Installing VMWare Server in Hardy

[Kokopelli]

This is a cleaned up copy of the instructions for installing the VMWare Server from tar.gz found at http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=613976 with a correction thanks to forrestallen. Since the Hardy Beta forums are now locked I thought it might be best to make a copy here to allow further discussion if needed.


First install the packages needed by vmware.

sudo apt-get install build-essential linux-headers-`uname -r`
sudo apt-get install xinetd

for 64bit installs also install the ia32-libs

sudo apt-get install ia32-libs

Additionally I recommend installing the linux-header metapackage appropriate to your kernel. "sudo apt-get install linux-headers-generic" for desktops in the standard kernel and "sudo apt-get install linux-headers-server" for server installs. This makes it easier down the road, automatically pulling down the headers if the kernel gets updated.

next download vmware server and expand it out somewhere

tar -xvzf VMware-server-1.0.6-91891.tar.gz

then do the install

cd vmware-server-distrib
sudo ./vmware-install.pl

Answer the questions, the defaults are fine, though you may want to customize the network config.

once installed I received an error trying to launch vmware so I cheated and copied the libraries over, which seems to have resolved that issue.

sudo ln -sf /lib/libgcc_s.so.1 /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libgcc_s.so.1/libgcc_s.so.1
sudo ln -sf  /usr/lib/libpng12.so.0 /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libpng12.so.0/libpng12.so.0

(I found this tip online as well but now I can not find the link.)

if you get an error like this at the end of the compile step:

Unable to get the last modification timestamp of the destination file 
/etc/vmware/ssl/rui.key.

then create the key and cert files for vmware. (I think, though I am not certain, this came up because I had not yet installed the ia32-libs on my 64-bit machine prior to doing the initial install.)

sudo touch /etc/vmware/ssl/rui.key
sudo touch /etc/vmware/ssl/rui.crt

If you want to install on a Hardy server without X you will still need to install a few X libraries in order for the install to work:

sudo apt-get install libx11-6 linxtst6 libxt6 libxrender1

Also note that I had a number of issues on one upgraded machine where I was using the partner repositories debs prior to the upgrade. I would recommend backing up your VMs and then removing the VMWare install completely prior to upgrading.

EDIT 28 Apr 2008: Removed the rewriting of the libgtk2.0-0.loaders file since the incorrect lines were corrected around Hardy final.

EDIT: 30 May 2008: Update instructions to VMWare Server 1.0.6. 10.06 does not require the any-any patch so I highly recommend it.

[Child of Wonder]

Thanks for the great guide.

Question - what about running the VMWare Server Console? I'd like to be able to manage my VMs from my main Ubuntu machine and I've followed the directions to resolve the errors during the Console install. Now I run "vmware-server-console" and nothing happens.

Any suggestions?

[useResa]

Question - what about running the VMWare Server Console? I'd like to be able to manage my VMs from my main Ubuntu machine and I've followed the directions to resolve the errors during the Console install. Now I run "vmware-server-console" and nothing happens.

Any suggestions?

To start the VMware Server Console from terminal, the command is

vmware

BTW: Also thanks from my side, the guide worked like a charm and I have VMware Server running again

[barmaley]

thank you, Kokopelli
explanation is clear, and the vmware-server works
great job

[DanFlo]

Thanks for the guide it works like a charm !

[Child of Wonder]

To start the VMware Server Console from terminal, the command is

vmware

That command doesn't exist and a "find" doesn't locate any file with that name on the system. The only command I have is "vmware-server-console." I installed the 1.0.5 Console.

[muecker]

I was able to get mine working by following these instructions, but I wanted to make one addition. If you had vmware server installed under Gutsy, you may get an error during installation that vmware is already installed. All I had to do was rename the directory /etc/vmware to /etc/vmware-gutsy and the installer ran without a problem.

[fjgaude]

I was able to get mine working by following these instructions, but I wanted to make one addition. If you had vmware server installed under Gutsy, you may get an error during installation that vmware is already installed. All I had to do was rename the directory /etc/vmware to /etc/vmware-gutsy and the installer ran without a problem.

Good idea... many have had issues with trying to re-install vmware and couldn't... all you do is what you suggest. It's easier than trying to uninstall. After, you can simply delete the old name-changed directory if you wish, eh? Thanks!

[Kokopelli]

I think the step for 64 bit systems where we adjust the loader is no longer needed. It seems the loader was adjusted sometime around the final release of Hardy. Can a 64 bit user run the following command to confirm?

cat /usr/lib32/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/loader-files.d/libgtk2.0-0.loaders |grep lib32

if you get hits then the final step for 64 bit machines is no longer needed.

[fjgaude]

Lots of hits... the final step is no longer needed.

frank@sunshine:~$ cat /usr/lib32/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/loader-files.d/libgtk2.0-0.loaders |grep lib32
"/usr/lib32/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/loaders/libpixbufloader-ani.so"
"/usr/lib32/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/loaders/libpixbufloader-bmp.so"
"/usr/lib32/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/loaders/libpixbufloader-gif.so"
"/usr/lib32/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/loaders/libpixbufloader-ico.so"
"/usr/lib32/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/loaders/libpixbufloader-jpeg.so"
"/usr/lib32/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/loaders/libpixbufloader-pcx.so"
"/usr/lib32/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/loaders/libpixbufloader-png.so"
"/usr/lib32/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/loaders/libpixbufloader-pnm.so"
"/usr/lib32/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/loaders/libpixbufloader-ras.so"
"/usr/lib32/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/loaders/libpixbufloader-tga.so"
"/usr/lib32/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/loaders/libpixbufloader-tiff.so"
"/usr/lib32/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/loaders/libpixbufloader-wbmp.so"
"/usr/lib32/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/loaders/libpixbufloader-xbm.so"
"/usr/lib32/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/loaders/libpixbufloader-xpm.so"

Thanks for all your efforts to clear things up and help us running.