To setup an Ubuntu 24.04.2 development Hyper-V VM, with built-in "Enhanced Session" + Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) support (until it's available in Hyper-V's "Quck Create"):
- Create Hyper-V VM
- Configure VM for "Enhanced Session", allow nested virtualisation
- Start VM, install Ubuntu
- XRDP Setup
- Optional, but really useful setup
- Fix Xrdp slow performance
- Connect to VM
Create Hyper-V VM
Create VM ("New" > "Virtual Machine"):
# Specify Name and Location
Name: Ubuntu 24.04
[Next]
# Specify Generation
Generation: 2
[Next]
# Assign Memory
Startup memory: 4096
[Next]
# Configure Networking
Connection: Default Switch
[Next]
# Connect Virtual Hard Disk
Create a virtual hard disk:
Name: Ubuntu 24.04.vhdx
Size: 256GB
[Next]
# Installation Options
Install an operating system from a from bootable CD/DVD-ROM:
Image file: ubuntu-24.04.2-desktop-amd64.iso
[Finish]
DO NOT START VM YET
Configure VM (Right-click "Ubuntu 24.04" > "Settings..."):
# Change boot order (boot from HDD before Network)
Firmware
DVD Drive
HDD
Network
# Necessary to boot Ubuntu
Security
Enable Secure Boot
Template: Microsoft UEFI Certificate Authority
# Optional
Integration Services
(Check all)
# Optional
Checkpoints
(Uncheck) Use automatic checkpoints
# Optional
Automatic Stop Action
Shut down the guest operating system
[OK]
DO NOT START VM YET
Configure VM for "Enhanced Session", allow nested virtualisation
From admin PowerShell (Right-click "Windows PowerShell" > "Run as administrator..."):
# Connect with Enhanced Session
Set-VM -VMName 'Ubuntu 24.04' -EnhancedSessionTransportType HvSocket
# Allow nested virtualisation (optional)
Set-VMProcessor -VMName 'Ubuntu 24.04' -ExposeVirtualizationExtensions $true
# Verify - expect 'True'
(Get-VMProcessor -VMName 'Ubuntu 24.04').ExposeVirtualizationExtensions
Start VM, install Ubuntu
-
Start VM, install with default options, using the latest installer (Update installer if promoted).
Note:
- ❗ Make sure
Require my password to log inis checked (this is needed forxrdp) - Example Default installation options:
Interactive installation Default selection Erase disk and install Ubuntu - ❗ Make sure
Restart - Hard-reset VM if you get error:
SQUASHFS error: Failed to read block
XRDP Setup
Install Xrdp + apply Ubuntu 24.04 specific fixes:
💡 You may find it easier to do this over SSH: apt install -y openssh-server, then ssh to new VM.
# As root
sudo su -
# Hyper-V integration services
apt install -y linux-tools-virtual-hwe-24.04 linux-cloud-tools-virtual-hwe-24.04
# Fix-up journal log error
mkdir /usr/libexec/hypervkvpd/
ln -s /usr/sbin/hv_get_dhcp_info /usr/libexec/hypervkvpd/hv_get_dhcp_info
ln -s /usr/sbin/hv_get_dns_info /usr/libexec/hypervkvpd/hv_get_dns_info
# Install xrdp
apt install -y xrdp
cp -p /etc/xrdp/sesman.ini /etc/xrdp/sesman.ini.original
cp -p /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini.original
# Allow enhanced session
sed -i -e 's/^port=3389$/port=3389 vsock:\/\/-1:3389/g' /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini
# Rename redirected drives to 'shared-drives'
sed -i -e 's/FuseMountName=thinclient_drives/FuseMountName=shared-drives/g' /etc/xrdp/sesman.ini
# Use "Ubuntu" session
cat > /etc/xrdp/startubuntu.sh << EOF
#!/bin/sh
export GNOME_SHELL_SESSION_MODE=ubuntu
export XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=ubuntu:GNOME
exec /etc/xrdp/startwm.sh
EOF
chmod a+x /etc/xrdp/startubuntu.sh
# use the script to setup the ubuntu session
sed -i -e 's/startwm/startubuntu/g' /etc/xrdp/sesman.ini
# Fixes login black screen delay
echo "blacklist vmw_vsock_vmci_transport" > /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-vmw_vsock_vmci_transport.conf
# Unlock keyring on login
cat > /etc/pam.d/xrdp-sesman <<'EOT'
#%PAM-1.0
auth required pam_env.so readenv=1
auth required pam_env.so readenv=1 envfile=/etc/default/locale
@include common-auth
-auth optional pam_gnome_keyring.so
-auth optional pam_kwallet5.so
@include common-account
@include common-password
# Ensure resource limits are applied
session required pam_limits.so
# Set the loginuid process attribute.
session required pam_loginuid.so
# Update wtmp/lastlog
session optional pam_lastlog.so quiet
@include common-session
-session optional pam_gnome_keyring.so auto_start
-session optional pam_kwallet5.so auto_start
EOT
Optional, but really useful setup
Reduce boot delay:
cp -p /etc/default/grub /etc/default/grub.default
# Show boot log instead of splash screen
sed -i -e 's/GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=.*/GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=""/g' /etc/default/grub
# Faster boot - reduce grub wait for input timeout
echo 'GRUB_RECORDFAIL_TIMEOUT=3' >> /etc/default/grub
update-grub
Enable zram (compressed memory), disable swap file:
apt install -y systemd-zram-generator
cp -p /etc/systemd/zram-generator.conf /etc/systemd/zram-generator.conf.original
cat > /etc/systemd/zram-generator.conf <<'EOT'
[zram0]
zram-size = 12288
compression-algorithm = zstd
EOT
systemctl daemon-reload
systemctl restart systemd-zram-setup@zram0
# Disable swap file
cp -p /etc/fstab /etc/fstab.original
sed -i -e 's@^/swap.img@#/swap.img@g' /etc/fstab
swapoff /swap.img
rm /swap.img
Full reboot (must power off > power on - else Enhanced Session won't kick-in)
poweroff
Fix Xrdp slow performance
In Feb 2025 one of the Ubuntu update caused a performance regression with the Xorg backend (even on 1920x1080...).
To switch to the VNC Backend:
# As root
sudo su -
# Install TigerVNC
apt install -y tigervnc-standalone-server tigervnc-xorg-extension
# Configure tigervnc backend
cp -p /etc/xrdp/sesman.ini /etc/xrdp/sesman.ini.20250213
sed -z -i -e \
's/'\
'\(\[Xvnc\].*\nparam=96\n\)\n\[/'\
'\1param=-CompareFB\nparam=1\nparam=-ZlibLevel\nparam=0\nparam=-geometry\nparam=1920x1080\n\n[/'\
'gi' /etc/xrdp/sesman.ini
# Fix "VNC server resize failed - error code 3" login error
cp -p /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini.20250213
sed -i -e 's/^#delay_ms=2000$/delay_ms=2000/gi' /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini
# Remove Xorg backend
sed -z -i -e \
's/'\
'\[Xorg\].*\ncode=20\n\n\[/'\
'[/'\
'gi' /etc/xrdp/xrdp.ini
reboot
Connect to VM
Either using mstsc / Hyper-V
Profit 😉
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