CentOS Basic Server screen resolution - VMware

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PhillyIdol
Posts: 11
Joined: 2015/08/27 18:43:19

CentOS Basic Server screen resolution - VMware

Post by PhillyIdol » 2015/08/27 19:02:53

Hey all,

Sincerely apologize if this has been asked and answered (we have gone through quite a few searches forums, whitepages, how-to's, RHEL docs, etc.), so guessing we just missed the obvious :oops: , but...

Does anyone have a quick 'how to' to install what packages on a CentOS 6.7 guest VM (Vm ver. 11) Base Server?

We're building a 'test' VM against a current physical production machine where the last Admin for that system isn't here anymore. We've 'successfully' installed VMware Tools, but the one thing we seem to be missing is making the console in VMware bigger (i.e. fit to screen). The physical system does not have a GUI, so as were mimicking the VM exactly (that and we want to become more adept at the command line interface, as we're obviously not that adept - yet ;) ), does anyone have some quick 'how to' steps on what/how to install the proper package(s) to do this.

We're still going through other docs mind you, so if we figure it out, we'll post back ASAP, but would really speed up the process with an assist.

Thanks in advance, and apologies again.
Last edited by PhillyIdol on 2015/08/27 20:04:54, edited 1 time in total.

PhillyIdol
Posts: 11
Joined: 2015/08/27 18:43:19

Re: CentOS Basic Server screen resolution - VMware

Post by PhillyIdol » 2015/08/27 20:04:31

P.S. CentOS is 64bit with kernel 2.6.32-573 (only kernel installed), vSphere Client is ver. 6, we can build the VM with VM versions 7 - 11 (11 was just the default when we built it). if we think of any other info, will post, but if any other info needed, just ask :D

PhillyIdol
Posts: 11
Joined: 2015/08/27 18:43:19

Re: CentOS Basic Server screen resolution - VMware

Post by PhillyIdol » 2015/08/31 20:03:21

So...

Based on no replies to this post (and mostly because I think I know why?), I believe the obvious escaped at the time in that we HAD said we were only using the VM with a CLI, so if we're not using a GUI, then it stands to reason that even with VMware Tools installed, you would need to enter specific command parameters that changes the display of the CLI to a different frame size (or at least that's how I understood what we found as far as the CLI screen).

Anyway, I'm thinking for the most part, we've answered our own post, that without an actual GUI running with X-11/Xorg and all that, you can't resize te display 'on the fly' (like with seamless mode in VirtualBox).

Of course, we freely admit we're not that CentOS savvy - yet, so if we're wrong (or not 'exactly' correct), feel free to drop a line.

Cheers

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InitOrNot
Posts: 122
Joined: 2015/06/10 18:26:51

Re: CentOS Basic Server screen resolution - VMware

Post by InitOrNot » 2015/08/31 22:18:30

PhillyIdol wrote:So...

Based on no replies to this post (and mostly because I think I know why?), I believe the obvious escaped at the time in that we HAD said we were only using the VM with a CLI, so if we're not using a GUI, then it stands to reason that even with VMware Tools installed, you would need to enter specific command parameters that changes the display of the CLI to a different frame size (or at least that's how I understood what we found as far as the CLI screen).

Anyway, I'm thinking for the most part, we've answered our own post, that without an actual GUI running with X-11/Xorg and all that, you can't resize te display 'on the fly' (like with seamless mode in VirtualBox).

Of course, we freely admit we're not that CentOS savvy - yet, so if we're wrong (or not 'exactly' correct), feel free to drop a line.

Cheers
Linux (the operating system) has a command-line based user interface (CLI), and then a graphical-based user interface (GUI) that runs on top of the CLI.

In order for your VM (or any physical machine, for that matter) to use your full screen resolution, you need drivers for your video card. You need those drivers for the CLI environment, if you want to use your full screen resolution there; and you need those drivers also for your GUI environment, if you want to use your full screen resolution also there.

The video driver for the CLI environment is called the "framebuffer" driver, and belongs to (and comes with) the Linux kernel itself.

The video driver for the GUI enviroment is called "X-Window" driver, and is shipped by the X.org project.

So what you are looking for is the framebuffer kernel module for the video card of your VM. You are running CentOS 6, that means kernel version 2.6.32.

Does the Linux kernel version 2.6.32 come with a framebuffer driver for the virtual video card in VMware vSphere 6?

I do not know, but now you are all set to search for that yourself.

PS: I do know that CentOS 5 (Linux kernel 2.6.18) does NOT come with a framebuffer driver for the VMware virtual video card, but that CentOS 7 (Linux kernel version 3.10.0) DOES have a framebuffer driver for it. Unfortunately, I have no experience with CentOS 6, so I can't tell about that version.

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InitOrNot
Posts: 122
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Re: CentOS Basic Server screen resolution - VMware

Post by InitOrNot » 2015/08/31 23:00:21

OK, as per this link ( viewtopic.php?f=13&t=51440 ) it seems to be possible to compile the "vmwgfx" framebuffer kernel module on Centos 6, which should meet your needs.

However, not only you have to compile yourself that kernel module, you have to patch it first, and install several dependencies.

I think that without great Linux expertise on your side, you should not embark on such a journey, unless you have a lot of time to burn and a test machine to trash with.

PhillyIdol
Posts: 11
Joined: 2015/08/27 18:43:19

Re: CentOS Basic Server screen resolution - VMware

Post by PhillyIdol » 2015/09/01 18:28:25

Hey InitOrNot,

Wanted to say thanks much for your reply. Freely admit we're not Linux guru's by any means, so your clear concise explanation was awesome. We've been researching your below to better understand it, so you definitely helped with giving us the leg up with it (why I personally love the Linux community). Very much appreciated. :D

Thanks again.

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