Free VPS Control Panel – Installing Virtualmin on Ubuntu 11.10 Desktop

In my time as a web developer, I have really learned that knowing how to set up your own home VPS is essential. It allows you to develop any number of websites for no costs, do it really quickly as you’re on a local LAN, and it teaches you a little server admin too.

I run anywhere between three and six virtual private server at any given time, and am currently working on my first Eucalyptus Cloud using Ubuntu Cloud Server, one netbook and one Dedicated Box all at my home network. Why? Just to see if I can do it on a small scale before attempting to build SkyNet –Muahahahahahaha!!!!

Anyway, This post are my notes for installing Virtualmin Control Panel on to Ubuntu Desktop 11.10. The regular Virtualmin .sh install script will fail every single time with out taking these steps.

I am using Ubuntu Desktop 11.10 which is, at the time of this writing, the latest released version. I am using the desktop edition because I am installing the full server on to my Toshiba Netbook so it can double as a webserver while I still use the regular user interface. This allows for a very powerful mobile development package –no internet connection needed! The N450 Processor is not capable of handling any sort of virtualization, so I had a choice of installing Xampp or a full webserver

(Did I mention that the netbook is also a Eucalyptus Cloud controller?)

So, on to the good stuff:

Become Root:

user@ubuntu:~$ sudo -s
[sudo] password for user: your-password
root@ubuntu:~#

Add Webmin/Virtualmin Repositories and GPG Keys

To install the repos and keys, add the keys to the /etc/apt/sources.list file. First make a backup, just in case. then use “nano” or another editor to insert the three repos into the sources list.

root@ubuntu:~# cp /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources.list-bak
root@ubuntu:~# vi /etc/apt/sources.list

The repos that are needed:
deb http://download.webmin.com/download/repository sarge contrib
deb http://webmin.mirror.somersettechsolutions.co.uk/repository sarge contrib
deb http://software.virtualmin.com/gpl/debian virtualmin-universal main

Next, import the gpg keys.root@ubuntu:~# cd /tmp
root@ubuntu:/tmp# wget http://software.virtualmin.com/lib/RPM-GPG-KEY-virtualmin
root@ubuntu:/tmp# wget http://www.webmin.com/jcameron-key.asc
root@ubuntu:/tmp# apt-key add jcameron-key.asc
root@ubuntu:/tmp$ apt-key add RPM-GPG-KEY-virtualmin

They gpg keys needed are as follows:

http://software.virtualmin.com/lib/RPM-GPG-KEY-virtualmin

http://www.webmin.com/jcameron-key.asc

 

Install Package Dependencies

root@ubuntu:/tmp# wget http://software.virtualmin.com/gpl/ubuntu/dists/virtualmin-hardy/main/binary-amd64/procmail-wrapper_1.0-2_amd64.deb
root@ubuntu:/tmp# dpkg -i procmail-wrapper_1.0-2_amd64.deb

Now we need to update our repos, and while we are at it, any out of date Ubuntu packages.

root@ubuntu:/tmp# apt-get -y update
root@ubuntu:/tmp# apt-get -y upgrade

Get the Virtualmin GPL Auto-install Script

We’ll download the installer, make it executable, and then run it! Note: If the install script asks for your FQDN: re-type it into command line. The hostname we set earlier will be in effect when the machine reboots.

root@server:/tmp$ wget http://software.virtualmin.com/gpl/scripts/install.sh
root@server:/tmp$ chmod u+x install.sh

“Fool” Virtualmin to think it’s installing on Ubuntu 10.04LTS

root@server:/tmp$ nano /etc/issue

replace “Ubuntu 11.10 \n \l” with “Ubuntu 10.04.02 LTS”

Save the file ctrl-x, “y” enter

Install Virtualmin

root@server:/tmp$ /tmp/install.sh

Change the /etc/issue file back

root@server:/tmp$ nano /etc/issue

replace “Ubuntu 10.04.02 LTS” with “Ubuntu 11.10 \n \l”

Save the file ctrl-x, “y” enter

Done!