Linux Guest Without X (CLI) - Do we really need to install the VMwareTools for Linux?

[jslh]

Hi,

I'm new to ESXi4. This is my 5 days of using ESXi4.

I created a linux guest "Ubuntu Server 10.04.1 32-bit" to works as my email server platform.

For a start, everything is working smooth and sound and the email server is working rock!

Yesterday, I installed the "VMwareTools for Linux".

Today, almost everyone inthe office complaining about the frequent disconnection to the email server and yet I could not trace any error / warning issues on my email server logs as well as the system logs from ESXi4.

However, I noticed that after the installation of the tools, Warning message do occurred whenever the Ubuntu boot-up (pls see attached). But, after that, the boot is normal and everything running as usual and I guest the error is not serious, so I don't really bother.

But with today experience, I wish to uninstall the "VMwareTools" now.

So, wouldl ike to seek some advise from forumer is the "VMwareTools" really necessary in this environment - Without X, the GUI!

Thanks.

[mbx369]

Hi

Yes you do need the VMTools most of the time. Things as such "guest shutdown", vNICs to run at 1Gbps amongst others.

There are cases for the different Linux flavours there are different VMTools or customization that needs to be done.

For example, we did once refer to this site for installing VMTools on OpenSuse:

http://www.susegeek.com/general/how-to-install-vmware-tools-for-opensuse-guest-os/

You might also want to go thru this site:

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=101429...

Please awards points if this was useful.

~~~~~ To Live Is To Die ~~~~~

[gaspipe]

VMware tools are necessary even if you don't have X. They provide VMware specific configuration for devices (e.g. a NIC driver, Paravirtual SCSI module, memory manager etc.) so the VM works "better" and provides the possibility to interact with it a little better.

Regarding errors in the screenshot - you can manually edit the /etc/udev/rules.d/99-vmware-scsi-udev.rules file and comment the entries not relevant to your distro (RHEL and SuSE), leaving only Debian entry un-commented. Those errors should be gone after that.

Also, after installing VMware tools for the first time and also after kernel updates, remember to run vmware-config-tools.pl script and reboot the VM.

[jslh]

Hi mbx369,

Yes, I do successfully installed the VMwareTools in my Ubuntu 10.04 guest.

From the screen captured, what you notice was after the VMwareTools installed, before that, none!

Yup, I do like what I see but if the "frequent disconnection" keep happening (which I mentioned that it occurred only after the Tools installed), I really don't know what to do!

Are you able to point me some 'Thinker' where could I get to lay my hand on it?

Thanks.

[jslh]

Hi gaspipe,

Oh yes, I will look into it and see how I could commenting out the lines.

As regards to the vmware-config-tools.pl script, I ran during the initial installation of the vmware tools.

As a matter of fact, I ran again not long ago. though it gave out some thing like vmxnet and pvc??? (sry, can't remember exactly) existed and will not recompiled it!

[mbx369]

Hi jlsh,

Like what gaspipe mentioned above, you can choose to comment out the entries:

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=102389...

When you said "frequent disconnection" occurred, were you refering to loss of network connectivity to the VM?

Please awards points if this was useful.

~~~~~ To Live Is To Die ~~~~~

[jslh]

Hi gaspipe,

I looked at the "/etc/udev/rules.d/99-vmware-scsi-udev.rules file" and found 3 entries there, namely;

Redhat systems

Debian systems

SuSE / Ubuntu systems

I have commented out the "Redhat systems" and hesitate on the "SuSE / Ubuntu system" as my guestOS is Ubuntu.

If I were to commented out the "Debian", will it give me any serious problem during the booting process?

[jslh]

Hi mbx369,

Well, it was not really the network disconnection as far as the ESXi4 is concern, the Vsphere Client are running fun.

It is the email server and the user mail access (be it desktop client or webmail), everything is slow in refreshing, connection to email server time out connection, and sudden lost of connection.

These happen only the installation of VMwareTools.

[gaspipe]

Ah, yes. Sorry about the .rules file. I hadn't noticed the Ubuntu bit after SuSE. Your screenshot shows something wrong only with line 12 of that rules file, which is the Red Hat directive. Just comment out that then and see if it is enough.

If you think that VMware tools are causing the problem - there is always vmware-uninstall-tools.pl

[J1mbo]

When installing on ubuntu, there is the option to update the vmxnet driver which in my testing improves network throughput significantly:

http://blog.peacon.co.uk/wiki/Installing_vmware_tools_on_Ubuntu#VMX_Network_Drivers

http://blog.peacon.co.uk

Please award points to any useful answer.

Unofficial List of USB Passthrough Working Devices

[jslh]

Hi all,

I tried to rerun the vmware-config-tools.pl script again and it seems to be giving quite a number of errors this time, something like this is existed and so on.

Rebooted and seems looking alright.

lsmod | grep vmxnet and it shows up.

Anyway, this morning, my colleague still complaining about the slow refreshing of the page and I decided to uninstall the vmware tool by running the

/usr/bin/vmware-uninstall-tools.pl

The uninstall seem to leave a lot of things in the system like there are files in the folder and its not created by it, therefore, it will not be removed etc etc.

Where could I locate the information that shows where vmware tools copied their files to? I need that to clean up the mess!

The other thing, since vmxnet are suppose to run on "Gigabit" and my switch is still on 10/100Mbps, will it be affected?

Must I put on the Gigabit switch to pair it?

I will report back what's happening after the vmware tools removed.

Thanks.

[jslh]

Hi all,

This is my final report and the topic will be closed.

Yes, indeed! After the removal of VMware Tools, users have no more complaint about the sluggishness response of the virtual server.

Until now, everything is working fine!

Well, Linux Guest which do not have x-windows environment really do not required the VMware Tools at all!  J

I would sincerely thanks that have help up on my issue.

Really appreciated!