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How to install Fedora 27 on VMWare Workstation 12

Published: March 4, 2018 (Updated: Mar 4, 2018)
#Fedora #VMware Workstation #Virtualization

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Revive Your PC! The Ultimate Guide to Installing Fedora 27 on VMware Workstation

Welcome back to Darren’s Tech Tutorials!

Fedora is one of the most powerful and reliable open-source operating systems available today. It’s not just stable—it’s also remarkably lightweight, making it an excellent choice for breathing new life into older laptops or PCs that might be struggling under heavier operating systems.

In this comprehensive guide, we are going to walk you through the entire process of setting up and installing Fedora 27 inside a virtual machine environment using VMware Workstation 12. Whether you are testing out Fedora for the first time or setting up a secure lab environment, this tutorial will give you the confidence to get up and running quickly.

Let’s dive in and get Fedora installed!

What You Need Before You Start

Before we begin, make sure you have the following prerequisites ready:

  1. VMware Workstation: We are using version 12, but these steps should be transferable to newer versions.
  2. Fedora 27 ISO File: This is the installation media for the operating system.

(If you still need the software, you can grab the official Fedora 27 Workstation ISO here: https://getfedora.org/en/workstation/download)

Step 1: Downloading the Fedora 27 ISO File

The very first step in our journey is securing the installation file.

Navigate to the official Fedora download page (linked above) and grab the Workstation edition ISO file. It’s crucial to have this file downloaded and easily accessible on your host machine, as we will need to point VMware directly to it when creating the new virtual machine.

Once the download is complete, you are ready to move on to the virtualization setup!

Step 2: Creating the Virtual Machine in VMware Workstation

Now we will use VMware Workstation to create a blank computer customized specifically for Fedora 27.

2.1 Start the New Virtual Machine Wizard

  1. Open VMware Workstation.
  2. Click File > New Virtual Machine (or use the shortcut on the Home screen).
  3. Select the Typical (recommended) configuration and click Next.

2.2 Point to the Installation Media

On the next screen, you have three options. We want to select the second one: Installer disc image file (iso).

  1. Click Browse and navigate to the location where you saved the Fedora 27 ISO file.
  2. Select the ISO and click Next. (VMware should automatically detect the OS type as Fedora/Linux).

2.3 Name the Machine and Set Location

  1. Virtual machine name: Choose a descriptive name, like Fedora 27 Tutorial.
  2. Location: Choose where you want the virtual machine files to be stored on your hard drive. Ensure you have enough space!

2.4 Specify Disk Capacity

This step determines the maximum size of the virtual hard drive Fedora will use.

  1. We recommend setting the Maximum disk size to at least 20 GB for a comfortable desktop environment, though 40 GB is safer if you plan on installing many applications.
  2. Select Store virtual disk as a single file (usually the recommended setting unless you have specific file size constraints).
  3. Click Next.

2.5 Review and Customize Hardware

The final configuration screen allows you to review your settings.

  1. Click Customize Hardware. Here, you should increase the Memory (RAM) assigned to the VM. For modern desktop Linux, we recommend at least 2 GB (2048 MB) for smooth performance.
  2. You can also increase the number of Processors if your host machine has many cores available.
  3. Click Close, then click Finish to create the new VM.

Your new Fedora virtual machine is now ready to boot!

Step 3: Stepping Through the Fedora 27 Installation Process

The setup is complete—now it’s time to install the operating system itself!

3.1 Initial Boot and Launching the Installer

  1. Power on your newly created Virtual Machine (click Power on this virtual machine).
  2. Fedora will boot into a live environment. On the initial startup screen, select Start Fedora-Workstation-Live 27.
  3. Once the desktop loads, you will see an icon labeled Install to Hard Drive. Double-click this icon to start the graphical installer.

3.2 Setting Language and Region

  1. Language Selection: Choose your preferred installation language.
  2. On the main installer hub, you will see several sections grouped under INSTALLATION SUMMARY. We need to configure at least three key settings: Keyboard, Time & Date, and Installation Destination.

3.3 Configuring Time and Destination

  1. Keyboard and Language: Confirm or adjust your keyboard layout.
  2. Time & Date: Click this section and select your geographical location to set the correct time zone.
  3. Installation Destination: This is the most crucial step. Click on the virtual hard drive (the 20 GB disk we created in Step 2). Ensure it is selected.
    • Under Other Storage Options, choose Automatically configure partitioning. This allows the installer to set up the necessary partitions (e.g., boot, root, swap) without manual effort.
    • Click Done.

3.4 Beginning the Installation

Once all necessary settings have been confirmed (the warning icons disappear), the Begin Installation button will activate. Click it!

The installation process will now copy the files to your virtual hard disk. While this is happening, the installer will prompt you to set up your final user configurations:

  1. ROOT Password: Set a secure password for the root user (the administrative user).
  2. User Creation: Create your standard user account, including your username and password.

Wait for the installation to complete. This usually takes between 10 to 30 minutes, depending on your host computer’s speed.

3.5 Finishing Up

Once the installer reports that the installation is complete, click Finish Installation.

You can now power off the virtual machine, remove the Fedora 27 ISO file from the VM settings (to prevent rebooting into the installer), and reboot the VM.

Congratulations! You are now running Fedora 27 inside VMware Workstation.

Conclusion

You’ve successfully mastered the steps necessary to install Fedora 27 in a virtual machine! Fedora is a powerful, flexible, and fun OS to work with, and running it in VMware gives you a safe environment to learn, test, and develop.

Ready to explore your new operating system? Dive into the vast world of Linux applications and enjoy the stability that Fedora offers!

If this guide helped you get Fedora up and running, please give this post a share, and don’t forget to Like the accompanying video and Subscribe to Darren’s Tech Tutorials for more clear, practical technology guides every week!

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