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VMWare Workstation 7 and Ubuntu 9.10 Easy Install – Too easy?

I’ve got a company laptop for the weekend and wanted to take Ubuntu 9.10 for a spin. Using wubi (and then later uninstalling it) would probably have worked, but I haven’t used the latest version of VMWare, so let’s have a look at how well the new VMWare 7 handles the equally new Ubuntu distro […]

I’ve got a company laptop for the weekend and wanted to take Ubuntu 9.10 for a spin. Using wubi (and then later uninstalling it) would probably have worked, but I haven’t used the latest version of VMWare, so let’s have a look at how well the new VMWare 7 handles the equally new Ubuntu distro with Easy Install.

Based on the disk image I chose, VMWare Workstation already knew I was installing Ubuntu. It prompted me for my full name, desired username, and password. Next thing I know VMWare Workstation is blowing past any of the usual prompts during the bootup process of a Ubuntu install and formatting the partition.

Wait… what just happened? Easy Install makes a new installation almost too easy, so far!

Next I’m feasting my eyes on the new 9.10 installer. It’s been so long since I’ve installed Ubuntu, so the installer overhaul is a very welcome addition. I see that there’s been a lot of work done to make things easier on the eyes, as well as streamline the install process.

No more than 10 minutes after, VMWare is done with the initial install and reboot. I’m impressed! Equally impressive is that it pops up immediately with an prompt for my username and password to install VMWare tools… it would have been nice if the login was automated so that I wouldn’t need to login with credentials I setup 5 minutes ago.

After sitting for awhile doing it’s installation proceedure with no progress indicator, it boots me to a command prompt. There’s an X Server error on the screen so I figure there’s gonna be some configuration that I need to do, so no problem. I start typing sudo dpkg-reconf… and then zap! It’s gone.

A quick shimmy of the screen while the VM changes video modes and poof! I’m at the improved login prompt for Karmic. I login and instantly I’m looking at a fresh new install of Ubuntu.

Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala and VMWare Workstation 7.

Took about 15 minutes when it was all said and done, including the reboot and mostly automated VMWare Tools install. Very nice. Very similar to how the last time I used VMWare Fusion to run Windows XP it asked for username, password, CD-Key, etc and automated the entire thing.

Now, all I’ve gotta do is install 107 updates for Karmic Koala… perhaps the installer team could have integrated a quick update during the install.

Overall, very impressed. Could have used more bacon.

16 replies on “VMWare Workstation 7 and Ubuntu 9.10 Easy Install – Too easy?”

I’ve been meaning to come back and write on fsckin for too long. Truth be told, the first couple months after moving to Austin was so busy for me that I didn’t had the time to sit for any length of time and write anything. The most I’ve done around here is keep WordPress updated.

Then it just got to a point where I was ashamed to post anything because I haven’t been using Linux (no free time to poke around) and didn’t really want to start writing about OSX (a short lived detour), but alas… don’t worry, I’m not converted.

So here I am, a year and a half since my last real appearance. Maybe I’ll have some more free time to write in here. Follow me on Twitter in the sidebar and we’ll see if anything new pops up. 🙂

Welcome back Wayne! This blog was one of the stepping stones I used to get started with Linux years ago. So I’m very excited to see new posts again! (RSS FTW!) Hope your life slows down to a point where you can start making regular contributions again 🙂

I understand your feelings about posting again after a long absence, I’ve been in that same boat too. But it always turns out that everyone is just glad to see you back, and it’s never met with anything but “welcome”s and “good-to-see-you-again”s.

After “fskin'” with Win7 for a while I’m ready to come back to Ubuntu, and I just installed it over the weekend, what timing! I can’t wait to read some of your posts coming up about the new 9.10 version!

Sweet hey? I think the credit goes more to the Ubuntu installer than virtual machine software. Ive had a similar experience with Virtualbox 3.0+ but on Ubuntu host + client. The ppl behind this release of Ubuntu 9.10 made a few noises about how fast it was to boot, and maybe that extends to the install process too.

After I installed VMWare Workstation 7 on Ubunt 9.10, the wireless stopped working. Could you give me some suggestions to troubleshoot?

Been using Sun’s VirtualBox without any substantial problems. Nice to see the open source solution mature 🙂
Also, the way their Guest Additions install/update/Just Work in my XP guest is quite elegant.

Gave up on VMWare installation after a day or so, but glad to see that other folks are doing well with it!

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