Install Alpine on VMware Workstation: Difference between revisions

From Alpine Linux
m (fix kernel parameter to disable PaX uderef)
m (Arrogance moved page Install Alpine on VMware to Install Alpine on VMware Workstation: VMware has multiple virtualization products, disambiguate.)
(14 intermediate revisions by 10 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
# Create a virtual machine (linux, other 2.6 32 bit)
There's at least 2 ways you can setup Alpine on a VMware box.
## the vm doesn't need a hard drive
 
## add a cdrom to the vm that points to the alpine iso you downloaded
== Option 1: sys mode, traditional hard-disk install (preferable for a dev box) ==
## add a floppy (choose new floppy image and give it a file name to create a fake floppy image on your machine)
 
# Create a virtual machine (linux, other 3.x kernel 64 bit)
## add a hard drive, with the size depending on your work
## add a cdrom to the vm that points to the alpine iso you downloaded (alpine-virt x86_64)
## disable `UEFI secure boot` in VM options
# boot into the vm (username: root)
## run `setup-alpine`
## choose `sys` when asked about the disk mode (this will permanently install Alpine on the disk)
## choose the default 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 minimal hard drive, 100MB for saving configs, (like an usb stick)
## add a cdrom to the vm that points to the alpine iso you downloaded (alpine-virt x86_64)
# boot into the vm
# boot into the vm
# press f2 on boot to enter the BIOS  
# press f2 on boot to enter the BIOS  
## warning: this can be a real timing trick.  I had to disconnect the cd and floppy and try several times to get into the bios screen before it started trying to network boot
## change the boot order so that it boots from cd, then hd, then floppy (or whatever - as long as cd is first)
## 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
# boot the machine
# now run the following commands:
# now run the following commands:
## mkfs.vfat /dev/fd0
## mkfs.vfat /dev/sda
## mount /dev/fd0 /media/floppy
## mount /dev/sda /media/usb (Or try: mount -t vfat /dev/sda /media/usb)
## setup-alpine
## grep /dev/sda /proc/mounts >> /etc/fstab
## lbu ci floppy
## setup-alpine (select no disk, save configs to 'usb')
## lbu ci usb
 
If the VM hangs at the boot prompt, reboot the VM, and when the boot prompt appears again, type <tt>pax_nouderef</tt> (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]]


If the VM hangs at the boot prompt, reboot the VM, and when the boot prompt appears again, type "grsec pax_nouderef" and press Enter. This should allow normal boot-up. <br />
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].


Now you should be able to reboot and it should retain your settings because they were saved to your floppy.


[[Category:Virtualization]]
[[Category:Virtualization]]

Revision as of 03:58, 11 November 2021

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)

  1. Create a virtual machine (linux, other 3.x kernel 64 bit)
    1. add a hard drive, with the size depending on your work
    2. add a cdrom to the vm that points to the alpine iso you downloaded (alpine-virt x86_64)
    3. disable `UEFI secure boot` in VM options
  2. boot into the vm (username: root)
    1. run `setup-alpine`
    2. choose `sys` when asked about the disk mode (this will permanently install Alpine on the disk)
    3. choose the default disk mounted by VMware
    4. reboot after the installation is complete

Option 2: USB mode, no data preserved between reboots

  1. Create a virtual machine (linux, other 3.x kernel 64 bit)
    1. add a minimal hard drive, 100MB for saving configs, (like an usb stick)
    2. add a cdrom to the vm that points to the alpine iso you downloaded (alpine-virt x86_64)
  2. boot into the vm
  3. press f2 on boot to enter the BIOS
    1. change the boot order so that it boots from cd, then hd, then floppy (or whatever - as long as cd is first)
  4. boot the machine
  5. now run the following commands:
    1. mkfs.vfat /dev/sda
    2. mount /dev/sda /media/usb (Or try: mount -t vfat /dev/sda /media/usb)
    3. grep /dev/sda /proc/mounts >> /etc/fstab
    4. setup-alpine (select no disk, save configs to 'usb')
    5. lbu ci usb

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

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 open-vm-tools.