vmware permissions

Hi I am running opensuse 11.0 with vmware server installed and was running fine although a bit slow. I tried to change the memory usage under the tab (in vmware server consol) Host-settings-memory to the option-

fit all virtual machine memory into reserved host RAM

it would not let me change the option with the message that I did not have permission.

So I logged in as root and then could make the change.

now when I log in as user I cannot start that virtual machine any more, I get the message-

Unable to add virtual machine “/var/lib/vmware/Virtual Machines/Windows XP Professional/Windows XP Professional.vmx” to the inventory: No permission to perform this operation

any Idears would be great. Thanks

  • san100,

as root, try changing file ownership on the directory where the VMs are stored.
chown -R youruser:users /path/to/vms

Uwe

Hi

Ok I have tried to change user as suggested, still no luck. When I look at the properties of both the vmware folder and the windows directory in dolphin, under permissions it shows my user as the owner.

  • san100,

what are the permissions?
Make sure the vmx file has rwxr-x-r-x. All logs have rw-r–r–, the rest is rw-------

Uwe

I have listed below the permissions in the vmware file.

steve@acer:/var/lib/vmware/Virtual Machines/Windows XP Professional> ls -g
total 13342812
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 8664 2008-08-27 07:37 nvram
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 29107 2008-08-26 07:24 vmware-0.log
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 38927 2008-08-25 18:43 vmware-1.log
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 31176 2008-08-25 11:30 vmware-2.log
-rw-r–r-- 1 users 30151 2008-08-27 07:37 vmware.log
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 618725376 2008-08-27 07:37 Windows XP Professional-000001-s001.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 321912832 2008-08-27 07:37 Windows XP Professional-000001-s002.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 1295450112 2008-08-27 07:37 Windows XP Professional-000001-s003.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 389087232 2008-08-27 07:37 Windows XP Professional-000001-s004.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 327680 2008-08-27 07:37 Windows XP Professional-000001-s005.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 65536 2008-08-27 07:37 Windows XP Professional-000001-s006.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 588 2008-08-27 07:31 Windows XP Professional-000001.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 2147221504 2008-07-25 17:20 Windows XP Professional-f001.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 2147221504 2008-07-25 17:20 Windows XP Professional-f002.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 2147221504 2008-07-25 17:20 Windows XP Professional-f003.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 2147221504 2008-07-24 19:02 Windows XP Professional-f004.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 2147221504 2008-07-25 07:17 Windows XP Professional-f005.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 1310720 2008-07-24 19:03 Windows XP Professional-f006.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 268435456 2008-07-25 17:21 Windows XP Professional-Snapshot1.vmem
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 18391280 2008-07-25 17:21 Windows XP Professional-Snapshot1.vmsn
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 632 2008-07-25 16:42 Windows XP Professional.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 476 2008-07-25 17:20 Windows XP Professional.vmsd
-rwxrwxrwx 1 users 1122 2008-08-27 07:31 Windows XP Professional.vmx
steve@acer:/var/lib/vmware/Virtual Machines/Windows XP Professional>

  • san100,

looks fine, yet a tad extensive at a first glance. You could try and re-run the vmware-config.pl; it asks if you want to make the VMs private, answer “yes”.

HTH
Uwe

I have tried running config.pl but still does not start, Of interest I tried to put in a new serial number after running config.pl and I got the following error message

You do not have permission to enter a serial number. Please try again using the system administrator account.

below is the list of files again, I see the vmx file permissions has changed.

steve@acer:/var/lib/vmware/Virtual Machines/Windows XP Professional> ls -l
total 13342812
-rw-rw-rw- 1 steve users 8664 2008-08-27 07:37 nvram
-rw-rw-rw- 1 steve users 29107 2008-08-26 07:24 vmware-0.log
-rw-rw-rw- 1 steve users 38927 2008-08-25 18:43 vmware-1.log
-rw-rw-rw- 1 steve users 31176 2008-08-25 11:30 vmware-2.log
-rw-r–r-- 1 steve users 30151 2008-08-27 07:37 vmware.log
-rw-rw-rw- 1 steve users 618725376 2008-08-27 07:37 Windows XP Professional-000001-s001.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 steve users 321912832 2008-08-27 07:37 Windows XP Professional-000001-s002.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 steve users 1295450112 2008-08-27 07:37 Windows XP Professional-000001-s003.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 steve users 389087232 2008-08-27 07:37 Windows XP Professional-000001-s004.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 steve users 327680 2008-08-27 07:37 Windows XP Professional-000001-s005.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 steve users 65536 2008-08-27 07:37 Windows XP Professional-000001-s006.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 steve users 588 2008-08-27 07:31 Windows XP Professional-000001.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 steve users 2147221504 2008-07-25 17:20 Windows XP Professional-f001.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 steve users 2147221504 2008-07-25 17:20 Windows XP Professional-f002.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 steve users 2147221504 2008-07-25 17:20 Windows XP Professional-f003.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 steve users 2147221504 2008-07-24 19:02 Windows XP Professional-f004.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 steve users 2147221504 2008-07-25 07:17 Windows XP Professional-f005.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 steve users 1310720 2008-07-24 19:03 Windows XP Professional-f006.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 steve users 268435456 2008-07-25 17:21 Windows XP Professional-Snapshot1.vmem
-rw-rw-rw- 1 steve users 18391280 2008-07-25 17:21 Windows XP Professional-Snapshot1.vmsn
-rw-rw-rw- 1 steve users 632 2008-07-25 16:42 Windows XP Professional.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 steve users 476 2008-07-25 17:20 Windows XP Professional.vmsd
-rwxr-xr-- 1 steve users 1122 2008-08-27 07:31 Windows XP Professional.vmx
steve@acer:/var/lib/vmware/Virtual Machines/Windows XP Professional>

  • san100 wrote, On 08/27/2008 10:26 AM:
    > I have tried running config.pl but still does not start, Of interest I
    > tried to put in a new serial number after running config.pl and I got
    > the following error message
    >
    > You do not have permission to enter a serial number. Please try again
    > using the system administrator account.

Got to be root for that, yes.

> below is the list of files again, I see the vmx file permissions has
> changed.

And the user account is now “steve”, not “1”.

Check the log files.

Uwe

no (sorry my fault) the user has not changed, the first post I used ls -g and the second post I used ls -l I am unsure what the difference is but here is the list of files with ls -g

steve@acer:/var/lib/vmware/Virtual Machines/Windows XP Professional> ls -g
total 13342812
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 8664 2008-08-27 07:37 nvram
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 29107 2008-08-26 07:24 vmware-0.log
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 38927 2008-08-25 18:43 vmware-1.log
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 31176 2008-08-25 11:30 vmware-2.log
-rw-r–r-- 1 users 30151 2008-08-27 07:37 vmware.log
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 618725376 2008-08-27 07:37 Windows XP Professional-000001-s001.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 321912832 2008-08-27 07:37 Windows XP Professional-000001-s002.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 1295450112 2008-08-27 07:37 Windows XP Professional-000001-s003.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 389087232 2008-08-27 07:37 Windows XP Professional-000001-s004.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 327680 2008-08-27 07:37 Windows XP Professional-000001-s005.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 65536 2008-08-27 07:37 Windows XP Professional-000001-s006.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 588 2008-08-27 07:31 Windows XP Professional-000001.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 2147221504 2008-07-25 17:20 Windows XP Professional-f001.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 2147221504 2008-07-25 17:20 Windows XP Professional-f002.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 2147221504 2008-07-25 17:20 Windows XP Professional-f003.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 2147221504 2008-07-24 19:02 Windows XP Professional-f004.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 2147221504 2008-07-25 07:17 Windows XP Professional-f005.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 1310720 2008-07-24 19:03 Windows XP Professional-f006.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 268435456 2008-07-25 17:21 Windows XP Professional-Snapshot1.vmem
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 18391280 2008-07-25 17:21 Windows XP Professional-Snapshot1.vmsn
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 632 2008-07-25 16:42 Windows XP Professional.vmdk
-rw-rw-rw- 1 users 476 2008-07-25 17:20 Windows XP Professional.vmsd
-rwxr-xr-- 1 users 1122 2008-08-27 07:31 Windows XP Professional.vmx
steve@acer:/var/lib/vmware/Virtual Machines/Windows XP Professional>

Hi Uwe

I have pasted some of the log files at pastebin I would not Know what to look for

vmware-2.log is at general pastebin - Someone - post number 1186336
vmware-0.log is at general pastebin - Unnamed - post number 1186331
vmware.log is at general pastebin - Stuff - post number 1186329

  • san100,

sorry, no idea. What time did you try and change something?

Uwe

I have a similar setup( OpenSuse 11.1, vmware server 1.0.8, Gnome etc).

here is how I got this working:

Open Terminal (pick your favorite doesn’t matter). At the command prompt type: su <Enter>. Then put root password in and press <Enter>

Once you log in as root simply type: vmware <Enter> as root.
It will launch the vmware ui from command prompt with root authority. now you will be able to make any changes you like. when done, save and exit.

Hope it helps.

I have a similar setup( OpenSuse 11.1, vmware server 1.0.8, Gnome etc).

here is how I got this working:

Open Terminal (pick your favorite doesn’t matter). At the command
prompt type: su <Enter>. Then put root password in and press <Enter>

Once you log in as root simply type: vmware <Enter> as root.
It will launch the vmware ui from command prompt with root authority.
now you will be able to make any changes you like. when done, save and
exit.

Hope it helps.


fabbasi

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