How to Install VMware Server on Ubuntu 7.10

By | 2007/09/26

UPDATE: This tutorial has been updated to half as many steps.  Please use the updated tutorial available:  Installing VMware Server on Ubuntu 7.10 “Gutsy Gibbon” : Updated.

UPDATE: For those running VMware Server 1.0.3 there is an updated version available.

As I mentioned a few posts ago (How to Install VMware Server on Ubuntu 7.04) I would be outlining how to install VMware Server on Ubuntu 7.10. These steps are a bit different from Ubuntu 7.04, as the canonical commercial repository is not up to date with the alpha releases of Ubuntu 7.10. There is a workaround however that can help you get VMware Sever installed.

Installing VMWare Server on Ubuntu 7.10

  1. Download VMware Server source from the VMware website.
  2. Download this installer patch. (source reference)
  3. Extract all the archives to some location on your system (tar -zxvf VMware-server* ; tar -zxvf vmware*)
  4. Ensure that you have build-essential installed in order to compile these sources (sudo aptitude install build-essential)
  5. Install the xinetd server (sudo aptitude install xinetd)
  6. Run sudo ./vmware-install.pl located within the vmware-server-* unpacked archive.
  7. Select all the default options *EXCEPT* do not compile the modules at this point. (Do you want this program to try to build the vmmon module for your system? NO)
  8. Run sudo ./runme.pl located within the vmware-any* archive. This will launch step 8.
  9. Select the default options and this time answer YES to compile the proper modules.
  10. Run vmware-server using the command vmware or via your Applications Menu.

Basically, at this point, VMware Server needs to be installed manually from source until the canonical commercial repository catches up and Ubuntu 7.10 is final. Until then this should work for manually installing.

note: if you update your kernel you will need to re-run the scripts to regenerate and recompile VMware Server for your updated kernel. I’m guessing this close to beta and final releases that we wont have any more kernel updates.. but I’m sure that will soon prove me wrong. Just be aware.

UPDATE: This tutorial has been updated to half as many steps.  Please use the updated tutorial available:  Installing VMware Server on Ubuntu 7.10 “Gutsy Gibbon” : Updated.

71 thoughts on “How to Install VMware Server on Ubuntu 7.10

  1. Igor Guerrero

    OMG OMG OMG….

    A link to my blog in ubuntu-tutorials 🙂

    I can’t believe it :'(

    Do you think if there is a chance that I can get syndicated to http://planet.ubuntu.com

    To much to ask right?… anyway is a pleasure to help you.

  2. Will Smith

    I got a little ahead of the game and installed vmware on gutsy before I read your post. It is up and running and seems to be doing fine. What does the patch do though? Should I reinstall and use the patch this time?

  3. sameer

    Hi,

    I tried to install vmware on 7.10 Beta and once I invoke it from terminal with “vmware” I get a message “vmware is installed, but it has not been (correctly) configured
    for this system. To (re-)configure it, invoke the following command:
    /usr/bin/vmware-config.pl.”

    When I invoke Vmware from Applications then the application dies. Can you please help?

    I already have a registration key. My build-essential is the newest version and so is my gcc. I get the same result with and without the vmware 113 patch.

  4. Allan

    Hi ,
    Thank you so much for this tutorial, it came in handy at the right time, also i think your site is great and that you have put a lot of effort on it, keep up the good work.

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  6. marru

    Hi all,

    I’m running ubuntu 7.10 (beta) with the latest updates. Kernel 2.6.22-14-generic.

    I’m having the same problem sameer had:

    “vmware is installed, but it has not been (correctly) configured
    for this system. To (re-)configure it, invoke the following command:
    /usr/bin/vmware-config.pl.”

    Also, what’s the patch for?

    Anyone?

    Thanks

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  9. geekster

    I ran through all the instructions and no joy, I got the not configured correctly error, did some more research and found a new any-any file “114” at http://platan.vc.cvut.cz/ftp/pub/vmware/, I thought that would so it but same error, finally I found a note on one of the sites to remove a file as follows > sudo rm /etc/vmware/not_configured , that did it, up and running

  10. Pingback: robjam.es » Install VMWare-Server on Ubuntu Gutsy (7.10)

  11. Monty

    Worked perfectly. You saved the day for me! Thanks.

  12. tanakskool

    Hi.. This tutorial worked just fine to me.. Thanks!

  13. Kostas

    Very good guide. Worked perfect for me.

    However, could you advise on how to uninstall it safely in case vmware-server appears on the Canonical repositories?

    Thank you very much.

  14. Sergaratas

    lol ty, i love u i can’t run my virtual machines after install ubuntu 7.10 on my pc, now run perfectly 🙂

  15. luke

    Kostas, to uninstall VMWare Server, just open a terminal, and type ‘sudo /usr/bin/vmware-uninstall.pl’. (No quotes)

  16. S

    I’m having the same issue as SAMEER…. any suggestions???

  17. Andrew

    I’m running VMware Server 1.0.3 Build 44356 and when I upgraded to ubuntu 7.10 I now get an error message in Vmware when I try to run my previously working vm machines. “Unable to change virtual machine power state: The process exited with an error:
    End of error message.”

    I attempted the patch above but it did not work. For instance there is no vmware-config.pl on my box.

    Any suggestions?

  18. AK-47

    Anyone that can’t launch vmware
    and gets a message that it should be reconfigured or can’t launch the application
    from the menu
    RUN THIS COMMAND.

    sudo rm /etc/vmware/not_configured

    Many thanks too geekster it worked perfectly for me.

  19. Jason

    I followed these steps exactly but still getting this:

    None of the pre-built vmmon modules for VMware Server 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)? [no] yes

    Using compiler “/usr/bin/gcc”. Use environment variable CC to override.

    What is the location of the directory of C header files that match your running
    kernel? [/usr/src/linux/include]

    The path “/usr/src/linux/include” is not an existing directory.

    What is the location of the directory of C header files that match your running

  20. Duane

    This worked perfectly… I did have to remove my old etc/vmware as my old installation was seen, but then this worked absolutely perfectly! THANKS!!! Duane

  21. sunil

    On ubuntu 7.04 vmware server 1.04 was running successfully. Today I upgraded ubuntu to 7.10 and then vmware server failed to start. I followed your steps to reconfigure vmware using the script under vmware-any-any-update and here is the error that i’ve got.

    Building the vmmon module.

    Building for VMware Server 1.0.0.
    Using 2.6.x kernel build system.
    make: Entering directory `/tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only’
    make -C /lib/modules/2.6.22-14-generic/build/include/.. SUBDIRS=$PWD SRCROOT=$PWD/. modules
    make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.22-14-generic’
    CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only/linux/driver.o
    CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only/linux/hostif.o
    CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only/common/cpuid.o
    CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only/common/hash.o
    CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only/common/memtrack.o
    CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only/common/phystrack.o
    CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only/common/task.o
    cc1plus: warning: command line option “-Wdeclaration-after-statement” is valid for C/ObjC but not for C++
    cc1plus: warning: command line option “-Wno-pointer-sign” is valid for C/ObjC but not for C++
    cc1plus: warning: command line option “-Wstrict-prototypes” is valid for Ada/C/ObjC but not for C++
    cc1plus: warning: command line option “-ffreestanding” is valid for C/ObjC but not for C++
    include/asm/page.h: In function ‘pte_t native_make_pte(long unsigned int)’:
    include/asm/page.h:112: error: expected primary-expression before ‘)’ token
    include/asm/page.h:112: error: expected ‘;’ before ‘{’ token
    include/asm/page.h:112: error: expected primary-expression before ‘.’ token
    include/asm/page.h:112: error: expected `;’ before ‘}’ token
    make[2]: *** [/tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only/common/task.o] Error 1
    make[1]: *** [_module_/tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only] Error 2
    make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.22-14-generic’
    make: *** [vmmon.ko] Error 2
    make: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only’
    Unable to build the vmmon module.

    For more information on how to troubleshoot module-related problems, please
    visit our Web site at “http://www.vmware.com/download/modules/modules.html” and
    “http://www.vmware.com/support/reference/linux/prebuilt_modules_linux.html”.

    Execution aborted.

  22. sunil

    Doh! To reconfigure I had used the script under “vmware-any-any-update109” which was there in the machine. I downloaded “vmware-any-any-update109.tar.gz”, extract it and ran “runme.pl” script. It worked!!!!

  23. Mads Kristensen

    You need to install xinetd for this to work.

  24. Sam Berry

    Hello all,
    I did a new install of 7.10 and followed the instructions on installing vmware. I got the following message: need super-server inetd or xinetd. When I go to the package repository, neither are listed. Is there another way I can install xinetd ??

    Thanks,
    Sam

  25. Heikki Toivonen

    I have installed VMWare Server for both Dapper and Gutsy by downloading the rpm package, and converting it to .deb with alien (–script -d options). Then I’ve double clicked the .deb from Nautilus, and it installed the package. Next I made sure I had xinetd and the build requirements installed, and run vmware-config.pl. VMware has seemed to run fine.

    http://chandlerproject.org/Journal/UbuntuGutsyGibbonOnLatitudeD820

  26. John

    After deleting /etc/vmware to get around uninstalling as Duane noted and then doing your steps 1 through 5, VMware server started and ran fine. In my case, the patch file, etc. weren’t needed. My original error message after installing Gutsy was “Unable to change virtual machine power state: The process exited with an error:
    End of error message.”

  27. Rob Ferguson

    Do these instructions apply to the amd64 version of Gutsy? I’ve installed twice on my amd64 desktop machine and can’t get it to run. My laptop, which is an Intel cpu, had no problems with installation and execution. On the desktop, I get a lot of permissions errors (lots of vmware files were set to 600… I went through my 32-bit install on the laptop to compare permissions, and set permissions the same on the desktop but still no luck. After changing all the permissions, VMware server runs, but when I try to open a virtual machine I get the error message “VMware server error:”
    “VMware server must be set uid root, “/usr/lib/vmware/bin/vmware-vmx” is not.”

    I’ve checked, and it IS. Any ideas?

  28. uwe

    Thanks so much for this great help! Worked instantly, Thanks, Uwe

  29. JB

    Your instructions worked perfectly! Thanks

  30. Miguel

    I get this message after your instructions.
    any sugestions ? of why. Using VMware-server-1.0.4-56528.tar.gz.
    Thanks,

    Creating a new installer database using the tar3 format.

    Installing the content of the package.

    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]

    Unable to copy the source file ./installer/services.sh to the destination file
    /etc/init.d/vmware.

    Execution aborted.

  31. Jason

    This fixed my problem:
    sudo aptitude install linux-headers-`uname -r`

  32. Brian

    I’ve now got vmware server up and running on gutsy, thanks to this tutorial. If you don’t have xinetd installed, the config script won’t complete. So make sure you grab that off synaptic.

  33. MisterT

    Thanks for the tuto.
    I installed VMWare server on an official release of 7.10.

    Unfortunately, when I setup a VM (using “existing disk” I created with previous version of VMWare server running on previous version of Ubuntu), I get a message saying:
    “Unable to change virtual machine power state: The process exited with an error:
    End of error message.”

    I checked the log and found the error:
    “Version mismatch with vmmon module: expecting 138.0, got 137.0”

    Any idea what I should do ???
    Help !

    Thanks in advance,

  34. JJL

    I also had some trouble installing this but after installing xorg-dev all was fine

  35. JJL

    I had to install xorg-dev to get it working

  36. mr toto

    this works 99% great in 7.10.

    it could not bridge to my wireless network but it worked with NAT. Wired network no problems found.

    had to change applications menu link properties to “terminal application” and command “sudo vmware” in order for the link to work

    I installed by using terminal as:

    sudo aptitude install build-essential xinetd

    I did not use the link provided above for xinetd.
    only the patch was downloaded from the provided link.

    other than the above great product, thank you

  37. Mark C

    This fixed my VMWare issue after upgrading and you saved my life.

    Thanks!

  38. Doods Ambubuyog

    i encountered an error – ‘Unable to build the vmmon module.’ which is caused by the g++ compatibility. just install the latest version to solve the issue.

    sudo apt-get install g++-4.1

  39. Pritesh

    I’m getting the same error as miguel.

    Creating a new installer database using the tar3 format.

    Installing the content of the package.

    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]

    Unable to copy the source file ./installer/services.sh to the destination file
    /etc/init.d/vmware.

    Execution aborted.

    Please help?

  40. erik

    this is the second to last requirement to drop my windows partition. is there an easy way to drag and drop files between vmware server and ubuntu?

    great tutorial. thanks,
    erik

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  43. Jonas

    Running: sudo rm /etc/vmware/not_configured
    saved the day.

    Thank you very much.
    /Jonas

  44. mr toto

    “i encountered an error – ‘Unable to build the vmmon module.’ which is caused by the g++ compatibility. just install the latest version to solve the issue.

    sudo apt-get install g++-4.1”

    Does this mean we don’t need the patch???

  45. Michael

    I got to step 6, then got
    “command not found”

    any idea what I am doing wrong?

  46. james

    Now that 7.10 is out, has vmware caught up with the repository so we dont need to do this? or are there different directions we should use?

    Thanks

  47. MonZ

    Thanks heaps ^-^

    Works for me right away… save my day!!

    Keep it up.

  48. John

    This is dynamite info.

    Can anyone please tell me if they have gotten the USB ports to work in the guest OS?

    The few apps that keep me in windows, use USB, such as syncing to my pocketPC, loading up the GPS with geocache data, etc. I know a flash device or camera works.

    Thanks

    John

  49. Humphrey

    When running runme.pl I got this message:
    The path “/include/linux” is not an existing directory.

    I installed kernel version 2.6.20-16-generic

    Any help appreciated
    Thx

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  52. Geert

    Thanks for the tutorial.
    VMWARE Up and running!

  53. Tomek

    I’ve encountered following problem:
    In which directory do you want to install the documentation files?
    [/usr/bin/doc/vmware]

    The path “/usr/bin/doc/vmware” does not exist currently. This program is going
    to create it, including needed parent directories. Is this what you want?
    [yes] yes

    Unable to get the access rights of source file “./vmware-vix/bin”.

    Execution aborted.

  54. Hoody

    I just downloaded and installed the VMware Server 1.0.4 (newest version) from vmware.com in tar.gz format on my Ubuntu 7.10, and it reported no errors at all – even when I went ahead and answered Yes to compiling the network module right away.

    Are there still reasons why I should apply the any-any patch? It doesn’t seem necessary on my system anyways.

  55. hani

    I have tried everthing, and I keep failing after VMPerl Scripting API…it installs fine, but the very next thing is “Generating SSL Server Certificate”, and then I get the following:
    Unable to get the last modification timestamp of the destination file
    /etc/vmware/ssl/rui.key

    Execution aborted

    Please help!!!….I have tried everything state in this thread.

  56. biggdeedubb

    the vmware-install.pl is not in the vmware-server-distrib folder. I look in the Files Text sheet and see that it says it should be there but it is not there. What am I doing wrong?

  57. Cristian

    What does your patch do? I have installed vmware 1.0.4 on Gutsy and it works out of the box, no patch needed.

    Is the patch for older kernels, perhaps? 2.6.20?

  58. mitchell

    im using gutsy gibbon and after finishing everything vmware is aksing me for a serial number why is that????

  59. MankyGitt

    Fellow troubled souls.. apologies if this appears twice. Keen to get it to you, but the page keeps crashing…

    I have prepared the following, having had most of the same problems in this discussion:

    You can run VMWare Server in 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon) if you download and manually install it as described in the above tutorial.

    Follow the steps exactly – AND….
    (check my post at)
    https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/155362

    Good luck, and best wishes

    MankyGitt

  60. Toxygene

    Hi,
    nice tutorial, truthful :). This one is really working(Gutsy Gibbon 32bit && 64bit)

  61. Ajeet

    I installed ubuntu 7.10 and tried to intsall Vmware.It threw the error:
    ————-
    vjs@saturn:~$ sudo apt-get install build-essential linux-headers-`uname -r`
    Reading package lists… Done
    Building dependency tree
    Reading state information… Done
    linux-headers-2.6.22-14-generic is already the newest version.
    You might want to run `apt-get -f install’ to correct these:
    The following packages have unmet dependencies:
    build-essential: Depends: libc6-dev but it is not going to be installed or
    libc-dev
    Depends: g++ (>= 4:4.1.1) but 4:4.0.3-1 is to be installed
    Depends: dpkg-dev (>= 1.13.5) but it is not going to be installed
    g++: Depends: g++-4.0 (>= 4.0.3) but it is not installable
    Depends: gcc-4.0 (>= 4.0.3) but it is not installable
    E: Unmet dependencies. Try ‘apt-get -f install’ with no packages (or specify a solution).
    vjs@saturn:~$
    ———————–

    Any help???

  62. MoronPills

    i know this sounds stupid but when i enter the sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install vmware-server command after i finsh downloading it gives me this license thing and i see some text that says “Ok” but i cant click it and i cant continue.

  63. Simon

    If you are using VMware Server 1.04 you need to get hold of vmware-any-any-update115.

  64. dennis

    this worked for me too, thanks a bunch!!
    ——————————————-

    “”Anyone that can’t launch vmware
    and gets a message that it should be reconfigured or can’t launch the application
    from the menu
    RUN THIS COMMAND.

    sudo rm /etc/vmware/not_configured

    Many thanks too geekster it worked perfectly for me.””

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