HowTo: Windows (XP) on Ubuntu with VMWare Server

[azray]

I was wondering if this howto applies to Feisty?

[tact]

after a linux kernel update you do need to recompile VMWare server. just run the
/usr/bin/vmware-config.pl script again.

No you dont lose all your VM's or settings or data. It just recompiles using the new linux headers and all is sweet again.

[davebrazier]

Hey all,

Cheers for the article. Really detailed and thorough. Thanks. However, I'm having a slight problem. I'm getting this feedback in the terminal ...

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)? [yes] // N.B. I pressed [ENTER] here

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/2.6.20-16-lowlatency/build/include] // N.B. I pressed [ENTER] here

Extracting the sources of the vmmon module.

Building the vmmon module.

Using 2.6.x kernel build system.
make: Entering directory `/tmp/vmware-config6/vmmon-only'
make -C /lib/modules/2.6.20-16-lowlatency/build/include/.. SUBDIRS=$PWD SRCROOT=$PWD/. modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.20-16-lowlatency'
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config6/vmmon-only/linux/driver.o
In file included from /tmp/vmware-config6/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:80:
/tmp/vmware-config6/vmmon-only/./include/compat_kernel.h:21: error: expected declaration specifiers or ‘...’ before ‘compat_exit’
/tmp/vmware-config6/vmmon-only/./include/compat_kernel.h:21: error: expected declaration specifiers or ‘...’ before ‘exit_code’
/tmp/vmware-config6/vmmon-only/./include/compat_kernel.h:21: warning: type defaults to ‘int’ in declaration of ‘_syscall1’
make[2]: *** [/tmp/vmware-config6/vmmon-only/linux/driver.o] Error 1
make[1]: *** [_module_/tmp/vmware-config6/vmmon-only] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.20-16-lowlatency'
make: *** [vmmon.ko] Error 2
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-config6/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.

--------------

Any ideas what I should do? If it makes a difference, I'm currently logged in as root.

Thanks so much, Dave.

[Alex Broadbent]

I have exactly the same problem and would also appreciate some help!

Thanks,
Alex

[Alex Broadbent]

OK Dave, I found the answer (thanks to a link provided by Greg Mcn, 2 weeks ago, this thread page 109).

Feisty needs a patch. Full instructions are here. They are working for me right now (I'm not through yet though...)

http://ubuntu1501.blogspot.com/2007/...in-feisty.html

Good luck,
Alex

[Alex Broadbent]

OK, back again... I was going along well following the instructions at the link in my previous post but then I got the following errors.

Please specify a port for remote console connections to use [902] 

Stopping internet superserver: xinetd.
Starting internet superserver: xinetd.
Configuring the VMware VmPerl Scripting API.

Building the VMware VmPerl Scripting API.

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

Installing the VMware VmPerl Scripting API.

The installation of the VMware VmPerl Scripting API succeeded.

Generating SSL Server Certificate

Unable to get the last modification timestamp of the destination file 
/etc/vmware/ssl/rui.key.

Execution aborted.

Why can't it get this timestamp? Any help much appreciated!
Thanks,
Alex

[Alex Broadbent]

Anyone?...

[warlockninja]

Hi,

I am not sure if this question has been asked yet but if it has can someone kindly post the link....

Anyway...........This is an awesome howto and I have my Xp virtual machine up and running..

I am curious though, is there a way to access a separate hard disk that is on the host side from within the virtual machine side? How would I make that other host disk appear as a drive in Windows XP virtual machine?

Any help on this would be most excellent.

Thanks in advance.

[philven]

Maybe this is an even dumber question: I have a dual boot system with Win XP and Kubuntu Feisty. Can VMWare allow me to access XP while booted to Kubuntu? The reason I ask is I sometimes have a need to access a Windows prog but don't want to have log out of Kubuntu and boot into XP. I don't want to have to re-install everything in VM. Am I just stupid or is it possible?

[Alex Broadbent]

From what I understand, the Windows you have on a VM and the Windows you have on another boot partition are totally separate things. That's what it says near the top of the original howto. So I'm guessing the answer to the previous question is no. However, I haven't had any responses to my own questions yet so I don't yet have VM up and running! (Nudge nudge anyone?)