Arch Linux

Sin.citadel

Member

Registered: 2008-01-22

Posts: 267

Archlinux as a Base System to run vmware workstation

hi, i m a user of vmware workstation, currently i m using vm workstation on a vista host OS, but since vista itself takes too much CPU resources, its quite a big overhead. i was thinking of using archlinux as a base system as i really do not need the traditional linux setup (GUI, browsers, music players), so i was wondering that after initial archlinux install + update with pacman, what tools will i need to install vmware workstation, i will need Xorg, plus a display manager, although i dont care which display manager, as long as it has a low CPU usage.

can anyone comment on this, i m using the latest Vmware workstaion 6.0.4.93057 , are there any problems with installing workstation in archlinux? or any other problem i could run into?

Diaz

Member

From: Portugal

Registered: 2008-04-16

Posts: 366

Re: Archlinux as a Base System to run vmware workstation

i think some options to keep a minimal system would be using slim+openbox, for your requirements, depending on your grapichs board you should have the proprietary drivers if needed, for example nvidia, for achiving the best performance, than it is just a matter of installing what you need using pacman/yaourt.

If you already have a system configured for hosting, in your case vista, simply try some options for it inside a vm.

zyghom

Member

From: Poland/currently Africa

Registered: 2006-05-11

Posts: 432

Website

Re: Archlinux as a Base System to run vmware workstation

what for slim ?

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Zygfryd Homonto

Sin.citadel

Member

Registered: 2008-01-22

Posts: 267

Re: Archlinux as a Base System to run vmware workstation

i m currently using archlinux inside a vm, but its as a personal/network server. i have installed mysql for my own database needs, as well as samba and vsftpd to provide sharing/files on the network, its a small network so there is not a big performance issue, but i m using it only in console mode, i.e, no gui, and i havent yet tried to install archlinux in the host computer, so if anyone could provide me with a list of packages which i will need to install to make this setup work.

i have an asus board, and an ati card hd2400, i have set aside 6gb + 512mb swap space for linux, i also will keep vista as a backup and since archlinux doesnt automatically set up grub to use a windows os, what changes will i need to make?

P.S. anyone know what is the performance hit if i use the vmware hgfs shares in linux to distribute files on the network instead of using the traditional ext3 filesystem (copying files inside the vm's share folder)?

dhave

Arch Linux f@h Team Member

From: Outside the matrix.

Registered: 2005-05-15

Posts: 1,112

Re: Archlinux as a Base System to run vmware workstation

I've been running VMware Workstation on Arch for several years. The only problem I ever encounter is that I like to use very recent kernel releases, and sometimes it takes a while for a VMware patch to appear which permits me to build the needed kernel modules against the latest kernel.

If you're content to stick with an older kernel (and by "older", I really mean only 2-4 months old at most), you shouldn't have any problems. If, on the other hand, you have some reason or preference for keeping up with kernel development, you will occasionally have to do a bit of patch work. All these issues usually get worked through fairly speedily on the Workstation forum on the VMware website. Also, there's generally good support for VMware on the Arch forum (though I think I'm seeing a trend toward VirtualBox, which, among other advantages, is free).

The kernel-catch-up problem isn't specific to Arch, but is instead a general Linux problem. And it's not a problem so much as the consequence of normal software evolution.

For Arch, you can install VMware via AUR, or you can use the VMware downloadable. Both generally work fine.

Last edited by dhave (2008-08-08 12:29:22)

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