Smoking Linux » Install VMware Player on Ubuntu Gutsy 7.10

Install VMware Player on Ubuntu Gutsy 7.10

December 3, 2007

This tutorial explain how install VMware Player on Ubuntu Gutsy. There are two ways to install VMware Player, but the easiest way produce many errors. I hope that you want install VMware Player with the best procedure. In fact many tutorial on the net suggest you to download RPM package from VMware Website and convert it in a deb package with alien. This way not is a good way because you could have these errors:

When you try to run vmplayer:
/usr/bin/vmplayer: 166: cannot open /etc/vmware/locations: No such file
exec: 180: /lib/wrapper-gtk24.sh: not found

When you try to run vmware-config.pl:
Unable to find the database file (/etc/vmware/locations)

The best way is to download the tar.gz package from VMware website. First of all, you have to see how kernel you are using on your Linux PC.

uname -r
2.6.22-14-generic

I have 2.6.22-14-generic, so I have to install thet linux headers files for my kernel version:

sudo apt-get install linux-headers-2.6.22-14-generic

Now you can download VMware Player tar.gz package from VMware website. At this time the last package is: VMware-player-2.0.2-59824.i386.tar.gz.

tar xzvf VMware-player-2.0.2-59824.i386.tar.gz
cd vmware-player-distrib

The tar.gz package is extracted and you can run installation script of VMware Player:

sudo ./vmware-install.pl

During installation process you must answer some questions. For a standard installation you can keep suggested answers hitting ENTER.

In which directory do you want to install the binary files?
[/usr/bin]
What is the directory that contains the init directories (rc0.d/ to rc6.d/)?
[/etc]
What is the directory that contains the init scripts?
[/etc/init.d]
In which directory do you want to install the daemon files?
[/usr/sbin]
In which directory do you want to install the library files?
[/usr/lib/vmware]
The path “/usr/lib/vmware” does not exist currently. This program is going to
create it, including needed parent directories. Is this what you want?
[yes]
In which directory do you want to install the documentation files?
[/usr/share/doc/vmware]
The path “/usr/share/doc/vmware” does not exist currently. This program is
going to create it, including needed parent directories. Is this what you want?
[yes]
Before running VMware Player for the first time, you need to configure it by
invoking the following command: “/usr/bin/vmware-config.pl”. Do you want this
program to invoke the command for you now? [yes]
In which directory do you want to install the theme icons?
[/usr/share/icons]
What directory contains your desktop menu entry files? These files have a
.desktop file extension. [/usr/share/applications]
In which directory do you want to install the application’s icon?
[/usr/share/pixmaps]
None of the pre-built vmmon modules for VMware Player 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]
What is the location of the directory of C header files that match your running
kernel? [/lib/modules/2.6.22-14-generic/build/include]
None of the pre-built vmblock modules for VMware Player is suitable for your
running kernel. Do you want this program to try to build the vmblock module
for your system (you need to have a C compiler installed on your system)?
[yes]
Do you want networking for your virtual machines? (yes/no/help) [yes]
Do you want to be able to use NAT networking in your virtual machines? (yes/no)
[yes]
Do you want this program to probe for an unused private subnet? (yes/no/help)
[yes]
Do you wish to configure another NAT network? (yes/no) [no]
Do you want to be able to use host-only networking in your virtual machines?
[yes]
Do you want this program to probe for an unused private subnet? (yes/no/help)
[yes]
Do you wish to configure another host-only network? (yes/no) [no]
None of the pre-built vmnet modules for VMware Player is suitable for your
running kernel. Do you want this program to try to build the vmnet module for
your system (you need to have a C compiler installed on your system)? [yes]

Installation process is now finished and you can start VMware Player from your Application MenÃ¹.

I’ve attached some screenshot of the first time that you run VMware Player. You must accept EULA and then choose to open an image. I’ve downloaded Debian Etch image to test VMware Player performance and features. You can download VMware Images from HERE.