How to Install VMware Player 14 on Ubuntu 18

John D K -

In order to install VMware Player(it's free for non commercial use) on Ubuntu 18 you need to follow these steps:

Install VMware Player 14 on Ubuntu 18

  • Download the VMware Workstation Player
  • Select your version according to your OS - in this case Linux 64
    • VMware Workstation 14.1.1 Player for Windows 64-bit Operating Systems.
    • VMware Workstation 14.1.1 Player for Linux 64-bit
  • Prepare your machine to install the bundle file:
sudo apt install gcc build-essential -y
  • if needed set the bundle file to be executable:
chmod +x VMware-Player-14.0.0-6661328.x86_64.bundle
  • Install the Workstation Player
gksudo bash VMware-Player-14.0.0-6661328.x86_64.bundle

Create Virtual Machine

Creating new virtual machine with Windows 10:

  • donwload Windows 10 from Microsoft site: Download Windows 10 Disc Image (ISO File)
    • Select Edition
    • Confirm
  • Open VMware Workstation Player 14
  • Press Create a New Virtual Machine
  • Select Use ISO image
    • or I will install the Operating System later - if you want later to install Windows 10 or any.
  • Set up name and location
  • Select Disk Size
    • for Windows 10 - 50 GB is recommended size and 30 GB as minimum
  • Customize Hardware - if you want to change your hardware configuration
    • Choosing RAM - 4 GB of RAM is enough for a virtual machine
    • SSD option
    • CPU
  • Finish

Now if you start your Virtual Machine then installation of Windows 10 will start.

Note that if you want to use 64 bit OS and RAM size more than 4 GB then you need to enable Secure Virtual Machine Mode or SVM in your BIOS. You can check how in next section.

Install the VMware Tools

You can install VMware Tools in:

Windows

  • Open VMware Player
  • Manage
  • Install VMware Tools

The VMware Tools will improve your experience with the guest machine:

  • network
  • mouse integration
  • shared folders
  • graphics

You can need to manually add CD/DVD drive in the virtual machine settings and mount the ISO file.

Ubuntu

For Ubuntu desktop (with GUI):

apt-get install open-vm-tools open-vm-tools-desktop

For server and headless installations:

apt-get install open-vm-tools

Enable Hardware Virtualization

If this option is not enabled then you will face error:

Failed to open a session for the virtual machine Windows.

VT-x is disabled in the BIOS for both all CPU modes > (VERR_VMX_MSR_ALL_VMX_DISABLED).

The best solution is to change this setting in your bios. As alternative workarounds are:

  • use less than 3 GB RAM
  • use 32 bit OS

Check if your CPU supports virtualization

You can check it in Ubuntu by:

sudo apt-get install cpu-checker
sudo kvm-ok

or by this commands(for Intel or AMD):

grep --color vmx /proc/cpuinfo ## Intel 
grep --color svm /proc/cpuinfo ##AMD

if you see colored output then your processor is capable of virtualisation.

Generic BIOS

  • Enter in BIOS by pressing DEL or F12 on boot of your OS
  • Search for CPU configuration
  • Seatch for Virtualization, Virtualization Technology (VT-x), SVM
  • Enable
  • Save and exit

AMD Asus motherboard

  • Enter in BIOS by pressing DEL on boot of your OS
  • Advanced
  • CPU Configuration
  • SVM
  • Save and exit

AMD MSI motherboard

  • Enter in BIOS by pressing DEL on boot of your OS
  • OC - overclock settings
  • CPU Specification or CPU features
  • SVM mode
  • enable
  • Save and exit