SOLUTION

• ok, just solved this one as well
• in case anyone else encounters this issue, here is the solution:

vmrun command is ignoring its own config file:

• /usr/lib/vmare/vixwrapper-product-config.txt

I am not sure why, but even when you use the command as follows:

• vmrun -T player start /path/vm.vmx

... it is checking & finding vmware workstation NOT player (even if the config file has the correct version of player listed), and then complaining that workstation is not installed.

So, here is how I got around it:

1. Uninstall vmware player: vmware-installer -u vmware-player
2. Uninstall vmware-vix: vmware-installer -u vmware-vix
3. Install vmware workstation: same process as player (remember to chmod +x the bundle)

Surprisingly, what you will find is that you now have both player AND workstation installed, even though if you try installing workstation while player is already installed, the installer will tell you that it cannot do it.

It has also reinstalled VIX as part of workstation, and VIX has this time correctly picked up vmplayer ... so you may now start it at the command line with vmrun

note

• I was unable still to vmrun via ssh login from another computer
• Like myself, you may want to start this vm automatically when ubuntu boots (which it should do fine, and that is my next step also)

I am on 14.10 64-bit. Kernel 3.19. The following steps worked for me under VMware Worstation 11 and VMware Player 7.1.0: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/VMware#3.19_kernels