Installation Documentations

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configure VMware

VMware on Debian

http://www.penlug.org/twiki/bin/view/Main/VMwareOnDebian

VMware 4.5.2 build 8848 on Debian GNU/Linux

To install the VMware software, use:

tar zxvf VMware-workstation-4.5.2-8848.tar.gz
cd vmware-distrib
su
./vmware-install.pl

ln -s vmware-distrib vmware-workstation-4.5.2_8848
cd !$
NAME= checkinstall -D vmware-install.pl

The ./vmware-install.pl script prompts you as follows.

Note: do not run the /usr/bin/vmware-config.pl script when the ./vmware-install.pl script asks you whether you want to configure VMware for the first time. Instead, we'll use the script ./runme.pl from the vmware-any-any-update90 to configure VMware, which involves building linux kernel modules and loading into the kernel. See below for the next step.

The Debian package module-init-tools needs to be installed to load the vmmon and vmnet kernel modules for VMware into the linux kernel. If you don't already have module-init-tools installed, install them using:

apt-get install module-init-tools

If you haven't yet installed the kernel sources and kernel headers corresponding to your running kernel, install them as follows:

apt-get install kernel-source-2.6.8
apt-get install kernel-headers-2.6.8-2-386
apt-get install kernel-package

The kernel-headers package should set up a symlink so that scripts building against it can find the kernel-kbuild scripts, but occasionally that link appears to go AWOL, so if it's missing create it like this, e.g.:

(cd /usr/src/kernel-headers-2.6.8-2 && ln -s ../kernel-kbuild-2.6-3/scripts scripts)

configure VMware

Now we're ready to configure VMware for the first time. Here we use the script ./runme.pl from the vmware-any-any-update90, which involves building linux kernel modules and loading into the kernel:

tar zxvf vmware-any-any-update90.tar.gz
cd vmware-any-any-update90
su
./runme.pl

The output of the ./runme.pl script should look something like the following.

Updating /usr/bin/vmware ... No patch needed/available
Updating /usr/bin/vmnet-bridge ... VMware Workstation 4.5.2 (build-8848) or VMware GSX Server 3.1.0 (build-9089), now patched
Updating /usr/lib/vmware/bin/vmware-vmx ... VMware Workstation 4.5.2 (build-8848), now patched
Updating /usr/lib/vmware/bin-debug/vmware-vmx ... VMware Workstation 4.5.2 (build-8848), now patched
VMware modules in "/usr/lib/vmware/modules/source" has been updated.

Before running VMware for the first time after update, you need to configure it for your running kernel by invoking the following command:
"/usr/bin/vmware-config.pl". Do you want this script to invoke the command for you now? [no] yes

Making sure services for VMware Workstation are stopped.
Stopping VMware services:
   Virtual machine monitor                                             done

You must read and accept the End User License Agreement to continue.
Press enter to display it.
Do you accept? (yes/no) yes
Thank you.

Trying to find a suitable vmmon module for your running kernel.

None of the pre-built vmmon modules for VMware Workstation is suitable for
your running kernel.  Do you want this program to try to build the vmmon
module for your system (you need to have a C compiler installed on your
system)? [yes]

Using compiler "/usr/bin/gcc". Use environment variable CC to override.

Your kernel was built with "gcc" version "3.3.5", while you are trying to
use "/usr/bin/gcc" version "3.3.6". This configuration is not recommended
and VMware Workstation may crash if you'll continue. Please try to use
exactly same compiler as one used for building your kernel. Do you want to
go with compiler "/usr/bin/gcc" version "3.3.6" anyway? [no] yes

What is the location of the directory of C header files that match your
running kernel? [/lib/modules/2.6.10-kanotix-8/build/include]

Extracting the sources of the vmmon module.

Building the vmmon module.

Building for VMware Workstation 4.5.2 or VMware GSX Server 3.1.0.
Using 2.6.x kernel build system.

John Zheng recently tested that the 2.6.11-kanotix-11 kernel from Kanotix 2005-3 also works fine, using vmware-any-any-update91.

documented on: 25 June 2005, PeterKnaggs