How To Run Cumulus On Linux (Until Cumulus For Linux Comes)

[Buford T. Justice]

I like GNU/Linux especially Ubuntu MATE GNU/Linux 14.04.1 LTS. These directions will get your Cumulus up and running on GNU/Linux using VirtualBox which is a virtual machine. I am typing these from memory as I have everything working and do not want to go through them all again. If I missed something, add a reply and I will update these directions. These are based on Ubuntu MATE but can be modified for other distributions of GNU/Linux.

I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE IF YOU MESS UP YOUR COMPUTER(S) OR CUMULUS!!!

I also STRONGLY suggest you have a second computer to use GNU/Linux on and leave your main machine running Windows alone.

On your main computer running Cumulus, close Cumulus. COPY and PASTE the Cumulus main folder onto a USB thumb drive.

You are going to need a Windows CD/DVD. Any version going back to XP will work, but I recommend XP because there is no point in putting on a later version of Windows that requires more space and resources. It's your call, but the more resources you allow the virtual machine to have, the slower your main machine will get.

The first thing to do is download and install VirtualBox on your Linux machine. Open the Ubuntu Software Center and search for it. Once VirtualBox is installed, click on Applications > Accessories > VirtualBox. I cannot remember if you have to go through a quick little setup or not. I think that was when you were ready to install Windows so I will say no. Click on HELP > ABOUT VIRTUALBOX... to see what version you have installed. Remember this version number. Close VirtualBox.

Go to http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/ and download the extension pack matching the version number.

Open the file after it downloads and it should open with VirtualBox and you will be asked to install it.

After that, you will be ready to create a VirtualBox drive to install Windows on. Click the NEW button. If using Windows XP like I did, call it Windows XP. Make sure TYPE is set to Microsoft Windows and VERSION is Windows XP (32-bit). Click NEXT. The default memory usage value is only 192 MBs which is not enough so change this to AT LEAST 512 MBs. I used 2 GB because I am using 64-bit Linux and have 12 GBs of total memory. Click CREATE to make your virtual machine hard drive using the recommended 10 GB size which is enough. For the TYPE, select the top option which is VDI then click NEXT. Be sure to DYNAMICALLY ALLOCATE it so the size builds up to 10 GB as needed. Click NEXT. Make sure the slider is on 10 GB then click CREATE.

You will now see Windows XP on the left side of the main VirtualBox window. Stick your Windows XP CD/DVD into your Linux machine's drive. Click on Windows XP then click the START button to boot. You will need to boot from your Windows CD/DVD of course. Do a normal Windows install. Once the install finishes and you are in Windows XP, be sure to set the screen resolution to at least 1024x768 or Cumulus will look funny when you are ready to run it. Click on START and go to Windows Update. Download all the latest updates until you have them all. When done, click Start > Turn Off to power down your virtual Windows XP PC. Close the main VirtualBox window as well.

Now we need to get USB fully working. To do that (in elementary OS and other Linux versions should be similar), click on System > Administration > Users and Groups. Click the Manage Groups button. On the list, find vboxusers. Select it then click on Properties. Make sure your username for Linux is checked. Click OK then close the Users and Groups windows.

Now reboot your Linux machine. When Linux reloads, stick the USB thumb drive in and make sure your weather station is properly connected to your Linux machine. Reopen VirtualBox.

In the main VirtualBox window, click on Windows XP then click on the Configure button. On the left, click on USB. On the right, make sure both USB boxes are checked. There is a blank area called USB Device Filters with 6 buttons on the right. Click on the second one from the top. You will need to add your USB thumb drive and your weather station. My Fine Offset was listed as Unknown Device 1941:8021 [0100]. Click OK then reopen Windows XP. Your thumb drive should be found. COPY and PASTE the Cumulus folder to the C:\ drive then open the folder and open cumulus.exe. ENJOY!

[sebi099]

Thats a great Instruction but not the solution.
A Home PC needs too much Power for a 24/365 Operation.
The goal is to put Weather Station Software on a Raspberry Pi etc.. ist uses less Power and is doing the same Job.

[tumutbound]

This is a solution that has worked for me for the last 5 years or so, the only difference is that I use VMware rather than Virtualbox.
My home server is powered on 24/7 for other reasons.
That said, I'm looking forward to a Pi based version of Cumulus.

[snapper]

Thats a great Instruction but not the solution.
A Home PC needs too much Power for a 24/365 Operation.
The goal is to put Weather Station Software on a Raspberry Pi etc.. ist uses less Power and is doing the same Job.

Depends what your problem is - if I were to use a rpi, I would actually use more power!!

For those of us that run home automation (or media) servers, adding Cumulus to an already running machine makes more sense as it adds nothing to the power consumption.

It's a big assumption to make that everyone runs a PC just for cumulus

[snapper]

Bufords instructions above are great if you want to run Windows/cumulus combined but for those a bit more adventurous, you can use WINE.
This is a bit like a Windows emulator running under linux that doesn't need windows installing, and gives cumulus in a proper linux window.

I've ran it fine under Centos 6.5. I had an issue with the shadow graphics not showing, nor the clock, but if wasn't sure if it was just a video setting I had missed.
I'll document how I did it in a day of so when I get to a real PC.
Too much to type on an iPad

[Buford T. Justice]

The directions were for those with desktops, servers, and laptops or capable tablets obviously, lol.

WINE appears to be a pain to get USB working. Virtual machining is much easier.

As for the Raspberry PI...

http://www.raspberrypi.org/

Looks kind of goofy to me. Real men use real computers!

[sebi099]

In the US u don`t pay so much for Power...
But here in Germany we pay ~26 Euro Cent for every KW/h, so we try to save every KW/h.

[duke]

The goal is to put Weather Station Software on a Raspberry Pi etc.. it uses less Power and is doing the same Job.

And that would depend on how much of a 'weather nut' you are and what you have on your weather server. If you run, for example, WXSIM (to name but one) then the lower powered PC's etc are not going to cut it.