How to customize RHEL 5.5 guest ?

[nicolasduminil]

Greetings,

I'm using VMware Workstation 7.1 to run a RHEL 5.5 guest. The installation process of the VM is very different compared to the one of a stand-alone physical installation. For example, the stand-alone physical installation asks for languages, keyboards and, more important, allow to configure the disk partitions. Instead, when run under the VMware Workstation creqte new VM function, the same installer doesn't give these possibilities. It assumes a US keyboard and perform a standard allocation of the virtual disk space. As for the keyboard layout, I can modify it after the install, but the disk partitioning cannot be, of course, modified. I need to create another virtual disk, etc. I don't understand why the same installer runs differently when run in a stand-alone manner or as a VMware create new virtual machine function. Is there anything I need to do ?

Many thanks in advance,

Nicolas

[WoodyZ]

Don't use "Easy Install".

[RParker]

For example, the stand-alone physical installation asks for languages, keyboards and, more important, allow to configure the disk partitions.

Physical and Virtual Server installations are EXACTLY the same, if you are using the same media, why would it change? It does not. You must have done something different on the VM.

Like Woody said, don't use Easy install.

[nicolasduminil]

Of course I don't

[nicolasduminil]

I'm doing the following operations:

1. I'm booting on the RHEL CD-ROM. The installer starts and ask me for the type of installation I want to do (grphical or text). Latter, it asks me to choose a language and a keyboard layout. Latter it gives me the opportunity to change the time zone and, finally, it asks me if I want the standard partitioning model or to customize it.

2. Now I'm creating a new virtual machine RHEL 5.5 with the same disks I've booted on. I choose a two core processor, 3072 MB of RAM, a 20GB virtual disk, a NAT network interface, etc. The installation process starts, the first disk is read, after that the installer asks me to change the disk, and so on until the last one, without giving me, at any moment, thechance to customize anything. At the end, I have a system which language is english, which timezone is some US one, with a EN keyboard, etc. This is not a problem as I may change all these preferences. The problem is that the 20GB virtual disk is partitioned such that to have the majority of space in /home and very fev space in /opt and /var, which is not what I want.

So, I know that it shouldn't be any difference between a physical installation and a virtual one, as I'm not completely stupid. What I'm saying is that, even if there shouldn't be any difference, in practice things seem to be more complicated than in theory and I'm asking why and what shall I do in order to be able to install a customized RHEL 5.5 system ?

Many thanks in advance,

Nicolas

[nicolasduminil]

Sorry to insist but I really need to clarify why the installation process of the same iso images is different while running in a vm from the one ran in a stand-alone manner. Could somebody help please ?

Many thanks in advance,

Nicolas

[WoodyZ]

The only difference that should occur is if you use the "East Install" feature as you walk through the New Virtual Machine Wizard and other than that the install should be the same. (At least that has been my experience.)

If you're not using the "East Install" feature then before you start the install I need to see a directory listing of the files in the VM's folder showing date, time and size and a copy of the .vmx configuration file which you can attach the file to a reply post.

[Bernd_Nowak · Accepted solution]

Woody should be right but you may not see it. If you create a new VM at the beginning choose Custom, next select the vm hardware. I always use the default. On the next page select 'I will install operating system later' and continue. Choose your OS if it's in the list. On the next page give the VM a name and specify the location. Next specify the VM processors. 1 one is a good start. Next follows the RAM for the VM. Next is network settings. I prefer bridged if the machine is doing some sort of server functions and nat if I don't need to mess around with this and have only a standard desktop.

The harddisk adapter should be preselected by the OS selection so no need to change. Then create a new virtual disk (most of the times for me ). I always could accept the hard disk type on this page. Give it a size.

And of course a name

Now use customise hardware. For me I always remove the floppy and change the CD to use my ISO image. Save and start the VM. I'm sure that this will behave like a physical one.

But it's only the loooooooong way to describe what Woody said. Don't use the easy installer.

[nicolasduminil]

As I already explained, I'm not using the easy installer and, consequently, I could only use the custom mode. By the way, doing the steps I have described in my post would only have been possible in custom mode. What really makes the difference is only one point: "I will install the operating system later". In conclusion, doing a RHEL 5.5 installation in both "easy" or "customized" mode doesn't really allow to customize much. In order to really customize one need to use "I will install the operating system latter". This way the installers behave exactly like in the physical case.

So, thank you Bernd for your answer, it was really loooooong and I could have been much shorter: choose the "I will install latter" option.

Kind regards,

Nicolas