VMWARE

Yes MajorCedar VMware runs just fine in Mepis. If you would like to know a little more, and revolving around a current thread, please look here:
http://www.mepis.org/node/11897
where I'm helping someone else out with VMware configuration.

A short answer is that there are two VMware products that you could use: 1) VMware Workstation, 2) VMware Server.

Workstation is free for a trial run, but costs money if you want to use it permanently. If you want to play with lots of different OSes, and have maximum flexibility, then this is the one you want.

Server is free to use and download. It does not have all of the functionality of Workstation, but has pretty much everything that the "average geek" could need.

There's also VMware Player, that is also free to download. But it is intended to be a companion to Workstation.

In addition to VMware products, another virtualization tool that is useful, and cheaper is Parallels.
http://www.parallels.com/

It also has a trial version, but it also must be paid for for permanent use. I have not had as much experience with it, but drlizau has used it quite a bit.

One other thing. If you are considering a virtualization tool, you have to have a fairly big box. At least in RAM, CPU, and disk space. I ran as many as 4 virtual machines simultaneously on a lowly old Dell laptop that had only 384 MB RAM, but it was painful! You will want to have a minimum of 512 MB RAM and a CPU that's close to or over 1 GHz. Disk space will be used by the various vms. Each one will typically take a max of 8 GB of disk space. Not initially, but as they grow (the "virtual disks" grow as needed).

So if you want to give us some specs on your box, I'm sure that we can give you more information on how to do what you want.

Also, there are some other virtualization and emulation tools that might be better suited. Exactly what Windows applications are you trying to run?

Jon

Thanks for the info. I a gig of RAM and 1.8 (I think) process, Intel Celeron. I have plenty of hardspace. I only want to run one program called LOGOS. It is Biblical software; I'm a pastor and need it. The free open source programs do not work well for my purposes. I need to be able to work with Greek/Hebrew, plus Logs has commentaries to go with it.

If I could get by with using the free server version that would be dandy. Thanks.

OK, sounds like you're fine in space and speed. Yes, download the package, search through the forum here for information on setting it up, and get back to us with any questions you have

Jon

Thanks. I tried finding some info on setup but most folks seem to want to run Mepis in Vmware. I want to stay in the Mepis environment and run a windows program. Could you point me to an info page. Thanks.

I'm happily running Win2K under MEPIS on vmware. The only
hassle I had was getting the correct kernel headers. Win2k
boots faster under VMware than XP does on native hardware.

Yes, I can run Windows under Mepis as well in vmware. Download Vmware Server (which is free) and follow these instructions: http://www.howtoforge.com/ubuntu_vmware_server. I needed this application to help me run Logos and Bible Hermeneutica, bible software. Thanks.

I used the same step-thru, but for mepis users, the process requires a little extra. I copied the output of my terminal and inserted comments for others benefit, just like the ubuntu one.

NOTE - all of my comments are in-between brackets like this (Press Enter)

Install Required packages

Copy the following lines by highlighting them and pressing Ctrl + C and paste them into a terminal as root by clicking your middle mouse button.

apt-get install libx11-6 libx11-dev libxtst6 xlibs-dev xinetd wget

apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r` build-essential

apt-get install gcc binutils-doc cpp-doc make manpages-dev autoconf automake1.9 libtool flex bison gdb gcc-doc gcc-4.0-doc libc6-dev-amd64 lib64gcc1

Create the directory where you want to install your virtual machines and remember this for when you are asked later. The virtual machines require much disk space, make sure you have enough free space on the partition for the virtual machines.:

example
mkdir /var/vm
Be sure to us a seperate partition or folder for your virtual machines and not your /. It doesn't hurt to have a vm on /, but if you should experience any failures that require linux to be re-installed, you will lose your virtual machines. Personally, I use a seperate partition and I set the permissions for the partition so a regular user can read and write to it, so in my case, I'm using /mnt/sda3 solely for virtual machines and I have edited fstab to mount it during boot.

The easiest way to drop into a terminal at the right location is to browse to the folder on your hard drive using the konqueror file browser, then press the F4 key. This section requires the downloaded files to be extracted prior to following these instructions.

Terminal output starts here.

root@2[vmware-server-distrib]# ./vmware-install.pl (Press Enter)
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] (Press Enter)

What is the directory that contains the init directories (rc0.d/ to rc6.d/)?
[/etc] (Press Enter)

What is the directory that contains the init scripts?
[/etc/init.d] (Press Enter)

In which directory do you want to install the daemon files?
[/usr/sbin] (Press Enter)

In which directory do you want to install the library files?
[/usr/lib/vmware] (Press Enter)

The path "/usr/lib/vmware" does not exist currently. This program is going to
create it, including needed parent directories. Is this what you want?
[yes] (Press Enter, may take 10-20 seconds to complete)

In which directory do you want to install the manual files?
[/usr/share/man] (Press Enter)

In which directory do you want to install the documentation files?
[/usr/share/doc/vmware] (Press Enter)

The path "/usr/share/doc/vmware" does not exist currently. This program is
going to create it, including needed parent directories. Is this what you want?
[yes] (Press Enter)

The installation of VMware Server 1.0.1 build-29996 for Linux completed
successfully. You can decide to remove this software from your system at any
time by invoking the following command: "/usr/bin/vmware-uninstall.pl".

Before running VMware Server for the first time, you need to configure it by
invoking the following command: "/usr/bin/vmware-config.pl". Do you want this
program to invoke the command for you now? [yes] (Press Enter)

Making sure services for VMware Server are stopped.

Stopping VMware services:
Virtual machine monitor done

You must read and accept the End User License Agreement to continue.
Press enter to display it.

VMWARE MASTER END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT

--------- Clipped----------

NOTE - when scrolling down the license agreement, do not scroll past 99%
by holding the enter key down, or a "no" will automatically be assumed and
the partial install may need to be uninstalled before you can try again.
--------- Clipped----------

Do you accept? (yes/no) yes

Thank you.

Configuring fallback GTK+ 2.4 libraries.

In which directory do you want to install the mime type icons?
[/usr/share/icons] (Press Enter)

What directory contains your desktop menu entry files? These files have a
.desktop file extension. [/usr/share/applications] (Press Enter)

In which directory do you want to install the application's icon?
[/usr/share/pixmaps] (Press Enter)

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

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] (Press 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? [/usr/src/linux/include] (You may have to type the following or the path to
your kernel headers, e.g. /usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.15-27-386/include Press 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 /usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.15-27-386/include/.. SUBDIRS=$PWD SRCROOT=$PWD/. modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.15-27-386'
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/linux-headers-2.6.15-27-386'
cp -f vmmon.ko ./../vmmon.o
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only'
The file /lib/modules/2.6.15-27-386/misc/vmmon.ko that this program was about
to install already exists. Overwrite? [yes] (Press Enter)

The module loads perfectly in the running kernel.

Do you want networking for your virtual machines? (yes/no/help) [yes] (Press Enter)

Configuring a bridged network for vmnet0.

Your computer has multiple ethernet network interfaces available: eth0, ath0.
Which one do you want to bridge to vmnet0? [eth0] (Press Enter)
(NOTE - My laptop has wired + wireless, so I chose the wired device eth0)

The following bridged networks have been defined:

. vmnet0 is bridged to eth0

If your machine has only 1 network device, this section will not be displayed)
Do you wish to configure another bridged network? (yes/no) [no] yes

Configuring a bridged network for vmnet2.

The following bridged networks have been defined:

. vmnet0 is bridged to eth0
. vmnet2 is bridged to ath0

All your ethernet interfaces are already bridged.

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

Configuring a NAT network for vmnet8.

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

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

The subnet 192.168.152.0/255.255.255.0 appears to be unused.

The following NAT networks have been defined:

. vmnet8 is a NAT network on private subnet 192.168.152.0.

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

Do you want to be able to use host-only networking in your virtual machines?
[yes] (Press Enter)

Configuring a host-only network for vmnet1.

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

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

(NOTE - the following address will be different for each install)
The subnet 192.168.109.0/255.255.255.0 appears to be unused.

The following host-only networks have been defined:

. vmnet1 is a host-only network on private subnet 192.168.109.0.

Do you wish to configure another host-only network? (yes/no) [no] (Press 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 /usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.15-27-386/include/.. SUBDIRS=$PWD SRCROOT=$PWD/. modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.15-27-386'
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 find /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/.smac_linux.x386.o.cmd for /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/smac_linux.x386.o
CC /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/vmnet.mod.o
LD [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only/vmnet.ko
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.15-27-386'
cp -f vmnet.ko ./../vmnet.o
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmnet-only'
The file /lib/modules/2.6.15-27-386/misc/vmnet.ko that this program was about
to install already exists. Overwrite? [yes]

The module loads perfectly in the running kernel.

Please specify a port for remote console connections to use [902] (Press Enter)

* Restarting internet superserver... [ ok ]
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

This is where you can select the location where you want to store your Virtual Machine)
In which directory do you want to keep your virtual machine files?
[/var/lib/vmware/Virtual Machines] /mnt/sda3/ (Press Enter)

Please enter your 20-character serial number.

Type XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX or 'Enter' to cancel: type or copy and paste your serial here

Starting VMware services:
Virtual machine monitor done
Virtual ethernet done
Bridged networking on /dev/vmnet0 done
Host-only networking on /dev/vmnet1 (background) done
Bridged networking on /dev/vmnet2 done
Host-only networking on /dev/vmnet8 (background) done
NAT service on /dev/vmnet8 done

The configuration of VMware Server 1.0.1 build-29996 for Linux for this running
kernel completed successfully.

root@2[vmware-server-distrib]#

Change directory to the location of the extracted mui and type ./vmware-install.pl

root@3[vmware-mui-distrib]# ./vmware-install.pl
Creating a new installer database using the tar3 format.

You must read and accept the End User License Agreement to continue.
Press enter to display it.

VMWARE MASTER END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT

---------clipped---------
Same as above, don't just hold down the enter key or you'll scroll past 99%

Do you accept? (yes/no) yes (Press Enter)

Thank you.

Installing the content of the package.

In which directory do you want to install the binary files?
[/usr/bin] (Press Enter)

What is the directory that contains the init directories (rc0.d/ to rc6.d/)?
[/etc] (Press Enter)

What is the directory that contains the init scripts?
[/etc/init.d] (Press Enter)

In which directory do you want to install the VMware Management Interface
files? [/usr/lib/vmware-mui] (Press Enter)

The path "/usr/lib/vmware-mui" does not exist currently. This program is going
to create it, including needed parent directories. Is this what you want?
[yes] (Press Enter)

In which directory would you like to install the documentation files?
[/usr/lib/vmware-mui/doc] (Press Enter)

The path "/usr/lib/vmware-mui/doc" does not exist currently. This program is
going to create it, including needed parent directories. Is this what you want?
[yes] (Press Enter)

The installation of VMware Management Interface 1.0.1 build-29996 for Linux
completed successfully. You can decide to remove this software from your system
at any time by invoking the following command:
"/usr/bin/vmware-uninstall-mui.pl". (Press Enter)

Before running VMware Management Interface for the first time, you need to
configure it by invoking the following command:
"/usr/bin/vmware-config-mui.pl". Do you want this program to invoke the command
for you now? [yes] (Press Enter)

Configuring httpd.conf to run Apache as:
User: www-data and Group: nogroup

Set the number of minutes before a http session times out. (This is the length
of time before someone connecting to VMware Management Interface will be logged
out) [60]

Generating SSL Server Certificate

Starting httpd.vmware: done
The configuration of VMware Management Interface completed successfully.

root@3[vmware-mui-distrib]#

You can close the terminal screen now. While it is not necessary to log out and back in again before using vmware server, the desktop icon may take a while to show on your desktop. You'll find the VMWare icon under K-Menu > System > VMWare Server Console

Now you're ready to start playing with VMWare Server.

Mike P

--------------------
Life may not be the party we thought, but while we're here, we may as well dance.
Break M$'s shackles from your feet and free yourself with Mepis

Excellent instructions m_pav. Thanks for all of the detail

I have only one, little, tiny, minor addition:

To those reading that line it may not be clear that the things surrounding `uname -r` are backquotes or backticks. They are NOT a single- or double-quotation-marks that might be found just to the left of the Enter key (on US keyboards). Rather, it is the character (on US keyboards) to the left of the "1" key. When you surround a command with backquotes, the command is executed and the results substituted. So in this case the command "uname -r" will return, on one of my systems, "2.6.10". This gets substituted so that you have "linux-headers-2.6.10" placed in the command line above

Carry on...

Jon

I got it installed and setup. I installed windows on a session and was able to run the software needed. Funny, I thought I might be able to cut and paste between the two environments (vm-session and linux), which is important for me inasmuch as I paste Greek/Hebrew text into documents for print, but quickly found out that was not the case. I should have known better in retrospect! I thought I might could email the text from the vm-session but did not have lan access inside the session for some reason. Thanks!

MajorCedar, have you installed the vmware-tools into the guest OS? That should allow SOME cutting/pasting. Also, it is possible to set up a "shared directory" that is visible to the guest OS as a "network drive". Create a directory on your host system /home/youraccount/shared, and then go into the Advanced settings for your virtual machine. I don't have my box running at the moment, so I can't give you step-by-step, but from within there you should be able to indicate that /home/youraccount/shared is a shared directory. Then when you start up Windoze in the guest os, you should be able to look in Network Neighborhood and find the "drive".

Also, how did you set up networking on the guest OS?

Jon

Sideremark:
Instead of recommending:
apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r` build-essential

it's probably better to recommend:
apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r) build-essential

exactly because there is a chance to confuse ' with `

--
Check out Mepis wiki: www.mepis.org/docs

I tell ya Adrian, you're no fun! I look at teaching people about the backquote character as a way that they can learn what one more funny character on their keyboard means.

But, of course, you're right (sigh)

Jon

I'm your worst nightmare: A Geek with an Attitude!

Proud Charter Member of
Da Mepis Posse

Better to use the built-in networking. If you selected the option during the install process to use "host only networking", you can change your virtual machines networking setting to this and once your windows system vm is up and running, open a command window and find out it's ip address by typing ipconfig at the prompt. Make a shared folder on the vm and switch back to the better OS, then open konqueror file browser and type smb://(windows ip address) into the address bar and you should see the shared folder in the vm.

If you plant a text file on the vms shared folder, you can edit it from Linux and paste to your hearts content, thereby sharing stuff between the real OS and the fake one.

Just one word of caution, I found out the hard way that dropping files from a vm into linux via the networking protocols, sometimes permissions get messed up, so I never save a file to the linux host from a windows vm.

Why go to all this trouble? I have found the copy and paste between Lin and a VM termianl is not always successful. I too use a couple of bible programs in my vm that won't work in Linux, but I do tell the manufacturers about it along with a request for a linux-friendly version.

Mike P

--------------------
Life may not be the party we thought, but while we're here, we may as well dance.
Break M$'s shackles from your feet and free yourself with Mepis

MajorCedar and m_pav:

Since the two of you have gotten VMware Server to work, may I ask: did you have trouble with the following command:

apt-get install libx11-6 libx11-dev libxtst6 xlibs-dev xinetd wget

I did. It seems that "xlibs-dev" is not available, at least according to my terminal output.

Did either of you have a similar problem?

I have installed vmware server on a few machines, including 1 live demonstration at our last months LUG meeting, and 2 systems at our LUG open day, without any problems by following the pattern in my post.

My first install was on my own machine, which had a hard disk melt-down when it was only 3 months old, so I had to do it all again, but I kept a copy of all the downloaded packages and their dependancies by copying them from my /var/apt/archives folder to a flash drive after the install. Since then, I have pre-installed them on all of the subsequent installs by copying them back to the users /home/username/debs/ and used the dpkg -i *.deb command from the folder.

You can try installing the packages by searching for them one by one in synaptic, but before you do, try enabling some of the other repos that are there, but disabled by default.

Below is a copy of my /etc/apt/sources.list if you need to compare it with yours.

# See sources.list(5) for more information

# This file should be edited through synaptic

# MEPIS improvements, overrides and updates--the MEPIS magic
deb http://apt.mepis.org/simply32-6.0/ mepis main

# Ubuntu foundation packages
deb http://apt.mepis.org/backports32-6.0/ mepis main
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ breezy main restricted
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper main restricted
# Security updates
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper-security main restricted
# Package updates
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper-updates main restricted
# Backports of newer packages--unsupported and not thoroughly tested
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper-backports main restricted

# Free unsupported packages from Debian and beyond
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper universe
# Non-free unsupported packages from Debian and beyond
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper multiverse
# Backports of newer packages--unsupported and not thoroughly tested
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ dapper-backports universe multiverse

# Some packages not available elsewhere
# deb http://packages.freecontrib.org/ubuntu/plf/ dapper free non-free

Mike P

--------------------
Life may not be the party we thought, but while we're here, we may as well dance.
Break M$'s shackles from your feet and free yourself with Mepis

Hi everyone,

I recently upgraded from Mepis 3.43 to Mepis 6.0. I followed m_pav's instructions from the following:

http://www.mepis.org/node/11913#comment-44347

And everything went well until I got to the part that states:

"Terminal output starts here"

m_pav's terminal output (minus his instructions in parenthesis) looks like this:

root@2[vmware-server-distrib]# ./vmware-install.pl
Creating a new installer database using the tar3 format.

However, my terminal output looks like this:

root@1[vmware-server-distrib]# ./vmware-install.pl
Please re-run this program as the super user.

Execution aborted.

My Question:

What went wrong?

I am clearly logged in as root (superuser) per m_pav's instructions, but I got a totally different message. His terminal process started an installer database while mine farted, sat on my face, gave me the middle finger and aborted.