How to install VMware Server 2.0 on Slackware 13
 

I make no claims to be an expert. I am however a long time Slackware user, and have noticed a few posts concerning the ins and outs of previous how-to's on the same subject that are now outdated.

Keep in mind I take no responsibility for any damages to data, hardware, time, or liquor cabinets. Use at your own risk!
So..


This is assuming you have a fresh full install of Slackware 13, I will be doing this install on a 64bit os, but the steps are relative and will also work on a 32.


You are going to need pam to successfully authenticate on the web interface later, so take care of that first. There are a few different ways to go about this especially if you are on a 32bit install.

32BIT - You may go ahead and download the Linux-PAM package from a slacky repository.
http://repository.slacky.eu/slackwar...nux-pam/1.1.0/

OR - Of course you could build linux-pam from source, but I would recommend using src2pkg as it is easy, and outputs a tgz that you may install with installpkg. As I dont want to ramble forever Src2Pkg is the home to get it if you do not already have it. Once it is installed.....

cd /usr/src
These switches will delete the temporary files used during the creation of our package, and drop its output into our current directory.

Once that is done (as we wont really be using this file right now.)
mv /etc/pam.d /etc/pam.ds

But we do need a pam.d directory for Vmware
mkdir /etc/pam.d

We are now ready to install Vmware Server

If you have not done so already, it is time to download the vmware archive. This requires signing up on their website, and it will provide you keys after email activation.

Now that we have the file, extract it
cd vmware-server-distrib
./vmware-install.pl

As slackware now contains an /etc/rc.d/init.d, vmware's installer will detect all the correct directories to drop files into. That includes autostart on reboot. Default's should be fine for everything in the main installer.

***PAUSE AT THE "run vmware-config.pl now?"

It is important to note, that if you are using 64 bit you will need to use a patch to fix a couple of modules. So when you get to the part where it asks to run vmware-config.pl now? Tell it "no" if you are 64bit. Yes should work for 32bit fine, and continue to creating virtual network devices, and input of serial number.

32Bit users, your adventure should be over. At this point you should be able to open a browser, point it at the machines lan ip address, external ip address, or localhost on port 8222. If you have problems and you did not run networkconfig during slackware setup, run it now, reboot and you should be fine. Sometimes fine tuning of /etc/hosts is needed depending on your network situation.

64Bit ... Sorry to say yes, we have to repair something before we can continue

First obtain the patch files from http://communities.vmware.com/thread/215985 once you have them, in the same directory they are located (even /usr/src is fine)

After this has finished patching, you may run vmware-config.pl to continue your installation.

After this your journey should now also be over. If you have any error's check your /var/log/vmware directory, also make sure your /etc/hosts is valid.

Well I hope someone finds this useful, if nothing else I am sure I will end up referring back to the page myself.

Thank you for this how-to!

What are the benefits of VMware in relation to VirtualBox ?

VMware Server allows a much more robust remote VM utilization.

Opinion
VMware is faster, both in CPU cycles and hard drive access. Better networking throughput, easier USB integration. If you plan on virtualizing Windows, the setup is faster and easier (one click auto install). Guest integration (Both Windows and Linux) is a bit more stable.

Not to say VMware is perfect, as it has it's issues as well. Personally, I just use KVM and raw format hard drive images. Best CPU and fastest hard drive access between the 3 (on my systems ;))

Honestly I ran side by side installs on another machine and was working with VirtualBox Headless and the websrv applet, and it is very light weight in comparison as far as installation size. But ease of installation and usage is worth alot to me.

On a side note I was having trouble importing my vmware machines into VirtualBox, I still haven't bothered converting them first. Maybe when I have time I will sit down and do the same kind of how-to for vb+web console.

okay! thanks! i'll test.
Regards!

Thanks
 

Very very good.
Now, we have a Dual Xeon, Slackwre64 13, vmware 2
In my instalation I have a problem with pam, but vmserver-on-slackware-13-a-755174 at Linuxquestion helpme. Now is ok.

Thank very much!

jamoura

To the OP: thanks for the how-to. To answer the question about Virtualbox vs. VMWare, it depends on what you use it for. I would go with Virtualbox for most things (I recently used it for trying out a Gentoo install), but if you ever want a Windows VM to play games in you'll want VMWare for its fully implemented DirectX 9c stack. I tried using Virtualbox to play an old Windows game (I couldn't get it working in Wine) and it ran, but the game was unplayable--moving the mouse up was supposed to move the camera up, but instead the camera went in circles. I can do almost everything else with Virtualbox: use USB devices, make snapshots (backups) of virtual machines at certain places in time, etc. Virtualbox also seemed lighter weight than VMWare.

Found this on a search, trying to install vmware server on slack13 32 bit, getting this error.

what is the location of the directory of C header files that match your running
kernel? [/lib/modules/2.6.29.6-smp/build/include]

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/2.6.29.6-smp/build/include/.. SUBDIRS=$PWD SRCROOT=$PWD/. modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.29.6'
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.o
In file included from /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:31:
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/./include/compat_wait.h:78: error: conflicting types for 'poll_initwait'
include/linux/poll.h:67: error: previous declaration of 'poll_initwait' was here
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c: In function 'LinuxDriverSyncCallOnEachCPU':
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:1423: error: too many arguments to function 'smp_call_function'
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c: In function 'LinuxDriver_Ioctl':
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:1987: error: 'struct task_struct' has no member named 'euid'
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:1987: error: 'struct task_struct' has no member named 'uid'
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:1988: error: 'struct task_struct' has no member named 'fsuid'
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:1988: error: 'struct task_struct' has no member named 'uid'
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:1989: error: 'struct task_struct' has no member named 'egid'
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:1989: error: 'struct task_struct' has no member named 'gid'
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:1990: error: 'struct task_struct' has no member named 'fsgid'
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:1990: error: 'struct task_struct' has no member named 'gid'
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:2007: error: too many arguments to function 'smp_call_function'
make[2]: *** [/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.o] Error 1
make[1]: *** [_module_/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.29.6'
make: *** [vmmon.ko] Error 2
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/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/go/unsup-linux-products" and
"http://www.vmware.com/go/unsup-linux-tools".

Execution aborted.

root@darkstar:/home/Eugene/Downloads/vmware-server-distrib#

@enine

Did you patch the VMWare server code? VMWare really doesn't update Server very often, so frequently you need to find "3rd party" patches to get it to compile properly. Have a look here for decent patches.

Ahh yea, found a 2.6.25 kernel patch. Applied that and everything installed, now it just won't let me sign in, won't take my root user/pass even though vmware-config.pl says use root.

I'm trying to switch over from virtualbox, gets to be a pain trying to see more than a couple guests at one time with it.

Did you install PAM and copy files to the appropriate locations? It isn't part of Slackware, so you need to do it yourself and not being able to log in is the classic symptom of not having PAM. In addition to the OPs instructions, I've got similar instructions on my help site (link in sig).

Yes, made /lib/security and put the three links in it. etc/pam.d was already there with the vmware.auth file in it

I used the prebuilt pam

Ok, that package must be borked

[2010-10-11 20:55:48.316 'App' 3075241664 error] System PAM libraries are unusable: libprelude.so.2: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory

locate can't find libprelude

So I tried the other method of src2pkg and it errors out

Checking for Makefile rule: 'install' Okay
Creating content in JAIL root - Using: 'make install'
FATAL! Running 'make install' has failed with error: 1
Try using INSTALL_LINE 'make -i install' Exiting...

Took the source that src2pkg downloaded and unpacked it and just did a configure, make, and make install and I see a lot more stuff in /lib/security now.

Now I get:

[2010-10-11 21:44:03.853 'ha-eventmgr' 3064834960 info] Event 3 : Failed login attempt for root@127.0.0.1
[2010-10-11 21:44:03.853 'PropertyProvider' 3064834960 verbose] RecordOp ASSIGN: latestEvent, ha-eventmgr
[2010-10-11 21:44:03.854 'Vmomi' 3064834960 info] Activation [N5Vmomi10ActivationE:0xb9347a8] : Invoke done [login] on [vim.SessionManager:ha-sessionmgr]
[2010-10-11 21:44:03.854 'Vmomi' 3064834960 info] Throw vim.fault.InvalidLogin
[2010-10-11 21:44:03.855 'Vmomi' 3064834960 info] Result:
(vim.fault.InvalidLogin) {
dynamicType = <unset>,
msg = ""
}

Ok got it now, this step in page

/usr/sbin/vmware-authd was an executable. I deleted it and put back the vmware-authd that was there and it worked. I'm not sure what created my /etc/pam.d or the contents if it was the vmware-server installer or the original pam package but both the folder and file already existed for me.

I've never figured that out either, but I suspect it is the PAM installation. VMware obviously wants /etc/pam.d to be a directory, so it makes little to no sense why it would create a file instead. Of course if I had a nickel for every time I ran into something that made no sense, I'd make Bill Gates look like a pauper.

Mine didn't create a file though, it created the directory like it should and the vmwareauth file was there already. I didn't have to delete the file and make a directory. I'll go back through my other box and install pam then check and see if it was what did it.
Just have to get vmware-vmrc working now to get around the firefox problem, its just hanging on connecting.

Ahh, just have to use the 8333 port for vmrc instead of 8222.

Now I get Unable to connect to the MKS: pipe: Write failed.

Must still be anothr needing to be marked as executable. I downloaded firefox 3.5 and am running it out of home and can do the console's fine if I open them in abother window. Still not within the webinterface though. So I'm still not getting an advantage over virtualbox. The whole reason I wanted to go to vmware was to be able to manage multiple systems easier.

Yeah, that does seem to be a permissions/executable issue. Check the last couple of paragraphs of this blog and see if that helps.
The VMware plugin for Firefox broke a few releases ago of Firefox, and as far as I can tell, they haven't fixed it (like I said eariler, Server doesn't get much support from VMware). That is why you need to go the vmrc route. To be honest, I'm actually happier with the vmrc as I have just created simple scripts that I can run whenever I need to connect to a specific machine.
In which case, you may need to investigate some of the options besides Server. I just isn't supported all that well. In fact, I think the only benefit is that VMware have made it available for free. I suppose that also explains the level of attention they give it.

I was hoping to stay with vmware since thats what my employer uses but it doesn't look like thats going to work well long term. Eventually I'm going to build a server or two, used to have a half dozen running a few years ago but my server room become a nursery. I was just starting to use vmware player at that time. Now that I'm looking to put back a lab a 'production' home network again I wanted to keep everything virtual. I'll have to start looking at other tech. Are there any others that have the management like vmware?

I haven't messed around with anything besides VMware Server and a bit with Virtualbox, so I'm probably not the best person to ask. Maybe this comparison helps a bit?

Doesn;t mention any managment capabilities. I'm using virtualbox now but the interface isn't that great, I have to to the host to see the consoles and everything. Looking for somehting that has a management page like vmware where I can do anything remotely.
looks though like the free ESX has just been renamed to vsphere. 3.5 is still 32bit, 4.0 is 64 bit only. I'll see if 3.5 will come up on my hardware at all and run that way.