Preparing VirtualBox images

• apt-get install localepurge zerofree
• apt-get remove python3* linux-headers* aptitude man-db perl perl-modules geoip-database language-pack-gnome-en-base manpages ppp acpi iso-codes
• wanna remove more? show packages by size: dpkg-query --show --showformat='${Package;-50}\t${Installed-Size}\n' | sort -k 2 -n
• apt-get install apache2 mysql-server mysql-client

Install the genome browser:

 wget http://hgwdev.soe.ucsc.edu/~max/gbInstall/ubuntu.sh
 source ubuntu.sh

• Once you're finished with everything ubuntu related, you can free 120 MB:
  • rm -f /var/lib/apt/lists/*
• Now compact the disk image
  • Reboot: press shift on boot, selected advanced, repair mode or similar
  • Select the menu option to drop into a root shell
  • mount -o remount,ro /
  • zerofree -v /dev/sda1

Show the IP address on startup:

 sudo wget http://hgwdev.soe.ucsc.edu/~max/gbInstall/show-ip-address -O /etc/network/if-up.d/show-ip-address
 sudo chmod a+x /etc/network/if-up.d/show-ip-address

• [Shrink the disk]