How to Install VMware Player 7.1.2 on Ubuntu/Linux Mint

VMware Workstation Player is a streamlined desktop virtualization application that runs one or more operating systems on the same computer without rebooting. Using VMware, we can easily interact and exchange data between applications running on the virtual machine and the desktop. It supports hundreds of guest operating systems weather it may be new or old. This article describes “how to install VMware Player on Ubuntu”.

Installing VMware

To install VMware, Linux essential headers is required. For this, use the following command to install Linux essentials headers –

# sudo apt-get install build-essential linux-headers-`uname -r`

The sample output should be like this –

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
build-essential is already the newest version.
linux-headers-4.2.0-34-generic is already the newest version.
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
   libbs2b0 libopusfile0 libqmmp-misc libqmmpui0 libsidplayfp
   linux-headers-4.2.0-27 linux-headers-4.2.0-27-generic
   linux-image-4.2.0-27-generic linux-image-extra-4.2.0-27-generic
   linux-signed-image-4.2.0-27-generic php7.0-opcache
Use 'apt-get autoremove' to remove them.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 8 not upgraded.

To install VMware Player 7.1.2 under Ubuntu 15.04/14.10 or older and Linux Mint, run the following process –

Step1 − Create a directory for WMware as shown below-

# mkdir ~/VMware && cd ~/VMware

Now download VMware bundle as shown below –

#wget -c https://goo.gl/p7z5MG -O VMware-Player-7.1.2.x86_64.bundle.tar

The sample output should be like this –

--2016-03-17 11:34:11-- https://goo.gl/p7z5MG
Resolving goo.gl (goo.gl)... 216.58.196.110, 2404:6800:4007:806::200e
Connecting to goo.gl (goo.gl)|216.58.196.110|:443... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 301 Moved Permanently
Location: https://softwareupdate.vmware.com/cds/vmw-desktop/player/7.1.2/2780323/linux/core/VMware-Player-7.1.2-2780323.x86_64.bundle.tar [following]
--2016-03-17 11:34:12-- https://softwareupdate.vmware.com/cds/vmw-desktop/player/7.1.2/2780323/linux/core/VMware-Player-7.1.2-2780323.x86_64.bundle.tar
Resolving softwareupdate.vmware.com (softwareupdate.vmware.com)... 23.44.72.198, 2600:140b:13:395::2ef, 2600:140b:13:38a::2ef
Connecting to softwareupdate.vmware.com (softwareupdate.vmware.com)|23.44.72.198|:443... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: 211128320 (201M) [application/x-tar]
Saving to: ‘VMware-Player-7.1.2.x86_64.bundle.tar’
...................................................................

Use tar command to unzip the bundle files as shown below –

# tar -xvf VMware-Player-7.1.2.x86_64.bundle.tar

The sample output should be like this –

descriptor.xml
VMware-Player-7.1.2-2780323.x86_64.bundle

Now change the directory permissions as shown below –

# chmod +x VMware-Player*.bundle

Now extract VMbundle as shown below command –

# sudo sh VMware-Player-7.1.2*.bundle

The output should be like this –

Now accept the terms in the license agreement radio button and press next button. Follow the regular installation process. Finally, you will get a screen as shown below –

To open VMware player, use the following command –

# vmplayer

Congratulations! Now, you know “How to Install VMware Player 7.1.2 on Ubuntu/Linux Mint”. We’ll learn more about these types of commands in our next Linux post. Keep reading!