VMWare

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

• turn your physical computer into a virtual one