Jul
31
2006
Install VMware Tools on Ubuntu
Posted by Gorillapond in Best Of, Information Technology, Linux, VirtualizationImportant Notice: This post has been updated using a newer, easier method. Read more here.
I’ve had a really hard time trying to find the way to get VMware Tools on Linux virtual machines, but I’ve got it down to just a few steps. If you’re using a ‘big name’ distribution with a graphical interface, it’s not hard to install. But, I like to use Debian or Ubuntu, without X11 (the aforementioned “graphical interface”), so it’s a pain in the butt.
How to install Vmware Tools on Ubuntu without X11:
- Install Ubuntu Server
- Login
- Create a root shell:
sudo bash - Update your sources:
apt-get update - Upgrade your installed packages (dist-upgrade to force kernel upgrade):
apt-get dist-upgrade - Reboot
- Create a root shell again:
sudo bash - Install packages VMware Tools needs:
apt-get install linux-headers-server build-essential - Install VMware tools
- Mount the VMware Tools CD ISO:
mount /cdrom - Copy VMware Tools to home:
cp /cdrom/VmwareTools-x.x.x-xxxxx.tar.gz ~ - Go home:
cd ~ - Untar/Gzip the install:
tar -zxf VmwareTools-x.x.x-xxxxx.tar.gz - Go into the resulting directory:
cd vmware-tools-distrib - Start the installer:
./vmware-install.pl - Install will ask you questions, the defaults should work fine.
- Remove the basic AMD PCnet module (if you get errors about building the ethernet driver, run this command and start at step 14 again):
rmmod pcnet32 - Rebuild module dependancies:
depmod -a - Install the VMware accelerated network interface:
modprobe vmxnet - Restart network service:
/etc/init.d/networking restart - Reboot
Entries (RSS)
I found your guide here to be awesome compaired to others, but the very last command was slightly different in mine, had to use this instead. Maybe a typo, great work though.
/etc/init.d/networking restart
Thanks Chris, I made the correction. It might be a change from Ubuntu 6.06 to the newest, or a typo!
Great article.
I’d like to also add, that on some debian installs, it might not find GCC as you might not have it installed. Just in case, just quickly install it first with apt-get.
Nice guide. Fixed my networking problem I was having with VMware Tools. THANKS A LOT!!!!!! Step 17-19 fixed it right up…
Thanks for the steps, one thing I had to do was umount /cdrom before the vmware tools could be mounted.
very good guide
Help alot
its 15.12.2008 and still working good
Thanks for the investment .
This guide came in very, very handy on my ubuntu server-only VM. I’m running Workstation and this was perfect. Thanks!
Great guide!
Apart from the Open Source version of VMWare Tools this is the first time that I successfully installed them on Ubuntu JeOS!
Thankyou!
Great guide. Just set up the Ubuntu VM to get my feet wet in Linux, and this worked like a champ.
[...] in making it even quicker and easier. It seems newer versions of Ubuntu and VMware Tools broke my previous instructions. Luck for us, VMware and Ubuntu contributors have made the process easier than it was in the [...]
on the new vmware ESX if you right click on guest OS virtual maching then select install vmware tools this mounts the cd then type in the following commands:
sudo aptitude install build-essential linux-headers-generic
cp /media/cdrom/VMwareTools-*.tar.gz /tmp/
cd /tmp/
tar xf VMwareTools-*.tar.gz
cd vmware-tools-distrib/
sudo ./vmware-install.pl
this should install the tools for you
VMware Server 2.0.x allow same installation facility with some difference as follow:
sudo aptitude install build-essential linux-headers-(generic or server or virtual)
#Need to create symbolic link as vmware-tools only refer to /usr/src/linux/include
ln -s /usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.x.x-(generic or server or virtual) /usr/src/linux
# The rest is the same.
cp /media/cdrom/VMwareTools-*.tar.gz /tmp/
cd /tmp/
tar xf VMwareTools-*.tar.gz
cd vmware-tools-distrib/
sudo ./vmware-install.pl
Everything works fine for ubuntu server jeos, hardy, intrepid and jaunty
I went through your instructions and the process looks like it completed successfully. I was curious of how to know they installed for sure? I was expecting to be able to mouse in and out of the window like I do on my virtual Windows servers but I cannot. Is Linux different?
Hi there,
thank you so much for this tutorial … it works … just amazing !!!
tried to get it running 3 days now on a ubuntu 9.04 server …
now it works perfectly …
greetings
I get compile errors on many modules
Excellent tutorial! It worked perfect for me on 9.10.
Dude. You’re awesome. Keep it up
is there a way to verify that it is indeed using the vmxnet driver?
lsmod | grep vmxnet
Thanks Chris, I am glad I found your site! To reiterate an earlier post, this guide came in very, very handy. I run Ubuntu 8.04LTS server VM’s on ESX and ESXi.
[...] source Author: WladyX on 2 December, 2008 Category: General, Ubuntu Newer: Find rogue DHCP Servers Older: Changing GDM/root cursor [...]
Thanks for the helpful tutorial Gorillapond. I am in a bit of a fix. Invoking “vmware-toolbox” inside my Uuntu server does not do anything.
I am trying to get two things going:
(1) Get my mouse to work in and out of the Ubuntu 9.10 Server virtual machine
(2) Shrink the disk size of the VM image
I am running VMWare Fusion on Mac OS X
Thanks!
if you have troubles with “mount” section try
# mount /dev/cdrom1 /cdrom
(ubuntu 10.04 server)
If /dev does not have cdrom1, but dvd, try
#mount /dev/dvd /cdrom