Pete wrote:Getting vmware server 2 running on Fedora 15
If you've ever tried to get vmware server running on ubuntu, fedora, debian or any similar Linux flavour, you'll appreciate the true meaning of pain.
It's never a simple process.
Anyhow, I just spent the better part of the night getting vmware server 2.0.2 build 203138 running reliably on my fresh Fedora 15 install. Here is my experience - hopefully others will find this of value.
The fresh install is Fedora 15 (x64), with only Minimal selected in the installer.
Kernel: 2.6.38.6-27.fc15.x86_64 #1 SMP
The VMware server package used: VMware-server-2.0.2-203138.x86_64.tar.gz
1: Preparation tasks:
disable selinux (edit /etc/sysconfig/selinux)
modify grub - (edit /etc/grub.conf)
Append nmi_watchdog=0 to your kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.38.6-27.fc15.x86_64 line.
If you don't disable the nmi_watchdog, you'll probably get a bunch of strange behavour.
VMs will turn on and then off again, you'll get errors such as "bugNr=2293" and so-on.
(Ref:
http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=924)
download/copy VMware-server-2.0.2-203138.x86_64.tar.gz onto your machine
download a copy of Rado Cotescu's installer/wrapper:
http://codebin.cotescu.com/vmware/vmware-server-2.0.x-kernel-2.6.3x-install.sh
untar the installer/wrapper
tar xvfz raducotescu-vmware-server-linux-2.6.3x-kernel-release-1.5-1-g71f8b66.tar.gz
move the vmware installer into the untar'd directory
mv VMware-server-2.0.2-203138.i386.tar.gz raducotescu-vmware-server-linux-2.6.3x-kernel-71f8b66
change to the installer/wrapper directory
cd raducotescu-vmware-server-linux-2.6.3x-kernel-71f8b66
fire up the installer/wrapper script
sudo ./vmware-server-2.0.x-kernel-2.6.3x-install.sh
Follow the instructions - the wrapper will install prerequisite packages. Its all self explanatory.
At some point the actual vmware installer (/usr/bin/vmware-config.pl) will run.
You'll be prompted for the C header files:
What is the location of the directory of C header files that match
your running kernel? [/usr/src/linux/include]
Hit ctrl+c to leave the installer.
Edit /usr/bin/vmware-config.pl
Locate the following lines:
if (-e $answer . '/linux/utsrelease.h') {
$uts_headers .= "#include <linux/utsrelease.h>\n";
Change them to:
if (-e $answer . '/generated/utsrelease.h') {
$uts_headers .= "#include <./generated/utsrelease.h> \n";
Then rerun the vmware installer:
sudo /usr/bin/vmware-config.pl
Follow the installer instructions and set any values you deem necessary
(virtual machine files path, administrator user, etc)
Now stop the vmware server:
/etc/rc.d/init.d/vmware stop
cd to /usr/lib/vmware/lib/
rename the directory ibxml2.so.2 to SKIP-libxml2.so.2
This fixed the large number of vmware-hostd crashes I was experiencing
(Ref:
http://communities.vmware.com/message/1670102#1670102)
If you haven't already, edit /etc/services
Remove/comment out
ideafarm-door 902/tcp
replace with
vmware-authd 902/tcp
Reboot.
You should now find the machine comes up without selinux enabled:
dmesg |grep -i "selinux"
[ 0.002012] SELinux: Initializing.
[ 0.002184] SELinux: Starting in permissive mode
[ 0.398670] SELinux: Registering netfilter hooks
[ 36.416252] SELinux: Disabled at runtime.
[ 36.416499] SELinux: Unregistering netfilter hooks
You should also find the nmi watchdog is disabled
cat /proc/sys/kernel/nmi_watchdog
0
vmware should be running on startup too:
netstat -anp |grep -i "vmware"
We care primarily about the auth port (902) and the management ports (8222 & 8333)
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:8222 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 1735/vmware-hostd
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:902 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 1628/vmware-authdla
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:8333 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 1735/vmware-hostd
Assuming these are all running, you can now point your browser at http://<yourmachine>:8222
You should get the vmware management console
Handy tip: You can also use the vmware infrastructure client to connect.
Just specify <hostname:8333> in the "IP address / Name:" field of the infrastructure client when you start it.
In my next post, I'll cover some suggestions to improve virtual machine performance for vmware server 2.0.2 build 203138 on Linux.
::Edit::
Don't forget to change your firewall rules (or turn off the iptables script).
By default this is running and it will stop you from connecting!