VMware Player

VMware Player is a closed source freeware virtualization solution with a feature set similar to VirtualBox and KVM. Its only significant advantage (which is increasing less relevant) is that unlike VirtualBox and KVM, it can emulate a 64-bit guest without virtualization extensions in the processor (VT-x / AMD-V). Additional features are offered in VMware's enterprise alternative, VMware Workstation (also installable via Portage).

Installation

app-emulation/vmware-player like many binaries is frequently not marked stable, so must be unmasked by running, for example:

root # emerge --ask --autounmask-write =vmware-player-4.0.4.744019-r1

root # dispatch-conf

root # emerge --ask =vmware-player-4.0.4.744019-r1

For more information on unmasking such packages, see Knowledge Base:Accepting a keyword for a single package.

Configuration

As Portage will inform you, it must be configured to use networking:

root # emerge --ask --config vmware-player

Some modules from app-emulation/vmware-modules must be loaded. Start VMware services and load modules:

root # /etc/init.d/vmware start

To optionally have load on boot:

root # rc-update add vmware default

Add user to vmware group:

root # gpasswd -a YOURUSER vmware

The simplest way to have this group applicable is to log out and back in.

Running it:

user $ /opt/vmware/bin/vmplayer

GNOME dependencies

Despite hard RDEPEND on gnome-base/libgtop, gnome-base/orbit and x11-libs/libgksu in recent ebuilds, these dependencies can be removed in a local overlay copy and the application will still install and function.