VMware workstation 7.1.5 does not compile kernel modules under openSUSE 12.1

English Virtualization
#1

Hi all, I need to use VMware workstation 7.1.5; it used to work fine under 11.4_64. with my current OS (Linux 3.1.10-1.9-desktop x86_64, 4.7.2 (4.7.2) “release 5”) it does not work; it installs fine but at first run it asks to recompile needed modules and that step fails; the error message is (appears in a window):

Cannot execute command ’ ‘’’’/usr/bin/vmware-modconfig’’’ --icon=’’‘vmware-workstation’’’ --appname=’’‘VMware’’’ --gcc=’’’/usr/bin/gcc’’’ --headers=’’’/lib/modules/3.1.10-1.9-desktop/build/include’’’ --gcc-ignore-minor ‘’.

I could not find any patches/updates on VMware website; only a similar problem with Ubuntu (but not exactly the same)
any help is greatly appreciated!

#2

I see you found the Virtualization sub-forum. But now you have a doubble post. I will close the other one.

And please use CODE tags as asked over there!

#3

thanks for closing the redundant post;
I am not using the CODE tags because this was a response on window - I will update to use the CODE tags as requested, but I do not think it applies here (it makes it easier to read though)

#4

the text:

Cannot execute command ’ ‘’’’/usr/bin/vmware-modconfig’’’ --icon=’’‘vmware-workstation’’’ --appname=’’‘VMware’’’ --gcc=’’’/usr/bin/gcc’’’ --headers=’’’/lib/modules/3.1.10-1.9-desktop/build/include’’’ --gcc-ignore-minor ‘’.

is not code - it is the message that appears on the error window

#5

On 2012-06-06 20:26, darlac wrote:
>
> the text:
>> Cannot execute command ’ ‘’’’/usr/bin/vmware-modconfig’’’
>> --icon=’’‘vmware-workstation’’’ --appname=’’‘VMware’’’
>> --gcc=’’’/usr/bin/gcc’’’
>> --headers=’’’/lib/modules/3.1.10-1.9-desktop/build/include’’’
>> --gcc-ignore-minor ‘’.
>>
> is not code - it is the message that appears on the error window

Please repost inside code tags. YES, treat it as code, it has been distorted.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.4 x86_64 “Celadon” at Telcontar)

#6

This will probably help:http://forums.opensuse.org/english/get-technical-help-here/how-faq-forums/unreviewed-how-faq/470594-installing-vmware-player-opensuse-12-1-a.html#post2432750

#7

Thanks, I will treat it as code from now on;
looking around I found this thread http://forums.opensuse.org/english/get-technical-help-here/how-faq-forums/unreviewed-how-faq/470594-installing-vmware-player-opensuse-12-1-a.html that is very relevant -
I tried to apply

vmware-modconfig --console --install-all

as suggested and I get the error:

Stopping VMware services:
   VMware USB Arbitrator                                               done
   VM communication interface socket family                            done
   Virtual machine communication interface                             done
   Virtual machine monitor                                             done
   Blocking file system                                                done
Using 2.6.x kernel build system.
make: Entering directory `/tmp/vmware-root/modules/vmmon-only'
make -C /lib/modules/3.1.10-1.9-desktop/build/include/.. SUBDIRS=$PWD SRCROOT=$PWD/. \
  MODULEBUILDDIR= modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-3.1.10-1.9-obj/x86_64/desktop'
  CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-root/modules/vmmon-only/linux/driver.o
/tmp/vmware-root/modules/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:788:59: error: ‘SPIN_LOCK_UNLOCKED’ undeclared here (not in a function)
make[4]: *** [/tmp/vmware-root/modules/vmmon-only/linux/driver.o] Error 1
make[3]: *** [_module_/tmp/vmware-root/modules/vmmon-only] Error 2
make[2]: *** [sub-make] Error 2
make[1]: *** [all] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-3.1.10-1.9-obj/x86_64/desktop'
make: *** [vmmon.ko] Error 2
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-root/modules/vmmon-only'
Unable to install vmmon

I now believe if I can install vmmon will solve my problems, but I cannot find a way to do so

#8

vmmon is one of the modules compiled by the vmware installer. Did you install all dependencies - Kernel-source, gcc, etc?

You may want to search vmware forums also.

#9

yes, all the required dependencies are installed - I am afraid that this is incompatibility on purpose? to force purchasing always new licenses?
downloaded a trial version of workstation 8.0 and this one seems to work fine -

#10

On 2012-06-07 00:06, brunomcl wrote:
>
> vmmon is one of the modules compiled by the vmware installer. Did you
> install all dependencies - Kernel-source, gcc, etc?

Can version 7 be compiled for a recent distro version and kernel? AFAIK,
you need version 8, or patch it.

Perhaps View
this thread here

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.4 x86_64 “Celadon” at Telcontar)

#11

I see the discussion on your proiblem now is going on, but coming back for a short moment to this:
The combinations of all sorts of non alphanumeric characters in your error message make it almost uninterpreatable when not in a fixed font. At least let us have the fixed font even if we do not have line feeds, etc. It will also prevent unintentional smileys (not in this case) and more. We know what we ask for and why.

#12

Thanks, I tried all the thread I found (also in VMforum) but there are none specific for Kernel 3 and version 7 - I will keep looking since I am not able of patch
on ubuntu forums I found that the version 7 works for Kernel 3, but they need to use a patch, that does not work for opensuse (I guess)

#13

OK, understood
here is the error message (that appears in a window):

Cannot execute command ' ''\''/usr/bin/vmware-modconfig'\'' --icon='\''vmware-workstation'\'' --appname='\''VMware'\'' --gcc='\''/usr/bin/gcc'\'' --headers='\''/lib/modules/3.1.10-1.9-desktop/build/include'\'' --gcc-ignore-minor ''.
#14

On Thu, 07 Jun 2012 17:56:03 +0000, darlac wrote:

> I will keep looking since I am not able of patch on ubuntu forums I
> found that the version 7 works for Kernel 3, but they need to use a
> patch, that does not work for opensuse (I guess)

Actually, it probably would work. IIRC, the patches for this kind of
thing patch the VMware sources that have to be compiled.

Jim

–
Jim Henderson
openSUSE Forums Administrator
Forum Use Terms & Conditions at http://tinyurl.com/openSUSE-T-C

#15

> yes, all the required dependencies are installed - I am afraid that this
> is incompatibility on purpose? to force purchasing always new licenses?
> downloaded a trial version of workstation 8.0 and this one seems to
> work fine -

VMware does not keep updating past versions. Version 7 is fairly old at this
point so not really surprising it doesn’t compile. Basically if you want to
stay with VMware you have to keep on their upgrade schedule. If you go with
something else, you’ll be on their upgrade schedule. Wheels on the bus go
round and round, round and round, round and round…

#16

On 2012-06-07 21:35, GofBorg wrote:
>> yes, all the required dependencies are installed - I am afraid that this
>> is incompatibility on purpose? to force purchasing always new licenses?
>> downloaded a trial version of workstation 8.0 and this one seems to
>> work fine -
>
> VMware does not keep updating past versions. Version 7 is fairly old at this
> point so not really surprising it doesn’t compile. Basically if you want to
> stay with VMware you have to keep on their upgrade schedule. If you go with
> something else, you’ll be on their upgrade schedule. Wheels on the bus go
> round and round, round and round, round and round…

Yes, but it is actually Linux which forces the change. If Linux had not
changed the kernel, vmware would not have to change their side to adapt. It
is then a question of whether they do the adaptation free of charge or not.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.4 x86_64 “Celadon” at Telcontar)

#17

> Yes, but it is actually Linux which forces the change.

Actually the user forces the change, if they don’t update the kernel
no change is usually necessary. Now, is it advisable to not update the
kernel? Perhaps not if there is a security exposure that affects them. For a
paid product I would expect updates for a given period which is generally
what they do, until you hit the next version change.

#18

On 2012-06-11 19:35, GofBorg wrote:
>> Yes, but it is actually Linux which forces the change.
>
> Actually the user forces the change, if they don’t update the kernel
> no change is usually necessary. Now, is it advisable to not update the
> kernel? Perhaps not if there is a security exposure that affects them. For a
> paid product I would expect updates for a given period which is generally
> what they do, until you hit the next version change.

Well, if you had bought Windows XP, you could buy a product for it and
continue using it, with updates to both, for something like 8 years :slight_smile:

Perhaps.

Proprietary software has it very difficult to keep up a product with Linux,
because the APIs change. Definitions disappear from the kernel and their
products stop working. So the user would have to go to a LTS version, which
in the case of openSUSE means SLES/SLED, and is as expensive or more than XP.

And no, I’m neither advocating Windows nor proprietary software :slight_smile:

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.4 x86_64 “Celadon” at Telcontar)

#19

Hi
My VMware workstation 6.5.5 doesn’t work on SLED 11 SP2…kernel is too
new… I did patch and get the modules compiling, but the rest of the
code didn’t work… I use virtualbox now and vmware player for the
workstation vm’s.

–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 11 (x86_64) Kernel 3.0.31-0.9-default
up 2:06, 2 users, load average: 0.43, 0.34, 0.33
CPU Intel i5 CPU M520@2.40GHz | Intel Arrandale GPU

#20

On 2012-06-11 23:48, malcolmlewis wrote:

> Hi
> My VMware workstation 6.5.5 doesn’t work on SLED 11 SP2…kernel is too
> new… I did patch and get the modules compiling, but the rest of the
> code didn’t work… I use virtualbox now and vmware player for the
> workstation vm’s.

Yes, that’s, more or less, my solution, too, I use vmplayer. I prefer the
server version, but they don’t maintain it. I don’t contemplate switching
to workstation because I fear being left drowning in the water.

virtualbox is not valid for me because I want support for old oses like
windows me.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.4 x86_64 “Celadon” at Telcontar)