Hullo, I have been unable to install vmware workstation (6.0)
with recent Linux kernels (specifically 2.6.27.10). I am running
Slackware 12.1.

The installation errors vary according to the patch level
(I have tried any-any-update116 and update-2.6.27-5.5.7-2)
but all have to do with the vmmon.o module. The closest
I get is with the update-2.6.27-5.5.7-2 patch which generates
the error message:

.................................................................................................... ..............
Building modules, stage 2.
MODPOST 1 modules
WARNING: "init_mm" [/tmp/vmware-config9/vmmon-only/vmmon.ko] undefined!
CC /tmp/vmware-config9/vmmon-only/vmmon.mod.o
LD [M] /tmp/vmware-config9/vmmon-only/vmmon.ko
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.27.10'
cp -f vmmon.ko ./../vmmon.o
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-config9/vmmon-only'
Unable to make a vmmon module that can be loaded in the running kernel:
insmod: error inserting '/tmp/vmware-config9/vmmon.o': -1 Unknown symbol in module
There is probably a slight difference in the kernel configuration between the
set of C header files you specified and your running kernel. You may want to
rebuild a kernel based on that directory, or specify another directory.
.................................................................................................... ................

It's not clear to me how to proceed now. I doubt that the recommendation
to rebuild the kernel will solve the problem, because I have done this
just recently. The headers are in /lib/modules/2.6.27.10/build/include.

Has anyone succeeded in installing VMware Workstation with the
recent kernels, and if so how?

Thanks.

I remember searching for newer any-any-updates some time ago for vmware server, do they share the same patches? If yes, you may have better luck with a newer file: http://groups.google.com/group/vmkernelnewbies/files - I have not tested the newer patch(es) myself (because I switched to virtualbox), so use the link on your own risk and good luck with it

I have used VMware server with the newer kernels - after some trouble.

First question: are you using KDE?

I know it sounds strange, but I have seen situations where VMware server worked perfectly under xfce but didn't work under KDE. Don't ask me to explain, just relating my experience...

Thanks titopoquito and niels.horn for your comments.

Titopoquito: I don't know to what extent the VM server can be
equated with the VM workstation. I followed up your link, the
patches seem to predate the one I am using (update-2.6.27-5.5.7-2)
Of course this doesn't quite meet my requirements since I am
trying to install VMWare Workstation v.6.0.0

Niels.Horn: I am using xfce not KDE. Anyway this has to do
with VMWare installation not the GUI.

............................................................................................

Now, the good news is that I have succeeded with the installation,
at least in part. The fix I found is to enable the kernel option

CONFIG_UNUSED_SYMBOLS

in the Kernel hacking menu and recompile the kernel. The error
about unused symbols goes away, but now there is an error with
the vmblock module, which is not compiled (vmware-config/vmblock-only/
Linux/control.c: 153: error: 'proc_root_fs undeclared'). Luckily this
is a non-fatal error, and the installation proceeds, although the
vmblock module is absent. The installation completes and the
GUI starts up.

Thanks again for your help

@wootletootle: It has been some time since I used VM workstation, as VMware server does everything I need and had more support in Linux environments. For the latest kernels I used the (update-2.6.27-5.5.7-2) patch with success.

More recently I have been playing around with VirtualBox, which has become a very stable product and it is open source.

Niels thanks for your reply. I'm having so much trouble with the current vmware
(which I didn't have before) that I may well switch to VirtualBox which you
recommend.

As for VM workstation, I can start the GUI and configure a client (WinXP)
but can't install the OS from the bootable CD. This may be a boot order
problem, but I can't get into the virtual BIOS to change it, and nothing
I've added to the vmx file makes any difference either.

For the VM server, I downloaded the free version (v.2.0) which installed OK
but when I try and start it, instead of a GUI I get a web browser login
screen which I can't get past (I don't know what username/password
is required here).

I had several problems with VMware server 2.0, that's where I decided to try VirtualBox again.
I still use VMware server 1.07 but for some reason it only works under xfce here.

There is a good thread on getting VMware server 2.0 to work in Slackware in this forum. I can't find the link right now, but the search form should get you there.

I used the info here to get VMWare Workstation 5.5.8-108000 and kernel 2.6.27.5 working. According to the feedback on the site, others also have it working for workstation 6.

Thanks again Niels.Horn and Gilead. Your suggestions have been very useful
because they led me in the right direction. Currently I've managed to get
VM Workstation v.6.0.0.45731 working under kernel 2.6.27.5 and to install
WinXP as a guest OS (I've given up on VM Server).

I 'll mention here what IMO were the key factors which led to success.

(1) First use the patch already mentioned (vmware-update-2.6.27-5.5.7-2).
It's not specifically meant for VM Workstation v.6.0 but it seems to work.

(2) There were libraries missing from my Slack 12.1 installation, perhaps
were not installed in the first place. I discovered this by inspecting the
installation log files in /var/log/vmware. It's important to inspect the
log files, otherwise you can fall into the same trap that I did. In my
case the missing libraries were

libprelude
libpam

They have to do with the authentication protocols.

(3) With the patch applied and with the missing libraries installed
I was able to install VMware Workstation, start the GUI and create
a WinXP guest entry. However I was unable to boot from the
WinXP installation CD. I suspected that I needed to change the
boot order in the virtual BIOS, but initially I wasn't able to get
entry during boot. The trick is, as soon as the boot screen appears,
to click the mouse pointer in the boot screen console thus passing
the focus to the console. THEN press the F2 key (several times).
Once in the BIOS change the boot order so that the CDROM comes
first (don't forget to reset the order afterwards). Keep the mouse
focus in the console during WinXP installation. Finally install
VMWare Tools.

Hope this is of some help to some other poor bloke or blokess