I managed to successfully install VMWare Workstation 6.5.5 (64-bit) on Ubuntu 10.04 (64-bit). It works in principle but there is one issue that forced me to stick with Ubuntu 8.04 (for now):
When the guest VM is Microsoft Windows (2K, XP), the mouse cursor turns from an arrow to a hand when it hovers over the Task Bar (or close to it -- The problem is not limited to the Task Bar area but rather to an arbitrary margin on the outer side of the desktop. This margin can be as wide as 1/8 of the guest's desktop.). When the mouse moves, this hand cursor blinks and the system doesn't respond to mouse clicks. When the hand cursor blinks, the Num Lock LED on my keyboard blinks as well.
When I move the mouse cursor back to "the desktop area" (as defined in the highlighted text above), it functions normally.
That is, the problem exists only outside that "desktop area".
Obviously, this makes it very difficult (read: impossible) for me to use the Start Menu, SysTray and the rest of the Task Bar.
My workaround for now is to launch programs via their Desktop shortcuts or via the keyboard.
Note: The same exact VMWare Workstation 6.5.5 (64-bit) on Ubuntu 8.04 (64-bit) doesn't exhibit this problem.
Anyone seen this problem before? Do you know of a solution (or better workaround) to this problem?
Best Answer
The issue you have described is a known issue since Karmic and also occurs on Lucid.
The solution is to start vmware but also force VMWare to use the GTK mouse i.e.
Alternatively, you can edit
/etc/vmware/bootstrapto put the above exported environment variable before it invokes vmware.