Trouble installing VMWare Player as new Linux user

[catrunner75]

i downloaded VMware workstation player for linux...this is my first attempt ever at installing software on linux which ive downloaded form the internet...and its a disaster, and all thats going thru my mind is WOW this is windows all over again, i thought linux was cleaner, faster...the computer is completely locked up..ive got this little window that opened up that says loading vmware player....and thats it, frozen windows style. i tried closing it and it says its not responding. ive opened the fie a second time and its doing the same thing..then another window took 3 minutes to come to the front and i clicked "open" vmware and that screen left and now its back to the little window...i cant tell if the little bar is filling up or not...the little circle is freezing...if it is actually installing at this rate it will take 5 hours. this cant be right, something has to be wrong. i dont understand. i dont even know where to look to see whats going on...

[sideband]

Vmware Workstation Player for Linux normally installs in around 30 seconds...so wonder how you started the install process, this is how I do the install

Right click the downloaded file - VMware-Player-15.5.6-16341506.x86_64.bundle

...select Properties, Permissions and make the .bundle executable

Open a terminal, change directory to Downloads and execute the bundle with...

sudo ./VMware-Player-15.5.6-16341506.x86_64.bundle

With the password entered the install begins, each stage of the install will be displayed

[catrunner75]

im trying to download "vmware workstation 15.5 players".i double click and several options are given : run in terminal ; display; cancel; run. ive clicked on both run in terminal and run, run in terminal says "extracting vm installer...done"...then says something about root but its so quick i cant read it, and the terminal closes. when i click on "run" nothing happens. im not even sure the download is complete...the first copy i left for work and came home to a frozen computer. i started downloading a second time and canceled it, but the 2nd download folder icon still appears in downloads. im so frustrated and feel so stupid.

[zcot]

If a download does not complete then the file will be named whatever-file-name.something.part.

You will want to check the specific install instructions and it will mention the process. I can tell you that when you are double-clicking that file you will not have the correctly elevated permissions to install software. We can not just install software into the system without having correct permission, and the default user that is created on our systems is not allowed to do that with a regular simple command or just double-clicking to install. If double-clicking would give you the option to "run in terminal as root" then you would be fine. Otherwise you should follow the package instructions there.

I don't use vmware so I don't know the exact process right off, but check out the documentation and if you have some specific question let us know.

[pbear]

... all thats going thru my mind is WOW this is windows all over again

Really? It doesn't occur to you that maybe you did something wrong?

What instructions were you following? Link, please.

[AZgl1800]

Vmware Workstation Player for Linux normally installs in around 30 seconds...so wonder how you started the install process, this is how I do the install

Right click the downloaded file - VMware-Player-15.5.6-16341506.x86_64.bundle

...select Properties, Permissions and make the .bundle executable

Open a terminal, change directory to Downloads and execute the bundle with...

sudo ./VMware-Player-15.5.6-16341506.x86_64.bundle

With the password entered the install begins, each stage of the install will be displayed

worked like a champ

[Hoser Rob]

i downloaded VMware workstation player for linux...this is my first attempt ever at installing software on linux which ive downloaded form the internet...and its a disaster, and all thats going thru my mind is WOW this is windows all over again, i thought linux was cleaner, faster...

Who in the hell told you installing software in Linux was easier than in WIndows? That's just so untrue. In fact some Linux users think WIndows software installation is made too easy.

[Kseanfitz_1]

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=83444 <-----link to "READ: How To Get Help!" page

Below is mostly quoted from the Linux Mint website page linked above...

[5] Details! Details! Details!

Include the version and architecture (32-bit, 64-bit) of Linux Mint.
List any relevant hardware or software specifications. 'inxi' is a useful terminal command for listing this. Use inxi -h for help. Generally it suffices to type the following in terminal and include the output in your post ->

Code: Select all

 inxi -Fxxxrz

List what Display Environment you are using if relevant (Cinnamon, KDE, XFCE, MATE, etc).
If you have output errors, list them in their entirety.
When posting output of commands use the "Code" tags if it is more than 2 or 3 lines long - this makes it more readable. The button that inserts these tags is marked </>
If your Linux Mint installation isn't in English, prefix any commands that you want to share output of with LC_ALL=C. That forces output to be English. For example instead of running the command "make", you'd run the command "LC_ALL=C make".

edit:" "Code" tags" refers to the button that looks like </> in the bar above the box you write your post in. Just paste the copied output of the command between the Code symbols.
Also If you do not have any experience with a command window and command prompt commands, post back and I am sure some one will be glad to be of service.

BTW welcome to the Linux Mint community

[catrunner75]

thanks. going to get back to it now.

[catrunner75]

Vmware Workstation Player for Linux normally installs in around 30 seconds...so wonder how you started the install process, this is how I do the install

Right click the downloaded file - VMware-Player-15.5.6-16341506.x86_64.bundle

...select Properties, Permissions and make the .bundle executable

Open a terminal, change directory to Downloads and execute the bundle with...

sudo ./VMware-Player-15.5.6-16341506.x86_64.bundle

With the password entered the install begins, each stage of the install will be displayed

Thank you ! but what if i dont want to install using terminal? and why am i using "sudo"? this is what i dont understand as well...if im using the computer as the super user, the admin, why do i have to enter "sudo" which is whatever the word means, "fake superuser" or whatever? one of my first responses on this forum came from someone saying stay the hell away from "sudo"

[catrunner75]

... all thats going thru my mind is WOW this is windows all over again

Really? It doesn't occur to you that maybe you did something wrong?

What instructions were you following? Link, please.

no thanks

[catrunner75]

i downloaded VMware workstation player for linux...this is my first attempt ever at installing software on linux which ive downloaded form the internet...and its a disaster, and all thats going thru my mind is WOW this is windows all over again, i thought linux was cleaner, faster...

Who in the hell told you installing software in Linux was easier than in WIndows? That's just so untrue. In fact some Linux users think WIndows software installation is made too easy.

nobody told me this. i guess i made an assumption based on absolutely nothing. im understanding now though. thank you ! yes, windows software install is too easy, which is why its so easy for malicious software to gain access, is that an accurate statement? im learning that the differences between windows and linux, well, i just had it all wrong.

[antikythera]

nobody told me this. i guess i made an assumption based on absolutely nothing. im understanding now though. thank you ! yes, windows software install is too easy, which is why its so easy for malicious software to gain access, is that an accurate statement? im learning that the differences between windows and linux, well, i just had it all wrong.

I'm glad you have taken on board the information and are open to learning. To be honest I saw your first post and thought you'd be off back to Windows after a couple of rants.

Linux can be cleaner and faster than windows but some things involving altering critical system settings or adding new programs are deliberately more complex for security reasons.

I've never used VMWare Player, I prefer Virtualbox which is in the software repositories.

[catrunner75]

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=83444 <-----link to "READ: How To Get Help!" page

Below is mostly quoted from the Linux Mint website page linked above...

[5] Details! Details! Details!

Include the version and architecture (32-bit, 64-bit) of Linux Mint.
List any relevant hardware or software specifications. 'inxi' is a useful terminal command for listing this. Use inxi -h for help. Generally it suffices to type the following in terminal and include the output in your post ->

Code: Select all

 inxi -Fxxxrz

List what Display Environment you are using if relevant (Cinnamon, KDE, XFCE, MATE, etc).
If you have output errors, list them in their entirety.
When posting output of commands use the "Code" tags if it is more than 2 or 3 lines long - this makes it more readable. The button that inserts these tags is marked </>
If your Linux Mint installation isn't in English, prefix any commands that you want to share output of with LC_ALL=C. That forces output to be English. For example instead of running the command "make", you'd run the command "LC_ALL=C make".

edit:" "Code" tags" refers to the button that looks like </> in the bar above the box you write your post in. Just paste the copied output of the command between the Code symbols.
Also If you do not have any experience with a command window and command prompt commands, post back and I am sure some one will be glad to be of service.

BTW welcome to the Linux Mint community

i dont have any experience using the terminal. i want to though. seems when i do use it its forgotten immediately.

[catrunner75]

nobody told me this. i guess i made an assumption based on absolutely nothing. im understanding now though. thank you ! yes, windows software install is too easy, which is why its so easy for malicious software to gain access, is that an accurate statement? im learning that the differences between windows and linux, well, i just had it all wrong.

I'm glad you have taken on board the information and are open to learning. To be honest I saw your first post and thought you'd be off back to Windows after a couple of rants.

Linux can be cleaner and faster than windows but some things involving altering critical system settings or adding new programs are deliberately more complex for security reasons.

I've never used VMWare Player, I prefer Virtualbox which is in the software repositories.

lmao i bet thats what happens alot. ok, so...vmware is proprietary? and virtualbox is not? so being in the repository means what? honestly i dont have a preference, im just out to learn. once i had a problem with installing the vmware, that was my focus. in between learning the boring stuff, im going to run Kali and follow some script kiddie stuff for fun in a virtual machine. this permission to install stuff blind sided me, and i want to know more so i dont have problems again.

[karlchen]

<mod>
This thread quite obviously is about the same problem as that thread: first download and already, its windows?.
Starting more than 1 thread about the same problem is not going to be helpful. So merging the 2 threads.
--
P.S.: done. Merged.
</mod>

[Moem]

why am i using "sudo"? this is what i dont understand as well...if im using the computer as the super user, the admin, why do i have to enter "sudo" which is whatever the word means, "fake superuser" or whatever?

The thing is, in Linux Mint an adminstrator is not the user with the highest rights.

Every time you want to make a change to the system (such as installing software), you need elevated rights: superuser rights. You, as the admin and primary user, do not have those rights, but you have sudo rights. Sudo rights means the right to give commands to the actual superuser: the virtual user root. Root is not a person, but an account on your system with the highest possible rights. Root works for you: it's the janitor and security guard of your system.
Sudo means: Hey, root, do this for me as if I were the superuser.
Root will then reply by asking for your password, which means: Who's asking? Can you prove to me that you have the right to tell me what to do?
And then you type your password, as if to reply: Yes, I have the right and I can prove it with my password, here it is.
Root will then execute the command.

one of my first responses on this forum came from someone saying stay the hell away from "sudo"

Sorry, I see that I wasn't clear. I meant to tell you to stay the hell away from sudo as long as you don't know what it does. But now you know. And please do keep asking questions as long as there are things that puzzle you.

[catrunner75]

to follow up on my previous request for help, im now an hour into this and have made little progress trying to install VMWare. ive downloaded the file fresh, this time it went smoothly and did so rather quickly. second, as per instructions from here, i went into properties and mad the file executable. now this is where progress stops. in one instructional i was told i needed to ... "sudo apt install build-essential", it appears this has gone thru and installed, however i have zero idea what it is and was simply said that this was needed. then it tells me....<

<sudo bash ~/vmware.bin>
bash: /home/bryce/vmware.bin: no such file or directory

when i double click on the folder in downloads and ask me to "run" or "run in terminal", nothing happens at all. no response, nothing as if i didnt click on anything.
<$ cd ~/downloads>
bash: cd: /home/bryce/downloads: no such file or directory
<pwd>
home/bryce
<$ ls>
desktop documents downloads music pictures public templates videos

thats well over an hour today, id say wasted but im learning right?

[karlchen]

Hello, catrunner75.

Unlike Windows, Linux is case-sensitive. The folder which you try to change into is named Downloads.
Therefore the correct commandline to do so is: cd ~/Downloads

Note:
~ (tilde) is a shortcut for $HOME. $HOME is your home directory, /home/bryce.
As a consequence, cd ~/Downloads is equivalent to cd /home/bryce/Downloads

HTH,
Karl

[AZgl1800]

I find it far faster, and easier to use NEMO to navigate to the directory where an app is located.

then I right click and "

Code: Select all

Open as Root

"
then I right click and

Code: Select all

Open In  Terminal

and I can do what I want immediately.

for the file name, I highlight the filename, choose 'Rename' and copy the name of the file.
that eliminates me from fat fingered miss typings.

then use the appropriate command and 'paste' the filename.