The Wine solution for uploading songs to Google Music in Ubuntu goes ridiculously slow. Until Google offers up a Linux native client for uploading (or just realizes that a browser-based file uploading system is actually very reasonable), you have two choices for uploading (in my mind): a dual boot system where you use Windows (or OSX), or you can use VirtualBox to run a virtual Windows session and upload through that.

I opted for the virtual OS path, and here’s what I did to get it to work (drawn from here):

1. Install VirtualBox: go to Ubuntu Software Center and install “VirtualBox OSE” and “Guest additions ISO image for VirtualBox”
2. fire up VirtualBox and start a new session and install your OS (I found a disc for Vista in my stash) – note, I think it has to be a 32 bit version, I kept getting error messages when I tried to install a 64 bit version of Windows 7
3. After it has installed and done the several necessary reboots, shut it down and in the VirtualBox OSE Manager choose the installation you want to use (do not start it, just select it) and then open up the “shared Folders” setting and add your music folder
4. Fire up the virtual Windows OS again and let it boot up
5. then, going up to the top of your Ubuntu screen, where you access the options for the VirtualBox session, click on “Devices” and then choose “Install Guest Additions” and wait a minute or so for the script to run in the background
6. An AutoPlay dialog box may open up, asking if you want to run the VBoxWindowsAdditions.exe – choose “yes”
   1. note that I actually had to go to My Computer and choose the virtual disc that loaded as such, and then choose the VBoxWindowsAdditions-x86.exe file
7. it will run and you will have to restart the Windows machine
8. Now, click on the start button and in the “run” dialog type “cmd”
9. a DOS terminal window will open up. If your music folder that you want to share is in your home folder and titled “Music”, then type this: “net use t: \\vboxsvr\Music”
10. you should get some sort of message indicating success. You can close that window
11. now, when you click on Computer (or My Computer) in the Windows machine, the music folder should show up as a network folder
12. now, download the Google MusicManager software in the Windows machine by going here.
13. After it has installed, you want to use “other folders” to upload from. Add your shared music folder, and I would suggest removing the “my music” folder (unless you just love the music samples that Windows includes in their installation).
14. After it has scanned your collection it should start uploading them!

All in all, it’s more of a tedious process than complicated. I really can’t wait for Google to get their uploading situation figured out – I’m sure eventually there will at least be a method using their Chrome Browser. This works for now, irritating though it may be.

Alrighty, Ubuntu 11.04 is here – and it’s a little different….okay, a lot different. If you’re not up for trying out a new interface (the gnome-shell/unity thing they’ve got going on), I’d say wait ’til the fall when they have had a full release cycle to iron out some of the wrinkles. But if you’re game for trying it out, download it here.

I hit a snag using Ubuntu Tweak in my first few attempts at the install, so if you like to use it, do so with care and do not enable the “Gnome 3″ repository. Not unless you want gnome and metacity disabled – which is definitely not something you want to happen unless you are doing so on purpose for a specific reason. Here’s the thread where I was trying to figure out what was going on.

that said, I’ve found a few really solid resources on Ubuntu 11.04 out there

• solid thread on your options in Natty and some good instructions on how some things work: Natty Info: Your UI Options
• OMG! Ubuntu! has some solid guides as well:
  • guide to unity
  • 10 things to do after installing natty
  • download indicator applets
• Power User’s Guide to Unity

Good luck! If you have found any other great resources out there, please list ‘em in the comments and I’ll try to update the list I have.