Fix VMWare Graphical Installation Problems When Installing SUSE Linux

Novell Cool Solutions: Trench
By Aaron Gresko

Digg This - Slashdot This Posted: 1 Aug 2005

Problem

When installing a SUSE Linux distribution in VMWare, the graphical install either fails to start and sends the install to text mode or the graphical YaST screen is split into four sections in the display.

Solution

This is a problem with the frame buffer in VMWare. Alternatives to the problem are doing a text-mode installation or doing a VNC installation.

The graphical installation can be run successfully though by using the x11i boot option when starting the installation. The solution is to force the installation to use a simple frame buffer device instead of an autodetected device.

At the installation menu, select Installation and on the boot options line enter x11i=fbdev.

For additional information on using the x11i parameter, see http://support.novell.com/techcenter/sdb/en/2001/09/snwint_bootparameter.html.

Reader Comments

• Bingo. Just what I was looking for. Thanks.
• Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks.
• Very good, why don't they know this by VMWare.
• Great , but ... when using ctrl-alt-f1,f2 to open a terminal, this screen is split in the four screens we first started with.... Problem is fixed in SLES10
• Extremely useful entry. Worked great for me. Thxs for the tip.
• Great, didn't know about that boot option
• excellent information. The 4-screen problem was driving me nuts!
• That hit the spot - thanks!
• Worked great. Thank you.
• quick effective solution Thanks............
• Great information, worked for me .Thxs for the tips
• Excellent was looking for a long time for this problem! Any idea regarding VMWare and keyboard problems? (hitting a key sometimes displays the letter multiple times)
• Very useful. Does VMware on SLP 9.3 also work using this option. I am using SLP 9.0 since VMware on 2.6 is very horrible.
• I've been searching for this in knowledgebase for months - Maybe someone should put it there too??
• Thanks to you
• Thanks, Aaron!!
• Got it fast from a simple Google search. Solved the problem immaculately. Kudos.
• Well Aaron, you deserve a great bunch of flowers. Thanks very much!!!!!!!
• Nice one. A simple yet much wanted workaround.
• Awesome!
• really easy to find
• Just what I needed! - Thanks

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