Topic: Help with Installing VMware tools

[imcintyre]

I've managed to install vmware on my new (to me) server and installed a virtual smeserver 7.3 with all updates.

I've been searching around for a method to install vmware tools and I am stuck. I have seen several postings with links on how to but I get confused with some of the steps.

I can follow this post

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http://www.ntbrad.com/wordpress/?p=158 but it asks to run

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run /usr/bin/vmware-config-tools.pl.

When I look in /usr/bin, I don't have the file vmware-config-tool.pl

I also found this link

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http://forums.contribs.org/index.php?topic=32139.0.

I have tried to

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At VMware Console, click VM->Install VMware Tools
but nothing appears to happen.

I see this bit of code

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mount /dev/cdrom /media/cdrom
rpm -Uvh /media/cdrom/VMwareTools-*.i386.rpm
but I do not have vmware tools on a cd.

I would appreciate help with this or at least a push in the right direction. TIA

[william_syd]

I see this bit of code

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mount /dev/cdrom /media/cdrom
rpm -Uvh /media/cdrom/VMwareTools-*.i386.rpm
but I do not have vmware tools on a cd.

You do have it on CD

I have tried to

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At VMware Console, click VM->Install VMware Tools
but nothing appears to happen.

When you do the above, a virtual CD is inserted. You then have to mount it. Make sure your VM has a virtual CD rom drive to start with.

[imcintyre]

Thx, I'll give it a go.
I've also been looking for how to clone a virtual server. I have found some allusions to "just copy all the files", but I haven't been able to find where the pertinent files are stored.

A nudge in the right direction would be appreciated. TIA

[gizzmo2k1]

It should be located in /opt/vmware/Virtual-Machines/... if you followed the howto on this site (if memory serves me correctly).

Under this directory will be all the virtual machine directories that you have installed. 

[imcintyre]

I can't find any files in /opt of the host machine. There is nothing in the /opt directory of the virtual servers I created.

I tried to follow the "how to" to a "T"

Other than the finding the files, the server apparently works fine. I know that this is not proof of much but if the files where in the wrong place it probably won't work.

Are you sure about the file location?

[william_syd]

Mine are in /var/lib/vmware/Virtual Machines

Virtual machines have a .vmx extension for their config files.

You could use find or locate to find them.

man find for details.

For locate, first update the search database with updatedb

Then locate .vmx



 

[imcintyre]

Thanks, that is where mine are also.
It's funny, I thought I looked everywhere and after I got frustrated and left, had a beer and then went to bed, I remebered that I probably specified this when I ran the config file.

When I installed and was asked about the operating system, I specified red hat 4. Other than "other" this seemed most appropriate. Is this correct?

Thx in advance.

[thomasch]

Why you want to install vmware tools for smeserver vm?
AFAIK, Vmware tools is for a desktop based linux / windows..
for SMEserver there's no need to install because there's no GUI desktop

VMware tools does not support some linux distro like Damn Small Linux.

CMIIW

thomas

[cactus]

Why you want to install vmware tools for smeserver vm?
AFAIK, Vmware tools is for a desktop based linux / windows..
for SMEserver there's no need to install because there's no GUI desktop

VMware tools does not support some linux distro like Damn Small Linux.

CMIIW

thomas

That is not the only thing you can use vmware-tools for, you can also use it to sync the time of the guest with the host as well as have the possibility to exchange files between guest and host OS.

[imcintyre]

Any insight into the "guest operating system" question. I have tried using red hat 4 and linux 2.6 as options. Server manager comes up in both but I'm sure that there is more to it than that.

Thx in advance for any help.

[cactus]

Any insight into the "guest operating system" question. I have tried using red hat 4 and linux 2.6 as options. Server manager comes up in both but I'm sure that there is more to it than that.

Thx in advance for any help.

That will depend on the type of OS you will be installing into your virtual machine, it has nothing to do with the host OS, so if you install Windows in there you should not use RHEL or any other linux, if you would install SME Server in there you might be best of choosing the appropriate RHEL (SME Server 7 = 4, SME Server 8 = 5) but AFAIK the Other Linux will also do, I do not know what might be the difference in speed, performance or functionality. The only thing I could find about this is that it is used to determine the type of vmware-tools that should be installed as well as there being no difference in graphical performance (http://mylearn.vmware.com/portals/certification/answers.cfm?ui=www). So it does not seem that strict...

[imcintyre]

Thanks for your reply. Sorry I wasn't clearer but I am installing sme 7.3. I was on holidays for a week so I did not have a chance to look at this.

[arne]

I use vmware tools om a virtual sme 7.3 When I installed the vmware tools I just downloaded the rpm to the /root directory on the virtual sme server and then installed from there like any other rpm. Used vmware's downloadable manual for the job. It's a while since i did the job, but I did not notice that there were any problem.

The virtual sme server can be "multiplied" or backed up bu just closing the virtual server down and copying all files in the virtual machine directory. I'm using Centos 5.1/64 as host and doed the backup of the virtual sme 7.3 using winscp. Storing the virual sme 7.3 on a Win XP machine. No problems. Also no problems with rather big size server images.

[arne]

I guess I used the procedure from page 50, exept for that I did not use a CD rom but downloaded the rpm to /root and installed from there.
http://www.vmware.com/pdf/server_vm_manual.pdf