## <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]] ... I remember just some steps (I did too many retries):

* I had to create the devices by hand because the native-install scripts fails (a lot of commands gets Killed)
* I copied passwd and group to /etc
* then I have deleted /dev/console and run native-install

It's really painful and error-prone ... some help comes from:

* adding <code>**--readonly**</code> at boot and then doing <code>**setsysops / --writable**</code>
* doing <code>**exit**</code> if the commands are killed (you get a new term but you must type tthhiiss wwaayy)
* doing <code>**export TERM=mach**</code>

I really don't know why it happens ... (I'm a Hurd newbie :-) )

I will post the exact procedure once I can reproduce it.

-- [[TWiki/AndreaSterbini]] - 2 Apr 2003