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Vmware

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VMware server is a virtual machine server that allows to launch guest OS from within a host OS. Its utility for testing new software, and new network configurations is huge!

VMware player allows to play images of virtual machines (not required if you already have the VMware server). An image of a virtual machine is called an appliance.

VMware converter allows to transform any physical computer into a virtual machine. This can be useful when you want to port a given computer configuration to other machines.

Installation under linux

  • Download the vmware server for linux.
  • Register and ask for a few license keys.
  • Install the kernel-devel rpm package for kernel source code recompilation.
  • Install the inetd and xinetd.
  • Install the vmware server for linux.
  • from the shell type:
> vmware-config.pl

and follow the installer instructions. By the end, you should have the vmware daemon up and running successfully and ready to install guest OSes.

Installing new virtual machines

  • From Applications-->System Tools-->VMware server console.

Toggling between Full-screen and windowed modes

The magic key stroke is:

ctrl-alt-enter

Expanding the size of a disk

There is an command line utility that can resize your VMachine disk:

 C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Server>vmware-vdiskmanager -x 20GB 
 "D:\VMmachines\Fedora Core 4 Workstation\Other Linux 2.6.x kernel.vmdk"

Then, you need to adjust the partition to this new size. WARNING: this is a bit dangerous if you don't follow the next commands exactly as written!

  • enter as root or su and type:
 fdisk /dev/sda
  • list the partitions:
 p
  • delete the system partiton(partition 2, probably):
 d
  • create a new one:
 n
  • p for primary and when it asks the new size, put in the new size(20GB for the example above)
  • write the new partition to the disk:
 w
  • reboot.. and it should(...) be fine.

External References