Setting up VMware – Part I

VMware

For the uninitiated, VMware is software for creating Virtual Machines.  “Virtual Machines?” you say?  “Like the matrix?”  No, no, no.  This is having multiple servers of different OS types running on one physical computer.  Say for example you want to have 2 separate servers, however neither of them is taxed too hard so that you essentially don’t need the power consumption of two PCs nor have the room for a second one.  If you could combine the two physically, and yet still have them seperate in all other aspects, VMware is the answer.

Types of OSes

VMware can be installed on Windows or Linux.  The virtual OSes can also be Windows or Linux.  For a list of supported supported host Operating systems consult page 25 of the User’s Guide or page 32 for a list of supported guest operating systems.  This list involves mostly Windows Server 2003 series, Mandrake Linux, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server and Ubuntu Linux distros.  I however am going to attempt this daring feat with Debian instead of the listed supported OSes.

Specs

Before starting, I’d highly recommend scanning over the Users Guide.  This will give you a an idea of whether your machine can handle this or not.  My specs are not exactly what they recommend.  I’m running an old salvaged Dell PC with a 2.4Ghz Pentium processor and I upped the RAM to 1GB.  It suggests a minimum of 733Mhz processor and 512MB or RAM, but suggests 2GB of RAM.  My little machine here can’t handle more than a gig.  The processors that it suggests are server types:  Intel Xeon Dual Cores, AMD Opterons.  So needless to say my setup may struggle, but then again, I’m not going to do a whole lot either.

Obtaining VMware

You can download VMware free from the developers website, or another mirror.  You can get support from them as well, however I imagine that is NOT free.  Their download page as of the time of this posting says it’s version 1.0.6, however I found a 2.0.2 version at filehippo.

I’ve downloaded the tarball since I am using a Linux server.  VMware-server-2.0.1-156745.i386.tar.gz

Getting started

Here’s my step by step process.  (my commands in black, the computers response in red)

So now I’ve got to  make sure “killall” is installed.

And I try again and this time I answer “yes” to specifying the location of killall.

What?  I’m missing “make”?  I have a second terminal window open, so I can do other things and not interrupt my install process.  The first thing to do is make sure I am missing make.  The second is to install it.

Okay, now we return to the previously scheduled install.

Okay, now we break out again and use our other session to look for and/or install our gcc compiler and follow the same steps as before.

Again to the other terminal.

Wow, and we were so close.  Okay, highlighted above are what we’ll have to address.

Well our using a different version of our C compiler did not pan out for us.  So let’s fix that

Now we have the version of gcc that we need.  So let’s start our install script again.

Here’s where we get to watch reruns.  It pretty much repeats much of what we’ve seen before minus things such as our compiler and anything else we’ve fixed.  Although it does like to ask where our killall program is.

And yet, another snag.  Seeing as how I told it where my gcc compiler was before I removed it and installed a more agreeable one, the installer is remembering the path that I specified earlier and is having trouble compiling.

This was remedied by creating a symlink to the correct path.

Now our script moves along . . .

So far so good.  I won’t go through the next section of networking.  This is something for another day if you don’t already have it figured out.

SUCCESS!

Now that we have our VMware installed and configured, it’s time for a celebratory beer.  Our next task will be working with the web interface for our guest OSes.

Stay tuned.

Installing Ubuntu on HP pavilion ze4900 laptop.

A new laptop

My wifes laptop was getting slow and sluggish as of late.  I blame it partly to a years worth of using Windows on it.  As applications are added and/or upgraded, more and more is added to the registry and everywhere else.  Just booting up was a lesson in patience.  She had this laptop for several years and I agree it was getting old, but it used to operate much smoother when we first brought it home.

So, I bought a new laptop for my wife and she’s happy . . . for now.  And what to do with that old laptop?  Well using Windows on that did not sound like fun at all.  I couldn’t even in good faith pass it on to my 9 year old, that would be just mean.  So I loaded Ubuntu.  And I tell you, it runs smoother and looks a heck of alot nicer, IMHO.  I did not do a comparison, but I am convinced that the battery lasts much longer as well.

Installation

If you haven’t installed Ubuntu before, you need not be nervous at doing so.  If you have ever installed Windows, then installing Ubuntu will be like childs play.  Afterwards there may be a some tweaking to do, or perhaps locating things such as drivers and installing them.  However, with Ubuntu, it’s usually quite easy.   I however could not find the proper driver for my WiFi card.  Using the forums, however, was a blessing, for I was able to find the answer to this problem.  I had to install b43-fwcutter to get the correct drivers for my broadcomm WiFi card.

Specs

If you have a HP pavilion ze4900 series, your biggest hurdle will be the wireless drivers, but since you’re reading this, there should be no problem.  Make sure you install it via the Syanaptic Manager.  I tried with the command line once and did not have a working WiFi.  Enjoy.

Linux Tech Support

So when considering a vehicle purchase, I imagine most people consider the support they’ll have for it should something go wrong.  What type of warranty does the vehicle have?  How old is the vehicle?  Can I fix any minor/major problems that may arise?  If I do have to bring it in for work, how much will it cost?  How long will I be without my vehicle?  All these things are important and play into the equation of a vehicle purchase.

Much should be true with ones Operating System.  When something doesn’t work with our operating system, it could range from a minor inconvenience to a major production stopper.  If we need assistance with these, it’s nice to get help.  With your PC, you have a choice.  Windows or Linux.

Microsoft Tech Support

Now you’ve spent a wadful of cashola on your OS.  Even if it is pre-installed on your new PC, you paid for that within the purchase price.  With that purchase, you get a level of tech support.  Likely a good portion of your afternoon will be spent listening to the nice on-hold music.  If that’s what you are willing to put up with, then this just may be what you want.  As long as you know beforehand what you’re getting into, then there’s no disappointing surprises.  The same goes for the alternative.

Linux Tech Support

For some flavors of Linux, there’s tech support much like the above.  These of course have a price tag.  I am not complaining.  There’s a cost associated with such, and so it’s only right to charge for services rendered or promised.

For most of the others, you have the largest free tech support in the world.  In fact, it is the world.  Okay, just the Linux world, but that’s worldwide.  There are a number of linux forums where you can post your questions or problems and most likely get a helpful answer.  Sometimes you end up getting more than you bargained for with a plethora of information.

A couple of great sites are www.ubuntuforums.org and www.linuxquestions.org.  The members of these forums are mostly willing ready and able to help assist with any question or dilemna you may have.

Choices

Many people use Windows out of familiarity, it’s the only thing installed on new PCs (not true these days), or because it runs all their neccesary programs.  Aside from specialty programs designed for specific purposes that some business need, most of what can be done in Windows can be done in Linux, yet much cheaper.  Some people don’t want to have to deal with the intricacies of their computer, they just want it to work.  That’s fine, but for those who want to know more about their PC and its operating system, don’t be afraid.  With Ubuntu, installation and removal of programs is a snap with the synaptic package manager.

Not sure about Ubuntu?  Try it out with no changes to your PC.  Download the .iso file and burn it to a CD-ROM and then boot from the CD and find how easily you can get around.  You’ll be amazed.

sudoers

Where’s my SUDO?

Installing different flavors of Linux can be fun and exciting at times.  And it can have you scratching your head.

Take for instance, my first Linux install was Ubuntu.  Of course, this is a nice intro to anyone new to the Linux game, especially with it’s nice graphical interface.  Now when I looked for help on the net, I was directed to use the SUDO command whenever I needed to issue a command requiring Super User abilities.  This was a nice feature and worked as expected.

Now even though Ubuntu is a derivitive of Debian, it is not exactly the same.  It apparently came packaged with SUDO, whereas when I went to install Debian, it did not.  Shortly after my install, I attempted to install or configure certain things, and I was given the response that the SUDO command was not found.  I thought I had broken something.  But alas, all was not lost.

Super User

Of course, what SUDO does is issues the command that follows as if you were logged in as Super User.  Now, I had to install SUDO, but without SUDO.  Easy enough.  Just log in as Super User with the “su” command.  Of course, the password you setup for the super user is necessary.

Once in, no SUDO or anything else is needed to use your godlike skills.  Issue the APTITUDE INSTALL SUDO (or apt-get if you prefer) to install SUDO.  Make sure to exit out of super user when you’re done.

Now that you’ve got SUDO installed, you may still have trouble, this being due to the fact that you are not on the list of privileged users to issue Super User commands at will.  You must add yourself to the /etc/sudoers file.  Oh darn, you can’t do that without SUDO abilities.  Or can you.  Oh yeah, never should have exited out of Super User mode so quickly.  I guess I did tell you to, did I not?  That’s okay, back in, edit the file with your favorite editor and voila, exit out of Super User again.  We’re done now, I promise.

While you’re in the sudoers file, find the line that reads # User privilege specification and copy/paste the line below that reads root    ALL=(ALL) ALL and then change root to your name.  You can add other users this way as well, however the more you add, the more problems you invite.  It’s best to reserve this privilege only to those you trust.