Do you run Microsoft Windows XP, Windows 7, or Windows Vista and need to run Ubuntu Linux software without setting up dual boot? With just a few easy steps, VMware player is a great solution!

How the Process Works

Download VMware Player

From this link: http://www.vmware.com/products/player/
You will need to complete a short registration form before downloading VMware player. Install your VMware Player software. On occasion, and this will vary system to system, you may see some prompts about installing drivers – Approve Them. After installing VMware player, restart your computer.

Install Ubuntu 10.10, or most recent distribution

Open VMware Player and select “Create a New Virtual Machine.”

VMware allows you to install from a disk or directly from the .iso image provided by Ubuntu. If you don’t already have the .iso image file from Ubuntu, you may download it from here: http://www.ubuntu.com/

If you insert your disk, VMware player should detect it, otherwise browse to your .iso image file to complete installation.

1. 1. Enter your name, username, and password as required.
2. 2. Choose a name for your virtual machine and save it in your location of choice. Click next to accept default settings. Default hard-drive setting is 20gb, but you have the ability to choose something different.
3. 3. Review your settings and click “Finish” to start installing Ubuntu.

NOTE: During installation you will be prompted to install VMware tools for linux. Just click “Download” and the tools will automatically download and install – you will have to approve the UAC prompt.

Once the installation of ubuntu has completed, enter your username and password and WELCOME TO UBUNTU!!!

VMware Tools for Linux Installation Failure

If you are connected to the internet during installation, the VMware toolset for linux should download and install successfully. If you were not connected to the internet during installation, these tools will not be installed successfully.

To Complete Installation of VMware Tools for Linux:

1. Make sure you are connected to the internet
2. Click “VM” and then select “Install VMware Tools” in the menu.
3. In the file browser window, double-click the VMwareTools icon and Click “Extract” on the button at the top of the window. Select “Desktop” on the left as the location to extract the files and click the “Extract” button to complete. Once all files are extracted, click close.
4. At the top of the screen in Ubuntu, click “Applications>Accessories>Terminal”
5. Once in the Terminal, type (case-sensitive and without quotes): “cd ./Desktop/vmware-tools-distrib”
6. Now type (without quotes): “sudo bash” – enter your password at prompt
7. Now install wmware tools by typing (without quotes): “./vmware-install.pl”. Press enter to accept prompted default settings at installation. If prompted with questions about documentation files, press enter through prompts to accept defaults.
8. VMware tools should now be installed. When asked to configure tools, select “Yes” at the prompt. If prompted for the experimental backup feature, select “no”
9. When prompted to set up graphics configurations, select “yes”
10. You should see a message that install has been completed. Restart Ubuntu by clicking on the on/off symbol at the top right corner and select restart.
11. Log back in to ubuntu and enjoy.

I hope that you enjoy this tutorial. As always, with any questions or comments, please use the comment feature below.