Problems installating vmware-tools on Solaris 10

[gacilu]

Hi,

I've been trying to install vmware-tools on Solaris 10 without success.

The problem is that I have installed all the Solaris patches available that includes X11 7.2. Now when I run vmware-config-tools.pl I receive the following message:

Detected X.org version 7.2

What is the location of the directory which contains your X0rg modules?

When I press enter it tells me that the path does not exist. So I change the directory to the following:

/usr/X11/lib/modules

Then I receive the following error:

unable to copy source file /usr/lib/vmware-tools/configurator/X0rg/7.1/vmware_drv.so to the destination /usr/X11/lib/modules/drivers/vmware_drv.so

I have tried to copy the file manually, but then I receive a message asking me if I want to override the file. I say No, and then I receive the last error message again.

Any ideas on how to manage this problem?

Thanks in advance for your help,

[gacilu]

Hi,

if I try to install Solaris 10, then I install the vmware-tools, and then I install all the upgrades even with X11 7.2, will I get any errors?

Thanks,

[louspringer]

Here is a work-around for this:

http://blog.louspringer.com/2007/06/18/installing-vmware-tools-with-solaris-nevada-build-64a/

One of the recent Nevada builds introduces xorg 7.2 which breaks the VMware tools installation. Use these instructions to work around the issue.

You may want to enable root logins in /etc/ssh/sshd_config (”PermitRootLogin yes”) or create another login via in case you can’t get back in through the graphical console after these steps. You may also wish to tar up /etc/X11 and /usr/X11/lib just in case.

These instructions create a kludge for the VMware tools install:

• Copy and untar the vmware tools onto the root desktop.

• cd to /Desktop/vmware-tools-distrib/lib/configurator/XOrg

• copy “7.0″ to “7.1″ (cp -r 7.0 7.1)

• cd 7.1

• cp /usr/X11/lib/modules/drivers/amd64/vmware_drv.so .

Go thorough the normal VMware tools install process:

• cd /Desktop/vmware-tools-distrib

• ./vmware-install.pl

IMPORTANT: Delete or move aside the generated /etc/xorg.conf. YAGNI and it is broken somehow anyway. The tools install will have installed the optimized network adapter and the VMware daemon processes, including the one that should allows your mouse to move off the VM screen w/o the special key sequence.

You need to log out and back in at this point to check you display and mouse configuration.

[IscariotJ]

• cp /usr/X11/lib/modules/drivers/amd64/vmware_drv.so

Be careful, that will only work on C2D-based machines. Using the driver from the amd64 will generate a wrong ELF-class error on a CD-based machine.

[louspringer]

... and apparently not required. I just tried this w/o copying the driver and that appears to work. I'll go through a "from scratch" install to make sure.

[louspringer]

I've verified that the library copy is not required.

[gacilu]

Thanks for your answer.

I followed your instructions and I have a couple of problems. After installing the tools the resolution does not go more than 1024x768 and the mouse is double. I do not have to type the keys combination to move it, but it looks very bad. Do you have the same results?

[louspringer]

No, I have none of these problems. Are you using the latest Fusion Beta 4 and Solaris Nevada build 64+ or so? If the vmware-user daemon is running you should have dynamic sizing. This means if you change the VMware console window by dragging the lower right-hand corner with your mouse, the display should resize. If you can move the mouse off of the screen without the without the key combo, the tools are running. You can check to see if the daemon is running directly with "ps -ef | grep vmware-tools".

The only other thing I can think of is maybe the screen module isn't getting loaded. You can check this with "cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | grep VMWARE". You should see a line like "(II) VMWARE: driver for VMware SVGA: vmware0405, vmware0710" in the output, along with other messages where the driver is being set up.

Note the change that "cp /usr/X11/lib/modules/drivers/amd64/vmware_drv.so" is NOT required and may hose you up if you do not have a Core2 Duo machine. Also make sure you have deleted /etc/X11/xorg.conf or move it aside.

[gacilu]

I am not using Open Solaris. I have downloaded it from Sun directly. Do you think that this is the problem? I am using Beta 4.

I am going to download Open Solaris to see if this is the problem I am having.

[louspringer]

If you are using Solaris 10, then the normal tools install should work fine. If you are using Solaris "Community Edition" or "Developer Express", you are on Solaris 11, or Solaris Nevada. To download Solaris 10, you should go here: http://www.sun.com/software/solaris/get.jsp.

IMO, Nevada is better for most non-production use, and many production use cases. It includes a nice version of Firefox and Thunderbird out of the box, uses the latest xorg 7.2 and has the latest versions of some things like "sharemgr".

You can check this from the command line with "uname -a", which will return the OS version and build. In my case, I get "SunOS unknown 5.11 snv_66 i86pc i386 i86pc", which says Solaris 11 (5.11), build 66 (snv_66).

[gacilu]

I am using Solaris 10, and you are right the normal tools just works. The problem is when I install all the solaris patches, then the tools does not work anymore since the pacthes install xorg 7.2.

I am downloading Developer Express right now and I will test your solution again. If it does not work I might be doing something wrong.

[gacilu]

Thank you Sir!!

With this release of Solaris your solution works just perfect!

[gacilu]

I am having another issue now.

Can you setup a fixed IP in your Solaris? The Network-Admin does not work ok.

When the fixed IP is configured I cannot connect to Internet. The gateway and DNS are correctly setup. I do not know when more to test. Any ideas?

Thanks,

[erwass]

I have the same symptoms: mouse can leave the VM window but resizing the VM window won't resize the VM's screen resolution.

I followed the direction on your blog. I did NOT copy the .so and I DID move /etc/X11/xorg.conf.

I tried: cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | grep VMWARE and got nothing.

I do see the line:

VGA: Generic VGA driver (version 4.1) for chipsets: generic

in the file which seems bad.

bash-3.00# uname -a

SunOS solaris-devx 5.11 snv_64a i86pc i386 i86pc

Thanks for your help

Message was edited by:

erwass

[louspringer]

The latest VMware Fusion (1.0) release 8/6 tools install works with xorg 7.2 now.