Problems with uBuntu 8.10 and VMWare Tools

[redyouch]

Greetings,

I am not the most well-versed in Linux, but have a little bit of experience with VMWare products. I have a uBuntu 8.10 virtual machine running on an ESXi 3.5 Update 3 host. I have installed VMWare Tools via the virtual CD. After installation, mouse travel and other aspects of the Tools function properly, except one CPU (2xVCPUs) keeps redlining for a moment. The process is "/bin/sh /usr/bin/vmware-user >/dev/null 2>&1 -blockFd -1"; I am not sure what this process is, but I think it may be the memory reclamation module of the VMWare tools. I was just wondering if anyone could assist me in resolving this problem, as it is needlessly wasting CPU cycles.

Thanks, Chris

(Please see attached image)

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Welcome to the VMware Community forums. Your post has been moved to the VI: Virtual Machine and Guest OS forum.

Dave Mishchenko

VMware Communities User Moderator

[kjb007]

From the administration guide:

The VMware user process (VMwareUser.exe on Windows guests or vmware-user on Linux and Solaris guests), which enables you to copy and paste text between the guest and managed host operating systems.

On Linux and Solaris guests, this process controls grabbing and releaseing the mouse cursor when the SVGA driver is not installed.

-KjB

[redyouch]

kjb007,

Is there anyway to discontinue the problem of the CPU cycling up and down to 100% so often? I feel as if the driver is incorrectly installed. Please look at my previously attached screenshot to understand the CPU being pegged; it continues forever.

Thanks, Chris

[kjb007]

Have you increased the vCPU's to 2, or was the vm always a 2 vCPU SMP? You could try and uninstall/reinstall the tools. This is either a bug, or there is workaround, other than killin the process as cut/paste is pretty useful. I haven't noticed the issue myself, but I haven't really been looking for it. I'll check my Linux vm's to see if they are doing the same thing, and I am currently running ESX 3.5 U3. What version of ESX are you running?

-KjB

[redyouch]

KjB,

vCPU's were set to 1 at first, and then I went to 2. The cycling happens with both configurations. I have also reinstalled the VMWare tools, twice. I have searched online quite a bit, and was unable to locate anything regarding this particular problem. When I kill the process, it just returns... I am running ESXi 3.5U3. Host is a SuperMicro X5DA8 with dual Xeons.

Thanks, Chris

[kjb007]

Here's another thread that mentions using the open vm tools instead for uBuntu. You should be disable that process permanently. I just don't have it handy right now. If you want a quick and dirty way, just rename the process to something else for the time being. There should be a better way.

http://communities.vmware.com/thread/172532

-KjB

[redyouch]

KjB,

I renamed /usr/bin/vmware-user to /usr/bin/vmware-user.old which did the trick until I restarted the VM.

Are there any type of trace tools that I can use to identify what/how this process is being called?

Thanks, Chris