Common questions, simple answers
Sven has posted an excellent tutorial on getting Ubuntu up and running with VMWare Fusion. He also outlines how to get VMWare Tools installed so you can share files/clipboards between the two OS’s. There’s also a feature comparison chart between Parallels and VMWare Fusion (and it sure looks like VMWare is winning the feature-race). I think it’s time I downloaded VMWare.
– May 19, 2007
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[...] How to install Ubuntu 7.04 using VMWare Fusion in OS X [...]
[...] How to install Ubuntu 7.04 using VMWare Fusion in OS X [...]
[...] How to install Ubuntu 7.04 using VMWare Fusion in OS X [...]
[...] How to install Ubuntu 7.04 using VMWare Fusion in OS X [...]
[...] How to install Ubuntu 7.04 using VMWare Fusion in OS X [...]
[...] How to install Ubuntu 7.04 using VMWare Fusion in OS X [...]
[...] From simplehelp.net [...]
[...] http://www.simplehelp.net/2007/05/19/how-to-install-ubuntu-704-using-vmware-fusion-in-os-x/ [...]
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Great instructions, leaving one aspect missing – how to get write access to native files on the OS-X host. My more primitive run-through below will help…
This recipe is designed to only highlight exceptions. Other screens and choices are either subjective or obvious. One of the biggest problems to overcome is with respect to file sharing. I like keeping my files on the mac with Ubuntu reading and changing them as required.
* Insert DVD including Ubuntu CD Image.
* Run Fusion
* Start a new VM – Linux/Ubuntu of course
* Give it at least a 4Gb drive size. Basic install is just over 3Gb. I used 8Gb.
* When starting, use installation image – and point to the ISO on the DVD with the Ubuntu install.
* After boot double-click on the Install desktop icon.
* When you get to keyboard layout don’t forget to set it to Macintosh.
* Don’t use a user the same as you pack at this point. I suggest Owner/owner. (I tried Administrator/administrator and could not log in).
* Restart in the newly created system – removing the CD when asked.
* Go to the Virtual Machine menu option in Fusion and ask to install the tools.
* Return to the VM. A cdrom0 browser has opened.
* Double-click on VMwareTools-e.x.p-49528.tar.gz. The rpm says it isn’t the correct version.
* Press the extract button and save vmware-tools-distrib to your home directory.
* Change the root password from menu System / Administration / Users and Groups.
* Open a terminal from menu Applications / Accessories.
* Type su and press enter. Enter your password.
* Enter the following commands:
o cd vmware-tools-distrib
o ./vmware-install.pl
* The default answers are all suitable – but the process takes out your network connection.
* The last thing it does is run vmware-config-tools.pl. Ignore it’s pleas to change the network configuration manually. This is only when you need to reconfigure after an upgrade.
* Reboot the Ubuntu vm – and the nertwork comes back.
* Go to the Fusion VM machine settings and enable shared folders (also at power on).
* Press the plus (+) and add a new shared folder. Personally I called it Host and pointed it to my home directory. Don’t forget to tick the enabled box here also or it can’t be seen.
* Return to Ubunto and open the finder (menu Places | Home will do).
* Open a location with ^L or menu Go | Location and type /mnt/hgfs.
* Open a terminal and type:
o cd /mnt/hgfs/Host
o ls -l
* Since this is your home directory there should be files and directories owned by you. Record the user and group IDs. If you are the only user on your Mac they will probably be 501.
* Open System / Administration / Users and Groups.
* Create a new group with the same user name and password as for the Mac and an ID recorded from above (501).
* Create a new user. Set the UID to that of the Mac and the group created above in the Advanced tab.
If you have multiple Mac users, create users with matching names, passwords and UID/GUID on Ubuntu. That way they can share files with their home directory.
>> Personally I called it Host and pointed it to my home directory.
I’m stuck… Help! First part I’ve worked out:
When I typed /mnt/hgfs in Location, I got an error message which says: Couldn’t find “/home/username/mnt/hgfs” Check spelling. That’s because I am in /home/username, so typing /mnt/hgfs produces “/home/username/mnt/hgfs” which gives the error. Deleting the portion “/home/username” so only “/mnt/hgfs” remains removed the error.
Terminal then gives an error. “No such file or directory” when I try to cd to the folder. LS shows no such folders in the Home folder.
I can use the Go menu to go (in the File Browser) to the mnt folder or the hgfs folder, which is empty. But, for example, if I try to copy a file manually, it says I don’t have permissions to do so. Obviously because
I haven’t been able to set up a new user with relevant permissions yet.
Where is /mnt/hgfs being created? I can’t find it.
… in unix I forgot that “/” means root as well as “directory level”. Path info always throws me. So to answer my own question, it was created in the “root” folder. Go to (or double click) the Filesystems icon in the Side Pane, change View to List, and you’ll see “/mnt/hgfs”, which now contains “/Host/” or whatever you called the shared folder.
I still can’t understand how to add a group to my username such that I have permissions 501 to be able to write files, but in OS X, the easiest way is to select the folder being shared, and it should be a sub-folder within for example, the “Documents” folder, say “shareubuntu”. Select that folder and do a Get Info (command i) and change the permission there so “everyone” can read and write. That works.
It’d be great if someone could guide me through how to change permissions the way this tutorial intended. I can get as far as creating a new group, permissions 501, then creating a new user, but can see no way to change the UID. That option is “greyed out” in the advanced tab.
And anyway, I can’t see why I need a new user, when all I want to do is to give permission to my own username to use the very folder I created? Again, my inexperience, any help appreciated.
Thanks you soooo much for posting this guide. this is the only guide i could find that helped me. This is my first time using linux.