These are tools for a Linux guest OS.

A. The X server to run in a VM for SVGA display modes.
B. The vmware-toolbox program to access VM settings from the guest OS.
C. Support for dual booting a Linux partition either in a VM or on the
   real machine.


Installing the VMware Linux Tools
---------------------------------

1.  Downloading VMware Linux Tools:

    Since you are reading this, you may already have the VMware
    Linux Tools tar file and have unpacked it.  If not, it can
    be found at http://www.vmware.com.


2.  Installing VMware Linux Tools:

    After downloading the file, unpack it:

	tar xzf vmware-linux-tools.tar.gz

    Go to the vmware-linux-tools directory:

	cd vmware-linux-tools

    Become root:

	su

    Run the install script:

	./install.pl


3.  VMware Linux Tools has been installed.  Type startx (or
    however you normally start the X server) to run the VMware
    X server.


4.  When X is up, run the vmware-toolbox program and use it to
    change some of the VM settings from the guest OS.


Configuring the X Server
------------------------

The X Server configuration information is stored in the file
XF86Config, in the directory /etc/X11, or sometimes in /etc.
By default, the resolution of the X server is set to the
resolution of the screen as determined at install time.  If
you wish to change this, you can edit the config file.

Look for the line:
    Section "Screen"
and under this there will be a line that sets the resolution:
    Modes "1280x1024"
Change this to be the desired resolution.  There are several
example mode lines, which are commented out.

If you are dual booting (see below) note that there is an
XF86Config.vm file and an XF86Config.org file, which are linked
to XF86Config, depending on whether you are booting in a VM
or not.  Be sure to edit the correct one of these files.


Dual Booting your Linux System
------------------------------

The install script attempts to set up your system so that it can boot
either in a VM or on the real hardware.  These things are different
in the two environments:

1.  The VMware X server should be run in the VM, instead of the native
    X server.

2.  The X config file is different.

3.  The kernel configuration is different.  The VM emulates an AMD
    Lance ethernet card, and a SoundBlaster sound card, regardless of
    the actual hardware present on the machine.

To handle these differences, the install script creates links to
the current versions of the X server, the X config file, and the
conf.modules file.  Then it installs new versions of these files,
for use when booting in a VM.

At init time, a script called dualconf is run that switches the
links to point to the correct version, depending on whether you
are booting in a VM or not.  The dualconf script is installed into
/etc/rc.d/init.d, or into /etc/init.d.  This script in turn
executes either /etc/vmware/dualconf.org, or /etc/vmware/dualconf.vm.

If you wish to customize these boot time operations, then you
can edit these two scripts.


For BSD Derived Systems
-----------------------

If you are booting a BSD derived system, then the install script
will not get automatically invoked.  You can edit /etc/rc to call
the dualconf script.

In the case of a BSD derived system, the conf.modules links are
not necessary.
