Workstation 7.1.4 crashes when running VMs on Ubuntu Natty 64 bit host

[jtizard]

I have installed WS 7.1.4 on two different installations on different hardware of the *official* Ubuntu Natty Marwhal 64 bit (released 29th April) - one an upgrade from Maverick and one a fresh install.

In both cases, VmWare workstation crashes silently when trying to run a VM.

The guest OS doesn't seem to matter.

Here's the chain to reproducing the error:

1 - Install a clean Natty 64 bit system

2  - Install WS 7.1.4

3  - Start WS 7.1.4

4 - Create a new VM - I used the released Natty ISO

5 - Go through the default installation steps

6 - WS crashes silently as soon as it tries to start the new VM

On the upgraded Natty installation I did manage to get some existing VMs to run, but is was very very flaky, but they all crashed when trying to suspend. Running vmware from the command line revealed that it died with a  signal 11.

This is a real drag for me because I happily upgraded my notebook to Natty when the official release came out, and now I can't run any VMs. Needless to say I'm not going to upgrade my main system until this is fixed.

Has anyone else seen similar behaviour?

thanks in advance

James

[andyt25]

yes, i think i have the same problem with a fresh installation of natty narwal 64 bit on a lenovo x201 i5.

VMware workstation window disappear silently

- if I start a VM with 2 cores or 2 processors

- if I start a second, parallel VM

- If I suspend a VM, I have to kill the vmware process

The Workstation icon is still at the top panel of the desktop and I can stop Workstation with this icon (for the first two points).

at least:

Reducing the number of cores to 1 AND to start only one VM makes workstation run as expected.. But thats not a solution ..

Please fix this!

[Hoffes]

same here 64bit Natty.

Vmware Workstation 7.1.4 crashes when trying to Update VMware Tools.

Full Screen View does not act as expected on a two monitor constellation

can't work. it's horrible

[andyt25]

>> Vmware Workstation 7.1.4 crashes when trying to Update VMware Tools

for me it works .. but I updated with Ubuntu 10.10

>> Full Screen View does not act as expected on a two monitor constellation

for me it works as good as before Natty. Not perfekt, slightly buggy (cant switch between VMs in Fullscreen)

[Noel]

VMs are working fine for me under Natty.  I am running with the BKL-less patch for vmnet, but that's it and should not be necessary with Natty's kernel.

[vmwareuser274]

Same here on a Thinkpad X200, running Workstation 7.1.4 build-385536.

Most virtual machines do either not run at all or go into background immediately. When trying to work with snapshots the gui crashes. The logs do report a signal 11 for me as well.

[AndrewDenton]

I just upgraded to natty, and ran into this too. It's those silly new scrollbars Canonical implemented. Once you disable them workstation stops crashing.

Found these instructions to remove them:

sudo apt-get remove overlay-scrollbar
sudo su
echo "export LIBOVERLAY_SCROLLBAR=0" > /etc/X11/Xsession.d/80overlayscrollbars

At http://ubuntu4beginners.blogspot.com/2011/04/disable-overlay-scrollbars-in-ubuntu.html

[FairTaxBill]

Same exact behavior. Big problem. Here are some details as to what I see.

When installing 7.1.4 with Ubuntu  11.04 x64, I get the proper Workstation icon for Launcher. Opening the  program give me the usual application window allowing me to choose the  VM that I would like to use. Everything looks good at this point. The  problem lies in that when I open a VM, the app crashes. Repeatedly. Here  is the kernel and Linux version:

Linux capri 2.6.38-8-generic #42-Ubuntu SMP Mon Apr 11 03:31:24 UTC 2011 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Thoughts on how to proceed with 7.1.4 at this point, despite the quality thread for  this topic. May just go back to 7.1.3 and try the three step fix??

Appreciate any help on this...many here are anxious, as you know.

[sandkh]

The strangest thing happened for me.  I figured it could not matter what Windows manager I was using, so I didn't post that.  I was using "Ubuntu Classic Desktop" because I still like the feel of Gnome 2.  But I rebooted, switched to Unity ("Ubuntu Desktop") - and now Workstation works without any problem for me.  Is this the case for anyone else?

[FairTaxBill]

AndrewDenton 's post worked. Thanks!   Now we have a workaround. Waiting for the permanent solution shortly.

[Noel]

I was using "Ubuntu Classic Desktop" because I still like the feel of Gnome 2.  But I rebooted, switched to Unity ("Ubuntu Desktop") - and now Workstation works without any problem for me.  Is this the case for anyone else?

Nope.  I use the Classic Desktop, and it is working fine.  But there might be a configuration tweak; I don't have overlay-scrollbar insetalled, and there appear to be reported incompatibilites.

[Neckor]

@AndrewDenton Thanks !!!! You saved me

[AndrewDenton]

Looks like ubuntu has pushed out an update this morning that adds "vmware" and "vmplayer" to the blacklist in overlay-scrollbar. This should fix everybody I think.

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/overlay-scrollbar/+bug/770625

[pwaldoch]

Doesn't help me. I'm using KDE and still have the problems. I dont even have scrollbar installed.