This document outlines the steps to install VMware tools on Redhat 5.4. This document assumes a fresh vanilla install as described in the post
Installing RedHat 5.4 64 bit.

To begin log into your RedHat server as a user and right click on the desktop to open a terminal window.

Enter the command su and enter your root password to become root.

Change directories to the temp directory:

cd /tmp

From the VMWare file menu click on VM and click on “Install VMware Tools”

Enter the following command to mount the cdrom:

mount -o ro /dev/cdrom /mnt

Enter the following command to copy files from the /mnt mointpoint to the current directory (/tmp):

cp /mnt/* .

There are two files: an rpm and a tar.gz archive. I have not had the best of luck with the rpm, so instead we will install the generic way using the perl script contained within the archive.

Enter the following to unzip the archive:

gunzip VM*.gz
tar -xvf VM*.tar

Change directories to the newly created vmware-tools-distrib directory:

cd vmware-tools-distrib

Enter the following to execute the vmware-install perl script:

perl vmware-install.pl

Continue to press Enter at prompts to accept defaults until script completes

Script completes in about a minute and you’re all done

Please post questions or comments below