vmware: can you stop wasting my time?!!??

[alexeigm]

This is going to be a rant, but I really have to express my intense hate for vmware for making a piece of crap software that breaks every single time there is an update.   In my entire life, I have never experienced so many problems with software than what I have over the last couple of years with vmware workstation (first 7, now 8). 

Could someone at vmware please explain to me why their workstation software would recommend an update, and then proceed to uninstall a perfectly working installation, only to install something that no longer works??   I should have known better than to install the update (8.0.4) as EVERY SINGLE UPDATE breaks my vmware installation and I have to spend hours digging through the internet to find some solution, which usually involves downloading some patch from some random blog, modifying it, and hoping for the best. 

Seriously, WHAT'S WRONG WITH VMWARE???  I guess I only have myself to blame since I bought workstation 7 only to have it completely stop working just over a year later, and then bought workstation 8 since vmware would not support newer ubuntu versions.   This new workstation 8 sure is a gem as now the tools never install correctly, which is the reason why I thought that the 8.0.4 patch would actually help instead of rendering my workstation software completely useless.  

So now instead of getting some work done, I'll have to spend another hour trying to figure out why the VMware Virtual Network Device fails to compile.   VMWARE: COULD YOU AT LEAST HAVE THE DECENCY TO INCLUDE SOME SORT OF CHECK IN YOUR UPDATER THAT COULD WARN THAT THE UPDATE WILL BREAK YOUR SYSTEM!!!

[mfelker]

Think you you answered your own rant .

Could someone at vmware please explain to me why their workstation  software would recommend an update, and then proceed to uninstall a  perfectly working installation, only to install something that no longer  works??   I should have known better than to install the update (8.0.4)  as EVERY SINGLE UPDATE breaks my vmware installation and I have to  spend hours digging through the internet to find some solution, which  usually involves downloading some patch from some random blog, modifying  it, and hoping for the best.

a)  You don't haveeto take a piece of software's   advice.  In fact you can turn of fVM reminding yo of updates in teh preferences settings.

b)  As I've said before - why update something that works??

This is a complex bit of sofware and version 8 has been problematic for many people.  Try installing  th WS Technical Beta 2.

[adsfadfsasfds]

I totally agree with you. When I updated to 8.03, I had problems and this time I updated to 8.04 and found myself not being able to load WS yet again. I ignored the update fearing the same as before but I gave in and ran it. Then, just like you said I spent an hour or more browsing trying to figure out what to do to fix it. Just like before, I again ended up finding a solution somewhere else faster than I could on the vmware site.

The reply above is lousy and does nothing to help users or improve the product. If there is an update it's because it is an update that is probably necessary for some or maybe many. Do you ignore security updates/patches too? We can't ignore updates forever and if you use computers you should know this stuff changes daily.

So vmware, I hope you have this issue fixed in the next release. Stop sending out updates that contain the same bugs as before and issue updates that actually install and don't break the entire software, some of us have jobs to do.

Anyway, if you're one of those that got to compiling and then you panicked when it failed to compile "Virtual Network Device", do this:

The sh file should be in your home folder. In my case, I only had to edit the file and then run the script.

Kratos says:

June 16, 2012 at 12:00

Thanks!

Works with Workstation 8.0.4 and VMWare Player 4.0.4!

Edit the patch-modules_3.2.0.sh on line 7 and 8 from
vmreqver=8.0.2
plreqver=4.0.2
to
vmreqver=8.0.4
plreqver=4.0.4

then open the terminal:
sudo ./patch-modules_3.2.0.sh

when the /usr/lib/vmware/modules/source/.patched found. You have already patched your sources. message appears.

Then you must first remove the .patched files with sudo rm -r /usr/lib/vmware/modules/source/.patched

Found this on: http://weltall.heliohost.org/wordpress/2012/01/26/vmware-workstation-8-0-2-player-4-0-2-fix-for-linu...

[mfelker]

Well.  VMware has fixed the update problem in the Technical Preview Beta 2.  I'm not sure why anybody would want to upgade any product without first   looking at the change log.  Just maybe you don't need the new features of VMware 8.0.4.  Usually the changes are very specific and will only affect a small number of users.  It is possible there could be regressions.  But if you want to update because its available and the newer product is certain to be better - than that's  your choice of course. Glad you found another patch and it wasn't a waste of time.. BTW VMware is pretty bad at listening to users in my experience.