Windows XP on Debian with VMWare
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

:Posted: 2007-08-24 23:13
:Tags: Debian, Virtulization

There are two really good tutorials on VMWare and Debain. The first describes how to `install VMWare on Debian <http://www.howtoforge.com/the_perfect_desktop_debian_etch_p8>`_ and the second describes how to create a `Windows XP image <http://www.howtoforge.com/vmware_converter_windows_linux>`_.

You need a `serial number <http://www.vmware.com/download/server/>`_ but the basic commands to set it up are::

    tar zxfv VMware-server-1.0.2-39867.tar.gz
    cd vmware-server-distrib/
    sudo apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r` libx11-6 libx11-dev x-window-system-core 
    sudo apt-get install x-window-system xspecs libxtst6 psmisc build-essential
    sudo ./vmware-install.pl
    rm -fr vmware-server-distrib/
    rm -f VMware-server*.tar.gz

A new icon will appear in the Applications->System Tools menu called VMWare Server Console.

You then need to do this to fix a bug which causes VMWare to crash when you browse for images::

    cd /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libgcc_s.so.1/
    sudo mv libgcc_s.so.1 libgcc_s.so.1.old
    sudo ln -sf /lib/libgcc_s.so.1
    cd /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libpng12.so.0
    sudo mv libpng12.so.0 libpng12.so.0.old
    sudo ln -sf /usr/lib/libpng12.so.0</code>

If you want sound working in Windows XP you need to add a sound card to the virtual device. Start VMWare from the console with superuser privileges::

    sudo vmware &

When you have browsed to open the Windows XP image, click the ``Edit virtual machine settings`` button then in the dialog which appears click the ``Add...`` button underneath the list of devices. Choose a sound adapter and finish the wizard which appears. When you next start the Windows XP image you should have sound.

Now, if only I could get VMware running at the same time as Xen...

.. image :: ../2007/08/vmware_sound.thumbnail.png
   :alt: VMware Sound Adaptor Wizard
   :target: ../2007/08/vmware_sound.png