VMware Workstation Player allows you to run a second operating system on your computer – in my case, I am running Windows 8.1 in a virtual machine, with Linux Xubuntu as the host OS on the computer. This allows me to run Windows-only software, such as Microsoft Office. (You’ll need a license for whatever OS you run in a virtual machine.)
How to install VMWare Workstation Player (using Xubuntu as my OS):
Before installing VMware:
1. Update Xubuntu.
– In my opinion, this will give you a better chance of success with the install of VMware.
2. Open a terminal session and run the following commands:
sudo apt-get install gcc
sudo apt-get install make
sudo apt-get update
– If you don’t run these commands before installing VMware, it will ask you all kinds of questions when you do install VMware – where is this located, where is that located – questions you won’t be able to answer, and which will leave you stuck.
Now proceed with the install:
1. Go to the VMware website and download the install file:
https://my.vmware.com/en/web/vmware/downloads/details?downloadGroup=WKST-PLAYER-1612&productId=1039&rPId=66621
(It is free for non-commercial use.)
2. Open a terminal session on the folder where the install file is located.
3. Make the downloaded install file executable:
In Terminal, type the following command:
chmod u+x Vmware-Player-14.0.0-6661328.x86_64.bundle (or whatever the file name is)
4. Run the install file:
sudo ./Vmware-Player-14.0.0-6661328.x86_64.bundle
5. If you installed VMware version 16, you will now need to run VMware from the Xubuntu menu (under All) to complete the install process.
Hint: Save the install results as a text file for future reference – select all the text in the terminal window, then copy and paste to your text editor, then save.
How to uninstall VMWare Workstation Player:
Open a terminal session and run the following command:
sudo vmware-installer -u vmware-player
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server
