How to Install VMware Tools in Linux Mint 21

Quick Insight

Installing VMware Tools on Linux Mint 21 unlocks full-screen view and fast file sharing. First, power on your guest and click VM, then "Install VMware Tools." Next, drag the tar.gz archive to the desktop and extract it. Then, run the perl install script in the terminal and restart. This simple step clears the choppy mouse and low-res display. On top of that, you can drag files straight from your host to the Mint desktop with zero delay.

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In this guide, we explain how to set up VMware Tools on a Linux Mint virtual machine. This guest package boosts the performance of your virtual machine. In addition, it lets you move files between the virtual machine and the physical computer.

Also, it turns on features like full-screen mode. We explain the setup steps for Linux Mint 21, 19, and 18. In addition, we cover file transfer steps. In short, VMware Tools improves your virtual machine experience.

Linux Mint VMware Tools Setup

How Do You Install VMware Tools on Linux Mint 21?

After you install Linux Mint with Workstation, your first task is to install VMware Tools.

You can set up VMware Tools for Workstation on Linux systems in two ways.

  1. VMware Tools menu: Install it with the tools inside VMware Workstation.
  2. Terminal: Use a command to download and install VMware Tools.

In this article, we install VMware Tools through the terminal. Sometimes it works better to install the Linux guest tools from the terminal. That is because installing VMware Tools through VMware Workstation can cause errors in some cases.

In our last article, we covered how to install Linux Mint with VMware. In this article, we install these tools on a Linux virtual system that you set up on VMware Workstation. Finally, we test file sharing between the virtual machine and the physical computer.

Step-by-Step VMware Tools Setup

The latest Mint release is 21 Virginia. After you install Linux Mint, your first task is to install VMware Tools. This software helps you use your virtual machine faster. In addition, you can use your VM in full-screen mode.

To set up VMware Tools from scratch, follow the steps below in order.

Step 1

Start your virtual machine. You will see that the View / Fit Guest Now option is inactive. This is because you did not install VMware Tools. Now click the VM / Install VMware Tools option.

VM / Install VMware Tools

Step 2

After you attach the setup image to the system, drag the tar.gz file to the desktop and drop it.

Copy VMTools.tar.gz to Desktop

Step 3

Next, open the Tools.tar.gz file. After that, drag the distrib folder to the desktop.

Extract VMware-Tools-Distrib Folder

Step 4

Run the setup with the vmware-install.pl file in the distrib folder.

Use the Vmware-install.pl File

Complete VMware Tools Setup with the Terminal

Step 1

Open the Terminal on the virtual machine. List the vmware-tools-distrib folder. To start the VMware Tools setup, run the sudo ./vmware-install.pl command. To finish the setup, keep pressing Enter.

sudo ./vmware-install.pl

sudo ./vmware-install.pl command

Step 2

After you finish the Linux Mint VMware Tools setup, restart the VM.

Restart Linux Mint Virtual Machine

Step 3

Restart your Mint virtual guest system.

Restart Linux Mint VM

Mint shares its core with Ubuntu. Yet, small GUI traits can tweak setup steps. Setting up guest tools on Ubuntu may need extra steps. Try this path on different desktops to see how it works.

Full-Screen Mode and File Copy Test

Step 1

After setup, you can put your Mint virtual machine in full-screen mode. To do this, click the View / Fit Guest Now option.

Select View / Fit Guest Now Option

Step 2

Now you can use your virtual machine in full-screen mode. In addition, you can transfer files with your physical computer.

Virtual Machine Full Screen Mode

Step 3

Create a new text document on the host. Drag the file to the virtual machine desktop and drop it. This tests the file-copy process. As the image below shows, the copy between the host and the virtual system works.

Copy File Between Host and VM

Video

VMware Tools setup on the latest Mint release, 21, matches the steps above. Therefore, you can watch the video below to install the drivers for release 21.

Video Thumbnail
Watch on YouTube

Guest Tools Setup for Linux Mint 18 & 19 Releases

After you install VMware Tools, you use the virtual machine at full resolution. In addition, you can use hardware like USB 3.0 and a webcam. Most importantly, you can share documents between your computer and the guest.

Steps:

Step 1

Start your virtual machine. Then check the Fit Guest Now option in the View menu. In the image below, you see that the guest package is missing.

VM Tools Setup

Step 2

For the Linux Mint VMware Tools setup, open the terminal on the desktop.

Open in Terminal

Step 3

To check the internet connection, ping a site. For example, use the ping -c 3 www.google.com command.

ping -c 3 www.google.com

Step 4

To update the software packages on your system, run the sudo apt-get update command.

sudo apt-get update

Use sudo apt-get update command

Step 5

To download and install the software, run the command below.

sudo apt-get install open-vm-tools-desktop -y

sudo apt-get install open-vm-tools-desktop -y command

Step 6

Now restart the virtual machine by running the shutdown -r now command.

shutdown -r now

shutdown -r now command

Step 7

After the virtual machine restarts, you see that the Fit Guest Now option is active. To expand the virtual machine screen, click Fit Guest Now.

Select Fit Guest Now

Step 8

After you click Fit Guest Now, the screen resolution of the virtual machine appears as shown in the image below.

VM in Full Screen Mode

File Transfer Between the Physical Computer and the Virtual Machine

After the VMware Tools setup on Linux Mint, you can transfer files between the physical computer and the VM.

Step 1

Create a test.txt file on the physical computer. Try to move the file to the virtual machine.

Transfer a File

Step 2

You copied the test.txt file to the virtual machine successfully.

Copy File from Host to Guest

Step 3

Open the test.txt file on the virtual machine. Type 123 in it. Then click the Save button to save the file.

View Text Document

Step 4

Drag the test.txt file from the VM to the host machine and drop it. Then click the “Replace the file in the destination” option.

Replace File in Destination

Step 5

Now open the test.txt file on the physical computer. Then check that the file content has changed.

Check Text.txt File

Video

Video Thumbnail
Watch on YouTube

Linux Mint & VMware Tools FAQ

Is the terminal or the virtual CD method more reliable?

In my view, the terminal is always more reliable. The virtual CD method sometimes produces an error when it opens the .tar.gz file. You install the open-vm-tools-desktop package with one command in the terminal, and updates arrive automatically.
To be clear, I prefer the terminal. That is because the command line gives you full control. If an error appears, you see it immediately, and you find the fix faster.
Still, if you want to try the virtual CD, click “Install VMware Tools” in the VMware menu. The ISO attaches automatically, and then you run the script. However, be aware that this path sometimes causes a module error.

What is the difference between open-vm-tools and the official Tools package, and which one should I pick?

open-vm-tools is open source, and Linux distributions recommend it. The official package is closed source and carries VMware’s own signature. Both do the same job: scale the screen, copy files, and detect hardware.
The key point is this: you install open-vm-tools with the package manager. So when you run sudo apt update, it updates automatically. With the official tool, you update manually for each release.
On distributions such as Mint, choose the open-vm-tools-desktop package. One command does the job, and updates arrive automatically. I have used this path for years and have never regretted it.

Why does screen scaling break after setup, and how do you fix it?

A missing package usually causes the scaling issue. If open-vm-tools-desktop is not installed, VMware does not see the screen. If the graphics card driver is also old, the resolution remains stuck.
First, type this command in the terminal: sudo apt install open-vm-tools-desktop. Then restart the virtual machine. It is that simple.
If it still does not work, click View > Fit Guest Now in the VMware menu. Sometimes you also need to change the resolution manually in the display settings inside the guest OS. Once you set that option correctly, it will not break again.

Which command can I use to check if VMware Tools are installed?

Open the terminal and type vmware-toolbox-cmd -v. If you see a version number, the tools are working. For example, you get output like “12.5.0”.
As an alternative, try the systemctl is-active vmtoolsd command. An “active” response shows that the service is running.
There is also a simple method: drag a file from the host to the virtual machine. If the copy works, the setup is complete. In addition, if the Fit Guest Now option in the View menu is active, the tools are working.

If drag-and-drop and clipboard copy do not work, which steps should I follow?

First, shut the virtual machine down completely, then restart it. Most of the time, a simple restart fixes the issue. That is because services sometimes become stuck.
If it does not work, remove and reinstall the open-vm-tools-desktop package. Type sudo apt install –reinstall open-vm-tools-desktop in the terminal. This step restores missing files.
As a last resort, run VMware Workstation with administrator rights. Sometimes permissions become mixed up, and administrator mode fixes that. With these three steps, I have always resolved the issue so far.

If I receive a “modules” or kernel header error during setup, what is the fix?

This error comes from missing kernel headers. First, install the needed packages: sudo apt install build-essential dkms linux-headers-$(uname -r). This command installs the compiler and the headers.
After that, restart the setup. VMware modules cannot compile without the headers, so you must not skip this step.
If Secure Boot is enabled, unsigned modules may refuse to load. Turn off Secure Boot in the BIOS or sign the modules manually. Most guides skip this detail, and then you may spend hours on it.

I cannot switch between screens when I use multiple monitors, so what should I do?

First, make sure you installed the latest open-vm-tools-desktop package. Multiple-monitor support comes with this package. Switching between screens does not work in old releases.
Put the virtual machine in full-screen mode. A “Cycle multiple monitors” button appears on the full-screen toolbar. When you click that button, the cursor moves between monitors.
If there is still no switching, open the Display section in the VMware settings. Turn off the “Accelerate 3D graphics” option. Some graphics card drivers conflict with this setting, and turning it off fixes the issue.

How do you create a shared folder between the host machine and the virtual machine?

Follow the path VM > Settings > Options > Shared Folders in the VMware menu. Check the “Always enabled” box, then click the Add Folder button. Pick a directory on the host and give it a name.
Open the terminal inside the virtual machine. Create a mount point with the sudo mkdir /mnt/hgfs command. Then run the sudo vmhgfs-fuse .host:/ /mnt/hgfs -o allow_other command.
Now your host folder appears under /mnt/hgfs. Drop files there, and they sync immediately. This method is a lifesaver when drag-and-drop does not work.

Is there a known incompatibility between Linux Mint 21.x releases and VMware Workstation 17?

In general, they work together, but the kernel release affects compatibility. Mint 21.3 comes with kernel 5.15 by default, and Workstation 17 runs on this kernel without issues.
However, if you upgrade to kernel 6.8, a compile error can appear in the vmmon and vmnet modules. In this case, community patches are available. Until official support arrives, you can use patched modules as an option.
My tip: stay on Mint 21.3 and keep kernel 5.15. After all, Mint 21 has support until 2027. If all works well, you do not need to take unnecessary risks.

Which commands should I use to fully remove and reinstall VMware Tools?

First, remove the open-source release: sudo apt purge open-vm-tools open-vm-tools-desktop. Then run the sudo apt autoremove command to delete leftover dependencies.
To remove the official tools, run the sudo /usr/bin/vmware-uninstall-tools.pl script. This script removes the remnants of the old setup.
Finally, restart the virtual machine. For the reinstall, use the sudo apt install open-vm-tools-desktop -y command. If you want a clean start, you must not skip this order.

Conclusion

In short, installing VMware Tools on Linux Mint boosts performance. In addition, it makes file transfer between the virtual machine and the computer easier. When you follow the steps in this guide, you improve your experience on virtual systems.

In addition, you enjoy features such as full-screen mode. Moreover, file sharing enhances the virtual environment. Whether you use Mint 21, 19, or 18, the guest software improves your VM experience.

Also, you can run Linux Mint on your physical host machine. Setting up VMware Workstation on Linux Mint greatly speeds up your testing. In my experience, the software runs very stable with a matching kernel.

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Tolga Bagci

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Computer Expert System Networking Virtualization

Hi, I'm Tolga, a computer expert with 20 years of experience. I help fix computer issues with things like hardware, systems, networks, virtualization, servers, and operating systems. Check out my website for helpful info, and feel free to ask me anything. Keep yourself in the loop about the newest technologies!

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1 Reader Comment

  1. Interesting: Linux 20: Drag and Drop from client desktop to host desktop works. Maximizing screen works.
    But, hooking up a shared folder doesn’t.
    And VMware Fusion doesn’t think the tools are installed.

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