VMWare Linux parameter

/etc/sysctl.conf

# vm.swappiness = 0	The kernel will swap only to avoid an out of memory condition.
vm.swappiness = 0

# TCP SYN Flood Protection
net.ipv4.tcp_syncookies = 1
net.ipv4.tcp_max_syn_backlog = 4096
net.ipv4.tcp_synack_retries = 3

Pinning kernel to 2.6 for ESX 4.1

Create /etc/apt/preferences.d/linux-image with this content:

Package: linux-image-server linux-server linux-headers-server
Pin: version 2.6.*
Pin-Priority: 1000

Autobuild of kernel drivers

Create /etc/kernel/header_postinst.d/vmware :

#!/bin/bash

# We're passed the version of the kernel being installed
inst_kern=$1

/usr/bin/vmware-config-tools.pl  --modules-only --default --kernel-version ${inst_kern}

# chmod 755 /etc/kernel/header_postinst.d/vmware

Source from VMWare

After you removed previously installed vmware-tools, just follow these steps:

1. Add this to your /etc/apt/sources.list:

deb http://packages.vmware.com/tools/esx/latest/ubuntu precise main

2. Update your package database:

# aptitude update

3. Get Module-Assistant:

# aptitude install module assistant

4. Get the base packages:

# aptitude install vmware-tools-foundation vmware-tools-libraries-nox vmware-tools-guestlib vmware-tools-core

5. Get the modules:

# aptitude install vmware-tools-{vmci,vmxnet,vsock,vmblock,vmhgfs,vmsync}-common
# aptitude install vmware-tools-{vmci,vmxnet,vsock,vmblock,vmhgfs,vmsync}-modules-source

6. Get kernel and headers:

# aptitude install linux-{image,headers}-3.2.0-52-generic

7. Compile and install the modules with module assistant

# m-a --text-mode --kvers-list 3.2.0-52-generic build vmware-tools-{vmci,vmxnet,vsock,vmblock,vmhgfs,vmsync}-modules
# m-a --text-mode --kvers-list 3.2.0-52-generic install vmware-tools-{vmci,vmxnet,vsock,vmblock,vmhgfs,vmsync}-modules