[SOLVED] Very Slow Install LM Cinnamon 20.1 on Vmware

[Oskar1224]

Just an update on what’s happening,

Not a very good progress, installing LM on my ASUS laptop Vmware proved to be impossible, it gets stuck at ”install multimedia codecs”. I did the installs both with the downloaded ISO or the DVD I made from the ISO, + the DVD I used to install LM in my desktop 3 times + 2 new LM downloads..

So decided to install Virtualbox and the results were no good either. The install got stuck on the multimedia codecs again like in Vmware for a long time (more than 1 hour)..

So I decided to re install Vmware just in case something was wrong but it didn’t help, the install goes very fast until it hits the codecs and then it stays there

Any idea what’s wrong?

Re installing Vmware I created another problem. I had installed on it back in 2016 XP-PRO and after the re install the XP is not in the virtual machines but the directory with all the related files for the XP install remained intact. I wonder if there is a way to direct Vmware to recognize again the XP directory. Although this is not a LM problem perhaps you can give me a hint as to what I can do?

[bodge99]

Hi,

Sorry to hear that you are still having problems..

Can you post your VMware version & settings.. Something is definitely not right here.

I'll look at a clean install of the current version and see if I can spot anything.

Bodge99

[bodge99]

Hi,

I've just pulled a Windows 8.1 image off of the NAS and onto an i3 laptop. I then installed VMware workstation player. This was followed by an installation of Mint 20.1 into VMware. Very smooth and rapid installation. Impressive.

Suggestion: Try installing Mint again, but don't install the codecs (at this stage). Let the installation complete (hopefully) and restart.

Now test the network connectivity.

Bodge99

[bodge99]

Hi,

I've run a couple of experiments:

I deleted the VM and repeated the full procedure, this time with the host wifi disconnected. I installed Mint (install multimedia codecs disabled) and allowed the installation to complete. As expected, the installation took longer to finish. This is because the installer attempts to download some files and/or if it detects that some newer versions are available. Each check/download attempt has to time out before the installer uses the local versions.
A full system update (after reconnecting the host's wifi) brings everything up to date. You can install the missing codecs via "System Reports".

I then repeated the experiment using my "testing" router. I have modified this one to deliberately corrupt a percentage of received packets (configurable header, payload and trailer "damage"). I use this to test OS network stack software and other networking hardware for resilience..

As expected. the Mint install stalled just after the "installing codecs (disabled)" section.

You could try a Mint VM install with your host network disconnected. If this succeeds, then this gives an indication that there may be some sort of network problem.

Bodge99

[Oskar1224]

Thanks for your time bodge99

Vmware Workstation 12 Player, 12.0.0 build 2985596. Settings? where do I get that?

How silly of me, I should have thought to continue with codecs not selected, very good idea and your experiments brings to light important info

I will doubt I have some kind network problem but then again I have no very good experience with networks, seems you have a good hold of this subject

I will try to install again LM as you suggested

[bodge99]

Hi,

You won't be able to check/alter your VMware settings until you've installed a system... VirtualBox works differently.. You set up/alter the environment before you install/run the VM.

Your potential "network problems", if this is the root cause, may be "within" Windows 8. You'll probably find that it's something "silly".. Been there, done that!!

It's a question of "trial & error", elimination and educated guesswork..

One step at a time..

Bodge99

[Oskar1224]

Sound good, one step at a time works for me too

[bodge99]

Hi,

If the "networkless" VM install succeeds. Enable your laptop's wifi. Test to see if Mint can connect (after a reboot).

If it does.. then you're sorted!!

Confirm that you can reach the internet from Windows..
Now open a command prompt and enter

Code: Select all

ping www.google.com

Make a note of the time taken.. The four results should be similar. If you get any "packets lost" or other errors, then report here.
Repeat this a couple of times..

Bodge99

[Oskar1224]

I will do that after IF I ever get mint installed

So far with Vmware without selecting the “multimedia codecs” I waited 55 minutes and I gave up (suspend the machine for later)

Now I give a new go with VirtualBox

[bodge99]

Hi,
EDIT: I meant run the ping command from Windows. Sorry.

When installing, have you disabled the laptop's internet connection?

Bodge99

[Oskar1224]

I understood that but I was waiting to finish the mint install first

Just now I disabled the Wi-Fi

I’m at the multimedia codecs screen with the little wheel spinning around 40minutes now waiting and nothing happens. I have not ticked to install the codecs

Pretty soon I will give up.

[Oskar1224]

Quite a frustrating day but finally success is here! Many thanks for the help

Vmware didn’t like that I had disconnected the Wi-Fi and it hung. I restart and got Virtualbox to install. This went fine and fast (under 10 minutes) and now I have mint installed. Tonight I will do all the updates.

Did the ping test after reconnect and I got (0% loss) in all 3 times

Your idea of having Internet disconnected at the time of install was excellent. I think that should be the default install

Will be going out now and as I said tonight I will do all mint updates

Thanks so much

[bodge99]

Hi,

Glad to hear that you've had success!! Well done!

Apart from the typical network hardware failure I've never had any network connectivity problems with Linux at all (pre-systemd anyway.).
When it's configured properly it just works..

Windows. on the other hand is a totally different beast... (I'll not say anything here that I'll regret..).

I would guess that you have minor corruption with part of your Windows TCP/IP stack (the software layers that provide network connectivity).
This is actually quite common with earlier Windows releases.. Sometimes problems here don't kill connectivity totally, just cause weird problems.
See: https://www.speedguide.net/faq/how-to-r ... -stack-272

Re: ping test.. zero packet loss is want you want to see.. but also look at the overall send/return times.. These should be fairly similar..

Try pinging your router.. Linux 'ping' returns the following here:

Code: Select all

bob@bobs:~$ ping 192.168.1.1
PING 192.168.1.1 (192.168.1.1) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=4.92 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=4.43 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=3 ttl=64 time=4.06 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=4 ttl=64 time=3.43 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=5 ttl=64 time=4.73 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=6 ttl=64 time=4.78 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=7 ttl=64 time=4.30 ms
64 bytes from 192.168.1.1: icmp_seq=8 ttl=64 time=2.88 ms
^C
--- 192.168.1.1 ping statistics ---
8 packets transmitted, 8 received, 0% packet loss, time 7011ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 2.883/4.190/4.916/0.665 mss

Ctrl + c to kill the command after 8 pings.
This particular connection is wifi --> access point --> network switch --> network switch --> Router

The switch to switch is a 1 Gig link and quite heavily loaded at the minute.

Bodge99

Bodge99

[Oskar1224]

Sorry mate, you either ask me something too complicated for me or it's too late at night to think properly.

First I did the ping but I only get one line of code and the best way of me to show the line is with a snip which I attach. In my laptop's terminal when I switch to select all I can't copy/paste I guess because I'm in the VB.

Anyway all updates to LM are done, for now, and all looks good

Have a good weekend

[bodge99]

Hi,

I was just showing the results of a Linux ping as an example.. This was run from a host Mint system.
As the ping output that you've shown has no response, then 192.168.1.1 isn't reachable on your network.
Just to clarify a very common misconception. If you have **at least** one computer that connects to a router then you **do** have a network..
A large number of "non-techie" folk don't actually realise this.

The IP address of your router is very probably different. See https://www.isunshare.com/windows-8/two ... 8-8.1.html to find the IP address of a Windows 8 network card/wifi card.

Also https://www.howtogeek.com/233952/how-to ... or-tablet/ for your router.

Ping is a useful, quick tool to test your network connectivity..

Why 'ping'.. Thing of a submarine sonar 'ping'.. https://pingplotter.com/wisdom/article/ ... -ping.html

I always say this Sean Connery quote in my head when using this command...

Bodge99

[Oskar1224]

Good morning (afternoon there?)

Very funny to see the link with Sean Connery (one of my best favored actors) and by the way I was looking at the Hunt for Red October a couple of nights ago (from my DVD collection) one of my best movies....

Anyway now I got it about the IP address. Years ago I was into learning networking because then it was much more complicated then today which mostly the system does all the setup work for you and so since I never had any net problems I never bothered with this subject and forgot most of it.

This morning I discovered that all the work I was doing in my ASUS laptop trying to install mint on Vmware screw up my system. Since Vmware was giving me troubles installing mint I went and deleted a lot of files and among them was a critical one which made Vmware to stop working. That file was on a Temp directory and I never thought a program will keep a critical file on a Temp directory. So now I restore both my C + D drives with Macrium Reflect and after I will re install VB along with mint.

Have a great weekend and now since we are out of the subject in the forum send me a PM to chat if you want.