VMware Tools – Turnkey Linux install

  • Install VMware tools on core appliance

For VMWare ESX server you need to do   (sys=ssh prompt,  VM=ESX console):

sys : apt-get install build-essential gcc gnupg
sys : apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r`
VM : Guest -> install vmtools cd
sys : mount /dev/cdrom /mnt
sys : cp /mnt/VM*tar.gz /tmp
sys : cd /tmp; tar -xzf VM*tar.gz; rm VM*tar.gz; cd vm*distrib ; ./vmware-install.pl
use for all questions the default.
VM:  deinstall vmtools cd
sys : reboot

On the console you will see the vmware tools being started.

  • Add VMwareTools to Debian-based VMs using apt

If you run a Debian-based VM (such the JeOS TK VMs here), here is an easy
way to install VMwareTools.

VMware has VMwareTools in a apt repo that you can add to the /etc/apt/sources.list and install using a simple ‘apt-get install [vmware-tools|vmware-tools-nox]. The repo is at http://packages.vmware.com/tools

Here is what I did:
Get their GPG key

wget http://packages.vmware.com/tools/VMWARE-PACKAGING-GPG-KEY.pub

Add VMware’s repo to your sources so apt can find it. It’s easiest to create a new file for it.

vi /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vmware.list

Add the following lines. Make sure to match the correct ESX version you have. I don’t know what happens if this does not match!

deb http://packages.vmware.com/tools/esx/3.5u4/ubuntu hardy main
deb http://packages.vmware.com/tools/esx/3.5u4/ubuntu hardy restricted

Next add the GPG key which should be in the directory where you downloaded it.

apt-key add VMWARE-PACKAGING-GPG-KEY.pub

Update apt and install the VMware Tools. Use vmware-tools-nox to skip any X11/X.org related things, which you are probably not even using in your VM.

apt-get update
apt-get install [vmware-tools|vmware-tools-nox]

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