VMWare Kernel Module Updater failed.

[t98907]

When I just started VMWare Player, VMWare Kernel Module Updater started and when I clicked the Install button, it failed and I cannot start VMWare Player.

Once I uninstalled VMWare Player and started it with a lower version, VMWare Kernel Module Updater failed again.

Can anyone tell me if there is a workaround?

DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=20.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=focal
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 20.04.4 LTS"

[t98907]

I found a workaround.

VMWARE_VERSION=workstation-16.2.3
TMP_FOLDER=/tmp/patch-vmware
rm -fdr $TMP_FOLDER
mkdir -p $TMP_FOLDER
cd $TMP_FOLDER
sudo apt install git -y
git clone https://github.com/mkubecek/vmware-host-modules.git
cd $TMP_FOLDER/vmware-host-modules
git checkout $VMWARE_VERSION
git fetch
make
sudo make install
sudo rm /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libz.so.1/libz.so.1
sudo ln -s /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libz.so.1 /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libz.so.1/libz.so.1

[smaruffo]

Thank you! It worked!

[rmleonard]

The workaround did not work for me.... 
NAME="Linux Mint"
VERSION="20.3 (Una)"
# ID=linuxmint
ID=ubuntu
ID_LIKE=ubuntu
PRETTY_NAME="Linux Mint 20.3"
VERSION_ID="20.3"
HOME_URL="https://www.linuxmint.com/"
SUPPORT_URL="https://forums.linuxmint.com/"
BUG_REPORT_URL="http://linuxmint-troubleshooting-guide.readthedocs.io/en/latest/"
PRIVACY_POLICY_URL="https://www.linuxmint.com/"
VERSION_CODENAME=una
UBUNTU_CODENAME=focal
~$ uname -mrs
Linux 5.15.0-41-generic x86_64

after I run the script
the workstation GUI will now start, when I select my VM to power on, I get the following:
ERROR: Could not open /dev/-vmmon: No such file or directory. Please make sure that the kernel module `vmmon' is loaded.

something looks 'odd'

1) the /dev/-vmmon
2) "backtick" vmmon "single tick"

Does anyone know if mkubecek answers email?

[bluefirestorm]

rmleonard,

As the GUI is already starting but failing to start a VM, it might be the case you have secure boot enabled on the Linux Mint host.

If you have secure boot enabled on a Linux host, apart from building the vmmon and vmnet modules, these have to be signed. See this KB on how the sign them https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2146460

[MH_MDI]

Thanks it worked for me too !

[feisan100]

Good question! It worked.😘

[hfcVM]

WOW!!!!

That worked!!! Sir, you should be on VMWare's payroll! 

For others asking, my specific Linux was Pop!OS (from System76) which is based on Ubuntu 22.04. and Linux kernel 5.19.0...posting that info in case this response might help someone else.

[hfcVM]

Spoke too soon.  VMWare Workstation does indeed come up, but when I try to launch a VM, it complains that /dev/vmmon does not exist.

Anyone else get any further?

[cpulgarc]

Old question, but if anybody get here (as I did), the simplest solution (at least on a debian or debian based distro) is this command, and then re run vmware.

sudo apt install linux-headers-$(uname -r)

[deathmoth]

For the love of God, won't you fix this **bleep**?

Send those stupid developers away. If you don't know how to write software, close your doors and sell coconut water.

[Technogeezer]

---

@deathmoth wrote:

For the love of God, won't you fix this **bleep**?

Send those stupid developers away. If you don't know how to write software, close your doors and sell coconut water.

---

And tell the "stupid developers" of Linux to stop arbitrarily changing kernel interfaces. You can't totally blame developers when Linux is a moving target.

(and it's not just VMware. In a prior life I worked for a vendor of storage software that constantly had to deal with Linux breaking kernel interfaces between versions.).