VMware Workstation on Fedora Core 6 (i686)

This article describes how to install VMware Workstation on a Fedora Core 6 (i686) system. With VMware Workstation you can create and run guest operating systems ("virtual machines") such as Linux, Windows, FreeBSD, etc. under a host operating system.

 

Requirements

What we need:

- VMware workstation ( you got to download this yourself)
- Kernel version 2.6.18-1.2798
   -> Devel
   -> Headers
   -> Kernel

 

Step 1

Download the VMware workstation RPM file (VMware workstation) (about 107 MB).

Then download the kernel ver 2.6.18-1.2798.fc6.i686:

kernel-2.6.18-1.2798.fc6.i686.rpm
kernel-devel-2.6.18-1.2798.fc6.i686.rpm
kernel-headers-2.6.18-1.2798.fc6.i386.rpm

(about 20 MB to download)

If this is not a real FC system then use a download manager to get the files then use winscp to copy them over to the FC box or if this is a real system just use wget address to download the files to e.g. /tmp/vmware/.

 

Step 2

The installation part of the RPM's. (I work on the base that you did get the copy of the VMware Workstation and copied it over to the FC 6 PC  so we're good to go.)

rpm -ihv kernel-2.6.18-1.2798.fc6.i686.rpm
rpm -ihv kernel-devel-2.6.18-1.2798.fc6.i686.rpm
rpm -ihv kernel-headers-2.6.18-1.2798.fc6.i386.rpm
rpm -ihv VMware-workstation-5.5.3-34685.i386.rpm

It should look like this:

rpm_installs.JPG

After they are installed just reboot and pick from the bootloader:

vmware_workstation_kernel_pic

Pick from the list the 2.6.18-1.2768.fc6 and NOT THE .fc6xen.

 

Step 3

Setting up VMware. In the terminal window type

vmware-config.pl

Now its the fun part of the installation:  

Stopping VMware services:
Virtual machine monitor [OK]
You must read and accept the End User License Agreement to continue.
Press enter to display it. < press enter >

Then press the spacebar key if you dont want to read the EULA (if you know whats it's all about). Then type yes <enter>.

Do you accept? (yes/no) Y  <enter>
Thank you.

Configuring fallback GTK+ 2.4 libraries.

In which directory do you want to install the mime type icons?
[/usr/share/icons] <enter>

What directory contains your desktop menu entry files? These files have a
.desktop file extension. [/usr/share/applications] <enter>

In which directory do you want to install the application's icon?
[/usr/share/pixmaps] <enter>

Trying to find a suitable vmmon module for your running kernel.

None of the pre-built vmmon modules for VMware Workstation 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)? [yes] <enter>

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? [/lib/modules/2.6.18-1.2798.fc6/build/include] <enter>

Extracting the sources of the vmmon module.

Building the vmmon module.

Using 2.6.x kernel build system.
make: Entering directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only'
make -C /lib/modules/2.6.18-1.2798.fc6/build/include/.. SUBDIRS=$PWD SRCROOT=$PWD/. modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/kernels/2.6.18-1.2798.fc6-i686'
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.o
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/hostif.o
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/common/cpuid.o
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/common/hash.o
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/common/memtrack.o
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/common/phystrack.o
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/common/task.o
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/common/vmx86.o
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/vmcore/moduleloop.o
LD [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/vmmon.o
Building modules, stage 2.
MODPOST
CC /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/vmmon.mod.o
LD [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/vmmon.ko
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/kernels/2.6.18-1.2798.fc6-i686'
cp -f vmmon.ko ./../vmmon.o
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only'
The module loads perfectly in the running kernel.

Do you want networking for your virtual machines? (yes/no/help) [yes] <enter>

Configuring a bridged network for vmnet0.

The following bridged networks have been defined:

. vmnet0 is bridged to eth0

All your ethernet interfaces are already bridged.

Do you want to be able to use NAT networking in your virtual machines? (yes/no)
[yes] <enter>

Configuring a NAT network for vmnet8.

Do you want this program to probe for an unused private subnet? (yes/no/help)
[yes] <enter>

Probing for an unused private subnet (this can take some time)...

The subnet 172.16.61.0/255.255.255.0 appears to be unused.

The following NAT networks have been defined:

. vmnet8 is a NAT network on private subnet 172.16.61.0.

Do you wish to configure another NAT network? (yes/no) [no] <enter>

Do you want to be able to use host-only networking in your virtual machines?
[yes] <enter>

Configuring a host-only network for vmnet1.

Do you want this program to probe for an unused private subnet? (yes/no/help)
[yes] <enter>

Probing for an unused private subnet (this can take some time)...


The subnet 192.168.69.0/255.255.255.0 appears to be unused.

The following host-only networks have been defined:

. vmnet1 is a host-only network on private subnet 192.168.69.0.

Do you wish to configure another host-only network? (yes/no) [no] <enter>

Extracting the sources of the vmnet module.

Building the vmnet module.

Using 2.6.x kernel build system.
make: Entering directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only'
make -C /lib/modules/2.6.18-1.2798.fc6/build/include/.. SUBDIRS=$PWD SRCROOT=$PWD/. modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/kernels/2.6.18-1.2798.fc6-i686'
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/driver.o
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/hub.o
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/userif.o
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/netif.o
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/bridge.o
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/procfs.o
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/smac_compat.o
SHIPPED /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/smac_linux.x386.o
LD [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/vmnet.o
Building modules, stage 2.
MODPOST
WARNING: could not open /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/includeCheck.h: Invalid argument
CC /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/vmnet.mod.o
LD [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/vmnet.ko
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/kernels/2.6.18-1.2798.fc6-i686'
cp -f vmnet.ko ./../vmnet.o
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only'
The module loads perfectly in the running kernel.

Starting VMware services:
Virtual machine monitor [OK]

Virtual ethernet [OK]

Bridged networking on /dev/vmnet0 [OK]

Host-only networking on /dev/vmnet1 (background) [OK]

Host-only networking on /dev/vmnet8 (background) [OK]

NAT service on /dev/vmnet8 [OK]


The configuration of VMware Workstation 5.5.3 build-34685 for Linux for this
running kernel completed successfully.

You can now run VMware Workstation by invoking the following command:
"/usr/bin/vmware".

Enjoy,


--the VMware team

Last thing to do is run VMware and put in your serial number for it and happy use of VMware on linux :).

I hope this helps someone out there.

I knew it was hard to find how to get the VMware when I wanted it to be installed on FC6 about 2 months ago and I got pissed off ... so I went back to Windows on my personal box ..  

If there are any problems or updates I should know about email me at zcworld [at] gmail [dot] com with the subject of FC6 on VMware post.

So I know what it's about...

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