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JustinMercier
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Cannot upgrade VMware Workstation 16.1.X (build modules) on RHEL 8.4

I have been using VMware Workstation successfully for some time on RHEL8 which is a big reason why I have maintained a current subscription for 5+ years.  Today I was alerted that RHEL 8.4 was released so I upgraded.  Aside from some NVIDIA driver issues, which I handled quickly, everything seems OK except now VMware will not start.  The usual dialog to rebuild the needed modules fails and directs me to a log file with contents such as:

 

2021-05-18T18:20:32.359-06:00| host-22482| I005: ./include/linux/mm.h:56:29: note: previous definition of ‘totalram_pages’ was here
2021-05-18T18:20:32.359-06:00| host-22482| I005: static inline unsigned long totalram_pages(void)
2021-05-18T18:20:32.359-06:00| host-22482| I005: ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2021-05-18T18:20:32.359-06:00| host-22482| I005: /tmp/modconfig-bZRq16/vmmon-only/linux/hostif.c:1714:42: error: ‘NR_SLAB_UNRECLAIMABLE’ undeclared (first use in this function); did you mean ‘NR_SLAB_UNRECLAIMABLE_B’?
2021-05-18T18:20:32.359-06:00| host-22482| I005: lockedPages += global_node_page_state(NR_SLAB_UNRECLAIMABLE);
2021-05-18T18:20:32.359-06:00| host-22482| I005: ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2021-05-18T18:20:32.359-06:00| host-22482| I005: NR_SLAB_UNRECLAIMABLE_B
2021-05-18T18:20:32.359-06:00| host-22482| I005: /tmp/modconfig-bZRq16/vmmon-only/linux/hostif.c:1714:42: note: each undeclared identifier is reported only once for each function it appears in
2021-05-18T18:20:32.359-06:00| host-22482| I005: make[2]: *** [scripts/Makefile.build:316: /tmp/modconfig-bZRq16/vmmon-only/linux/hostif.o] Error 1
2021-05-18T18:20:32.359-06:00| host-22482| I005: make[2]: *** Waiting for unfinished jobs....
2021-05-18T18:20:32.359-06:00| host-22482| I005: /tmp/modconfig-bZRq16/vmmon-only/common/.tmp_phystrack.o: warning: objtool: PhysTrack_Test()+0x49: return with modified stack frame
2021-05-18T18:20:32.359-06:00| host-22482| I005: /tmp/modconfig-bZRq16/vmmon-only/common/.tmp_phystrack.o: warning: objtool: PhysTrack_Add()+0x0: stack state mismatch: cfa1=7+56 cfa2=7+8
2021-05-18T18:20:32.359-06:00| host-22482| I005: /tmp/modconfig-bZRq16/vmmon-only/common/.tmp_phystrack.o: warning: objtool: PhysTrack_Remove()+0x0: stack state mismatch: cfa1=7+80 cfa2=7+8
2021-05-18T18:20:32.359-06:00| host-22482| I005: /tmp/modconfig-bZRq16/vmmon-only/common/.tmp_phystrack.o: warning: objtool: PhysTrack_Test()+0x0: stack state mismatch: cfa1=7+80 cfa2=7+8

 

I have tried using vmware-installer to completely remove all components followed by a fresh install which seems to succeed.  But attempting to use Workstation or Player always comes back to the module build dialog which subsequently fails as per above.

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Robert-Wagner
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Just take a look here. 

The patch is working (select the correct branch!). 

Best wishes! 

 

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JustinMercier
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Apparently others have had similar issues:

 

https://communities.vmware.com/t5/VMware-Workstation-Pro/How-to-install-VMware-Workstation-16-on-Cen...

 

But this is not a realistic workaround for most.  

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Robert-Wagner
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Hi everyone, 

I will repost my issue here as well. 
It seems, that this issue is an **ongoing problem** with any 'update' that is provided. It is still ongoing for years now.  
@CedrickEnoh  - could you take a look? I think you managed to fix this a lot of time.
That would be awesome!
Thank you so much for your great all contributions @CedrickEnoh !
I really appreciate those!!! 

JustinMercier
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Are there any workarounds that you can recall?  I am still dead in the water.

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Robert-Wagner
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Just take a look here. 

The patch is working (select the correct branch!). 

Best wishes! 

 

JustinMercier
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Thanks Robert, that patch worked great once properly built.  I just wish VMware would take product support for paid products more seriously so we didn't have to resort to this, but I am indeed very grateful to you and the community for finding a tenable workaround.  Cheers!

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