How to Install and configure VMware Workstation on Windows, Ubuntu, and Red Hat Linux

 

Installing and Configuring VMware Workstation on Windows, Ubuntu, and Red Hat Linux

VMware Workstation allows you to run multiple virtual machines (VMs) on a single physical machine. Below are step-by-step installation and configuration guides for:

• Windows (10/11)

• Ubuntu (22.04 LTS)

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL 9)

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1. Installing VMware Workstation on Windows

Prerequisites

• Windows 10/11 (64-bit)

• Administrator privileges

• At least 4GB RAM (8GB+ recommended)

• 20GB free disk space per VM

Steps

1. Download VMware Workstation

• Visit VMware Workstation Pro Download

• Select "Download Now" (Free Trial available).

2. Run the Installer

• Double-click the downloaded .exe file.

• Click Next → Accept EULA → Choose Typical Installation.

• Select "Enhanced Keyboard Driver" (recommended).

• Click Install (Admin privileges required).

3. Activate License (Optional for Trial)

• Launch VMware Workstation.

• Enter a license key (if purchased) or use Trial Mode.

4. Configure a New Virtual Machine

1. Click "Create a New Virtual Machine".

2. Select:

   • Typical (Recommended)

   • ISO file (e.g., Ubuntu/RHEL ISO)

3. Set Guest OS Type (Linux/Windows).

4. Allocate RAM (2GB+ recommended) and CPU cores.

5. Choose "Store virtual disk as a single file" (better performance).

6. Click Finish and power on the VM.

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2. Installing VMware Workstation on Ubuntu (22.04 LTS)

Prerequisites

• Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (64-bit)

• Open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T)

• Internet connection

Steps

1. Download VMware Workstation for Linux

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wget https://www.vmware.com/go/getworkstation-linux

(Replace link with latest version from VMware’s site)

2. Make the Installer Executable

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chmod +x getworkstation-linux

3. Install Dependencies

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sudo apt update
sudo apt install build-essential linux-headers-$(uname -r) -y

4. Run the Installer

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sudo ./getworkstation-linux

• Follow GUI prompts (accept EULA, default settings).

5. Launch VMware Workstation

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vmware

• Activate with a license or trial.

6. Configure a New VM

1. Click "Create a New Virtual Machine".

2. Select ISO (e.g., Windows/RHEL ISO).

3. Allocate RAM & CPU.

4. Set disk size (20GB+ recommended).

5. Start the VM.

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3. Installing VMware Workstation on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL 9)

Prerequisites

• RHEL 9 (64-bit) with a valid subscription

• Root or sudo access

Steps

1. Enable EPEL & Required Repositories

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sudo subscription-manager repos --enable codeready-builder-for-rhel-9-$(arch)-rpms
sudo dnf install https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/epel-release-latest-9.noarch.rpm -y

2. Install Dependencies

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sudo dnf install kernel-devel gcc make perl -y

3. Download VMware Workstation

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wget https://www.vmware.com/go/getworkstation-linux
chmod +x getworkstation-linux

4. Run the Installer

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sudo ./getworkstation-linux

• Follow GUI prompts (accept EULA).

5. Start VMware

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vmware

• Activate license (or use trial).

6. Create a New VM

1. Select "New Virtual Machine".

2. Choose ISO (Windows/Ubuntu).

3. Configure CPU, RAM, Disk.

4. Power on the VM.

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Post-Installation Configuration (All OS)

1. Install VMware Tools (For Better Performance)

• Inside the VM:

  • Windows: VM → Install VMware Tools

  • Linux:

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    sudo mount /dev/cdrom /mnt
    cd /mnt
    sudo ./vmware-install.pl

2. Enable Shared Folders

• Go to VM → Settings → Options → Shared Folders

• Add a host folder to share with the VM.

3. Take Snapshots (Backup VMs)

• VM → Snapshot → Take Snapshot

4. Adjust Networking (NAT/Bridged/Host-Only)

• VM → Settings → Network Adapter

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Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
"Kernel headers not found" (Linux)	Install linux-headers-$(uname -r)
VM won’t boot	Check ISO integrity, enable Virtualization (VT-x/AMD-V) in BIOS
No internet in VM	Set network to Bridged/NAT
"VMware Workstation cannot connect"	Restart vmware.service:

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sudo systemctl restart vmware

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Conclusion

• Windows: GUI installer, easiest setup.

• Ubuntu: Requires build-essential and linux-headers.

• RHEL: Needs EPEL and kernel-devel.

Now you can run multiple OS instances on a single machine efficiently! 🚀