Download the ISO for Ubuntu Server version 17 from here –
https://ubuntu.com/download/desktop
The Desktop version has a desktop UI you can interact with. The Server version is command line only.
Starting with the Server version will help you learn Unix command line.
Once the ISO file has downloaded, click the Storage tab, then click Datastore Browser.
Next, create a folder called ISO. I typically like to store ISO images in a ISO folder on the VMWare server.
Upload the ISO to the folder.
Now lets launch a new virtual machine.
Select Create a New Virtual Machine
Enter data similar to shown.
Select data store
Tweak any configuration settings. You could like to your Ubuntu IOS file here.
Example summary, click finish and start the machine.
Select the proper country.
Install Ubuntu
Select Language
Select location
Select no to detecting keyboard layout, then on next screen select English.
The install will continue and install files.
Now setup the user name and password. Select No when asked to encrypt home directory. Select time zone
Enter a password for MySQL Root user, probably the same one you’ve used, although it is a bad idea to re-use passwords on Internet sites!
Once the login is up you can now install Putty to connect to it remotely.
ALT and CTRL at the same time will get you out of the console window in VMWare.
Download Putty from http://www.putty.org/
Running the command ifconfig should get you the IP address of your Ubuntu box.
Type that IP address into the browser on your computer and you should see this.