VMware Communities: Message List - WS 6.0.3 not working with Linux kernel 2.6.25

Re: WS 6.0.3 not working with Linux kernel 2.6.25

ric_k — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:04:51 GMT

lagriffe wrote:

christaylor wrote:
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.

That's your explanation there. In order to build modules that will load into your kernel, you need to have kernel header files that match your running kernel. I don't know what distro you're using, but you should be able to download kernel headers that match your kernel. Then try the process again.

no, that's not the explanation. the error message says "There is probably a slight difference...". the last few days I spent my time building several kernel configurations for my debian sid/unstable box. first i tried the 2.6.25 debian packaged kernel sources and then 2.6.26 vanilla. everytime i needed to use the any-any-patches, but still it did not compile the vmmon-module. it failed at the exact same position as posted by christaylor - even though i just tried to install vmware player 2.0.4 but i believe it's the same reason.
by chance i found the vmware community posts by a user called selinux that stated that "init_mm" is not present anymore in new kernels. the only solution to that (for now) as i can see is to Enable unused/obsolete exported symbols in Kernel Hackings for your kernel configuration - and recompile the kernel.

after that vmmon compiles just fine. vmblock still does not compile, but vmware-configuration completes successfully, since vmblock is not vital.
now i can gladly report, that vmware player 2.0.4 is running just fine on my debian box with 2.6.26 vanilla kernel.

Re: WS 6.0.3 not working with Linux kernel 2.6.25

lagriffe — Wed, 07 May 2008 23:07:52 GMT

Re: WS 6.0.3 not working with Linux kernel 2.6.25

christaylor — Wed, 07 May 2008 21:26:09 GMT

I tried this, using kernel 2.6.25.2 and the any-any-update from the link you posted, but I can't get it to work. It says:

Building modules, stage 2.
MODPOST 1 modules
WARNING: "init_mm" [/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/vmmon.ko] undefined!
CC /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/vmmon.mod.o
LD [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/vmmon.ko
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/kernels/linux-2.6.25.2'
cp -f vmmon.ko ./../vmmon.o
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only'
Unable to make a vmmon module that can be loaded in the running kernel:
insmod: error inserting '/tmp/vmware-config0/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.

For more information on how to troubleshoot module-related problems, please
visit our Web site at "http://www.vmware.com/download/modules/modules.html" and
"http://www.vmware.com/support/reference/linux/prebuilt_modules_linux.html".

Execution aborted.

Re: WS 6.0.3 not working with Linux kernel 2.6.25

lagriffe — Wed, 07 May 2008 00:44:11 GMT

Got this pair working together nicely now (WS 6.0.3 and Linux kernel 2.6.25). Found a vmware-any-any-update117 mentioned in this post this post, applied it according to the poster's instructions, and ... voilà!

I confess I'm a little reluctant when I install a vmware-any-any-updateXYZ that's not from here, but in this case everything went fine.

Re: WS 6.0.3 not working with Linux kernel 2.6.25

lagriffe — Sat, 03 May 2008 09:25:50 GMT

bump

WS 6.0.3 not working with Linux kernel 2.6.25

lagriffe — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 07:46:10 GMT

List me as another user who would love to be able to run VMware WS 6.0.3 for Linux on a 2.6.25 kernel. I've toyed with patches and updates and tweaks and fixes, but I can't get the vmmon module to compile.

Most recently, I tried the manual patching described here: http://communities.vmware.com/thread/126311?tstart=0&start=0

I've also tried using pre-patched vmmon.tar and vmnet.tar that were intended to get VMware WS running on kernels 2.6.23 and 2.6.24.

I've also tried any-any-updates 115 and 116.

So far, no success.

I know that 6.5 beta works with kernel 2.6.25, but I'd prefer to stick with 6.0.3 for now.

Any proven fixes would be welcome!