SUSE Linux installation error in VMWare Player

[iofhua]

Hi I am following a self-study workbook called "SUSE Linux Enterprise 11 Fundamentals Workbook" as part of some job training for Novell I am doing at work. The book explicitely recommends using VMWare Player for the course, and gives step-by-step installation instructions for installing SUSE Linux. Unfortunately my install isn't going nearly as smoothly as the one portrayed in the book...

During installation I get a dozen or so download errors (which I can skip) and then a GRUB installation error (which I cannot skip). I will attach screen shots of some of the download errors, and the GRUB error below.

The book has me installing 2 SUSE VM's in host-only mode. From what I understand (which could be wrong, please bear with me) installing an OS in host-only mode only allows it to communicate with other VM's on the host machine. So they don't have internet access. So getting download errors would be normal - but why would Novell give you an install disc that would require downloads when they instruct you to configure your VM so that it will not have internet access? Is there some way I can set up the VMWare player to provide an internet connection for my VM's while they are in host-only mode? Further exercises in the book require the VM's to be set up this way.

However I am at a loss as to why I am getting a GRUB installation error. That shouldn't require a download. Is there a configuration setting I'm missing on this?

I have used this same disc in Oracle VirtualBox, and it installed without any problems, so I know the disc is good. However my employer wants me to become familiar with VMWare because we use VMWare servers here, so I need to get over this hurdle and get this VM working. I would appreciate any help anyone could provde. Thank you!

[WoodyZ]

I have two suggestions, regardless of what the directions are telling you, and the first is DO NOT use Easy Install and the second is to initially set the Guest's Network Adapter to NAT during the install and then once the install is complete change it to Host-Only.

[iofhua]

Alright I tried again this time I am not using easy install, and set the network adapter to NAT. Now I am getting a bunch of YaST2 Wrong Digest errors.

It also still has a GRUB error.

Any more ideas? I did a google search on "YaST2 Wrond Digest SUSE" and it returned a whole pile of results, so apparently it's a pretty common problem but I haven't found any fixes or answers to it yet. I will keep looking. I might have to ask for help on a Linux forum too.

Thanks for your time, and also any further help would be very much appreciated.

[WoodyZ]

I know you said, "I have used this same disc in Oracle VirtualBox, and it installed without any problems, so I know the disc is good.", however assuming VMware's Network Infrastructure is working properly... meaning you have Internet Connectivity from within the VM, then I find it strange that you had no issues with VirtualBox.  Did the disc get scratched or dirty since you installed in VirtualBox?  As a secondary test try installing in VirtualBox again and see if it succeeds.

[iofhua]

I just did a fresh install in VirtualBox and I didn't get any errors during install and it booted up fine. There has to be something I'm doing wrong in VMWare. I wish I knew what it was.