InstallAsGuest
This guide will detail the steps required to install Ubuntu as a guest operating system in VMware.
Initial Install
Download the iso from http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ this demo used the ubuntu-5.10-install-i386.iso image.
- Create a new Virtual Machine.
Virtual Machine Configuration: Typical
Guest Operating System: Linux
Version: Other Linux 2.6.x kernel
Virtual Machine Name & Location: Pick as you will. (for the record I chose Ubuntu and O:\VPC\)
Network Connection: Use bridged networking (Refer to [http://www.vmware.com/support/ws55/doc/ws_net_configurations_common.html this VMware documentation] for information on the other network connection configurations.)
Disk capacity: Again the choice is yours, I chose 4GB and turned on Allocate all disk space now and Split disk into 2 GB files. Allocating the disk space will increase performance, while spliting the disk into 2GB chunks will minimise any file size limitations if transferring a virtual machine using Samba.
- Change the settings of the new virtual machine:
- Memory - Increase the memory given to the guest OS from 256 (the default) to 512. Although not necessary since I've got the RAM, why not.
CD-ROM - Use ISO Image: set to the location of the downloaded is, mine was O:\BitTorrent\ubuntu-5.10-install-i386.iso
- Start the virtual machine.
- At the boot menu, press enter.
- Configure the Ubuntu installation:
Language & Location: Doesn't matter
Keyboard: I stuck with the default, American English
Hostname: Doesn't matter, I went with Ubuntu
Disk Patition: Erase entire disk: SCSI (...
Write Changes to Disk: Yes
- ...wait...
- Timezone: Doesn't matter
Full name for the new user: I chose Louis Zelus
Username for your account: I chose zelus
- Password and Verify: pick one, no restrictions
Reboot: Continue, I didn't bother "removing" the ISO.
Once you see Restarting system. Ubuntu has shutdown, press Ctrl-Alt to release the cursor and click VM->Power->Reset
- ...wait...
Select video modes...: Don't add anything more than the defaults 1024x768, 800x600, 640x480
At this point Ubuntu is usable but without the virtual tools you can not use some of the higher resolutions. and to release the mouse you must press Ctrl-Alt. So onto the install...
Installing Virtual Tools
Open the System->Administration->Synaptic Package Manager
- Install the following packages
- make
- gcc
- gcc-3.4
- linux-headers-2.6.12-9-386 (these must match your kernel, to check open a terminal an type "uname -r")
- Goto the desktop and eject the Ubuntu iso.
Ctrl-Alt to get the cursor back, VM->Install Virtual Tools...
Wait for the CD to appear on the desktop. This may require going to Places->Computer and clicking on the CD icon to make Ubuntu read the new disk.
Copy VMwareTools-x.x.x-xxxx.tar.gz from the CD to your desktop.
Right click on the VMwareTools tarball and select Extract Here
- Open a terminal
export CC=/usr/bin/gcc-3.4 to tell the compiler which gcc to use
cd ~/Desktop/vmware-tools-distrib
sudo ./vmware-install.pl to start the install
- Accept all the defaults, this should take you through making a few directories and then run the config program. The config program will need to compile the drivers and so it will use make, the gcc you specified and the headers to compile.
- the first non default is screen size. I know 640x480, 800x600 and 1024x768 work, I have had 1280x1024 work (I use this one) and I've had 1600x1200 not work.
- If you pick one that doesn't work, get to a terminal and run /usr/bin/vmware-config-tools.pl to pick a differnt one.
- What you pick here becomes the max setting and you can pick a lower one withing Ubuntu, however the max is used at startup so if it doens't work you are up the creek.
Restart the system with System->Log out->Shutdown. Wait untill Ubuntu is shutdown and either turn off or restart the VM.