Virtualization is one of the best ways to practice Linux safely without affecting your main system. VMware Workstation is a free and powerful tool that lets you run multiple operating systems (like Linux) inside your existing OS, because it is expensive and not a feasible solution to use physical resources for labs and practice.
Most of the
time, physical resources are not available easily and in the required quantity.
In such situations, virtualization is the best companion. By the end of this
post, you'll know exactly how to install VMware on Windows and perform VMware
virtual machine setup for your preferred operating system.
If you are new to the Linux, it is important to first understand the fundamentals of the operating system. Start with this beginner guide: What is Linux? An Introduction to Linux and Its Popular Distributions.
What
You'll Learn
- How to install VMware Workstation on Windows
- How
to create and configure a new virtual machine
- Customization of
virtual machine
Requirements
- A Window or Linux
system with internet access
- 4
GB RAM or more (recommended) but the host should contain at least 32 GB RAM
- 20 GB of free disk space minimum but host should contain at least 1 TB
Note: more ram and disk
space is required because host will entertain more than one virtual machine at
the same time.
Step 1. Download VMware Workstation
1. Visit the official VMware download page:
https://www.vmware.com/go/downloadplayer
2.
Choose
the appropriate version:
- Windows 64-bit for
Window users
- Linux
bundle for Linux users
3. Download the installer and run it as Administrator
Step 2. Install VMware Workstation on Windows
1. Double-click the downloaded .exe file
A window opens to ask, do you want
to install this app with option yes and no. click yes to install.
2. Welcome to the VMware Workstation Pro Setup, click next
4. Select the installation destination
and any additional features
Select the enhanced keyboard
driver if you want and click next
6. Select both check boxes and click next
7. Click install to install the VMware workstation and enter License key if you have
otherwise skip it for later
8. Click on finish to complete the
installation
Note: You may need to restart your PC after installation.
Step 3. How to Create a New Virtual Machine
2. Click on Create a New Virtual Machine
Open VMware Workstation and
click on New Virtual Machine or go to File and click on New Virtual Machine,
you can use the shortcut Ctrl +N to create New Virtual Machine as well.
3. Select typical and click next
4. Guest Operating System Installation
Select operating system and its version then click next
6. Choose Location of Virtual Machine
7. Specify Disk Capacity
8. Click finish to create the virtual machine.
The Linux virtual machines are mostly configured to use the graphical desktop environments like the GNOME or KDE. Click to learn the information on the Linux interfaces. :Linux Desktop and CLI Environments in Linux: Features, Pros & Use Cases.
Finally, the virtual machine is created and ready to install the operating system.
Virtual machines are commonly used to create the Linux lab environments for learning and testing the commands. You can learn the basics of working with the Linux systems in our guide on: 10 Linux Basic Commands Every Beginner Should Know.
Step 4. Customization
of Virtual Machine
Virtual
machine settings can be customized further as per the requirement. Click on edit
virtual machine settings.
1. Edit property settings
2. Click on Options
After the installation of Linux virtual machine, you can configure the development tools such as the Python. Follow our tutorial on: How to Install Python and Set up Its Environment on Linux.
3. Add extra hardware
Click the add button on edit property settings and add
extra hardware like a disk, network
adapter etc.
Select the required component and click Next to follow the instructions to add the new hardware.
Virtual machines are also useful for the testing server software before deploying it in the production. For example you can practice installing the GitLab on a Linux server by following our guide on. :How to Install GitLab on Ubuntu Server: A step by Step Guide.
Final Thoughts
VMware Workstation is perfect for learning Linux, testing tools or running multiple systems on one machine. Setting up virtualization is straightforward when you know how to install VMware Workstation and create a virtual machine in VMware step by step.
With the help of this VMware Workstation guide and detailed screenshots, even beginners can easily follow along and complete the process. Once your VMware virtual machine setup is complete, you'll have a powerful and flexible environment ready for learning, testing and real-world projects. Whether you're practicing for certification or just exploring, a virtual machine is your best starting point.
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