VM /ETC

Installing VMware tools on Linux virtual machines can be challenging compared to installing the tools on Windows VMs. Unfortunately the differences of various different Linux distributions do not allow a universal point and click installer to be created. Each distribution has package dependencies that must be met, and those packages are installed by different means in their respective operating systems.

In my experience a few of the Linux operating systems will complete the tools install without pre-installing the dependencies. SUSE has been one of these distributions. It seems more and more companies are both performing P2V migrations of SUSE servers or building new VMs with the OS. This fact, in turn, means that understanding how to install VMware Tools in the SUSE OS has become a more frequently asked question. I wrote the following tutorial for a client running openSUSE. Although this was written for the open source version, use this post as an example for VMware Tools installation on SLES and other Linux distributions as well.

This openSUSE VMware Tools installation tutorial installs the base code to establish VMware Tools communication with VirtualCenter. To enable the complete VMware Tools feature set the gcc, binutils, make, and kernel source packages must be installed prior to running the vmware-configure-tools.pl script. This tutorial does not explain how to install these packages, but instead explains how to complete the VMware Tools install without them. This tutorial was written for a openSUSE server using the KDE desktop.

Users with IE6 and IE7 may have trouble viewing the table format and screenshots of this post so I am providing a .pdf version downloadable here.

Try to install VMware Tools using VM Menu of VI Client
Click OK
Error mounting VMware Tools ISO. A general system error occurred: Internal error
Use Winscp to find Linux vmtools ISO on the ESX host /vmimages/tools-ISO
Copy all .ISO files to workstation. (for easy use during later tools installs)
Manually mount the Linux VMware Tools .ISO on the openSUSE VM from your workstation Device type Click client device
Click Connect CD/DVD to mount .ISO in VM. Choose connect to ISO image
Browse to folder on workstation and select the Linux.ISO
openSUSE mounts .ISO as CDrom and prompts what to do Open in new window
New window with contents of Linux.ISO CDrom Open Konsole
Copy VMware Tools. xxx .rpm file to openSUSE server. Copy to /root
Double click copied .rpm file. Choose to install file with Yast
Reading installed packages
Downloading and extracting When complete click finish
It may be wise to take VM snapshot before installing VMware Tools. Be sure to remove snapshot when done. Use Konsole to run extracted vmware-config-tools.pl script
Hit enter for default “yes” on try to build the vmmemtcl module. NOTE:Hitting enter at all prompts will use default answers
If unable to find “make” program change response to “no” to specify location and hit enter
Pay attention to messages at various prompts or pauses as they explain which packages are missing and need to be installed. Hit enter after reviewing Packages needed are:Gcc, Binutils, Make,  and Kernel sources
Hit enter to answer default “yes” to attempt to build vmhgfs for your running kernel
If none of the pre-built vmhgfs modules for VMware Tools is suitable for your running kernel, change answer to “no” and hit enter Package needed is gcc
Hit enter to continue after reviewing info about vmhgfs and shared folder feature
Vmxnet needs a c compiler. If you have not already installed gcc and make packages change response to no and hit enter
After reviewing info about the vmxnet fast network driver hit enter.
Change response to “no” for vmblock prompt and hit enter
Review info about the vmblock drag and drop feature and hit enter when ready to continue.
Choose display size of VM desktop. Default choice is “[3]”: “1024×768” Hit enter to accept default or enter number of preferred display size.
Install complete Must restart x session for changes to take effect Vmware-toolbox command information notice
Run vmware-toolbox Click time synchronization option from VMware Tools Properties window Click Close
Reboot VM to enable all changes
Use VI Client to confirm VMware Tools OK for VM Remember to remove any snapshots

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