Installing openSUSE 10.3 on Workstation 6 Hangs at Hardware Configuration

[greenmeddler]

Hello, all!

I am a newbie to both linux and VMware. I am trying to install the 10.3 version of openSUSE on a VMWare Workstation 6 VM and everything is fine up to the hardware configuration screen, then the OS installation hangs and I can't continue. I've tried all the configuration tricks I know and nothing seems to help.

any assistance greatly appreciated!

[DigiBC]

Hello!

I've got exactly the same problem using the latest VMware Workstation 6.0.1 - no matter what kind of video mode I choose (Text, VESA, VGA modes).

An update of an existing openSUSE 10.2 virtual machine works without noticeable problems, but I would prefer a new and "clean" install.

Who can help?

Regards - DigiBC

[greenmeddler]

I found that the problem appears to be nVidia graphics drivers. I tried on both an XP and a Vista host machine and both failed; both have nvidia cards. then I tried on a machine with an ATI card and thing went flawlessly. So I think there is an nvidia problem here. Now, the compiz-fusion guys are providing some nvidia drivers but I don't think they work with VMWare. I'll include the link just in case:

http://dev.compiz-fusion.org/~cyberorg/2007/10/06/1-click-to-install-nvidiaati-binary-blobs/

I'm okay personally, but the VM guys need to fix this, IMHO....

[DigiBC]

Well, I don't think it's a matter of nVidia drivers, because my host machine uses a Matrox G550H graphics card.

However, there seems to be a hint in openSUSE's release notes:

"Older Intel graphics chips are supported by two drivers ("i810" and "intel"). The intel driver is the default on openSUSE 10.3 due to the high demand for features like native mode setting (no longer VESA BIOS based) and RANDR 1.2 support.

When updating to openSUSE 10.3, the i810 driver is not exchanged with the intel driver. Use "sax2 -r" to switch to the intel driver.

The intel driver is still not as stable as i810; use "sax2 -r -m 0=i810" to switch back to i810, if you encounter problems that did not occur previously with the i810 driver. In those cases, consider to open a bug report against the intel driver."

[melsmed]

Hello,

After trying for the last couple of days, I tried a different approach.

Created a new VM, selected Solaris 10 as the guest OS and it worked like a charm.

Hope this helps.

My config.

Host Vista Enterprise 64.

AMD X2 3800

2 GB

Nvidia 7800GT

[greenmeddler]

unfortunately the solaris trick didn't work for me. took longer to hang but still hung.

not to totally change the subject, but does anyone know how to access the samba/nfs network browser in openSUSE? i can do it just fine in ubuntu and kubuntu but openSUSE is driving me crazier.

thanks for all the suggestions! something will work eventually...

[plumeria]

Same as for you, SuSE 10.3 installation hangs for me with black VmWare screen during the final "hardware configuration". I am using Matrox Milenium P750. Have used textual setup as suggested by VM and tried also graphical setup with same results. Occurs with both RC1 and the final SuSE 10.3 DVD version.

Since there is no way to abort/set sax2 at this stage (see above hint), SuSE 10.3 is yet unusable with VmWare 6.0.1 :smileyalert: :smileyalert:

-

---

I have found now the solution = work around:

1. install SuSE 10.2 in text mode, choose KDE or Gnome

2. install VmWare Tools incl. vmware-config.tools.pl

3. insert the final SuSE 10.3 CD/DVD, reboot 10.2 and press ESC to boot from CD-ROM, select Install (works now also in graphic mode according to setup of VmWare-Tools in 10.2) -> Update. You may disable all "create backups", since not required here.

BUT: Vmware SHOULD fix this for WS6.0.1, since SuSE10.3 is reported as "supported" OS, and this work-around is annoying.

[greenmeddler]

I have found a curious workaround but it has its own issues.

I got a good install on my ati box. then i cloned the vm to my nvidia box and opened it. opened up just fine.

BUT...........

now despite dhcp saying everthing is fine my network is out. can't browse internet or local NFS shares. :(:( will work on this tomorrow.

but if you have a way to get an installed vm ported over this may work for you.

[greenmeddler]

I solved the network bug turns out it was a problem with the cloning. so once you get a vm up and running, it ports over to my nvidia card just fine. the problem must lie in the hardware detection code for 10.3 failing at the driver level. if it isn't just me, someone should bug it to VMWare, IMHO...

hope this helps! thanks so much for all the support!

[adw]

I had the a similar problem with openSUSE 10.3 under VMware Fusion 1.1 Beta on a MacBook Pro

I first installed10.3 as an upgrade to 10.2. This worked fine after I had used the supplied shell script to recompile the required kernel modules for VMware Tools except that the mouse scroll wheel no loner worked in the virtual machine.

At the same time I installed the beta of edubunto 7.10 which had the same problem - mouse wheel not working after compiling kernel mdules for VMware Tools.

So I tried a clean install of openSUSE 10.3. It would hang at the configuration stage above but eventually I managed to interrupt it and tell it to skip hardware configuration.

So I got a runing system and compiled the kernel modules for VMware Tools as before.

Now the mouse scroll wheel does work, and the vmhgfs driver works for sharing files with the host, but the automatic screen resizing does not work.

For the time being, the workaround is to use the RANDR (Resize and Rotate) applet that comes with openSUSE 10.3 but I would like the resizing to work as it should

[dottv]

With my installation in the stage, the mouse is out of work and always

jump, can not be located and click, but not black screen as some person posted, so I used "tab" to focus the

button "next". Super! I got the next page. Installation finished

sucessfully.

[DigiBC]

I've given it another try, but even with the latest version 6.0.2 of VMware Workstation and SUSE's online updates during installation the bug remains...

By the way: The new (K)ubuntu 7.10 installs without similar hardware detection problems.

I'm still hoping for a fix...

[frankybaby · Accepted solution]

Hi guys,

got the same problem but a simple solution:

1.) If blank screen appears, wait a couple of minutes to be sure setup finished the current step

2.) Make sure that input focus is assigned to the running openSUSE 10.3 installation

3.) Pressing "ALT-F1", "ALT-F7" (maybe another "ALT-F1" and another "ALT-F7") to switch around the different Linux-Console-Screens

4.) You got the openSUSE install screen back and you can finish your installation

Hope it works for you too!

cheers

Frankybaby

[DigiBC]

Many thanks, Frankybaby!

Your workaround works for me as well: A simple but perfect solution!

Regards - DigiBC

[MarWes]

Thanks Frankybaby!

That did the trick, it worked for me too. :smileygrin:

Cheers

Marcus

[greenmeddler]

Yep! That worked, altho i had to do about four of the Alt-Alt cycles to get back to a usable screen. FB, you da man! :smileygrin:

[Fraken]

And Bob's your uncle... very grateful for that tip... Thanks. :smileyshocked:

[funone]

I'm having the same trouble installing openSUSE 10.3 on a Fusion VM (iMac). Have I missed something important in character mappings? When I arrive at the final Hardware Configuration screen and it goes black; after I wait awhile, then do an Alt-F1,Alt-F7, what happens is that the cursor focus goes back to the iMac side and the iMac screen resolution window comes up to let me change the (iMac) resolution. This key sequence seems to have nothing to do with the SUSE installer window rotation. Sometimes changing the screen resolution causes part of the install screen to become visible--about 1/3rd of the bottom of the screen. The top 2/3 is always black. The Alt and Option are the same key, right?

Thanks for any ideas.

funone

[xnh]

I wish I had seen this 10 hours ago when I began installing openSuSE 10.3 64-bit on XP host running VMware 6.0.4. (32-bit installed w/o problem.)

FB, what kind of mind meld did you use to discover this lovely tidbit?

g