuntu Core leads to a Bionic mini.iso netboot image. The MinimalCD documentation mentions that this image is no longer maintained and is only for BIOS/MBR systems (I have UEFI/GPT).

So my question is: Is Xubuntu Core still supported? If so, how do I get it installed then? I have decided to use a desktop, rather than a server because I have typical desktop requirements for the host (multiple monitors via a dock, VM in fullscreen mode able to use all monitors, WiFi (host is a Laptop), printing, pluggable hardware ... to name a few), which the guests should benefit from.

mats1995
  • 119

1 Answers1

1

I followed the hints from the comments and actually got a "modern" Xubuntu core system. In detail:

  1. Install Ubuntu Server (in my case Ubuntu 22.04) and boot into it. (I chose the "Minimal" server install option. See below.)

  2. Install Xubuntu core (as written here):

     sudo apt-get install xubuntu-core^

    (don't forget the caret)

The resulting system looks very similar to Xubuntu Minimal installation, but it does not have snap installed, (read here, if you want to keep it that way,) it has no LibreOffice core package (nor app) and it has the GA kernel of 22.04 (not the latest HWE kernel).

Since the system does not even have man pages, I also did

  1. sudo unminimize

This makes the system more handy, but now it also has snapd installed. So be it. If Ubuntu say Snap is good for a server, who am I to know better?

  1. Change the system to not use networkd as network renderer but use NetworkManager instead. This is better suited for mobile connectivity / a laptop.

Well, the procedure does not seem to have any advantage over installing Ubuntu Minimal, downgrade to the GA kernel and remove the libreoffice-core package.

mats1995
  • 119