This is a common error.
Explanation:
------------
Vmware has to interface with the nuts-n-bolts hardware of the machine. In order to do that, it has to 'talk to' the kernel (the linux kernel is the core of the operating system... the 'main piece of the puzzle').
In order to talk to the kernel, it has to have a reference module for doing so... but there aren't many built into Vmware, so the configure program tries to build one for you.
In order to build one, it requires that you have a matching kernel and kernel-devel (kernel headers) installed.
This can be done in command prompt (terminal) by the following...
yum update kernel
(let it run -- click yes to everything).
yum install kernel-devel
(let it run -- click yes to everything).
Solution:
---------
You SHOULD be able to run the Vmware configuration again... click 'yes' to "should we build a module from scratch", and then it should automatically pick up where the headers are installed... if it doesn't, you may have to type in the path... something like /etc/lib/modules/2.6.18/build ... where 2.6.18 (or whatever the heck) is the number of the kernel you're running... to be sure, open up file browser and navigate to etc, then lib (or libs), then modules... and see where the "build" directory is. if you can't find one, telling vmware how to get to /etc/lib/modules/2.6.18 may be enough (or /etc/lib/modules/number_of_your_kernel).
If that doesn't work - then I would reccomend installing Vmware from source rather than from RPM or yum.
Sometime stuff just doens't work, and you have to compile it yourself.
Download the VMware source from -->
http://www.vmware.com/download/ws/
You want the source for Workstation.
The source will be in a *.tar.gz file or something like that. Just open it up, extract it to a folder.
Open up a terminal window (command prompt) and switch to super user by typeing...
su
[enter password] my_root_password
if you're already logged in as root, you don't have to do that...
Anyway...
now you can go to the directory where you extracted the source code... once in there, do the following...
./configure
--- let it run
make
--- let it run
make install
--- let it run
you shouldn't get any error messages along the way... warnings are ok, errors are not.
provided you don't have any errors, then vmware is installed (yay!)
now you can run the configure script (i think its just vmware-config.pl or something like that -- i'm not sure --- to find out, type vmware in terminal... it'll say something like "hey, vmware is installed but you didn't set it up, so execute vmware-config.pl [or whatever the name is] to set it up")
once your running the config, you shouldn't have anymore issues. if you do - holler back and we'll get you through it.
