Installing Gentoo 2006.1 in a virtual machine

another_lobster · n00b Joined: 25 Jun 2005 Posts: 46

I'm installing Gentoo 2006.1 in a virtual machine created with VMX Builder and run by VM Player.

It's been very useful reading both the Gentoo handbook and the "HOWTO Install Gentoo on VMware in Windows NT/2K/XP" (http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Install_Gentoo_on_VMware_in_Windows_NT/2K/XP) but none of them contains all the information I needed.

Just in case someone else is going to do the same job, I'm writing a web page to collect my experience, hoping it can be useful. You can find it here:

http://max.duestrade.it/terzaPagina/max/VMGentoo.html

The goal was to build a VM with a minimal Gentoo installation so that anyone could start from there to experiment with this distribution, installing everything he/she likes.

I'd like to distribute the VM but, even when zipped, it's almost 500 MB and I don't know where to place this file. If anyone wants to host it let me know, I'll be glad to spread it.

Bye,
Lobster

batistuta · Veteran Joined: 29 Jul 2005 Posts: 1384 Location: Aachen

do you have an xorg.conf that works under vmware? Thanks

another_lobster · n00b Joined: 25 Jun 2005 Posts: 46

damienmoody · n00b Joined: 01 Sep 2006 Posts: 73

I installed Gentoo 2006.1 in VMWare and so far so good. I need to install vmware tools, though, to get a better screen resolution under Gnome. I followed the instructions at http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Install_Gentoo_on_VMware_in_Windows_NT/2K/XP#Getting_the_portage_package and ran into this error when emerging vmware-workstation-tools:

damienmoody · n00b Joined: 01 Sep 2006 Posts: 73

Well, I haven't figured out how to fix this error; however, the following guide helped me successfully install vmware-tools: http://www.vmwhere.net/gentoo/install-vmware-tools-in-the-gentoo-vm/.

borfig · Apprentice Joined: 27 Oct 2004 Posts: 162

I am running VMWare on my Gentoo, and recently the Gentoo Install LiveCD 2006.1 is being stuck at the "Letting udev process events"....
any ideas???

damienmoody · n00b Joined: 01 Sep 2006 Posts: 73

When you installed VMWare, did you disable CD autorun on the host? I've never had any problems with leaving CD autorun on, but VMWare always warns that unexpected behavior could occur. Of course I assume that means on the guest OS.

borfig · Apprentice Joined: 27 Oct 2004 Posts: 162

I left the livecd alone - I don't need it

(the host computer is good enough...)
I built a disk-less installation in it and when I poweroff the vm, it tries to umount the root file-system because it is a nfs one.
Additionally, the /etc/resolv.conf is missing a nameserver line and this kinda not nice...
Any ideas how to fix these?

damienmoody · n00b Joined: 01 Sep 2006 Posts: 73

There's nothing wrong with unmounting the root file system when you power it off. That should be expected. In general, if you're not using a particular filesystem, there's no point in leaving it mounted. It's a good security measure.

You can add a nameserver line in resolv.conf. Check the Gentoo installation manual under the section for networking.

guyr · Apprentice Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 237

I just installed Gentoo under the free VMWare Server 1.01. With that, I already have the vmmouse and the vmware Xorg driver. What additional does VMWare Tools give me? There seems to be some issues with installing it, and if I have all that I require without it, I'm thinking of skipping it. I run gnome-light at 2048x768 when doing development (1024x768 normally), and it runs fine with that. Thanks.
_________________
Guy Rouillier

damienmoody · n00b Joined: 01 Sep 2006 Posts: 73

If you really want to, do a web search for "gentoo vmware tools". There's a good wiki for it.

However, it sounds you have the same situation I did when I ran Gentoo as a VMWare guest - I was fine without the tools. So, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. :-)

guyr · Apprentice Joined: 17 Aug 2004 Posts: 237

Thanks, I used that wiki to get up and running. I just glanced over it again, and the only thing I can find that addresses *why* to install VMWare Tools is "Now that X works, you are going to install vmware-workstation-tools for increased performance." On the VMWare site, they mention Tools as a way to get the VMWare SVGA driver and the integrated mouse, but we now seem to get those without Tools. As you say, if it ain't broke... The clock stays in sync, the mouse is integrated with the desktop, and I can expand the display as big as I want. Hmmm, I think I'll leave well enough alone. Of course, this being VMWare, if I find myself on a rainy day with nothing to do, I can just copy my working VM, install the VM Tools into this copy and see if it makes any difference. That will probably happen .... never. Thanks.
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Guy Rouillier

GNUtoo · Veteran Joined: 05 May 2005 Posts: 1919

why not using colinux?