Goal

• Install a Ubuntu 7.10 virtual machine as a guest system on your host system Windows XP SP 2? using only freeware tools such as VM Player 2?.0
• Enjoy Shared Folders and drag and drop between the systems

Steps

1. download vmplayer2.0: http://www.vmware.com/download/player/
2. download Ubuntu 7.10 image (ubuntu.7z) from http://bagside.com/bagvapp/ Why not use an image like: http://jars.de/linux/ubuntu-710-vmware-image-download-english ? Because it is crucial that the image has been created with VM Ware?'s Workstation, in order for the drag-and-drop and file sharing between guest and host to work. If you are uncertain whether your image works, check for the virtualHW.version = "6" in the vmx file.
3. unzip the ubuntu.7z (e.g. using winrar)
4. open ubuntu.vmx in unzipped folder
5. change it to:
   1. config.version = "8"
      virtualHW.version = "6"
      scsi0.present = "TRUE"
      scsi0.virtualDev = "lsilogic"
      memsize = "512"
      scsi0:0.present = "TRUE"
      scsi0:0.fileName = "Ubuntu.vmdk"
      ide1:0.present = "TRUE"
      ide1:0.fileName = "C:\Programme\VMware\VMware Player\linux.iso"
      ide1:0.deviceType = "cdrom-image"
      floppy0.present = "FALSE"
      Ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
      displayName = "Ubuntu 7.10 En"
      guestOS = "ubuntu"
      priority.grabbed = "normal"
      priority.ungrabbed = "normal"
      
      ide1:0.autodetect = "TRUE"
      usb.present = "TRUE"
      sound.present = "TRUE"
      sound.fileName = "-1"
      sound.autodetect = "TRUE"
      workingDir = ""
      
      scsi0:0.redo = ""
      ide1:0.startConnected = "FALSE"
      ethernet0.addressType = "generated"
      sound.virtualDev = "es1371"
      uuid.location = "56 4d 46 3e 3b ba f7 8e-62 5b 2d 55 18 de c4 d2"
      uuid.bios = "56 4d 46 3e 3b ba f7 8e-62 5b 2d 55 18 de c4 d2"
      ethernet0.generatedAddress = "00:0c:29:de:c4:d2"
      ethernet0.generatedAddressOffset = "0"
      tools.syncTime = "FALSE"
      
      annotation = "Ubuntu 7.10 Desktop English mod by www.socher.org"
      
      extendedConfigFile = "Ubuntu.vmxf"
      virtualHW.productCompatibility = "hosted"
      tools.upgrade.policy = "manual"
      
      isolation.tools.hgfs.disable = "FALSE"
      checkpoint.vmState = ""
      
      usb.autoConnect.device0 = "path:1/6/0/3/0 autoclean:1"
      usb.autoConnect.device1 = ""
      ethernet0.connectionType = "nat"
      
      sharedFolder0.enabled = "TRUE"
      sharedFolder0.present = "TRUE"
      sharedFolder0.writeAccess = "TRUE"
      sharedFolder0.readAccess = "TRUE"
      sharedFolder0.hostPath = "D:\_studium"
      sharedFolder0.guestName = "d"
      sharedFolder0.eXpiration = "never"
      sharedFolder.maxNum = "1"
      
      usb.autoConnect.device2 = "path:1/5/0 autoclean:1"
      usb.autoConnect.device3 = ""
      
      scsi0.pciSlotNumber = "16"
      ethernet0.pciSlotNumber = "17"
      sound.pciSlotNumber = "18"
      
6. start Ubuntu Virtual Machine by double clicking on the changed file
7. be happy that everything works out of the box (such as drag and drop from host system to guest system and vice versa, sound, networking, etc.)
8. change password for all users and create your own username (not not forget to give it admin rights)
9. start synaptec, download updates, reboot
10. realize that the update process (inside Ubuntu 7.10, date: 21st February 2008) killed your network
11. sudo gedit /etc/network/interfaces # change it to:
    1. #auto lo
       #iface lo inet loopback
       auto eth0
       iface eth0 inet dhcp
       
12. sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart
13. be happy that you now have almost all functionality you could want
14. now to get the last missing feature: shared folders between host system and ubuntu guest system, change line
    1. ide1:0.fileName = "C:\Programme\VMware\VMware Player\linux.iso"
       
    2. to whereever you installed your V Mware? Player, so it find the linux.iso
15. then active the cd image by clicking on the cd symbol in vmplayer
16. follow the steps on http://www.debuntu.org/how-to-vmware-tools-hgfs-module-on-ubuntu-gutsy-gibbon-7.10 in order to have the right kernel modules activated
17. press enter all the time, reboot
18. close vmplayer, change the line:
    1. sharedFolder0.hostPath = "D:\_studium"
       
    2. to whereever you want your shared folder to point
19. After each kernel update/upgrade you need to redo step 16 for getting the shared folders back.

Have fun with your Virtual Machine. No need for dual boot anymore.

Questions

Use the Edit button on top.