#1 Download from www.vmware.com the latest files for vmware-forlinux, vmware-tools-xxx.exe and a license. The tools would be best loaded directly to floppy. If not download to HD, format a floppy as DOS, copy the .exe file to floppy.

#2 Create two directories in $HOME (which is /home/(your directory name: in my case /home/kantoine) 

    $HOME/vmware
    $HOME/.vmware (note the dot)

#3 Move the license into the .vmware folder and make sure its called:

license

Initial Install:

Bring up Konsole move the vmware-forlinux-xxx.tar.gz into vmware folder and type in: 

tar zxvf vmware-forlinux.xxx.tar.gz xxx rev number you have

This will undo the tarball and make directories and files in vmware.

type in:

cd vmware-distrib

this takes you into that folder and then type in: 

su password-(your root password),

when the prompt comes up type in: 

./vmware-install.pl

You are now in the actual vmware installer and you can quite safely press= ENTER to answer each question to accept the defaults.

At an early point you are asked to read the license (EULA) do so and press spacebar to get through it at the END point type in: 

q 

and immediately type in:

yes

This continues the questions just press enter. You will get another license just press spacebar and Q at END, no yes this time, the end is very near. 

When completed type in:

exit, to get out of root mode.

Ok now vmware can be run by typing in a Konsole: = vmware

Installation of windows on Linux:

You are now ready to install windows os, you can setup the bios press f2 if needed (not normally needed though). Insert the windows install floppy and go through the NORMAL, but lot slower windows installation. When its all installed the video is std vga 16 colors and you need to insert the floppy disk with the vmware tools for windows (ensure that you umount /dev/fd0 in linux first) run the executable and go into display and change the drivers, with have disk and they are in /windows/temp.

Reboot windows, it should come back up with 16 bit and 640x480, this is usually ok for vmware. Now install printer as normal with disk if necessary, install modem and dailup, install in networking microsoft network client to automate logon, in other words do a normal install, shutdown and come back up, but this time click fullscreen to fill the screen with windows, its faster this way.

Advanced Configuration:

You can now do some advanced configuration, with kedit or something similar. You start your editor and then go to the win98.cfg file and load it into the editor. Below is my configuration file from which you can cut and paste into yours, do not bother with the second cdrom unless its a std
cd drive, if its a burner use it in linux. 

Sound is no problem, if its pci it will work first time so long as you have it working on linux.

Printers are different you need to compile them into the kernel as modules not monolithic, also you need parport0 support, you also need network block support etc. You will also need to chown 666 /dev/parport0, you lose this if you reinstall virtually anything in vmware. If you like email me and
i'll send you my kernel cfg file and you can cull from there too.

I am not sure I have forgotten anything, but I will soon find out, when someone tries all this out. So who is going to be the guinea pig ?

ADDENDA

For your information only: This is my configuration setup

#!/usr/bin/vmware

# Virtual hard disk on primary master
ide0:0.present TRUE
ide0:0.fileName /home/kantoine/vmware/win98/win98.dsk
ide0:0.deviceType ata-hardDisk
ide0:0.mode persistent

# CD-ROM
ide0:1.present TRUE
ide0:1.fileName /dev/cdrom
ide0:1.deviceType atapi-cdrom

# CD-ROM
ide1:0.present TRUE
ide1:0.fileName /dev/hdd
ide1:0.deviceType atapi-cdrom

# Floppy
floppy0.present TRUE
floppy0.fileName /dev/fd0

# Networked to host only subnet
ethernet0.present TRUE
ethernet0.connectionType hostOnly

# Memory size
memsize 48

# Nvram
nvram /home/kantoine/vmware/win98/win98.nvram

# Log file
log.fileName /home/kantoine/vmware/win98/win98.log

# Hints
hint.guestOS win98

serial1.present TRUE
serial1.fileName "/dev/ttyS1"
serial1.startConnected TRUE
sound.present TRUE
sound.device "/dev/dsp"
sound.startConnected TRUE
parallel0.present TRUE
parallel0.fileName "/dev/parport0"
parallel0.bidirectional TRUE
parallel0.startConnected TRUE