Launching GNS-VM with HP-VT-x mode enabled in VMware Workstation 16 Pro

Introduction

This article aims to provide a step-by-step guide on launching a GNS3 Virtual Machine (VM) on HP-VT-x enabled VMware Workstation 16 Pro. For users who desperately need to work on GNS3 projects, this guide will help get you started.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding, ensure that you have the following prerequisites:

• A valid license for VMware Workstation 16 Pro
• A compatible operating system (Windows, Linux, or macOS)
• A compatible processor with VT-x support
• GNS3 software installed on the host machine

Step 1: Install VMware Workstation 16 Pro

Follow the instructions provided by VMware to install VMware Workstation 16 Pro on your host machine. You can download the installer from the VMware website and follow the on-screen instructions.

Step 2: Create a New VM

Once VMware Workstation 16 Pro is installed, create a new VM using the following steps:

1. Click on "Create a New Virtual Machine" in the VMware Workstation welcome screen.
2. Select the operating system type and version that you want to install, then click "Next".
3. Customize the VM settings as per your requirements, such as the amount of RAM, number of processors, and hard disk size.
4. On the "Installation Method" screen, select "Install an operating system from an ISO file", and browse to the location of your GNS3 ISO file.
5. Click "Next" to start the installation process.

Step 3: Enable VT-x

To enable VT-x on the new VM, follow these steps:

1. Power on the VM and log in to the operating system.
2. Press the "Windows key + R" to open the Run dialog box, then type "bios" and press Enter.
3. Press the F2 key to enter the BIOS setup menu.
4. Navigate to the "Advanced" tab, then to "Virtualization" and enable "Intel VT-x".
5. Save and exit the BIOS setup menu.

Step 4: Install GNS3 on the VM

Once the VM is up and running, install GNS3 on it using the following steps:

1. Open a terminal or command prompt window and update the package index:
sudo apt update
2. Install the required dependencies:
sudo apt install -y build-essential git python3-dev python3-pip
3. Clone the GNS3 repository:
git clone https://github.com/GNS3Project/gns3-server.git
4. Navigate to the cloned repository:
cd gns3-server
5. Install the dependencies:
pip install -r requirements.txt
6. Install GNS3:
python3 setup.py install

Step 5: Launch GNS3

Once GNS3 is installed, launch it from the VM: