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wwco
Contributor
Contributor
‎07-25-2022 07:33 AM

Vmware kernal Module updater

Vmware Workstation Pro won't open:


It asks for permission to run:
compiling and updating modules for vmmon vmnet.

It logs an error:
Skipping BTF generation for /tmp/modconfig-vLYui3/vmnet-only/vmnet.ko due to unavailability of vmlinux

Vmware was working fine on Friday.
When can I expect this to work again? Can I get around having to update vmmon or vmnet?

vmware-906892.log
5 Replies
wwco
Contributor
Contributor
‎07-25-2022 07:34 AM

running linux Ubuntu 20.04

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wwco
Contributor
Contributor
‎07-25-2022 07:37 AM

5.15.0-41-generic is the kernal version

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Forge128
Contributor
Contributor
‎07-25-2022 09:44 AM

Your log shows you don't have kernel headers installed. This has always been required. You'll need to install kernel headers and then start vmware, then it should be able to build the kernel modules and run.

 

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

 

Install the kernel headers, and not kernal headers. Corn should not be used in production environments. Enjoy!

wwco
Contributor
Contributor
‎07-26-2022 01:46 PM

think I had already tried that. bc they are currently at the latest version.

I did find a fix.

git clone https://github.com/mkubecek/vmware-host-modules

git checkout p16.2.3-k5.15

cd vmmon-only

make

cd ../vnet-only

make

cd ..

sudo make install

This resolved my problems.

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radiant1
Contributor
Contributor
‎11-23-2022 06:34 PM

Reviving this thread (I'll start a new one if it's deemed more appropriate). 

I've had this issue several times, and have remedied it by the solution give above, and by completely removing and re-installing, or mostly by just running vmware-modconfig --console --install-all.   

I'm now running v16.2.4 build 20089737 and something on my system (Ubuntu MATE 20.04.5 LTS) failed during an update (update-initramfs, called automatically during some upgrades).  So, I reverted to an earlier initrd.img (5.15.0-52-generic rather than 5.15.0-53-generic).  The machine boots but runs very slow.  So, I launch VMware Workstation Pro and I get the dreaded "modules must be compiled" message.  The UI version just sits forever after I authenticate, and when I run the command line, above, the process just stops at 

 

cp -f vmnet.ko ./../vmnet.o
make: Leaving directory 'tmp/modconfig-DN4ypI/vmnet-only

 

 Even trying the solution mentioned frequently fails, as the make install does the same thing. 

Even stranger, when I check the kernel headers with apt install kernel-headers-$(uname -r) yields the following:

E: Unable to locate package kernel-headers-5.15.0-53-generic

E: Couldn't find any package by glob 'kernel-headers-5.15.0-53-generic

I admit to being flumoxed.