nothing@nowhere - 2021-05-13

VMWare Workstation Setup

For this setup we're going to look at how to setup VMWare Workstation Pro on Arch Linux:

Initial Setup

First get the package from the AUR:

[ 10.0.0.10/16 ] [ /dev/pts/18 ] [~]
→ yay -Ss vmware-workstation
aur/vmware-workstation-tech-preview 16540321-2 (+1 0.01)
    The industry standard for running multiple operating systems as virtual machines on a single Linux PC (Tech Preview).
aur/vmware-workstation-openrc 16.1.1-2 (+2 1.25)
    The industry standard for running multiple operating systems as virtual machines on a single Linux PC. Modified to use OpenRC.
aur/vmware-workstation15 15.5.7-2 (+2 0.21)
    The industry standard for running multiple operating systems as virtual machines on a single Linux PC.
aur/vmware-workstation11 11.1.4-15 (+2 0.00)
    The industry standard for running multiple operating systems as virtual machines on a single Linux PC.
aur/vmware-workstation14 14.1.7-10 (+5 0.00)
    The industry standard for running multiple operating systems as virtual machines on a single Linux PC.
aur/vmware-workstation12 12.5.9-17 (+9 0.00)
    The industry standard for running multiple operating systems as virtual machines on a single Linux PC.
aur/vmware-workstation 16.1.1-1 (+144 2.74) (Installed)
    The industry standard for running multiple operating systems as virtual machines on a single Linux PC.
	
[ 10.0.0.10/16 ] [ /dev/pts/18 ] [~]
→ yay -S vmware-workstation

Once it's done just start it:

[ 10.0.0.10/16 ] [ /dev/pts/18 ] [~]
→ which vmware
/usr/bin/vmware

[ 10.0.0.10/16 ] [ /dev/pts/18 ] [~]
→ sudo vmware
	

Get a VMWare license key (either buy one or find one), then proceed:

Let's create a new VM:

Here i'm installing a Parrot OS VM which is based on debian.

If you get this error, do the following:

[ 10.0.0.10/16 ] [ /dev/pts/8 ] [blog/servers/vmware]
→ sudo modprobe -a vmw_vmci vmmon

[ 10.0.0.10/16 ] [ /dev/pts/19 ] [~]
→ sudo pacman -Sy linux linux-headers

[ 10.0.0.10/16 ] [ /dev/pts/19 ] [~]
→ sudo modprobe -a vmw_vmci vmmon
modprobe: WARNING: Module vmw_vmci not found in directory /lib/modules/5.12.2-arch1-1
modprobe: WARNING: Module vmmon not found in directory /lib/modules/5.12.2-arch1-1

[ 10.0.0.10/16 ] [ /dev/pts/19 ] [~]
→ sudo pacman -Syu

[ 10.0.0.10/16 ] [ /dev/pts/19 ] [~]
→ sudo reboot now
	

After rebooting just start the VM:

And that's it ! We managed to create a VM.

Installing the OS

Now when we try to install the OS itself, we see this error:

So we go into the settings to add More RAM after powering off the machine:

Let it install, then let the VM reboot into your freshly-installed OS:

The OS may be installed, but we need to make sure that it can access the internet !

If you get this error, do the following:

root@nowhere: ~ # vmware-networks --start -v
Commands specified: start
Failed to initialize
	
root@nowhere: ~ # systemctl enable --now vmware-networks
root@nowhere: ~ # systemctl status vmware-networks
● vmware-networks.service - VMware Networks
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/vmware-networks.service; disabled; vendor preset: disabled)
     Active: active (running) since Thu 2021-05-13 15:33:12 CEST; 5s ago
    Process: 94460 ExecStartPre=/sbin/modprobe vmnet (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
    Process: 94462 ExecStart=/usr/bin/vmware-networks --start (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
      Tasks: 6 (limit: 38422)
     Memory: 5.2M
        CPU: 52ms
     CGroup: /system.slice/vmware-networks.service
             ├─94480 /usr/bin/vmnet-bridge -s 6 -d /var/run/vmnet-bridge-0.pid -n 0
             ├─94595 /usr/bin/vmnet-netifup -s 6 -d /var/run/vmnet-netifup-vmnet1.pid /dev/vmnet1 vmnet1
             ├─94602 /usr/bin/vmnet-dhcpd -s 6 -cf /etc/vmware/vmnet1/dhcpd/dhcpd.conf -lf /etc/vmware/vmnet1/dhcpd/dhcpd.leases -pf /var/run/vmnet-dhcpd-vmnet1.pid vmnet1
             ├─94605 /usr/bin/vmnet-natd -s 6 -m /etc/vmware/vmnet8/nat.mac -c /etc/vmware/vmnet8/nat/nat.conf
             ├─94607 /usr/bin/vmnet-netifup -s 6 -d /var/run/vmnet-netifup-vmnet8.pid /dev/vmnet8 vmnet8
             └─94613 /usr/bin/vmnet-dhcpd -s 6 -cf /etc/vmware/vmnet8/dhcpd/dhcpd.conf -lf /etc/vmware/vmnet8/dhcpd/dhcpd.leases -pf /var/run/vmnet-dhcpd-vmnet8.pid vmnet8

May 13 15:33:12 nowhere vmnet-natd[94605]: RTM_NEWADDR: index:2, addr:10.0.0.10
May 13 15:33:12 nowhere vmnet-natd[94605]: RTM_NEWADDR: index:3, addr:192.168.100.1
May 13 15:33:12 nowhere vmware-networks[94462]: Started Bridge networking on vmnet0
May 13 15:33:12 nowhere vmware-networks[94462]: Enabled hostonly virtual adapter on vmnet1
May 13 15:33:12 nowhere vmware-networks[94462]: Started DHCP service on vmnet1
May 13 15:33:12 nowhere vmware-networks[94462]: Started NAT service on vmnet8
May 13 15:33:12 nowhere vmware-networks[94462]: Enabled hostonly virtual adapter on vmnet8
May 13 15:33:12 nowhere vmware-networks[94462]: Started DHCP service on vmnet8
May 13 15:33:12 nowhere vmware-networks[94462]: Started all configured services on all networks
May 13 15:33:12 nowhere systemd[1]: Started VMware Networks.

And that's it! We managed to make sure that our VM has an internet connection.

Setup