Installing Linux on Vmware Workstation 8.0

Installing Linux is not a big Task.

Lots of people in this techno world can do it . But in this virtual world installing Linux as a vm is easy but not flexible if you Don't know how to do it.The Main problem in Installing Linux as vm is how to customize the Installation manually according to your requirement , because when you install Linux as a vm in vmware workstation it installed as a easy installation and doesn't allow you to do the disk partition ,Create LVM , choosing what software to install and what to remove as per your requirement in GUI.This is because when you create a new VM a kickstart file/Answer file was also created in the background which skips those steps thats why users doesn't get those step to do.

To prevent this i am writing this blog.

Let me guide you all step by step.

Requirement :

1.Vmware workstation.

2.LINUX ISO (Here i will take Red-hat 6.0 trial version)

Please Install Vmware Workstation in your desktop . I have already installed Vmware Workstation 8.0 in my PC . To learn how to install Vmware workstation please see my blog installing Vmware workstation.

So lets Begin.

I am Assuming that You have Installed Vmware Workstation on your PC.

So when you open the Vmware Workstation the application looks like the below Screenshot.

I have already Installed some VM (Virtual Machines) on this but when you open the Application for the first time in the left hand side you will not see any thing.

• Click on the Create a new Virtual Machine on the Right Hand side Menu Buttons/Tab.
• A new Window will pop to create a new virtual machine with 2 options Typical / Custom.

We will use Custom as we want customize the installation according to our requirement.

• Select custom and click on next
• Then it will ask for Compatible hardware here don't need to do anything you just need click next. Here if you have installed Workstation 7 then automatically workstation 7 will be the default value and accordingly the hardware will set.
• Then It will ask for the Installation media . There are three option here to install the Operating System. First option is to mount the Linux DVD into the cd/dvd drive in the system so it will automatically take it .But now a days people are using ISO files so the second option is to mount the .iso images of the operating system.
• There is a third option to install the operating system later. As we want to Customize the installation so we will select the the third option.Install operating system later.Why i choose this option because as said earlier if we choose to install now then it will create a kick-start file in the background and we will not be able to customize the Installation.
• Select the third option and click next. Then it will ask for operating system type and from the drop down menu select the Appropriate Operating system.This step is important because accordingly the Vmware tools will be selected . There is some Performance and weird issues if installing operating system is different from the selected Operating system in this step.
•  After selecting the operating system It will ask you for the Name of the Virtual Machine and the location. Please choose a separate folder for each virtual machine because while creating Virtual machine lots of files were created so if you put all the VM in the same place it will be a mess and later you will be in trouble.
•  After giving VM name and location then select the Processor , RAM,and then Comes Network type.
• Here there are many option in-front of you it upon you what you choose. I want to be in DMZ hence i choose a customized network (For customized network in Workstation please see my blogs).If you dont know what to choose then choose Second option.

•  Then click next and select I/O controller If you are installing Linux 64 bit then it LSI logic will be recommended from the tool but if you want to choose something different then you can.
• After clicking next It will ask for select a disk ,if you are creating a new Virtual machine then select the first option because the second option is for selecting disks which already have OS installed in it and you are just attaching to the VM.
• Then it will ask for disk type please select SCSI and click next.
• Then it will ask for Disk capacity and whether it will be a single disk or split into small chunks.But believe me if you select split option then it will give you performance issue and later to manage also it is problematic incase if you are taking snapshots.
• Select single disk and choose the size of the disk and click next.
• Give the name of the disk .Please don't delete the extension .vmdk. this extension is virtual machine disk file.
• Now click next and you are almost done.Before click on finish click on customize and select the floppy drive and select remove.If you don't want the printer also you can remove it.Then click ok and finish.
• Now is the Time to mount the iso image and install the Linux.
• Select the Vm you created and on the right hand side you can see CD/DVD .Click it a new window will pop out.On the right hand side there is a option use .iso image just browse the file and select and done.

Now Power on the VM and Viola you can customize the Linux As per your requirement and select the Software packages.

Hope this blog will help you.I faced the same when i tried to do the installation so i dint want you face the same hence hence publishing this blog. Please reply if you need any changes in this or want something new from.After few days i will also upload the video tutorial for this.If you need any help please Email me.

Thanks

Abyakta
VCP 4 ,VCP 5
SCJP