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lmettler
Contributor
Contributor

Unable to enter license key on OpenSuse 12.2 64 bit

I have completed the trial download for Workstation 9.  And completed the install using "sudo sh ./<package file>.  That all seems to work just fine.

After install VMWare Player also seems to work just fine.

But, running VMware Workstation refuses to allow me to enter the license key.

Under HELP/Enter License Key a form comes up with choices of Get License Key (works), Enter License Key (always fails) and Register.  The license key is already registered under the trial program.  But, no form ever presents itself to allow the entry of the key.

If I click on "Enter License Key" it prompts for my password (root and user are the same) but after entry it blinks the screen and goes away leaving me with the original Enter License Key form.  This occurs whether I choose from the Help menu or just attempt to set up a new virtual machine.  NO FORM is ever presented that allows me to enter the License key.  I can only assume that is supposed to happen.

I have tried this with two different systems using OpenSuse 12.2 (fresh installs). And two versions of OpenSUSE 12.2 and 12.1.  Same result.  Never the form that allows me to enter a license key.

11 Replies
lmettler
Contributor
Contributor

I realize it is not nice to reply to your own post.  But, you do not know any better and somehow stumble upon the solution.  Why not?

The problem in not being able to enter the license key due to the lack of any form popping up to prompt for such a key was due to the particular way I installed the software.

Above, when I had the problem, I opened a terminal window and used SUDO to install the package as follows:

>sudo sh ./<package name>

Now, that did complete the install without any error.

However, sometimes the problem is following the same installation routines when it fails.  What is that expression about being insane?  Using the same process but expecting a different result?

The different process, the one that works, is opening a terminal window in super user mode.  It immediately prompts for the root password as it should (instead of waiting and only prompting at the sudo).

Viola.  Not only did the graphic installer pop up to my surprise.  (Before it was text only.)  But, when I then tried to enter the license key, just like magic, a window popped up and prompted for the license key, just like it was supposed to do.

And, strangely enough, when I asked vmWare for more accurate installation instructions, they just referred me to the forums.  I guess that is me.

So if you do not get a prompt for the license key or even sooner the graphic installer window does not pop into your face, you just are not installing vmWare Workstation correctly.  It may not error if you do not do it right.  It may give you no hint at all that it aint goin' work in the end.

But, do not bother asking vmWare for help.  They have no clue how to install the Workstation correctly.  Unless, they actually do read these forums and take some careful notes.

Why this is the case, is left up to more knowledgable gurus.  However, I will take a cupie doll or something.  Or, maybe vmWare should give some sort of a discount for solving their installation problem.  Not holding my breath on that.

StCldMedGrp
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks, this helped.  I'm running openSUSE 12.2 x64, installed this through a SU terminal session the first time and it worked, but then I had to format/re-install the OS (long story regarding M$ W8 licensing).  The second time I installed I used sudo and ran into this issue.  Without your post, I would have been struggling for a while so you'll get no barbs from me about answering your one post. Smiley Happy

Thanks again!

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jarrodbradford
Contributor
Contributor

lmettler,

Well, I'm glad that you replied to your own post with the solution!  I was having the exact same problem.  Using Terminal - Super User Mode to perform the install worked much better than sudo.  Got my key installed now and I'm up and running.

Thanks!

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AndreD
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

how can it be done on Ubuntu ? - no su , only sudo ..  and sudo sh ./Vmware....   does not help.

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louyo
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

in a terminal, enter: sudo su

enter your password.

Lou

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AndreD
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

that did no help, but due to a crash, I discovered that the dialog will appear when this is executed as su:

/usr/lib/vmware/bin/vmware-enter-serial -n 'VMware Workstation' -v '9.0'

- and - it worked.

Thanks.

jsa
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

louyo wrote:

in a terminal, enter: sudo su

enter your password.

Lou

Lou, that doesn't always work.  Especially in ubuntu which installs by default with no (or unknown) password for root.  (Works for opensuse and any proper disto.)

On Ubuntu, where root doesn't even have a password in many cases, you can simply do sudo -s and you will have a root shell.  This works on virtually any linux, with the only difference being which password it will ask for (yours or roots) which varies by distro.

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louyo
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Au contraire or somesuch Smiley Happy

It has always worked for me in Ubuntu, although I now run Mint (derivative of Ubuntu). In fact, you can give root a password and log in as su:

lou@dell690 ~ $ sudo passwd root

[sudo] password for lou:

Enter new UNIX password:

Retype new UNIX password:

passwd: password updated successfully

lou@dell690 ~ $ su

Password:

dell690 lou #

Lou

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jsa
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Yes, you can give root a password, (and its a good Idea in my opinion) but the default ubuntu installation does not have one, and many users new to linux never bother to install one.  (And that is the way ubuntu "wants" it for new users).

The sudo -s trick works in all cases** and does not require new users to create a root password on those distros that are set up by default to not have one. 

**(Well, if sudo is not running or the user does not have sudo privileges then this sudo -s won't work, and that user shouldn't be installing software on the machine at all)

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louyo
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

BTW: recent install of Ubuntu in a VM

lou@UbuntuVM:~$ sudo su

[sudo] password for lou:

root@UbuntuVM:/home/lou#

I have never seen "sudo su" fail in Ubuntu and I have been running it for about 4 or 5 years. OpenSUSE before that.

Lou

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WoodyZ
Immortal
Immortal

jsa wrote:

louyo wrote:

in a terminal, enter: sudo su

enter your password.

Lou

Lou, that doesn't always work.  Especially in ubuntu which installs by default with no (or unknown) password for root.  (Works for opensuse and any proper disto.)

On Ubuntu, where root doesn't even have a password in many cases, you can simply do sudo -s and you will have a root shell.  This works on virtually any linux, with the only difference being which password it will ask for (yours or roots) which varies by distro.

When done from the original account setup when Ubuntu was installed I have to disagree with your assessment of using sudo su in Ubuntu as I like Lou have been using Ubuntu for quite some time and have never had an issue using sudo su or sudo su - in Ubuntu. 

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