VMware Workstation 3.0 for Linux: Slow Access to IDE CD-ROM

Support knowledgebase (fhassel_vmware_cd_slow)
Applies to

SuSE Linux: Version 7.3
VMware: Version 3.0

Symptom

During the installation of a guest operating system, the CD-ROM drive is accessed very slowly, especially when copying files to an installation directory.

Cause

The cause is a problem in VMware's CD-ROM emulation that occurs in connection with certain IDE CD drives.

Solution

First update the VMware kernel modules (cf. the article Modules Prebuilt for SuSE Linux from our support database). By doing this, the access speed to a CD (both during the installation of the guest operating system and the subsequent running system) will be distinctly improved.

When installing a Windows client, you will achieve additional acceleration if you use a CD image instead of a CD as installation source. The procedure below does not apply to Linux.

Always provided you do not infringe any copyright regulations, copy your installation CD to the hard disk by entering a call similar to this:

dd if=/dev/cdrom of=/tmp/install-cd.img
Change the CD-ROM type to "CD-ROM image" in the configuration editor and insert /tmp/install-cd.img as path.

Once the installation is completed, you can undo the changes in the configuration editor and delete the image.


Keywords: VMWARE, CD, CD-ROM, CDROM, SLOW

Categories: Commercial Applications

SDB-fhassel_vmware_cd_slow, Copyright SuSE Linux AG, Nürnberg, Germany - Version: 06. Mär 2002
SuSE Linux AG - Last generated: 06. Mär 2002 by ip (sdb_gen 1.40.0)