Linux users will be pleased to discover that VMware Converter is now available on Linux free of charge. As a user of VMware products this makes me very happy, meaning I do not have to be booting the Windows machine just to use VMware Converter. For those not aware of what Converter can do, it can convert multiple virtual machines simultaneously, modify, resize and hot clone existing bare metal installations just to mention a few.
The installation of VMware Converter on Linux is simple. This tutorial uses Ubuntu Linux as the installation system.
Download VMware Converter
First download VMware Converter free of charge from the VMware web site, you will need an account.
http://www.vmware.com/products/converter/overview.html
After you are granted access to the download page select Converter Installer for Linux.
Installation
After the download is complete move to the directory where the file is located and untar the file. The version of VMware Converter may vary.
tar xvzf VMware-converter-4.x.x-xxxx.tar.gz
Now move to the new directory.
cd vmware-converter-distrib
And execute the installation script.
sudo ./vmware-install.pl
License agreement
You will be asked to accept the license agreement in order to continue, press enter until reach the end of the agreement and answer yes to accept.
Press enter, all the way
Its ok accept the default installation options when installing VMware software, unless you want specific changes. This is not the case. Pay attention to the questions below, accept the defaults.
Do you want to install Converter Standalone Client? [yes] Do you want to install Converter Standalone Server? [yes]
Now you are asked whether you want to enable remote access for Converter Standalone Server for security reasons I decided not to. This is installation is for personal use.
Do you want to enable remote access in Converter Standalone Server? [no] no
And keep pressing enter.
Installation complete
Allow some time for the installation to finalize, after the installation is successful you can find VMware Converter on System Tools > VMware Standalone Client.
Un-install ?
If for some reason you decided to un-install VMware Converter navigate to /usr/bin and execute the un-install script.
cd /usr/bin
sudo ./vmware-uninstall-converter.pl
References
September 16, 2009 at 11:21 pm
Does this tool convert Ubuntu to VM
December 10, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Thank you ! I’m a beginner with Ubuntu (and with English to) and this was exactly the command lines, I needed !
March 10, 2010 at 9:32 pm
I have succesfully installed the Standalone Client, however, cannot get the “browse” button to navigate to a server file. I can see the file using the file browser under ubuntu. The file is attached to my “Netgear” router as a Readyshare drive.
January 24, 2011 at 4:26 am
Typo in uninstall command line. use
January 28, 2011 at 11:13 pm
R3n3@ Thank you for the correction
April 9, 2011 at 1:52 am
Cannot run converter under Ubuntu because the converter wants the user to have root privileges and Ubuntu does not allow any user to have those privileges.
What to do ???
Al
June 15, 2011 at 10:52 am
> root privileges and Ubuntu does not allow any user to have those privileges.
In ubuntu try “sudo”, it will give root privileges to the command executed e.g.:
sudo vmware-converter-client
T
July 8, 2011 at 1:22 am
How can I run the vmware converter using command line? I don’t have GUI
July 10, 2011 at 10:18 pm
I’ve never had to but I am sure the VMware Converter manual has the answer you are looking for http://www.vmware.com/pdf/VMware_Converter_manual301.pdf . If I find anything I’ll get back to you.
July 17, 2011 at 6:26 pm
Thanks a bunch for putting this together, I always like to have an idea of what’s involved before jumping into new stuff on my linux machines.
Just a dumb note for Linux amateurs like me… at the point where you’re told to “enter all the way through it” you actually want to SPACE BAR all the way through it.
This displays the eula 1 page at a time rather than 1 line at a time.