/dev/md

Installing the GPLPV drivers on a Windows 2008 R2 domU

To speed up a Windows domU, the GPLPV drivers do a great job in paravirtualising essential parts of the system. The latest Windows versions require drivers to be signed in order to be installed. When trying to run gplpv_Vista2008x64_0.11.0.188.msi on a Windows 2008 R2 domU, the installer shows a message about activating “test signing” mode.

This is done via:

bcdedit.exe /set TESTSIGNING ON

The registry key “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\CurrentControlSet\Control\SystemStartOptions” will be changed to “TESTSIGNING etc.”. The domU has to be restarted after the change.

However, the GPLPV installer will still complain about activating “test signing”. This is a bug in the installer, which is looking for “/TESTSIGNING” in the according registry key. Just temporarily edit the registy key and add the slash, this way the install should work. Don’t forget to revert the change afterwards.

Ubuntu 10.4 (Lucid Lynx) and minimize/maximize/close button

Apparently due to some usability tests, the newly available Ubuntu Lucid Lynx Beta has the window buttons on the left side. This is fine for many and if you are used to keyboard shortcuts you wouldn’t care about placement of buttons anyway, but in case you want to have the old style back, this is for you.

Open a Terminal and run the following:

gconf-editor

This opens a registry-like interface. Navigate to /apps/metacity/general and find the key named “button_layout”. The key documentation tells us

The value should be a string, such as "menu:minimize,maximize,spacer,close"; the colon separates the left corner of the window from the right corner, and the button names are comma-separated.

Just replace the value with the suggested string (spacer can be omitted), and the buttons are back at the right side. Keep in mind that in the new default Ubuntu theme the minimize and maximize buttons are switched too.