Comments on How To Install VMware Server On Debian 4.0 (Etch)

Did this with the modified 2.6.28-1-amd64 from Kenshi Muto because of SATA cd-rom on Dell PowerEdge T100. Great resource: http://kmuto.jp/debian/d-i/. The list of packages i used:

linux-headers-`uname -r` libc6-dev gcc make psmisc x11-common libxau6 libxdmcp6 libx11-data libx11-6 libxrender1 libice6 libxext6 libxtst6 libsm6 libxt6 libxi6 ia32-libs g++ xinetd

Added g++ and xinetd to the list because of some problems with configuring.

You really should not mix applications managed by apt with applications that are not managed by apt. User installed apps should go into /usr/local, *not* /usr. Putting them into /usr is just asking for trouble down the line. Separate system apps from user installed apps.

    I would like to just comment and say, if you setup a server using "The Perfect Setup - Debian Etch 4.0" tutorial your system will work very well.  I have a number of virtual servers running now where we had many individual servers before and I follow both these tutorials as a guide now when I set one up.  Always problem free.  (I use the current etch 4.0R2 net install and VMware 1.0.4)

Just sayin.... : )

Nim 

Hi!

 Author's proposal is to install following packages:

apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r` libx11-6 libx11-dev x-window-system-core x-window-system xspecs libxtst6 psmisc build-essential

 Well - in fact one doesn't need full x-window-system at all (!!!!). Only needed packages are:

• linux-kernel-headers-`uname -r`
• libc6-dev
• gcc
• make
• psmisc
• x11-common
• libxau6
  
• libxdmcp6
  
• libx11-data
• libx11-6
  
• libxrender1
  
• libice6
  
• libxext6
  
• libxtst6
  
• libsm6
  
• libxt6
• libxi6

These are small X-related libs - no full X environment is needed. Last lib - libxi6 is only needed to install MUI - pure VMware Server works without it. Of course I only listed packages not present in "default" task-sel. One also need perl, binutils...

List of libriares may be obtained by typing `sudo ./vmware-install.pl` in vmware-server-distrib directory. Installer looks for specific libs and shows info which are not found. Just apt-get install them. The only one not listed is libxi6 - needed only in order to get MUI working. 

The package list in the howto is absolutely correct. It might be, that not the complete X enviroment is needed, but the package list in the howto includes all needed libraries and works.

Hi!

 In fact I have not tested but I believe that installing that:

libx11-dev x-window-system-core x-window-system xspecs libxtst6

will get me to environment prepared to install VMware Server.

 But once again: if I told to install all packages avaible in the world it probably also would get me to prepared environment. Your proposal is to download 50MB which will take 160MB of disk space - most of them are not needed packages. What do you need TTF Fonts for? Or  X.org drivers for video cards? Of course it will work - but please take a look on site title - it's HowTo's place - not place for "I'm not sure if it is best choice - I know it works".

 I suggest to install these:

x11-common libxau6 libxdmcp6 libx11-data libx11-6 libxrender1 libice6 libxext6 libxtst6 libsm6 libxt6 libxi6

it takes 1.3MB (not 50MB of download) and takes 5MB (not 160MB) of disk space. If you still insist Your method is good... well I _STRONGLY_ disagree.

 Tell me, what is the reason of installing really not needed stuff?

AdamLis

Thanks for the tip on the smaller install. I run my server without a GUI and it was a big help.

I gave you some props in the Linux how-to I made

thanks again

http://t3.woodel.com/my-linux-how-to/debian_howto_start_to_finish_using_webmin.pdf

 

Debian 4 (Etch) ver netinstaller and VMWare Server 1.3

# [PL] Instalacja nowej wersji kernela wraz z nag?owkami:
# Install new kernel and headers

apt-get install linux-headers-2.6-686 linux-image-2.6-686

# [PL] Doinstalowanie pakietów (bibliotek) potrzebych do instalacji oprogramowania
# [PL] VMware Server:
# Install libs for VMware Server 1.3

apt-get install libc6 libxtst6 libxext6 libxt6 libice6 libxrender1 make gcc psmisc libxi6 libexpat1 libfontconfig1 libfreetype6 libxft2 libatk1.0-0 libpango1.0-0 libgtk2.0-0 libgtk2.0-0 libgtk2.0-0 libglibmm-2.4-1c2a libgtkmm-2.4-1c2a libart-2.0-2 libxml2 libgnomecanvas2-0 libgnomecanvasmm-2.6-1c2a librsvg2-2 libview2 libsexy2 libsexymm2

# [PL] Linkujemy dwie biblioteki
ln -s /usr/lib/libsexy.so.2 /usr/lib/libsexy.so.1
ln -s /usr/lib/libsexymm.so.2 /usr/lib/libsexymm.so.1

# END 

just extend the list of packages with ia32-libs:

apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r` libx11-6 libx11-dev x-window-system-core x-window-system xspecs libxtst6 psmisc build-essential ia32-libs

I was getting rather confused about the missing libraries error until I realized that I needed the ia32-libs.

I just completed a vmware install using alien to convert my rpm to deb.  it worked very nicely, I did not test dependancies because I installed them in advence.  I did have to unzip the EULA file

 sudo gunzip /usr/share/doc/vmware/EULA.gz

before running the config

 sudo /usr/bin/vmware-config.pl

but everything went very smoothly.  I'll be using my new deb to  upgrade my other system after everything is up and running.  thanks for the HOWTO,  it was quite helpful.

Thanks for this howto. I haven't tried it yet, but I will soon .

The link The Perfect Setup - Debian Etch (4.0) points to https://www.howtoforge.com/perfect_setup_debian_sarge

However, it should point to https://www.howtoforge.com/perfect_setup_debian_etch

Greetings,
Raoul

Till-

Thanks for your help getting this working, its awesome!

I gave you some props in my Linux how-to

thanks again

http://t3.woodel.com/my-linux-how-to/debian_howto_start_to_finish_using_webmin.pdf