How to install VMtools on Manjaro (ArchLinux)

[Dumby]

Hello all,

My host is Windows 7 ultimate 64 bit

My WS is 9.0.2 build 1031769

My guest is Manjaro 64 bit (a derivative from ArchLinux) installed with the option Other Linux 2.6.x kernel since there is no entry for ArchLinux nor Manjaro.

When I try to install the VMware tools, I've the file "VMware Tools-9.2.3-103160.tar.gz"

Then, after unpacking the .tar file to "/vmware-tools-distrib" when I start "sudo vmware-install.pl", the second question is: What is the directory that contains the init directories (rc0.d/ to rc6.d/) ?

Whatever the response I can give from rc0.d/ to rc6.d/, nothing works and the scirpt can't continue with an empty return.

So, what is the directory to specify ?

Is it "/etc/rc.d" that is the sole directory that is named like this ?

Thank you in advance for your time and help.

Kind regards.

Dumby.

[WoodyZ]

Have a look at: Installing Arch Linux in VMware

[Dumby]

Hello WoodyZ,

Thank you for the link.

However, I'm not sure to understand:

should I must use the Open-VM-Tools or the VM-Tools or (but I don't think so) both these tools?

It's not clear since there are two descriptions and no one is indicated as to be the "best" one to use?

What do you think?

TIA.

[WoodyZ]

They are two separate packages of which only one should be installed and I'd opt for installing the normal VMware Tools package not Open VMware Tools.

[Dumby]

Hi WoodyZ,

You're the best.

I followed the instructions to install the normal VM-Tools and it works fine with Bridge (a pure ArchLinux derivative).

However, that same instruction suite doesn't allow to install the VM-Tools with Manjaro (that is another ArchLinux spin off) since the vmware-install.pl is looking for linux-headers-0.8.9.8-1 when the installed file is linux-headers-0.8.9.9-1 !

I don't close this thread since I want to check with the Manjaro's folks and let you know.

However, if you already have a hint, please let me know.

TIA.

[WoodyZ]

What is the exact name of the ISO Image you installed Manjaro from?

What is the output of the following 2 command in a Terminal?

uname -r

uname -a

[Dumby]

Hi WoodyZ,

The iso file name is: manjaro-cinnamon-0.8.6-x86_64.iso

Prior to install the VMware tools, I performed:

- sudo pacman -Syyu

- sudo pacman -S net-tools

- sudo pacman -S linux-headers (that installed the 3.9.9-1 headers)

- cd /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/build/include/linux

- sudo ln -sv ../generated/uapi/linux/version.h

- sudo for x in {0..6}; do mkdir -pv /etc/init.d/rc$x.d; done

Then I unpacked the vmware tools and started "sudo ./vmware-install.pl" from within the vm-ware-distrib-tools folder.

Now, "uname -r" returns: "3.9.9-1-MANJARO"

and "uname -a" returns: "Linux vm-manjaro-64 3.9.9-1-MANJARO #1 SMP PREEMPT Fri Jul 5 18:58:35 UTC 2013 x86_64 GNU/Linux"

So, I don't understand why the install program is looking for linux-headers-0.8.9.8-1

TIA for any hint to fix this problem.

PS: If you want, I can redo an install without performing "sudo pacman -Syyu" but I doubt this would make any change. So, please let me know.

[WoodyZ]

Okay thanks, I'm downloading the ISO Image and will get back to you later after I've tested some things.

[Dumby]

Hi WoodyZ,

I just updated Manjaro with the new 3.10 kernel (sudo mhwd-kernel -i linux310) and installed the new linux-headers310 but this doesn't fix the problem.

Please find below the screen log of the install of the VMware tools that ends with:

"Warning: This script could not find mkinitrd or update-initramfs and cannot

remake the initrd file!"

I made some investigations and found that initramfs is installed via the packet mkinitcpio

However, I couldn't find any tools such as mkinitrd (using command "sudo yaourt -Ss mkinitrd".

Hope this helps.

[WoodyZ]

It's one thing to dump a few/several lines of output into the body of a reply to highlight an issue however to dump thousands of lines (2064 if I counted correctly!) is considered rude and unacceptable and makes it much more difficult to continue to navigate this thread!  I'd suggest you edit you post, removing the 2064 lines of output and place them in a text file and attach the text file to the reply.

Note: Use the "Use advanced editor" link in the upper right corner of the normal reply window to bring up the Advanced Editor where you'll be able to attach files via the Choose File button or Browse button (depending on the Browser) above the Post Message button!

[Dumby]

Hi WoodyZ,

Just modified the message and attached the log file (sorry but I didn't know how to do it).

So, thanx for the hint since I don't want to be rude with anyone.

[WoodyZ]

Okay, here is what I did...

Downloaded the manjaro-cinnamon-0.8.6-x86_64.iso file and validated its sha1sum.

Installed using all the defaults.

The default kernel is 3.9.4.1 however the headers are not available for that kernel so without the kernel headers for the running kernel VMware Tools cannot be installed in this Distro.

The only matching kernel and headers that would show in the Package Manager was 3.10.0-1.

For whatever reasons packman would not install the matching 3.10.0-1 kernel and headers nor would it upudate/upgrade anything without fatal errors.

Bottom line is I just do not have time to mess around with distro that does not even provide kernel headers for the default installed kernel or only has matching kernel and headers for one kernel newer then the default kernel and cannot update/upgrade itself from a clean default install without an a sundry of fatal errors!

Anyway since you have the 3.10.0-1 kernel and headers installed the only suggestion I have is to see if there are any known patches for VMware Tools when using the 3.10.0-1 kernel and apply then as necessary.  With that in mind you have nothing to loose by trying the vmtoolspatch that while originally was for issues with Ubuntu 13.04 it's the only thing I can provide without spending additional time I do not have.  Have a look at: Re: File sharing on Player betw host and guest doesn't work on Ubuntu 13.04

[Dumby · Accepted solution]

Hi WoodyZ,

I spent some time to find the solution and here it is.

I wrote a bash script that installs the VMware Tools on a guest running an ArchLinux compatible distribution such as ArchLinux itself or Bridge or Manjaro.

However, if this script enables the vmware video driver, the cut and past, the drag and drop and allows to quit the guest whithout being obliged to hit [Ctrl][Alt], this script doesn't enable the Shared folders.

I've tested your script vmtoolspatch on the 3 distributions (ArchLinux, Bridge and Manjaro) but this doesn't solve the problem.

Please encolsed find my script named: vmtools-4-arch-and-co.sh that is into the vmtools-4-arch-and-co.tar.bz2 compressed file.

Get it: wget http://www.as2.com/linux/tools/vmtools-4-arch-and-co.tar.bz2

Uncompress it with: tar -xjf vmtools-4-arch-and-co.tar.bz2

Use it with: sudo ./vmtools-4-arch-and-co.sh

Hope this helps other Archiers.

Anyhow, thanks for your help.

Cheers.