Install Alpine on VMware Workstation

2025-02-13T02:48:51Z

Yafeng:

{{merge|[[Installing Alpine on a virtual machine]]}}
There's at least 2 ways you can setup Alpine on a VMware box.

== Option 1: sys mode, traditional hard-disk install (preferable for a dev box) ==

# Create a virtual machine (Linux, other 3.x kernel 64 bit)
## Add a hard drive with your desired size
## Add a CD/DVD to the VM that points to the Alpine ISO you downloaded
## Disable "UEFI secure boot" in Settings -> Advanced
# Boot the VM and log in with username "root"
## run <code>setup-alpine</code>
## choose '''sys''' when asked about the disk mode ([[Installation#System_Disk_Mode|sys mode]] will install Alpine to the disk)
## choose the default hard disk mounted by VMware
## reboot after the installation is complete

== Option 2: USB mode, no data preserved between reboots ==

# Create a virtual machine (Linux, other 3.x kernel 64 bit)
## add a small hard drive, e.g. 100MB for saving configs (like an usb stick)
## Add a CD/DVD to the VM that points to the Alpine ISO you downloaded
# boot into the VM
# press F2 on boot to enter the BIOS
## change the boot order so that it boots from CD, then HD, then floppy (or whatever - as long as CD is first)
# boot the machine
# now run the following commands:
## <code>mkfs.vfat /dev/sda</code>
## <code>mount /dev/sda /media/usb</code> (Or try: <code>mount -t vfat /dev/sda /media/usb</code>)
## <code>grep /dev/sda /proc/mounts >> /etc/fstab</code>
## <code>setup-alpine</code> (select no disk, save configs to 'usb')
## <code>lbu ci usb</code>

If the VM hangs at the boot prompt, reboot the VM, and when the boot prompt appears again, type <code>pax_nouderef</code> (i.e. append it to the kernel options) and press Enter. This should allow normal boot-up. <br />

Now you should be able to reboot and it should retain your settings because they were saved to your "usb-disk".

== VMware Tools ==

More info on this page: [[Open-vm-tools]]

For VMware Tools support you need to install the package [https://pkgs.alpinelinux.org/package/edge/community/x86_64/open-vm-tools open-vm-tools].

== Install Alpine on 32-bit vmware virtual machine ==

If you want to install Alpine on 32-bit vmware virtual machine, you need to disable the 3D acceleration function of the vmware virtual machine, otherwise there will be a black screen when loading vmwgfx.

In particular, if you use the virt version of the iso to start a 32-bit vmware virtual machine, the default network card (pcnet32) driver is not included in the system, so you need to modify the vmx file and add:

<code>ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000"</code>

[[Category:Virtualization]]

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Install Alpine on VMware Workstation