At the company where I work we have a full VMware View infrastructure. As users were being migrated to virtual machines one after another, we ended up being stuck with lots of workstations we didnt want to put full operating systems on. Through much trial and error I created what we have affectionately dubbed, The [...]]]> Introduction

At the company where I work we have a full VMware View infrastructure. As users were being migrated to virtual machines one after another, we ended up being stuck with lots of workstations we didnt want to put full operating systems on. Through much trial and error I created what we have affectionately dubbed, The JCOS. James Cuadros Operating System (It just sort of stuck).

So with many companies, like ours, turning towards desktop virtualization and deploying Thin Clients as terminals for users to connect to their VDI’s, you may feel you are stuck with all these extra workstations that you don’t want to put full operating systems on (as this would defeat the purpose of getting users to use their virtual machines). With this solution you can turn old existing hardware into functioning Thin Clients for your VMware View environment. I will be using Windows Thin PC as my base OS because it is way better then Windows Fundamentals for legacy PC’s since its hardware compatibility list is close to what Windows 7 is.

First off

To get a hold of a Windows Thin PC ISO you have to have a Software Assurance agreement with Microsoft. To learn more about Windows Thin PC you can read about it here: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/enterprise/products-and-technologies/virtualization/thinpc.aspx

Breakdown of System Requirements

Install Windows Thin PC

If you have installed Vista or 7 the installation process is pretty much exactly the same. Go through your normal settings if you have them.

Set Up Windows

• Choose a user name and name computer
• Set up a password for the account
• Use Recommended settings
• Set time and date
• Select Work network

The first thing I always do on a new system is enable remote desktop (this is optional). To do this the easiest way is to run sysdm.cpl, click on the Remote Tab and select Allow connections…

Install the VMware View Client

(Supported versions are 4.5, 4.6, 5.0, 5.1)

Enable the Local Administrator account

You will want to do this eventually. Run command lusrmgr.msc

Make sure to set a password for the account

Windows Updates

Be sure to run all systems updates and patches before going on.

Anti Virus software

It would be a good idea to install some sort of free Anti-Virus software just to make sure you have your bases covered. I recommend AVG Free edition

AVG Free Version: free.avg.com

JCOS Installation

Unzip the JCOS Installation Files [Get them HERE]

If you are like me and never open the README.txt or Instructions.txt documentation, just make sure you move the JCOS folder to the root of the C drive. This is critical.

Run Installation Script

Open the JCOS folder which is now at the root of your C: drive

Right click on InstallJCOS.cmd and Run as Administrator

A command line window will pop up briefly and begin configuring the user account and auto login. Then a window will pop up saying “Windows will shutdown in 1 minute.” – The whole process takes just a few minutes and will reboot a total of 2 times.

What it’s doing

The combination of scripts are basically creating a user account named “user” (full name “VMware View User”) with the password “user” and making that account automatically log in. In addition it is also removing the normal shell for a Windows user account, so the taskbar and icons are hidden. The last thing it does is automatically launch the VMware View client.

If you are using an imaging solution to deploy thin clients, the JCOS is Sysprep compatible. Just run the sysprep.cmd after you have gone through the Sysprep process.

End Result

Click to enlarge screenshot

Note: If the need arises to log in as the Local Administrator, hit CTRL+ALT+DEL, then hold down BOTH Shift keys and select Log off, you will be brought back to the lock screen.

Goal: I have been wanting to configure a file server for my Windows 7, Windows XP, and Mac OS X Lion home network environment. [...]]]> Let me just start out by saying that I am a complete newbie as far as Linux goes. With that said – this tutorial does involve using the Terminal.

Goal: I have been wanting to configure a file server for my Windows 7, Windows XP, and Mac OS X Lion home network environment. I got tired of trying to make Windows shared folders to show up in Finder and visa versa.

Just so happens my parents old eMachines decided to die a few months back, naturally I took it home to see what I can salvage from it. Turned out all it needed was a new power supply. $28 bucks later and after I slapped a spare 320GB Hard Drive in it, I had a perfect file server. Of course I put Ubuntu on it because that’s what all the cool kids do. So my file sharing to Mac OS X began…

1. Install Netatalk

Netatalk is the Open Source implementation of AFP, Apple file Sharing Protocol. Simply open Ubuntu Software Center and search “netatalk”.

Configure Netatalk

Open up Terminal. Run the following command:

sudo gedit /etc/default/netatalk

The sudo command is the Windows equivalent of “Run as Administrator”. It gives you elevated privileges, which is what you will need to modify system files. The next command gedit opens Ubuntu’s native text editor. The next command /etc/default/netatalk just specifies the file path.


Edit the netatalk file to match the code below

ATALKD_RUN=no
PAPD_RUN=no
CNID_METAD_RUN=yes
AFPD_RUN=yes
TIMELORD_RUN=no
A2BOOT_RUN=no

Then close and save the document. Next we have to edit the main config file for AFP sharing called afpd.conf:

sudo gedit /etc/netatalk/afpd.conf

Scroll down to the very bottom and add this to the bottom (If there is already a line there, replace it with this one):

- -transall -uamlist uams_randnum.so,uams_dhx.so -nosavepassword -advertise_ssh

Save and close the document.

2. Install Avahi

Avahi advertises all defined services across your network just like Bonjour does. It will let your Mac automatically discover your Ubuntu box in Finder.

sudo apt-get install avahi-daemon

Now we have to edit the nsswitch.conf file:

sudo gedit /etc/nsswitch.conf

All you have to do here is add “mdns” at the end of the line that starts with “hosts:”. It should look like this:

hosts: files mdns4_minimal [NOTFOUND=return] dns mdns4 mdns

Save and close the document.

Configure Avahi

Now we can tell Avahi to behave like Bonjour and advertise certain services. In our case we just want to advertise AFP sharing. A simple XML file can accomplish this. Run the following command:

sudo gedit /etc/avahi/services/afpd.service

A new document should open in gedit. Now paste the following into that new document and save the file:


<?xml version="1.0" standalone='no'?><!--*-nxml-*-->
<!DOCTYPE service-group SYSTEM "avahi-service.dtd">
<service-group>
<name replace-wildcards="yes">%h</name>
<service>
<type>_afpovertcp._tcp</type>
<port>548</port>
</service>
<service>
<type>_device-info._tcp</type>
<port>0</port>
<txt-record>model=Xserve</txt-record>
</service>
</service-group>

Restart Avahi daemon

sudo /etc/init.d/avahi-daemon restart

That’s it! You should now see your Ubuntu box show up in Finder. Beautiful.

Days before the release of the much anticipated Apple iPad, Netflix – A revolutionary company in it’s own, released it’s very own application dedicated for streaming movies right to the iPad. For those unfamiliar with “Watch Instantly” its just about the greatest thing ever. Seriously. Currently almost [...]]]>

Days before the release of the much anticipated Apple iPad, Netflix – A revolutionary company in it’s own, released it’s very own application dedicated for streaming movies right to the iPad. For those unfamiliar with “Watch Instantly” its just about the greatest thing ever. Seriously. Currently almost 18,000 titles are available for instant streaming to current Netflix subscribers. The company supports almost 50 different devices that have this feature built right in including Blu-ray players, televisions, Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and more recently the Nintendo Wii. This is a huge leap in the streaming video world. Not only is this a great feature for Netflix subscribers it may also give other companies a nudge to start doing the same thing. Hulu on the iPad anyone? (Hint, hint)

UPDATE: It has been confirmed that a Netflix iPhone app is being developed as well! Netflix Blog