Linux – install vmware tools onto guest

fire up the vm, then run the following after initiating a vmware tools install…

mount /dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom
cd /tmp
tar zxf /mnt/cdrom/VMwareTools-x.x.x.gz
cd vmware-tools-disstrib
./vmware-install.pl

Then just follow the prompts through to the end.

If your running fedora or similar make sure your’ve got gcc and kernel headers…. (you’ll probably have to update kernel too)

yum update
shutdown -r now
yum install -y gcc make kernel-devel perl

Ubuntu 12.x

apt-get install open-vm-tools

some notes from fedora 13…

Did you also copy the missing/misplaced include file?

(Having just updated the kernel I am getting the original messages, so have copied them below as I workaround the problem)

= = = First I get:

What is the location of the directory of C header files that match your running
kernel? [/usr/src/linux/include] /usr/src/kernels/2.6.33.5-112.fc13.x86_64/include

The directory of kernel headers (version @@VMWARE@@ UTS_RELEASE) does not match
your running kernel (version 2.6.33.5-112.fc13.x86_64). Even if the module
were to compile successfully, it would not load into the running kernel.

= = = Then over in another session at
/usr/src/kernels/2.6.33.5-112.fc13.x86_64/include

[Tom@tlsf13a include]$ find . -iname ‘*relea*’
./config/kernel.release
./generated/utsrelease.h
[Tom@tlsf13a include]$ sudo cp -p generated/utsrelease.h linux/

= = = Then back in first session:

What is the location of the directory of C header files that match your running
kernel? [/usr/src/linux/include] /usr/src/kernels/2.6.33.5-112.fc13.x86_64/include

Extracting the sources of the vmmemctl module.

= = = and the vmware-config-tools.pl runs ….
(well, all but vmci builds … :-/ )

opensolaris – pkg verify

I ran through a pkg verify the other day and came across a lot of errors. Running the subsequent pkg fix command presented me with this…

pkg: Requested “install” operation would affect files that cannot be modified in live image.

Please retry this operation on an alternate boot environment.

This is the fix….

mkdir /mnt/osol-134fix
beadm create osol-134fix
beadm mount osol-134fix /mnt/osol-134fix
pkg -R /mnt/osol-134fix fix –accept
beadm activate osol-134fix

Then reboot your machine into the new boot image

create usb install for esx / esxi

First format your usb / flash drive with FAT. Then copy all the contents of the installer .iso onto the drive.

Next delete isolinux.bin and rename isolinux.cfg to syslinux.cfg

Edit syslinux.cfg and append “usb” to the line starting with “append” … i.e. similar to this

append vmkboot.gz — vmkernel.gz — sys.vgz — cim.vgz — ienviron.tgz — image.tgz — install.tgz usb

Next grab the latest syslinux.exe (zip for windows) from here and run syslinux -s –ma <driveletter>:

Done.

ESX 4 (vSphere) – installation issues

I’ve had a couple of installation issues with ESX4

One was particularly strange, the install process would freeze every now and again until i pressed a key on the keyboard. This was related to AMD’s power saving C1 mode – disable this in the bios to fix this problem.

Secondly it was a problem with my nic. Essentially i didn’t have card that was supported (realtek). After inserting a intel card all was well. This fires up a ambiguous error and cans the whole install. (lvmdriver error)

It was nice to see that my pata drive was supported – i’ve been using it for quick tests but was unsure if it was supported in vSphere. Note: i’ve got a flash card enclosure that i’m planning on using in the future, just awaiting the card.   (hopefully this saves me some power)