Can't compile modules using Workstation 10.1 on Ubuntu 12.04 with kernel 3.8.11

[clang1]

Hi, I get the following errors building the vmci module.

make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/kernel-next'
  CC [M]  /tmp/modconfig-Qsufdw/vmci-only/linux/driver.o
  CC [M]  /tmp/modconfig-Qsufdw/vmci-only/common/vmciContext.o
/tmp/modconfig-Qsufdw/vmci-only/linux/driver.c: In function ‘LinuxDriver_Ioctl’:
/tmp/modconfig-Qsufdw/vmci-only/linux/driver.c:740:12: error: incompatible types when assigning to type ‘VMCIHostUser’ from type ‘kuid_t’
make[2]: *** [/tmp/modconfig-Qsufdw/vmci-only/linux/driver.o] Error 1
make[2]: *** Waiting for unfinished jobs....
make[1]: *** [_module_/tmp/modconfig-Qsufdw/vmci-only] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/kernel-next'
make: *** [vmci.ko] Error 2
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/modconfig-Qsufdw/vmci-only'
Failed to build vmci.  Failed to execute the build command.
Starting VMware services:
   Virtual machine monitor                                             done
   Virtual machine communication interface                            failed
   VM communication interface socket family                           failed
   Blocking file system                                                done
   Virtual ethernet                                                    done
   VMware Authentication Daemon                                        done

Is there a fix or workaround?

Thanks

[mfellerer]

Hi Clang1,

Hit the exact same issue today - and since no one else reported the problem or the solution, guessed it be a good idea to leave a reply.

Error stack in my case:

==========================================================

root@mfellerer-e6420:/usr/lib/vmware/modules/source/vmci-only# make

Using 2.6.x kernel build system.

make -C /lib/modules/3.10.25-mf-e6420/build/include/.. SUBDIRS=$PWD SRCROOT=$PWD/. \

          MODULEBUILDDIR= modules

make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-3.10.25'

  CC [M]  /usr/lib/vmware/modules/source/vmci-only/linux/driver.o

/usr/lib/vmware/modules/source/vmci-only/linux/driver.c: In function ‘LinuxDriver_Ioctl’:

/usr/lib/vmware/modules/source/vmci-only/linux/driver.c:740: error: incompatible types when assigning to type ‘VMCIHostUser’ from type ‘kuid_t’

make[2]: *** [/usr/lib/vmware/modules/source/vmci-only/linux/driver.o] Error 1

make[1]: *** [_module_/usr/lib/vmware/modules/source/vmci-only] Error 2

make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-3.10.25'

make: *** [vmci.ko] Error 2

==========================================================

However, this only came up with my vanilla kernel build, not with any distribution kernels (debian 6,7,8), so I compared the configs and found the following flag:

"CONFIG_UIDGID_STRICT_TYPE_CHECKS" set to "y" in my case and to "n" in all others.

After changing it to "no"  and recompiling the kernel, the vmci build went through w/o any problems.

Cheers,
Markus

[iceberg13]

I have the same error, but I can't find the option "CONFIG_UIDGID_STRICT_TYPE_CHECKS" anymore in Kernel 3.14.13.  😞

[sjonhston]

Found patches for the modules here: http://tuxdiary.com/2014/05/28/vmware-player-6-0-2-ubuntu-14-04-kernel-3-15-0-rc7/

From experience with kernel 3.14, it'll probably be quite a while before it gets fixed in the packages.

[iceberg13]

Thank you for the link to the patches. I tried those. With them I could compile the modules and load them. Unfortunately I can not forward USB devices to the VMs.