Difference between revisions of "VMWare"

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[http://www.vmware.com/ VMware] allows you to run one or more [[virtual]] machines at the same time on one computer. You can download VMWare Player for free.
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[http://www.vmware.com/ VMware] allows you to run one or more [[virtual]] machines at the same time on one computer. VMware player is (as of 2013-10-21) free for non-commercial use.
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<metadesc>How to install, run and troubleshoot VMware on Linux.</metadesc>
  
 
= Using VMware Player =
 
= Using VMware Player =
After downloading VMware Player you must install it. So, [[open a console]] and enter
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* Download VMware Player. You get an installation file, in this example we call it VMware-Player-4.0.0-471780.x86_64.bundle.
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* install some [[dependencies]], e.g. for SUSE Linux [[open a console]] and enter:
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yast -i kernel-source make gcc
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* install VMware Player:
 
  sh VMware-Player-4.0.0-471780.x86_64.bundle
 
  sh VMware-Player-4.0.0-471780.x86_64.bundle
 
To run vmware player, enter
 
To run vmware player, enter
 
  vmplayer
 
  vmplayer
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 +
= removing VMware Player =
 +
vmware-installer --gtk --uninstall-component ''component''
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Where component can be
 +
  vmware-installer
 +
  vmware-player-setup
 +
  vmware-vmx
 +
  vmware-network-editor
 +
  vmware-usbarbitrator
 +
  vmware-player-app
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  vmware-ovftool
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  vmware-player
  
 
= Installing VMWare ESX server =
 
= Installing VMWare ESX server =
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*.ovf files describe a virtual machine in a standardized format. The virtual machines can be imported e.g. with vmware player.
 
*.ovf files describe a virtual machine in a standardized format. The virtual machines can be imported e.g. with vmware player.
 
*.ova files describe a virtual machine in a standardized format. The virtual machines can be imported e.g. with vmware player.
 
*.ova files describe a virtual machine in a standardized format. The virtual machines can be imported e.g. with vmware player.
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 +
= Moving virtual machines =
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I ran out of disk space and moved my virtual machines from the SSD disk /root/vmware to another disk /mnt/vmware:
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mkdir /mnt/vmware
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mv /root/vmware/* /mnt/vmware
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Then I put a link from /root/vmware to /mnt/vmware:
 +
ln -s /mnt/vmware /root
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Then the virtual machines showed up twice in the inventory. I had to delete /root/.vmware to get rid of this.
  
 
= TroubleShooting =
 
= TroubleShooting =
* If you get a pop-up saying "Failed to initialize mouse-keyboard-screen control", you have probably tried to start your virtual machine in an nx session. Better use a vnc session.
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* If you get a pop-up saying "C header files matching your running kernel were not found.  Refer to your distribution's documentation for installation instructions." when starting VMware Player, just install the kernel sources.
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== mouse-keyboard-screen control ==
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'''Symptom:''' When you start vmplayer you get a pop-up saying "Failed to initialize mouse-keyboard-screen control"
 +
 
 +
;Reason: You have probably tried to start your virtual machine in an nx session
 +
;Solution: Better use a vnc session.
 +
 
 +
== C header files ==
 +
;Symptom: When starting vmplayer you get a pop-up saying "C header files matching your running kernel were not found.  Refer to your distribution's documentation for installation instructions."  
 +
;Solution: Make sure your kernel sources are installed. Make sure running kernel, installed kernel and installed kernel source have the same version, in this example for SUSE Linux:
 +
# uname -a
 +
Linux tweedleburg 2.6.37.1-1.2-desktop #1 SMP PREEMPT 2011-02-21 10:34:10 +0100 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
 +
# rpm -qv kernel-desktop
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kernel-desktop-2.6.37.1-1.2.2.x86_64
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# rpm -qv kernel-source
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kernel-source-2.6.37.1-1.2.2.noarch
 +
 
 +
== gcc ==
 +
;Symptom: When starting vmplayer you get a pop-up saying
 +
A compatible version of gcc was not found.
 +
;Solution: Install gcc, e.g. for SUSE Linux:
 +
yast -i gcc
 +
 
 +
== build environment error ==
 +
;Symptom: When starting vmplayer you get a pop-up saying
 +
Build environment error! A required application is missing and Modconfig can not continue. xzCheck the log for more details.
 +
;Reason: VMware [[build]]s some kernel modules at its first start. To do this it requires the [[package]] [[make]].
 +
;Solution: Install make, e.g. for SUSE Linux:
 +
yast -i make
  
 
= See also =
 
= See also =
 
* [[turn your physical computer into a virtual one]]
 
* [[turn your physical computer into a virtual one]]

Latest revision as of 08:30, 8 May 2015

VMware allows you to run one or more virtual machines at the same time on one computer. VMware player is (as of 2013-10-21) free for non-commercial use.


Using VMware Player

  • Download VMware Player. You get an installation file, in this example we call it VMware-Player-4.0.0-471780.x86_64.bundle.
  • install some dependencies, e.g. for SUSE Linux open a console and enter:
yast -i kernel-source make gcc
  • install VMware Player:
sh VMware-Player-4.0.0-471780.x86_64.bundle

To run vmware player, enter

vmplayer

removing VMware Player

vmware-installer --gtk --uninstall-component component

Where component can be

 vmware-installer
 vmware-player-setup
 vmware-vmx
 vmware-network-editor
 vmware-usbarbitrator
 vmware-player-app
 vmware-ovftool
 vmware-player

Installing VMWare ESX server

After installing VMWare ESX server, set in /etc/ssh/sshd_config

PermitRootLogin yes

The vmware files

  • .vmdk files hold virtual disks
  • .vmx files describe a virtual machine (where to find the virtual disks etc.) in vmware's own format. It can be opened e.g. with vmware player.
  • .ovf files describe a virtual machine in a standardized format. The virtual machines can be imported e.g. with vmware player.
  • .ova files describe a virtual machine in a standardized format. The virtual machines can be imported e.g. with vmware player.

Moving virtual machines

I ran out of disk space and moved my virtual machines from the SSD disk /root/vmware to another disk /mnt/vmware:

mkdir /mnt/vmware
mv /root/vmware/* /mnt/vmware

Then I put a link from /root/vmware to /mnt/vmware:

ln -s /mnt/vmware /root

Then the virtual machines showed up twice in the inventory. I had to delete /root/.vmware to get rid of this.

TroubleShooting

mouse-keyboard-screen control

Symptom: When you start vmplayer you get a pop-up saying "Failed to initialize mouse-keyboard-screen control"

Reason
You have probably tried to start your virtual machine in an nx session
Solution
Better use a vnc session.

C header files

Symptom
When starting vmplayer you get a pop-up saying "C header files matching your running kernel were not found. Refer to your distribution's documentation for installation instructions."
Solution
Make sure your kernel sources are installed. Make sure running kernel, installed kernel and installed kernel source have the same version, in this example for SUSE Linux:
# uname -a 
Linux tweedleburg 2.6.37.1-1.2-desktop #1 SMP PREEMPT 2011-02-21 10:34:10 +0100 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
# rpm -qv kernel-desktop
kernel-desktop-2.6.37.1-1.2.2.x86_64
# rpm -qv kernel-source
kernel-source-2.6.37.1-1.2.2.noarch

gcc

Symptom
When starting vmplayer you get a pop-up saying
A compatible version of gcc was not found.
Solution
Install gcc, e.g. for SUSE Linux:
yast -i gcc

build environment error

Symptom
When starting vmplayer you get a pop-up saying
Build environment error! A required application is missing and Modconfig can not continue. xzCheck the log for more details.
Reason
VMware builds some kernel modules at its first start. To do this it requires the package make.
Solution
Install make, e.g. for SUSE Linux:
yast -i make

See also