Gentoo Forums
Gentoo Forums
Gentoo Forums
Quick Search: in
How-to: configure your kernel for VMWare
View unanswered posts
View posts from last 24 hours

 
Reply to topic    Gentoo Forums Forum Index Documentation, Tips & Tricks
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
rg.viza
n00b
n00b


Joined: 23 Mar 2012
Posts: 11

PostPosted: Sun Mar 25, 2012 4:02 pm    Post subject: How-to: configure your kernel for VMWare Reply with quote

I had some issues getting gentoo to boot after stage 3 installation on VMWare.

The problem turned out to be some non-obvious kernel modules missing. I didn't want to use genkernel (because I want a small kernel)

I was getting kernel panics, then a listing of available partitions, then a block (0,2) error message, presumably because it gave on on the hard drive partitions and tried the floppy. Well my disk controller driver MUST be in the kernel right? Since it can see the partitions? Yes it is! However there's some other stuff missing.

The available vmware images for Gentoo are from 2008 (yuck!) or older. There are a ton of old posts about vmware but the suggestions didn't work.

This assumes you are using ext2/ext3, want a 64 bit gentoo. This works in vmware running on an amd_64 VMWare host.

Here goes:
1. download and install VMWare player.
1. create a 64 bit vmware machine.
2. delete the scsi disk it forces you to use when creating a new vm and add an IDE disk.
3. Use a bridged network. This is important because you'll need a reachable IP address for your VM that doesn't go through NAT, so you can connect to it over scp from the host OS.
3. get a gentoo minimal install CD and follow instructions in handbook.
4. Skip compiling your kernel for now.
5. emerge ssh and dhcpcd
6. start sshd and dhcpcd eth0 so you get an address.
7. paste the .config file from below into a file called .config (set up for vmware virtual hardware) and copy to the VM over scp to /usr/src/linux/kernel/.config
8. do the usual make && make modules_install, copy bzImage to your kernel file in /boot as the handbook tells you.

Viola! latest gentoo vm. To see what I did, back up .config first and diff them. It's important to note the Gentoo handbook instructions work flawlessly. It's simply not obvious how to configure your kernel for a VMWare virtual machine. The Gentoo handbook is dead on (Kudos :-p)

Edit: couldn't post the .config here. Any suggestions of where to post the file so I can link it from here?
Edit: Til I get this posted, pm me and I'll email it to you.

Edit: Found a better way :) Here's a patch... .config is default, .config.vmware is the working config for VMWare.

Code:

# diff .config .config.vmware

116c116,117
< # CONFIG_IKCONFIG is not set
---
> CONFIG_IKCONFIG=y
> CONFIG_IKCONFIG_PROC=y
403c404
< CONFIG_RELOCATABLE=y
---
> # CONFIG_RELOCATABLE is not set
910,971c911
< CONFIG_IDE=y
<
< #
< # Please see Documentation/ide/ide.txt for help/info on IDE drives
< #
< CONFIG_IDE_XFER_MODE=y
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDE_SATA is not set
< CONFIG_IDE_GD=y
< CONFIG_IDE_GD_ATA=y
< # CONFIG_IDE_GD_ATAPI is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDECS is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_DELKIN is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDECD is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDETAPE is not set
< CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEACPI=y
< CONFIG_IDE_TASK_IOCTL=y
< CONFIG_IDE_PROC_FS=y
<
< #
< # IDE chipset support/bugfixes
< #
< # CONFIG_IDE_GENERIC is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_PLATFORM is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_CMD640 is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEPNP is not set
< CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEDMA_SFF=y
<
< #
< # PCI IDE chipsets support
< #
< CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEPCI=y
< CONFIG_IDEPCI_PCIBUS_ORDER=y
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_GENERIC is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_OPTI621 is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_RZ1000 is not set
< CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEDMA_PCI=y
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_AEC62XX is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_ALI15X3 is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_AMD74XX is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_ATIIXP is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_CMD64X is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_TRIFLEX is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_CS5520 is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_CS5530 is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_HPT366 is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_JMICRON is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SC1200 is not set
< CONFIG_BLK_DEV_PIIX=y
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IT8172 is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IT8213 is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IT821X is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_NS87415 is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_PDC202XX_OLD is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_PDC202XX_NEW is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SVWKS is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SIIMAGE is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SIS5513 is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SLC90E66 is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_TRM290 is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_VIA82CXXX is not set
< # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_TC86C001 is not set
< CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEDMA=y
---
> # CONFIG_IDE is not set
1148c1088
< # CONFIG_PATA_VIA is not set
---
> CONFIG_PATA_VIA=y
2445d2384
< # CONFIG_LEDS_TRIGGER_IDE_DISK is not set
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
NeddySeagoon
Administrator
Administrator


Joined: 05 Jul 2003
Posts: 54096
Location: 56N 3W

PostPosted: Sun Mar 25, 2012 6:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

rg.viza,

Welcome to Gentoo.

From memory, VMware uses the Fusion SCSI driver for its emulated hardware. Its on a kernel menu of its own.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
NeddySeagoon
Administrator
Administrator


Joined: 05 Jul 2003
Posts: 54096
Location: 56N 3W

PostPosted: Sun Mar 25, 2012 6:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Moved from Installing Gentoo to Documentation, Tips & Tricks.

Its a success story for others to follow, so belongs here.
_________________
Regards,

NeddySeagoon

Computer users fall into two groups:-
those that do backups
those that have never had a hard drive fail.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Gentoo Forums Forum Index Documentation, Tips & Tricks All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum