Installing VMware Server on unRAID Box

[dimes007]

In my Vista VM using e1000 and my Windows Server 2003 VM using flexible virtual nic (which is transforming properly on vmware tools start) the most disturbing trend that I've never been able to break is that the speed is not consistent. 

 

I understand that there may be an initial burst of speed as buffers fill but then, speed should steady and flatten out.

 

In different VM's, with different OS, different virtual nic types, different speeds and duplex settings (w/ e1000), reinstalling vmware tools, changing various virtual NIC settings, using ethtool -k to view and -K to change lots of settings I have never seen the speed "level out"......  It doesn't make much sense IMO.

 

Regarding the post the way to do that from unRaid console is:

ethtool -K eth0 tso off

 

I did notice an increase in the initial copy speed but it will slow to crawl just like before the fix.

 

 

 

 

[ftp222]

What version of unRAID are you running VMware on?  I wish I had more suggestions, but I rarely transfer any large files to the unRAID drives through the VM guest.  I have known this is a nagging issue, but nothing has driven me to get it fixed yet.  Does anyone have a solution to this? If you come across a solution for any improvement, I think we'd all be grateful to hear it!

 

As a side note, I have 4.5beta11 running in my test environment and will hopefully be able to roll it into production tonight and provide some feedback in a couple of days.  If I get some time, I'll try to tweak some of the network settings and run some tests.

 

[ftp222]

I did some initial testing with 4.5beta11 last night.  Even though I only have a couple of hours of use on it, I can tell the performance is is greatly improved.  The changes to display Samba files quicker and large directory handling have really helped out quite a bit.  My system was doing a parity check while I tried copying a large file from the guest, but write speeds to a user share bounced around from 8-14 MB/s, much better than I saw previously.  I will keep testing and report back further on how multiple read/write streams go, but browsing folders is much much faster.

 

[jupilerman]

5.  I used this automated install script for VMware, which did all of the patching and launches the install - http://radu.cotescu.com/2009/10/30/how-to-install-vmware-server-2-0-x-on-ubuntu-9-10-karmic-koala/

6.  The makepkg program has changed in the later versions of slackware.  You must now run "makepkg /path/VMware-ONETIME.tgz" instead of "makepkg VMware-ONETIME.tgz" - i.e. you cannot create a package in the current directory, it must be a path to another directory.

Thanx for those tips. They save me a lot of time and headache

[jupilerman]

Any luck intalling vmware 2.0.2 on unRAID 4.5 final ?

 

I can patch and intall it on my unraid development virtual machine and run it perfectly but it doesn't work on the server (vm and reel one).

It says that vmware is not configured for this kernel.

 

My unraid development is kernel 2.6.31.6

unRAID 4.5 is also 2.6.31.6

So I don't understand. Am I missing something ? Is it comming from the makepkg comands lines ?

 

It doesn't work on 4.5beta13 to.

 

I don't have 4.5beta11 to test on it but i will test 4.5beta7 (kernek 2.6.30. to see if i can compile it.

 

edit : Could this be related to the .config file ? Something to add or delete from it that is not compatible with unraid but doesn't bother the development environement ? I've always use the config2 file from musicman as is without any issue.

[ftp222]

Any luck intalling vmware 2.0.2 on unRAID 4.5 final ?

 

I can patch and intall it on my unraid development virtual machine and run it perfectly but it doesn't work on the server (vm and reel one).

It says that vmware is not configured for this kernel.

 

My unraid development is kernel 2.6.31.6

unRAID 4.5 is also 2.6.31.6

So I don't understand. Am I missing something ? Is it comming from the makepkg comands lines ?

 

It doesn't work on 4.5beta13 to.

 

I don't have 4.5beta11 to test on it but i will test 4.5beta7 (kernek 2.6.30. to see if i can compile it.

 

edit : Could this be related to the .config file ? Something to add or delete from it that is not compatible with unraid but doesn't bother the development environement ? I've always use the config2 file from musicman as is without any issue.

 

It has been a few weeks since I have compiled a VM build on 4.5, but I will list a few things to try and we'll go from there:

 

1.  Yes, I have VMware 2.0.2 running on unRAID 4.5 final - same compiled build works for beta 11 and beta 13 (same kernel).  Not sure about beta7.  Note - I am noticing a decent performance boost in running 4.5 final versus any previous build including beta11.

2.  Whenever I received the error "kernel is not configured for this build", I would fix it by deleting the VMware install directory from the cache drive (do not delete the virtualmachines folder), remove the etc, log, and var folders from the cache drive, and reboot.  Then install the "ONETIME" package again and follow up with the "REALTIME" package after that.  Make sure you don't have the "REALTIME" package in your go script.  For some reason if that package was in my go script and installed before I tried installing the ONETIME package I would get the same "kernel not configured for this build" error.

3.  I have had no issues with musicman's config2 file - I used the exact file to compile mine.

4.  I had to add a 20 second pause after the REALTIME package to my go script before running the vmware start command.  This started happening in beta8 for some reason.

5.  When you ran the makepkg command, it asked two questions - I answered Yes for both of these.  I'm not sure if this matters.

6.  Make sure you are using the correct REALTIME package - I know it sounds obvious, but I spent 30 minutes tracking that issue down once.

 

I am not a Linux expert, so someone may want to chime in on anything I might have done wrong above.

 

[jupilerman]

I did try with beta 7 (kernel 2.6.30.x) and had the same problem.

No problem with beta 4 (kernel 2.6.28.x). I knew that because this is the one i'm running right now but did it again anyway to be sure.

Beta 7 and abose (beta13 and final) needs the patch for installing vmware.

beta 4 doesn't need it.

I think i'lll look there (patch).

I'll try once again on a fresh unraid test machine this way :

install onetimepkg

reboot

install realtimepkg

sleep 20

start vmware

 

I'll let you know.

[olympia]

Thanks for all your hints ftp222! Helped a lot.

 

And a question to all:

Do you guys also experiencing that some times VMWare Web GUI is simple not appearing(accessible)?

This happens relatively frequently for me. I try to access to URL of the WEB GUI and it's empty/blank.

I have to refresh several times to get the access.

 

Also happens very frequently to me, that inside the Web GUI, when I click on a virtual machine, it starts loading its info in the right pane, but it keeps displaying "Loading" forever. I have to click to an other VM and back again to get everything displayed properly.

 

Am I alone with this issue?

 

 

[jupilerman]

I did have that king of behavior on my old unRAID server with 10/100 lan, 1.2Ghz CPU and 1 G memory.

That's gone now with my new server : 1G lan, 4 core 2.6 Ghz CPU and 4 G memory.

 

It sometimes hang while loading some big VM (with 2-3 HD almost full) but i think it is related to the HD i use for that only purpose : old IDE WD 250Gb manufactured in 2003.

[ftp222]

Thanks for all your hints ftp222! Helped a lot.

 

And a question to all:

Do you guys also experiencing that some times VMWare Web GUI is simple not appearing(accessible)?

This happens relatively frequently for me. I try to access to URL of the WEB GUI and it's empty/blank.

I have to refresh several times to get the access.

 

Also happens very frequently to me, that inside the Web GUI, when I click on a virtual machine, it starts loading its info in the right pane, but it keeps displaying "Loading" forever. I have to click to an other VM and back again to get everything displayed properly.

 

Am I alone with this issue?

 

 

I'm glad to hear some people are having success getting up to the latest version.  I am curious if anyone is seeing a performance improvement over running on 4.4.2?  I believe I am, but it's been several months since I've run the 4.4.2 version.

 

I have seen the webpage laoding issue on some systems I use.  I have a test laptop that I use to test my final build and this happens frequently.  I rarely see it on my production system though.  To get around it, I create shortcuts to the VM's I have on the Windows Desktop so I never have to use the web interface.

 

[BRiT]

You should see significant performance improvements in unRAID 4.5 over 4.4.x due to significant 'md' driver improvements.

[olympia]

Yes, I definitely feel that overall responsiveness is much better, together with reading from the array.

However I am not sure about VM performance improvement. I am not using any applications in VMs which require high performance, so maybe that is the reason I am not seeing that immediately.

 

Thank you for the feedbacks on the WebGUI issue. Then it might be caused by my weak CPU (E3300).

 

One more question to you (if you've installed vmware on cache drive):

It seems that folders on the cache drive begining with "." are geting logged during mover operation (they are not moved, but logged). That was an issue with 4.4.2, but I've used the mover script from one of the 4.5 betas previously, as per Joe L. suggestion and it had solved this issue. I am experiencing this again now with the default mover script of 4.5. On mover operation, the entire vmware folder is logged to syslog file by file. Are you experiencing the same?

[ftp222]

Yes, I installed VMware on the cache drive, but that is the only thing I ever use the cache drive for.  To be honest, I never look at the syslog unless I am having an issue, so I will have to check tonight to see if I see the same logging issues you do.  You can also post that information in the 4.5 final thread in the announcements section and Joe L. or someone may offer up more information.

 

[jupilerman]

  shame on me !!!   

 

My development environement runs kernel 2.6.31.7

All the time i did name my folders 2.6.31.7

But unRAID4.5 is kernel 2.6.31.6 and the linux folder is name 2.6.31.6 , not 2.6.31.7

 

I restarted from scratch writing 2.6.31.6 everywhere and now it is working perfectly. 

And I don't need the sleep 20 before the vmware start

[ftp222]

  shame on me !!!   

 

My development environement runs kernel 2.6.31.7

All the time i did name my folders 2.6.31.7

But unRAID4.5 is kernel 2.6.31.6 and the linux folder is name 2.6.31.6 , not 2.6.31.7

 

I restarted from scratch writing 2.6.31.6 everywhere and now it is working perfectly. 

And I don't need the sleep 20 before the vmware start

 

Great to hear!  I'm not sure why I require the sleep 20, but it's out there as a suggestion for others that may hit the same issue I have.

 

Regarding the kernel version - I've noticed even if you are a single dot rev off either up or down, VMware refuses to run.  Perhaps a more Linux savvy person has a way to make it work or can explain why it happens.  Even better would be a way that we didn't have to rebuild this thing every time lime-tech changes the kernel.

 

 

[LVLAaron]

Anyone got a guide for getting vmware running on 4.5 final?

[ftp222]

Anyone got a guide for getting vmware running on 4.5 final?

 

The process is nearly the same as musicmann's instructions, the only real change is that your development environment needs to be running the same kernel as 4.5 final (2.6.31.6) and since there is no easy packaged install, you'll need to download the source and compile it in order to be able to begin the usual VMware REALTIME/ONETIME creation process.  Check a page back - Post #243 for some tips on getting the kernel compiled and installed.  At some point, I hope to have the time to go through and write up a real document, but that hasn't happened yet....

 

[LVLAaron]

I'm not savvy enough at this point to be hunting down versions of files to set up a dev environment. I don't understand how to get the dev environment going in vmware..... I'm a debian guy, not a slack guy.

[jupilerman]

How to compile and install a new Linux kernel

 

http://www.sysdesign.ca/guides/linux_kernel.html

 

 

[LVLAaron]

I'm not going to brave it. I don't want to dig through 18 pages of threads to get all of the information. I just can't blow up my unraid box.... too much stuff on it.

 

I've got a crappy old computer I may try on tomorrow after the holidays and build the package/kernel/etc on that.

[olympia]

I'm not going to brave it. I don't want to dig through 18 pages of threads to get all of the information. I just can't blow up my unraid box.... too much stuff on it.

 

I've got a crappy old computer I may try on tomorrow after the holidays and build the package/kernel/etc on that.

 

You can do it in any VM, if you have VMWare on an other PC.

[LVLAaron]

I'm actually a vmware administrator for a big company

 

 

I'm not too sure what I need to be doing with it though, for this project....

 

Not sure if I have to use a USB key, or install to disk, or what. I'm tired. Merry Christmas.

[jupilerman]

I just can't blow up my unraid box.... too much stuff on it.

 

I've got a crappy old computer I may try on tomorrow after the holidays and build the package/kernel/etc on that.

Don't experiment on your unRAID. Never !!!

Use a VM.

I do it under windows xp and virtualbox (it's esay to run).

If it fails, no harm. I just delete the VM and start a new one.

I had to try 4-5 times before i could upgrade the linux kernel. And 3-4 more times to understand how to build my unRAID environement.

My last upgrade of the vmware for unRAID4.5 took me one week because i did something wrong each time. But now, I understand it.

That's call experience. Try, try again, do it 1, 2, 3, ... times and then, you'll be able to reprodiuce it every time.

Use a VM. That's one of their purpose.

 

Good luck. 

[LVLAaron]

I'm installing slack 12.1 in vmware workstation.

 

btw, you can use snapshots to prevent yourself from having to rebuild the OS over and over when experimenting around... that's one of the main benefits of virtualization!

[BRiT]

You should be using Slackware 12.2 for an unRaid 4.5 base.