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VMware
Setting up VMware Workstation and Linux sessions		   printable 
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Caveat: never run VMware Workstation under Linux.

Run it under Windows XP Professional mostly because XP Pro has a nice Remote Desktop feature that works well with Win/OS X/Linux remote clients. VMware Server is a free product from that provides much of the functionality of VMware Workstation. Unlike VMware Workstation, it runs headless (no GUI interface). Instead it has a funky web portal interface that allows managing VM sessions. What is Quirky is that the 'console' (i.e. desktop, ...) display for a given VM requires an exotic plug-in that seems to only work with MS Windows / IE web browser. Ironic that if you ran VMware Server on Linux, you may find you have to use Windows / IE as only way to access a VM's console.


Linux VMware session - adding vmtools

If you have a CD-rom mounted, umount it. From VM Workstatin menu, use instal VMware tools. All this does it is 'enable' virtual CD which contains VM tools installer/source. 
# mount /media/cdrom
Usually there is are .gz and a .rpm installer files. Do this from DIRECT console!

# rpm -qi VMwareTools

# vmware-config-tools.pl
It may ask you to restart networking with some additional kernel module directives. You will probably have to restart. After VM session is restarted, the Install VMware Tools menu will still be enabled. Remember, for Linux anyway, that only allows mounting the virtual installer CD. So even after you have the tools installed and running VM Workstation will continue to present that menu. Better I think would be for it to say 'enable Tools install disk'.


Time sync

On the system running VM Workstation, find the folder that your VM session files are contained in. Under Windows it might be something like C:\vmsessions\testmv\RHAT4.vmx
There should already be a directive like
tools.timeSync = "FALSE"
Stop the VM Session, close the session.

Change the directive to TRUE. Load and start the VM Session.

It may ask you to restart networking with some additional kernel module directives. More information: 1 (PDF), 2 (PDF)
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