Workstation 6.5.1 Network Problems

[jimjames]

Hi Everyone,

I have been running VMware Workstation 6.5.0 for quite some on a Suse 10.3 host. Last weekend I upgraded to Suse 11.1 (2.6.27.7-9 x86_64). VMware wouldn't come up, so I tried reinstalling it. Still nothing, even after rebooting. When I perform a /etc/init.d/vmware start command, it hangs on the 'Blocking file system' step and never continues (and I let it sit there for quite awhile.

AFter poking around the forums I found other folks were having the same problem, so I performed the suggested fix: manually building and installing the modules. After that VMware comes up and I can start a client, but I have no network connectivity, either to the net or the host.

I ran the visual network configuration tool and checked everything (which looked OK). I then examined the host, which doesn't have any vmnet devices. I remember seeing them under previous installations. I'm figuring that is where the problem is: the installation did not complete and my manual installation of the modules is not solving that problem.

How can I get the installation configuration to complete and create/install the vmnet network devices on the host?

Thanks for your help?

Jim

[AWo]

Welcome to the forums!

If you run "vmware-config.pl" again to compile the modules, check if every module was build without any errors.

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful" replies. Thanks!!



AWo

VCP/vExpert 2009

[jimjames]

I don't believe there is a vmware-config.pl anymore. The configuration supposedly happens during the installation - at least that is my understanding.

Jim

[AWo]

Look in "/usr/bin". There is still a "vmware-config.pl"as you need it after you have done a Kernel update or if you want to change some settings. This script performs a reconfiguration of the VMware Tools.

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful" replies. Thanks!!



AWo

VCP/vExpert 2009

[jimjames]

You learn something new every day - looks like I can go home early today I'll take a look this evening and give that a try.

Thanks

Jim

[jimjames]

I checked in /usr/bin - nothing named vmware-config.pl - so I'm still in a quandry.

I just realized I had forgotten to mention that since I had started having problems, I downloaded 6.5.1 - but am having the same symptoms described earlier.

Any more ideas?? Anybody??

Thanks

Jim

[AWo]

If you have the VMware Tools installed, there must be a "/usr/bin/vmware-config-tools.pl". Otherwise install the Tools again. The process will ask you if you would like to run "vmware-config-tools.pl".

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful" replies. Thanks!!



AWo

VCP/vExpert 2009

[jimjames]

I don't mean to be difficult, but I still don't have a vmware-config.pl.

I unistalled vmware. Downloaded the .bundle distribution of Workstation 6.5.1 and reinstalled using this. At this point vmware will not run. So I go through the exercise of rebuilding the modules manually (via a procedure I found elsewhere in this forum) and install them. When I try to do the `/etc/init.d/vmware restart`, it hangs on the "Blocking file system" step of Startig VMware services. But VMware will come up and allow me to start the client OS.

After I started the client OS, I installed VMware Tools, which appeared to complete without any problems. I then went to /usr/bin and did not find a vmware-config.pl. In fact I did a search and found nothing. Here is what I have:

/usr/bin/vmware /usr/bin/vmware-ping

/usr/bin/vmware-acetool /usr/bin/vmware-remotemks

/usr/bin/vmware-gksu /usr/bin/vmware-tray

/usr/bin/vmware-modconfig /usr/bin/vmware-uninstall

/usr/bin/vmware-mount /usr/bin/vmware-unity-helper

/usr/bin/vmware-netcfg /usr/bin/vmware-vdiskmanager

/usr/bin/vmware-networks

I also examined the network configuration on my host - and I still have no vmnet network devices - like I had under previous installations of VMware - as early as 6.5.0, but under Suse 10.3.

That's where I'm at. Besides the networking issue, why is my /etc/init.d/vmware restart hanging during the Blocking file system portion of the Start VMware service? That cannot be good. Is something else not being done during the service startup that is hampering the network configuration??

Thanks again for all your help.

Jim

[AWo]

Moment, are we talking about setting up VMware Workstation on the host or about installing VMware Tools in the guest? I refer to the latter one. The tools have to be installed in the guest. Your directory listing seems to come from the host.

You'll only see VMnet adapters on the host if you choose to have a host-only or NAT network in addition to the bridged one. Have you choosen to install such a network during the VMware Workstation installation?

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful" replies. Thanks!!



AWo

VCP/vExpert 2009

[AWo]

If your VMware Workstation is running you can use "/usr/bin/vmware-netcfg" on the host to configure the virtual networking. Select the appropriate physical adapter to use for bridging there.

Set the guest hardware to use a virtual NIC which is bridged and give it a proper IP setup, that means a different IP as the host use. Install VMware Tools within the guest to have the proper drivers etc. running there.

If the vmware-netcfg doesn't show a VMnet0 network, select "Add Network" and add it.

If you found this information useful, please consider awarding points for "Correct" or "Helpful" replies. Thanks!!



AWo

VCP/vExpert 2009

Edited by AWo

[jimjames]

I have tried all that. I'm pretty convinced my problems are related to the VMware Blocking Filesystem hanging when /etc/init.d/vmware start is run.

I poked around and commented out the guts of start_vmware_vmblock, which is called from /etc/init.d/vmware, and simply returned a true. Viola! It went past the the Blocking Filesystem (Failed), and started the Virtual ethernet. I now have the networking devices defined on the host that I expected (vmnet 1/8).

Anybody understand the Blocking Filesystem - what it is - and how to make it work?? Also, what may I have broken my basically disabling it.

I'm off to get the networking up and running.

Thanks

Jim

[AWo]

Anybody understand the Blocking Filesystem - what it is - and how to make it work?? Also, what may I have broken my basically disabling it.

Maybe you should start a new thread for this question to get the focus on this.

AWo

VCP/vExpert 2009