[CentOS] VMware Server 2.0.1 On CentOS 5

Thu Oct 29 13:53:59 UTC 2009
Les Mikesell <lesmikesell at gmail.com>

Max Hetrick wrote:
> gene.poole at macys.com wrote:
>> It's my understanding that CentOS is a carbon copy of Red Hat - with the 
>> exception of the art work. Assuming that this is true, the support 
>> matrix for VMware Server 2.0.1 states Red Hat 5.1.  I cannot seem to 
>> locate a CentOS 5.1 x86-64 copy.  I can get a copy of 5.3 and 5.4.  If I 
>> take this route, what should I expect running VMware 2.0.1?
> 
> My VMware Server 2.0.1 instances all still seem to run normal. I've been 
> running them on 5.3 for quite some time, and this week on 5.4 with no 
> issues. I wouldn't expect any problems. I'm running x86 versions of 
> everything.

That's actually pretty strange because the glibc update in 5.4 will break VMware 
Server 2.0.1.  Have you rebooted or restarted vmware since the update?  if you 
haven't, don't until you look up the fix...

However, other than this issue which may be fixed in 2.0.2 (I still had a 
problem but haven't spent much time investigating), the combination works fine. 
  And for the original poster - being 'supported' in vmware just means that they 
supply a binary kernel module that matches the kernel.  You can still run vmware 
  in 'unsupported' combinations but whenever you update the kernel you have to 
run the script that rebuids the matching module for you before vmware will 
start.  And the 2.0.1 version worked fine with Centos 5.0->5.3.

Also, anyone just starting with VMware might want to look at the ESXi version 
now that it is a free download instead of running the server version.

-- 
   Les Mikesell
    lesmikesell at gmail.com