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rakotomandimby
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

gcc 5.1: Failed to get gcc information.

Running vmware workstation 11 and Archlinux with gcc 5.1:

[root@dell-i7-mihamina mrakotomandimby]# vmware-modconfig --console --install-all

Failed to get gcc information.

[root@dell-i7-mihamina mrakotomandimby]#

But gcc is:

[mrakotomandimby@dell-i7-mihamina ~]$ gcc --version

gcc (GCC) 5.1.0

Copyright (C) 2015 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is NO

warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE

.

What to do?

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33 Replies
everlook
Contributor
Contributor

I have the same issue with gcc 4.9.2 on arch with VMware 11.0

willir29
Contributor
Contributor

I have the same issue too, with gcc 4.9.2 on arch with VMware Player 7.1

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dariusd
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Hi everyone,

Thanks for letting us know about this problem.  Arch is not an officially supported host OS, but we want it to work for you regardless, so let's try to figure out what's going on...

Can someone please try running (as root) "vmware-modconfig --build-mod vmmon"... that should generate a logfile in /tmp/vmware-root/vmware-<pid>.log... if someone could provide the vmware-<pid>.log corresponding to the vmware-modconfig execution, that'd be great!  (Just compose a reply to this post, and look above the Post Message button for the file attachment facility... please don't copy-and-paste the log contents into the reply.)

(Sorry for being lazy and asking for your help with this instead of reproducing the problem here... I'm away from my main machines and my net connection is rather too slow right now for me to tackle this directly myself...  Thanks for your understanding!)

Cheers,

--

Darius

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willir29
Contributor
Contributor

Ok. I think I have figured out my problem. It is described here. https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=196778

To summarize it: New arch linux kernel (4.0.1) has been compiled using gcc-5.1, but my gcc is 4.9. And at the time of writing this gcc-5.1 there is only in testing repo.

2015-05-13T09:19:39.597+03:00| modconfig| I120: Found compiler at "/sbin/gcc"

2015-05-13T09:19:39.600+03:00| modconfig| I120: Got gcc version "4.9.2".

2015-05-13T09:19:39.600+03:00| modconfig| I120: GCC major version 4 does not match Kernel GCC major version 5.

2015-05-13T09:19:39.600+03:00| modconfig| I120: The GCC compiler "/sbin/gcc" cannot be used for the target kernel.

Life is pain Smiley Happy.

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user2727
Contributor
Contributor

Actually, the problem is much more sinister...

I have a better Arch linux debug and resolve thread for this problem:

https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=196915

In short, recompiling the kernel using the gcc 4.9 version works.

Problem now, because arch is a rolling release, is gcc 5.1.0 is now in core - and the vmhgfs, while compiling, hard locks the VM.  I'm creating another vmware community thread for this one.  Will come back and edit this post with link.

EDIT: Here's the thread to track gcc 5.1.0 progress with VMware Tools:

Workstation 11.1, Tools 9.9.2 build-2496486: Not compatible with GCC 5.1.0 on linux (Arch, Debian, U...

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gruna
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Problem still exist and seems to be not related to a specific distribution.

I also needed to update my opensuse to the 4.x kernel and therefore also updated gcc to 5.1.1.

I can compile everything, beside vmware workstation where i get above mentioned error.

Any advise is appreciated.

Br,

Gruna

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mfelker
Expert
Expert

I have the same problem using openSUSE Tumbleweed.  The entire distro was recompiled with 5.1-23.  Applied the standard vmnet patch but when I compiled using

vmware-modconfig --console --install-all

I get the same error

Failed to get gcc information

This needs a fix from VMware for sure.  I am trying to use VMTurbo software and can't because of this fatal installation error.  I have 500GB of VMs I need to access.

Please make this a priority fix VMware.  All distros will soon be using the 5.1 compiler.  You may have already run into this in-house

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andreas_1
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Darius, hi everyone,

I have attached the output of "vmware-modconfig --build-mod vmmon" as requested. The log ends as follows:

2015-07-03T15:40:40.736+02:00| appLoader| I120: Loading shipped version of libvmwareui.so.0.
2015-07-03T15:40:40.859+02:00| appLoader| W110: Unable to load libvmwareui.so.0 from /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libvmwareui.so.0/libvmwareui.so.0: /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libvmwareui.so.0/libvmwareui.so.0: undefined symbol: _ZN4Glib10spawn_syncERKSsRKNS_11ArrayHandleISsNS_17Container_Helpers10TypeTraitsISsEEEENS_10SpawnFlagsERKN4sigc4slotIvNSA_3nilESC_SC_SC_SC_SC_SC_EEPSsSG_Pi
2015-07-03T15:40:40.859+02:00| appLoader| W110: Unable to load dependencies for /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libvmware-modconfig.so/libvmware-modconfig.so
2015-07-03T15:40:40.859+02:00| appLoader| W110: Unable to execute /usr/lib/vmware/bin/vmware-modconfig.

Furthermore:

# readelf -Ws libvmwareui.so.0 | grep _ZN4Glib10spawn_syncERKSsRKNS_11ArrayHandleISsNS_17Container_Helpers10TypeTraitsISsEEEENS_10SpawnFlagsERKN4sigc4slotIvNSA_3nilESC_SC_SC_SC_SC_SC_EEPSsSG_Pi
   471: 0000000000000000     0 FUNC    GLOBAL DEFAULT  UND _ZN4Glib10spawn_syncERKSsRKNS_11ArrayHandleISsNS_17Container_Helpers10TypeTraitsISsEEEENS_10SpawnFlagsERKN4sigc4slotIvNSA_3nilESC_SC_SC_SC_SC_SC_EEPSsSG_Pi

Not sure if it helps, but I have also attached the output of "ldd libvmwareui.so.0" (which contains "libvmwarebase.so.0 => not found") and "readelf -Ws libvmwareui.so.0".

The output is from the (just upgraded) openSuse Tumbleweed:

# uname -a
Linux salt 4.0.5-4.g56152db-desktop #1 SMP PREEMPT Thu Jun 18 15:11:06 UTC 2015 (56152db) x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
# gcc --version
gcc (SUSE Linux) 5.1.1 20150622 [gcc-5-branch revision 224722]

Having said that, the issue "Failed to get gcc information" was already present on openSuse 13.2 with kernel 4.0.?/gcc 4.8.? and openSuse Tumbleweed/gcc 4.8.?

Hope there will be a solution to this issue soon!

Regards,

Andreas

Update: I forgot to mention, this is with VMware Workstation 11.1.2-2780323.x86_64

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andreas_1
Contributor
Contributor

Still no solution. I was able to compile and install vmmon and vmnet as described by rainerklier in Can not install or run Vmware Player / Workstation on Linux with gcc5.1

I could then successfully issue "/etc/init.d/vmware restart".

But calling "vmware" exits immediately with "1". Specifically, the following condition in the last if-statement in /usr/bin/vmware fails:

"$BINDIR"/vmware-modconfig --appname="VMware Workstation" --icon="vmware-workstation"

Return code is 255.

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gmoney
Contributor
Contributor

I haven't been able to find any workaround for this but it's very painful.  I'm running into the same problem (logs match) which isn't surprising given we're both on OpenSUSE Tumbleweed.

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mikef
Contributor
Contributor

Same problem here, openSUSE tumbleweed, Workstation 10, gcc 5.1.1

!

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ManseEverard
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Everyone,

I had the same problem on a linux box used to test the latest software at work.

Thanks to all the replays to this question (and in particular thanks to rainerklier which posted the right sequence of instructions to recompile the modules which failed) i was able to reach the same point of mikef, gmoney and andreas_1.

Before the update to the latest SUSE Tumbleweed (update done yesterday), vmware runned very well on a Tumbleweed snapshot dated 2015-06-12.

So, i tried to revert the following libraries to the version of 2015-06-12 (i have the DVD of course):

libcairo2 (ver. 1.14.2-1.1)

libfm-gtk4 (ver. 1.2.3-2.3)

libgdk_pixbuf-2_0-0 (ver. 2.31.4-1.1)

libgio-2_0-0 (ver. 2.44.1-1.1)

libglib-2_0-0 (ver. 2.44.1-1.1)

libglibmm-2_4-1 (ver. 2.44.0-1.1)

libgtk-2_0.0 (ver. 2.24.28-2.1)

libgtkmm-2_4.1 (ver. 2.24.4-6.1)

libgwgengui-gtk2-0 (ver. 4.13.1-2.1)

(the version reported is the one that is working).

The dependencies required by libvmwareui.so.0 where satisfied and vmware started again.

Oddly, i had to revert also

libcurl4 (ver. 7.42.1-1.1)

because vmware crushed at runtime...

I restored also other libraries, but if i'm not wrong the ones that i reported are sufficient.

I hope that this can help.

Best regards.

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andreas_1
Contributor
Contributor

One more piece to the puzzle, since after ManseEverard's reply I looked again.

The missing symbol I reported earlier is from libgtkmm-2_4.1 (ver. 2.24.4-6.1), which provides the C++ interface for GTK2 (the symbol refers to https://developer.gnome.org/glibmm/stable/group__Spawn.html#ga18eb698a6fbce720473b69dabb67f08b‌ ‌).

Demangling the analogous symbol in the current, newer libgtkmm-2_4.1 ver. 2.24.4-6.2 (note the "2" at the end) now has changed "std::string" to "std::__cxx11::basic_string...", which is the C++11 version. Naturally, that is different, since GCC 5 now uses "-std=gnu11" as default.

Since VMware was compiled with the older "-std=gnu89" C++ bindings, they break on the current Tumbleweed (or any distro with GCC 5 compiled in the default "std=gnu11" mode) (see also GCC5 and the C++11 ABI | Red Hat Developer Blog )‌.

At least that is my understanding.

I assume the only robust solution is that VMware will provide Workstation in two variants - one compiled against the old C++, one against the new C++11 bindings (until all supported versions have made the switch to GCC 5). I don't feel confident in mixing libraries from ABI-different compiler versions, because even if VMware works, who knows what other dependencies would break then.

Looks complicated to me. :smileyconfused:

Update: No solution in sight yet:What’s New in Workstation Technology Preview 2015, published yesterday, mentions support of Ubuntu 15.04 and Fedora 22. Ubuntu 15.04 is compiled with GCC 4.9.2, whereas Fedora 22 is compiled with GCC 5 but chose to use the old ABI. But the upcoming Ubuntu 15.10 will use GCC 5 (with new ABI it seems), as will Fedora 23 (GCC 5 in Fedora | Red Hat Developer Blog ). Let's hope VMware moves quicker.

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ManseEverard
Contributor
Contributor

You are right andreas_1... the one that i proposed IS a complicated workaround...

If some programs (vmware) are able to run, other programs (es. gparted) doesn't and i am forced to reinstall the previous version (with the right gcc compiling flag as you observed) to have them working...

I too hope on a solution from the vmware side, since the use of the new compiler IS the future.

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wila
Immortal
Immortal

Hello,

Maybe it is an idea to try the Tech Preview?

It doesn't specifically list SUSE tumbleweed nor Arch, but here's the What's New:

What’s New in Workstation Technology Preview 2015

PS: Do uninstall WS 11 manually before installing the Tech Preview.

--

Wil

| Author of Vimalin. The virtual machine Backup app for VMware Fusion, VMware Workstation and Player |
| More info at vimalin.com | Twitter @wilva
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andreas_1
Contributor
Contributor

Hi wila,

Thanks for joining. As I see it (without having tried), the Tech Preview will not provide a solution. The problem is more fundamental than on the distro level. Some of the newer distros (ArchLinux and openSUSE Tumbleweed, in particular) have been recompiled with GCC 5 in a way that breaks binary compatibility. In fact they are using the more progressive, default setting in GCC 5, other distros will follow suit sooner or later. For example, Fedora 23 will do the same - but not yet Fedora 22 which is supported in the Tech Preview.

VMware workstation needs to be recompiled with the same, default GCC 5 setting (-std=c++11) in order to work. Temporarily, VMware will likely want to provide both compilation variants to keep support for various distros. See my last post on technical details.

Cheers

Andreas

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jpearso
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hello all

I found this thread when I was searching for a solution to the "Failed to get gcc information." error when trying to get VMware-Workstation-Full-*.x86_64.bundle to run on openSUSE Tumbleweed.

# VMware-Workstation details

VMware-Workstation-Full-11.1.2-2780323.x86_64.bundle

# openSUSE Tumbleweed details

openSUSE-Tumbleweed-DVD-x86_64-Snapshot20150714-Media.iso

# opensuse version details

Linux version 4.1.1-1-desktop (geeko@buildhost) (gcc version 5.1.1 20150622 [gcc-5-branch revision 224722] (SUSE Linux) ) #1 SMP PREEMPT Wed Jul 8 14:23:40 UTC 2015 (cac28b3)

I am posting here to confirm that I have the exact same error when I tried to run the Technology Preview 2015 which expires on Dec. 31, 2015.

Technology Preview 2015 version : VMware-Workstation-Full-e.x.p-2882284.x86_64.bundle

The installation finishes OK (for both installations):

And for both installations, when I run VMware the "WMware Kernel Module Updater" window opens :

Before you can run VMware, several modules must be compiled and loaded in the running kernel

GCC

The GNC C Compiler (gcc) version 5.1.1 was not found.  If you installed it in a non-defaut path......

Hope that a solution to this problem (even if it comes in the form of a new Technology Preview bundle) will come from VMware soon...

Regards

James

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Chartman123
Contributor
Contributor

Same problem here with VMWare Player on latest openSUSE Tumbleweed.

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jpearso
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hello again

.

Regardless on whether you use wmware workstation or vmware player you will need to get the vmware modules compiled in order for the VMware product to work properly

If you are using a version 5 of gcc on your linux host (as is the case on current Tumbleweed DVDs) this will be a problem due the "Failed to get gcc information" error:

Tiger:# vmware-modconfig --console --install-all

Failed to get gcc information.

Tiger:# gcc --version

gcc (SUSE Linux) 5.1.1 20150622 [gcc-5-branch revision 224722]

Copyright (C) 2015 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is NO

warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

Tiger:# uname -a

Linux Tiger 4.1.1-1-desktop #1 SMP PREEMPT Wed Jul 8 14:23:40 UTC 2015 (cac28b3) x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Tiger:# grep VERSION= /etc/os-release

VERSION="20150714 (Tumbleweed)"

I have been running VMware workstation for the last 24 hours with no problems with a recent version of openSUSE-Tumbleweed:

openSUSE-Tumbleweed-DVD-x86_64-Snapshot20150714-Media.iso

# Solution

# A work around is to manually compile and install the modules yourself

# SOURCE: http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-kernel/2015-06/msg00014.html

#

# The details of what I did to get wmware workstation up and running are provided below:

# note I am currently running the Technology Preview 2015 version : VMware-Workstation-Full-e.x.p-2882284.x86_64.bundle

# I believe however that this would work also with VMware-Workstation-Full-11.1.2-2780323.x86_64.bundle

#

# START

cd /usr/lib/vmware/modules/source

tar -xvf ./vmnet.tar

cd vmnet-only

make

cd ..

ls -l vmnet.o

# On an OpenSUSE Tumbleweed system use this driver path to install the vmnet module:

cp ./vmnet.o /lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel/drivers/misc/vmnet.ko

# other architectures try using this path

# cp vmnet.o /lib/modules/`uname -r`/misc/vmnet.ko

#

tar -xvf ./vmmon.tar

cd vmmon-only

make

cd ..

ls -l vmmon.o

# On an OpenSUSE Tumbleweed system use this driver path to install the vmmon module:

cp vmmon.o /lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel/drivers/misc/vmmon.ko

# other architectures try using this path

# cp vmmon.o /lib/modules/`uname -r`/misc/vmmon.ko

reboot

#

# alternately

# depmod -a

# /etc/init.d/vmware restart

# WMware should start and run normally - at least it did for me

# End

Hope this helps someone

Regards

James