## <a name="Why_not_vmware_"> Why not vmware? </a>

**_Q:_** GNU won't work in [[VmWare]], it hangs when reaching the Hurd bootstrap.

**_A:_** Note that Vmware is not supported software to run the Hurd on it. Reasons include:

1. Vmware is not [free software](http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html), which is against our philosophy.
2. Obtaining a licensed copy to debug it costs (at least) $300.
3. Vmware's sources and specification are not publicly available, which makes debugging tasks really painful.
4. GNU is not in [Vmware's official supported operating systems page](http://www.vmware.com/support/ws3/doc/ws32_guestos2.html#1034043).

We recommend to use [free](http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html) alternatives, like the [[BochsEmulator]].

-- [[Main/RobertMillan]] - 23 Jul 2002

I have been able to install Debian/Hurd K2 on [[VmWare]] ...

* [[VmWare]] 3.02 complains a lot about a missing **console** and shows a lot of errors
  * They can be solved by manually creating the devices
* I have tried **Bochs 2.0**, Debian/Hurd K2 installs with no problems at all.
* [[VmWare]] 4.0.0 works fine ... just follow the Hurd install instructions.

-- [[TWiki/AndreaSterbini]] - 22 Apr 2003