[Klug-general] VMWare Workstation - installation

[Mike Rentell]

Stuart Buckland wrote:
> On Mon, 2007-11-26 at 18:22 +0000, George Prowse wrote:
>> Stuart Buckland wrote:
>>> The only reason I recommended trying Workstation is because..
>>> a) Mike has already downloaded it
>>> b) He already has an eval license
>>> c) it has features that Server doesn't
>>> d) there is a lot more information out there in the VMware Knowledge
>>> base and Forums
>>>
>>> If Mike finds Workstation works for him then by all means examine Server
>>> too and see if that provides enough functionality without the need to
>>> purchase Workstation.
>>>
>>> Personally I use both.  I have Server installed on my erm.. server and
>>> Workstation on... you guessed it.. my workstation :)
>>>
>>> Stu
>>>
>>> On Mon, 2007-11-26 at 17:07 +0000, Colin McCarthy wrote:
>>>> On Nov 26, 2007 4:45 PM, Stuart Buckland <stuart at nightime.org.uk>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>         There are a couple of free versions of VMware, namely Player
>>>>         and Server
>>>>         but if you want to experiment first then you made the right
>>>>         choice by
>>>>         using the eval of Workstation.
>>>>         
>>>>         Stu
>>>>         
>>>>         
>>>>
>>>> I have installed VMware Server a couple of times on Ubuntu and it has
>>>> always been quite a straight forward process.  When I have had a
>>>> problem the answer was always in the VMware forums.
>>>>
>>>> I recommend trying VMware server, especially as it is free, as in
>>>> cost :-)
>>>>
>>>> Colin
>>>>
>>>>
>> What is the difference between the two?
>>
> 
> There are quite a few so best you have a look at the VMware website.
> Depending on what you need VMware for many of them could be considered pretty minor.
> 
> For me though the biggest differences are:
> - The list of supported guest OS' is different between Server and
> Workstation (I think they are the same with Server Beta 2 but I don't run that).
> - Workstation has proper support for multiple monitors
> - Workstation allows multiple snapshot
> - You can also record and replay actions with Workstation.
> 
> There's every chance that you don't want or need the features I find useful.
> 
> Stu
> 

All such advice is very welcome. I have now downloaded VMWare Server too 
and have both it and Workstation ready to install.

I ran the VMWare Server installation routine yesterday after rebuilding 
my wrecked network settings on a Debian 4.0 (64bit) installation. This 
routine has a few questions which need short answers so it is possible 
to stop it before it has actually done anything to the setup. So far it 
seems to be asking the same questions as VMware Workstation although it 
did not tell me that six libX..so.6 files were missing (they aren't). 
But I really hesitate about pressing the final 'Do it' command for fear 
of wrecking everything again.

It does seem to want to know a lot about the init locations and routines 
and undoubtedly there are some network changes planned. I think it was 
these which wrecked my previous installation.

I intend to wait a few days, back-up EVERY bit of data I have - again - 
and then say a quick prayer before pressing the final 'go' command for 
VMWare Server.

If anyone has successfully installed VMWare (either workstation or 
server) under Debian 4.0 (Etch) on a fairly well spec'd 64bit machine 
I'd very much like to know.

The last time wiped me out. But we keep trying.

MikeR