Installing VMware Tools in CentOS 5

junger

Tested with VMware Tools v.5.5.3 (VMwareTools-5.5.3-34685.tar.gz).

1. Install software needed by VMware Tools
Note: you need to boot the 1-1 kernel from grub for this to work.

Install packages to build the kernel modules

yum install gcc kernel-develCheck the running kernel matches the kernel headers

uname -r             # running kernel
rpm -q kernel-devel  # installed kernel headers
If the two versions do not match, run

yum -y upgrade kernel kernel-devel
rebootFind out where the kernel headers are (you may need this later)

ls -d /usr/src/kernels/$(uname -r)*/include2. Prepare and install VMware Tools
Choose one of a), b), c) or d).

a) If you are running the VM inside VMware Workstation 5.5 Show answer
From VMware Workstation: go to VM> Install VMware Tools
From the VM: mount the virtual cd drive

mount /dev/cdrom /mnt/Extract VMware Tools to /tmp/

tar -C /tmp -zxvf /mnt/VMwareTools-5.5.3-34685.tar.gzUnmount the virtual cd drive

umount /mntNow run the installer

cd /tmp/vmware-tools-distrib
./vmware-install.plWhen asked Do you want to run vmware-config-tools.pl?, answer "Yes".
b) If you have VMware-workstation-5.5.3-34685.tar.gz on disk Show answer
Make sure VMware-workstation-5.5.3-34685.tar.gz is on disk inside the VM.
Extract the VMware Tools iso

tar --strip-components=3 -zxvf VMware-workstation-5.5.3-34685.tar.gz \
vmware-distrib/lib/isoimages/linux.isoCreate a temporary mount point

mkdir /mnt/vmtools-tempMount the iso image

mount -o loop linux.iso /mnt/vmtools-tempCopy VMware Tools from the mount

cp /mnt/vmtools-temp/VMwareTools-5.5.3-34685.tar.gz /tmp/Extract VMware Tools to /tmp/

tar -C /tmp -zxvf /mnt/vmtools-temp/VMwareTools-5.5.3-34685.tar.gzTidy up

umount /mnt/vmtools-temp
rmdir /mnt/vmtools-temp
rm linux.isoNow run the installer

cd /tmp/vmware-tools-distrib
./vmware-install.plWhen asked Do you want to run vmware-config-tools.pl?, answer "Yes".
c) If you have VMwareTools-5.5.3-34685.tar.gz on disk Show answer
Extract VMware Tools to /tmp/

tar -C /tmp -zxvf VMwareTools-5.5.3-34685.tar.gzNow run the installer

cd /tmp/vmware-tools-distrib
./vmware-install.plWhen asked Do you want to run vmware-config-tools.pl?, answer "Yes".
d) If you cannot do any of these Show answer
Download VMware Workstation Trial (free) from
http://www.vmware.com/download/ws/
Go to If you have VMwareTools-5.5.3-34685.tar.gz on disk, above.
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