Problem with InstallTools

[sahil_s]

Hi there,

I manually installed tools and updated them for Workstation 6.0 for the SUSE Linux 9.3 image. Still, when I power on the VM the next time, I get an error message saying 'installed tools are out of date'. So, I need to run the tool updater everytime the VM powers on and only then does the error message go away during the second reboot in the same instance.

Anyone can help me find out why?

[AWo]

Did you do a kernel update in between? If so, you have to compile the tools again.

Are the disks in persistent mode? If not, every change maybe be lost after powering off the machine.

Check with "ps -e" if the tools are running, when they shown as "out of date".

Andreas Woithon

[sahil_s]

Are the disks in persistent mode? If not, every change maybe be lost after powering off the machine.

>>How do I check this out?

Check with "ps -e" if the tools are running, when they shown as "out of date".

>>VMWare tools does come under the failed services category. Is it because of ethernet failed services that it is not being able to check for proper update?

I also do see a message for every reboot that the tools have not been configured properly for this kernel. After running the vmware-config-tools.pl once (where it literally doesnt make any changes), does the vmware tools listing disappears from the failed services list.

[AWo]

>>How do I check this out?

Click on "VM, Settings (to edit the guests hardware)". Mark the disk and click on "Advanced". There you can see if the disk is in "Independent" mode or not. If so, you can see if it is marked as "persistent" or "nonpersistent".

If you haven't changed it, it should be in persitent mode, as this is the standard configuration. I just wanted to be sure...

>>VMWare tools does come under the failed services

>>category. Is it because of ethernet failed services

>>that it is not being able to check for proper

>>update?

>>I also do see a message for every reboot that the

>>tools have not been configured properly for this

>>kernel. After running the vmware-config-tools.pl once

>>(where it literally doesnt make any changes), does

>>the vmware tools listing disappears from the failed

>>services list.

What do you meant by "manually installed"? Did you use the .tar or the .rpm file?

[sahil_s]

yeah I used the RPM installer. With it a lot of apps for vmware tools are installed such as for config, update etc. I run the vmware-config-tools.pl script after which the out of date errors stop cropping up.

[AWo]

If you used the rpm the vmware-tools has to fit to the kernel (you have to have an supported Linux version). It seems that this didn't work (drivers are not loaded) in your case.

Try the tar file and compile the tools. You have to have the kernel source installed to do this (if you install the kernel source from your distribution CD, don't forget to run an update again if your kernel was updated in the past! Otherwise the kernel-source and kernel won't fit and compiling will fail).

Unpack the tar file and run "./vmware-install.pl". It will compile the tools and drivers so that they can be loaded into your kernel. After compiling it will run the config again. This part you know already.

The drawback is, after every kernel update you have to compile again

Andreas Woithon

[sahil_s]

Hi there,

As directed, I reinstalled the tools thru the tar.

Now at boot, I dont see any error message as regards to not matching with kernel. But still "ethernet vmware tools" appears in the failed services list.

Now, as suggested did the kernel update itself again in the meantime?

If yes, then are there any scripts available to check tht and thn possibly compile/run config tools during boot only?

[AWo]

I assume that you have now installed the kernel source and it is the same version as the kernel (this is necessary for compiling the tools). If both are installed they are updated both every time the kernel is updated. So they have the same version.

Are the vmware-tools running? To check this, go to "/etc/init.d" and type "./vmware-tools status". What does it tell you?

Were there any error messages during the compilation? Can you run it again and paste the output (or send it to me via email)? Use "./install-vmware.pl | tee /vminstall.log" vminstall.log holds all the output then.

By the way, you have a virtual NIC assigned to the machine, haven't you?