[COLUG] VMWare Server vs. CentOS??

[Chris Clonch]

On Monday 14 April 2008 11:25:11 Joshua Kramer wrote:
> Howdy Folks,
>
> Has anyone attempted to run VMWare Server (the free download version) on
> CentOS 5.1?

I am: CentOS 5.1 running VMWare Server 1.0.5 with 2 VM's on an HP ProLiant  
DL380G5 (2x dual-core Xeon w/ 4GB RAM).

> I have a moderately powerful box (Pentium 2.4 GHz, 2G Ram) that ought to
> be able to handle VMWare.  So, I installed VMWare using their install
> utility (it compiled a kernel module as well).  I created a VM on an
> external USB disk, and started it... and all it did was peg the processor
> at 100%.  Thinking this was temporary, I let it sit, and 30 minutes later
> it was at the same place.

Likewise, it complied and installed a kernel module for my kernel.  Oddly 
enough I just noticed today that top reported vmware consuming 100% of the 
cpu.  Unlike your problem though, I think this has been a gradual 
consumption.  I restarted VMWare and all is as it should be.  I think my 
problem is from a flaky VM that I've been testing.

> Was this because it was an external USB disk?  I assigned 1.2G of ram to
> this new machine.

I would bet it is.  However, a quick google search looks to prove my initial 
thought wrong: http://tinyurl.com/5jopf8.  So now I would look at the manf of 
the USB drive; which I assume we're talking about an external USB HDD (not a 
thumb drive).  Also are you running any VM's or is the response you've noted 
just from starting VMWare up without any VM's?

> I have a work laptop with a similar processor (same speed, dual core) and
> identical amount of RAMm running XP Professional.  VMWare is very snappy
> on this machine.
>
> Thanks,
> -J