Debian 4.0 on VMware Player 2.0.5 on WinXP Pro SP3 keybounce, network, clock issues

["David Christensen" <dpchrist@holgerdanske.com>]

debian-user:

VMware doesn't seem to offer publicly visible support, so I'm posting here.


I am running VMware Player 2.0.5:

    http://www.vmware.com/products/player/

on Windows XP Pro SP3 with a Debian 4.0 client:

    http://www.vmware.com/appliances/directory/808

I ran into keybounce, network, and clock issues:

1.  When I would touch type into the virtual machine console (~50 wpm),
keystrokes would get repeated -- sometimes dozens of times.  When I slow down
and type exactly one key at a time (hunt and peck), the keybounce problem goes
away.  I have found no explanation or solution to this issue, other than setting
up sshd in the virtual machine and avoiding the virtual console entirely.

2.  The eth0 network interface would not come up reliably at boot -- ~50% of the
time it would work.  I use bridged mode and DHCP on my LAN.  My work-around was
call ifdown/ ifup in /etc/rc.local:

    ifdown eth0
    ifup eth0

YMMV.

3.  The clock ran fast -- Debian would sometimes gain an hour or more per hour
of real time.  I am currently trying the work-around recommended here:

    http://kamilkisiel.blogspot.com/2008/01/vmware-linux-guest-clock.html

by telling VMware to sync the clock by adding a line to the *.vmx file
(debian-40r0-i386-netinst.vmx):

    tools.syncTime = true

I also installed ntpdate in Debian and added a line to rc.local to set the clock
on boot (it's usually off 5-15 minutes):

    ntpdate 0.debian.pool.ntp.org


I've beat my head against these issues and various other solutions in the past:

4.  One work-around for FreeBSD clients was to change a kernel setting for the
interrupt timer from 1,000 interrupts/second to 100 interrupts/second.  I
believe it helped, but don't know if/how to do that on Debian.

5.  Running ntp inside Debian kinda sorta helped #3, but the above URL cautions
against that.


The exact same issues were present with VMware Player 2.0.4.  I ran VMware
Server 1.0.4 in the past, and seem to recall similar issues.


Is anyone else running a Debian virtual machines under VMware products?  Have
you run into similar issues?  How did you address them?  Have you found VMware
products that don't have these issues?  Are there other virtualization
technologies or products that work better?


David