How do I log into Ubuntu Core Desktop?

Project Discussion Desktop
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Ubuntu Version

Ubuntu Core Desktop
Any version taken from Edge.

Problem Description

I have several times downloaded the latest Ubuntu Core Desktop and installed it in a VM (specifically VirtualBox) in order to try it out.

The problem is that although it installs correctly, at no point does the installer ask for a user or password. Thus, when booting into the installed machine, I cannot log in!

I know that it’s possible, because I’ve seen others writing about doing it. (I’m calling @lammert-nijhof please because I know that you’ve managed it.)

Please tell me how to install Ubuntu Core Desktop with a user and password, because I’d love to test it!

Relevant System Information

  • Host: Ubuntu 24.04
  • VirtualBox: 7.2.2
  • Guest: Ubuntu Core Desktop, latest from Edge.

Error Messages

  • During installation, the installer doesn’t prompt for a user or password.
  • When trying to log in, I’ve made several guesses at the user and password (e.g. ubuntu / ubuntu), but of course none of them has worked.

How I install

  1. Create a new VM in VirtualBox.
  2. Download the latest ubuntu-core-desktop-24-amd64.iso from Edge (and check the SHA256 sum).
  3. Run the ISO in the VM to install Ubuntu Core Desktop on the virtual machine.

(I asked this question earlier this year, but unfortunately that happened shortly before Discourse had a problem and lost a range of posts, mine included.)

Thank you

2

I can’t help. I installed it in Dec 2024 from the experimental folder, I don’t remember very much about user and password. I would try the username you prefer and an empty password, I have some vague idea, I did it once, but maybe on some other distro or program.

3

Ubuntu Core Desktop doesn’t create a local username/password during install.
You need to attach an Ubuntu One account at first boot (or seed an SSH key in the cloud-init config).

For a quick test in VirtualBox:

  1. Boot the VM and hit “Connect your Ubuntu One account” on the login/setup screen.
  2. Sign in with your Ubuntu One credentials — this creates your user and lets you log in.
  3. If running headless or without that prompt, you can add a user via the console by supplying a cloud-init user-data file with your username and SSH key.

Without this step there’s no default ubuntu/ubuntu login.

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4

Thank you for responding!

I’ve just tried your suggestion, and unfortunately that didn’t work (I tried a few usernames). Back to the drawing board!

5

I thought that attaching an Ubuntu One account was for the Core server?

I’m happy to try your suggestion, but I have absolutely no clue how to go about it. I don’t know even how to look it up.

Here is what I am faced with on first boot:
First boot

Sorry, I don’t know even know what this means. What is a cloud-init, and how do I put an SSH key into its config?

Please excuse my ignorance — I’m used to booting a normal desktop and occasionally a normal server.

6

You seem to have a broken Image.

UbuntuCore desktop normally comes up with a graphical desktop session and spawns a first boot wizard where you pick the language, keyboard and set up a user…

The non desktop UbuntuCore developer images from cdimage usually come up with a minimal text based GUI that lets you set up network and enter an Ubuntu one account email which becomes your ssh user on the device…

Neither of the images should ever show a normal login prompt like in your screenshot

EDIT: note that Core Desktop is on hold due to limited resources in the desktop team, so the images do not get any regular development or testing (you might have noticed that there is nothing in the current dir on cdimage, only pending which holds the untested images) … so a non-working image isn’t actually a surprise until the work gets resumed again …

7

That might explain it! I had noticed that the current directory was always empty.

Each time I’ve tested, I’ve downloaded the latest available ISO, and checked that the SHA256 sum is correct, before trying to use it.

But, if the ISO isn’t even working, that stops me dead.

Perhaps the best thing is for me to await an official announcement, which (it seems) is likely to be months away.

8

Do we know if the project will be resumed for Ubuntu Core 26?

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