VMWare unter Linux

Update of the Kernel causes that VMWare not to start on a Linux host!?

Some vmware modules have to be recompiled. Ensure that the kernel sources and a C-Compiler (f.e. gcc) are installed on the linux host.

This is done by invoking

/usr/bin/vmware-config.pl

Before doing this the compilation has to be prepared:

• change to /usr/src/linux (which should point to the current kernel source version).
• Type linux:~# make cloneconfig
  then linux:~# make prepare
• Now run /usr/bin/vmware-config.pl
• Network configuration may be skipped.

When the script finishes without errors, restart vmware.

VMWare-Tools on Linux-Guests on VMWare prior v 5.x

Currently the vmware tools can't be installed properly when Linux guests (f.e. SuSE 9.2) is run. The script /usr/bin/vmware-config-tools.pl aborts because it can't determine the X-Server version. The X config file has changed from XF86config-4.conf to xorg.conf in /etc/X11 directory which the config script does not reference. The vmware tools configuration uses to replace the video driver vmware_drv.o usually residing in

/usr/X11R6/lib/modules/drivers

to s.th. like

vmware_drv.o.BeforeVMWaretoolsinstall

Starting X (cmd startx) thus will fail. To work around this, simply rename the module back to

vmware_drv.o

X then should start normally.

Note: The vmware tools are installed but not completely, currently the time synchronisation will not work.

Full support of this distro is announced for VMWare 5.