Installation of Ubuntu using VMWare Player

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Definitions

Host = Physical Hardware

Virtual Machine = Virtual Computer with Emulated Hardware

System Requirements

You need strong Physical Hardware at least double those of Windows 10’s minimum system requirements. At least 4 times recommended.

Right click the start button and select system (in Windows 7, left click start and then right click computer and select properties):

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You will need a 64 Bit Windows OS.

Check the RAM, you want at least 4 GB >8 GB recommended.

Also check the processor.

processor and RAM

If the processor is Intel Google Search “Intel Ark Processor Number” e.g. Intel Ark i7-2600. You want to check the number of threads and you want the processor to support virtualisation technologies.

i7-2600i7-26001i7-26002i7-26003

Of course sufficient graphics and hard drive space is also sufficient.

Ubunt .iso

The Ubuntu .iso is available here:

Setting up a VM

Left click player → Left Click File → Left Click New Virtual Machine:

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Select Installer Disk Image File (.iso):

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Select browse…. and left click the Ubuntu .iso you downloaded:

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Select Open

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Ensure "This Operating System will use Easy Install" is shown.

With Easy Install VMWare Player will automatically install Ubuntu and VMWare tools without the need for user input. If easy install is not selected one may have difficulty installing VMWare tools manually. The only disadvantage of easy install is there is no option to select language options using VMWare player and it defaults to English US language and keyboard :(. The language settings for both can easily be changed after installation and I will demonstrate the change of English US to proper English UK.

Type in your full name and username. The username has to all be lower case with no spaces. Then type in your password, Ubuntu won't let you install without a password:

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Here you can name your VM and you can also opt to change the location of the VM e.g. to a different HDD/SSD depending what suits.

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Select next. The default storage is 20 GB but you may increase it.

I recommend leaving Split virtual disk into multiple files.

Select Next.

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Before installing Ubuntu select Customise Hardware because the default hardware settings are pretty weak:

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If you computer is capable (has at least 8 GB of RAM) up the RAM to 4 GB:

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If you computer is capable has at least 8 threads change the Number of processor cores to 4.

If you processor has 4 threads change the Number of processor cores to 2.

This will substantially increase the Ubuntu VMs system performance.

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Select close and then Finish

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As mentioned the rest of the install will be automated. Make yourself a cup of tea and come back in 5-10 minutes:

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When the install is done you will be prompted to login:

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Making Sure VMWare Tools are Installed

During the first launch the user experience may be terrible because VMWare tools are not installed therefore I recommend signing in waiting 5-10 minutes and then restarting:

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Select the player button at the top left and then power and then restart gusest:

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Select yes:

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You will be prompted to login again and now it should be full screen:

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The VM is now full screen if its not drag and drop the VMWare player Window to the left or right to aerosnap half the screen. The VM should automatically resize to fill the Window:

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This also allows 2 way drag and drop from the host to the VM:

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You can also aerosnap it to the top. The VMWare player Window will then be maximised:

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You can also select maximise to occupy the full monitor:

aerosnap full

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Changing Language and Keyboard

Select the settings crank to the left sidebar:

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Select user accounts:

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Change language from English (United States) to your desired Language:

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Select All settings and then go to Text Entry:

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Select [+]

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Select English (UK) and then select Add:

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Select the power button and then shutdown:

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Then restart:

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You may now use your Ubuntu VM with your proper keyboard and language settings.

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