VM Tools Install (Ubuntu)

The pre-built modules that come with the VMTools installer aren't compatible, therefore the script needs to be able to compile them, however the required library files aren't available by default, so the procedure is a little laboured.

Ubuntu 8.04 LTS (Hardy Heron)

1. Install the build library files...
   • apt-get install build-essential
   • apt-get install linux-headers-2.6.24-26-server
     • Use uname -r to get the right headers version number
2. Select "Install VM Tools" from the VI Client
3. Mount the VM Tools CD-ROM
   • mount /media/cdrom0/
4. Copy to home directory
   • cp /media/cdrom/VMwareTools-4.0.0-219382.tar.gz /home/user/
5. Uncompress and then move into the vmware-tools-distrib directory
   • tar xf VMwareTools-4.0.0-219382.tar.gz
   • cd vmware-tools-distrib
6. Run the install script
   • ./vmware-install.pl
7. Restart
   • shutdown -r now

Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Lucid Lynx)

VM Tools can be installed via two methods, neither of which is ideal...

• Using the normal VM Tools CD - requires additional library install and sometimes mounting the CDROM doesn't work too well.
• Using APT package manager - doesn't work quite as well as it could (upgrading VM Tools isn't supported), and support for this method is rumoured to be dropped in future releases

VM Tools CD

1. Install the build library files...
   • apt-get install build-essential
2. Select "Install VM Tools" from the VI Client
3. Mount the VM Tools CD-ROM
   • mount /dev/cdrom /media/cdrom/
   • If unable to mount, see Unable to Mount CD-ROM, mounting read-only is expected
4. Copy to tmp directory (version number below will vary)
   • cp /media/cdrom/VMwareTools-4.0.0-236512.tar.gz /tmp/
5. Unmount the CD-ROM, and move into tmp directory
   • umount /media/cdrom/
   • cd /tmp/
6. Uncompress and then move into the vmware-tools-distrib directory
   • tar xzvf VMware*.gz
   • cd vmware-tools-distrib /
7. Run the install script, and accept defaults
   • ./vmware-install.pl
8. Restart (not actually required, but I tend to on a new install to be sure that VMtools start properly following a bounce)
   • shutdown -r now

APT Package Manager

1. Install VM Tools using apt package manager
2. Open VMware Packaging Public GPG Key at http://packages.vmware.com/tools/VMWARE-PACKAGING-GPG-KEY.pub
3. On the server open a new file called VMWARE-PACKAGING-GPG-KEY.pub with the /tmp directory
4. Copy and paste the contents of the webpage into the file and save
5. Import the key using the following command
   • apt-key add /tmp/VMWARE-PACKAGING-GPG-KEY.pub
   • You should get OK returned
6. If you need to add a proxy see http://communities.vmware.com/servlet/JiveServlet/download/1554533-39836/Vmware%20Tools%20Guide%20Linux%20osp_install_guide.pdf
7. Open a new vi in VI called /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vmware-tools.list
8. Add the following line
   • deb http://packages.vmware.com/tools/esx/<esx-version>/ubuntu lucid main restricted where <esx-version> is the appropriate esx version found at http://packages.vmware.com/tools/esx/index.html
9. Update the repository cache
   • apt-get update
10. Install VM Tools
    • apt-get install vmware-tools

Ubuntu 12.04 LTS (Precise Pangolin)

Same as for 10.04...

1. Install the build library files...
   • apt-get install build-essential
2. Select "Install VM Tools" from the VI Client
3. Mount the VM Tools CD-ROM
   • mount /dev/cdrom /media/cdrom/
   • If unable to mount, see Unable to Mount CD-ROM, mounting read-only is expected
4. Copy to tmp directory (version number below will vary)
   • cp /media/cdrom/VMwareTools-9.0.0-782409.tar.gz /tmp/
5. Unmount the CD-ROM, and move into tmp directory
   • umount /media/cdrom/
   • cd /tmp/
6. Uncompress and then move into the vmware-tools-distrib directory
   • tar xzvf VMware*.gz
   • cd vmware-tools-distrib /
7. Run the install script, and accept defaults
   • ./vmware-install.pl
8. Restart (not actually required, but I tend to on a new install to be sure that VMtools start properly following a bounce)
   • shutdown -r now