ICPC Virtual Contest Support System (VCSS) OS Image Installation Directions

Overview

VCSS is an ICPC-sponsored system which allows teams to participate in a "virtual contest" using their own computer at home. All participants in a VCSS-managed contest use the same contest operating system image for the contest, which is supplied automatically as part of the VCSS system.

The VCSS contest OS image is based on the ICPC World Finals contest image (which is described here) and consists of the Ubuntu Linux operating system and its tools and utilities, together with contest-specific tools such as the Eclipse and IntelliJ integrated development environments, a variety of compilers and editors, and specialized VCSS tools to support participation in a VCSS-managed virtual contest.

There are two ways in which members of a team can participate in a VCSS-managed virtual contest.

Use a remote desktop application on your computer to access a VCSS cloud machine running the VCSS Contest OS image.
Use the VCSS virtual machine image file to create a virtual machine (VM) which runs the VCSS contest OS image, and run that VM in an application such as VMWare or VirtualBox on your own computer.

When a VCSS machine starts running it will automatically connect to the VCSS contest server and register your machine as a participant in the contest. At that point you can login to the machine, develop solutions to the contest problems, and submit your solutions to the contest judges (see the separate VCSS Team Guide for further details).

VCCS Cloud Machines

In order to use a VCSS cloud machine you must obtain VCSS cloud machine access credentials from your contest director. Supported remote desktop applications for connectiong to a VCSS cloud machine include Remote Desktop Connection (Microsoft Windows), Microsoft Remote Desktop (MacOSX), and Remmina (Linux).

VCSS Local Machines

In order to create a VCSS VM running on your own computer, follow these steps:

Download the VCSS virtual machine OVA file (11.59 GBytes). MD5 Checksums e0a789d81c9a9df8fc75607fa2872af2.
Use a tool such as VirtualBox or VMWare to import the OVA file and create a VM. (Click here for details on how to use VirtualBox.)
Start the VM running.
Login using account name "team" and password "contest".

NOTES:

If you get just a blinking cursor (instead of a login screen) when you start the Local VM (please wait about 2 minutes for the machine to finish booting), then try the following:
1. Hit CTRL-ALT-F2 to get to a text console logon screen.
2. Login using the account "team" and password "contest".
3. Execute the following commands:
```
    sudo su
    rm /usr/share/doc/icpc/TechNotes.pdf
    apt-get remove --purge pacnw icpc2020 gdm3
    apt install icpc2020 gdm3
    apt install pacnw
           
```
4. Reboot the VM.

We have tested importing and running the OVA file with VirtualBox; we believe it should run equally well when imported into VMWare, but we have not tested this and your mileage may vary...

Last updated: Fri Mar 26 18:02:30 CDT 2021