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Krellan
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Here is patch for Workstation 6.5.2 on Linux 2.6.31 kernel

I'm pleased to announce an updated patch. I found some more time to work on it, and there's two big improvements:

1) It's "universal". It works for Linux 2.6.29, and Linux 2.6.30, and Linux 2.6.31!

2) Your VMware module files no longer need to be restored from backup, after a failed upgrade. The patch script is now much smarter about backing up the files that it changes. It uses checksums to make sure that it is seeing the original VMware Workstation 6.5.2 files, and when those files are found, it backs them up to a place that it uses for all future runs. The script is now idempotent: it's OK to run it more than once, it will have the same effect.

Here are 2 files, attached.

There's the shell script, and the patch file.

Download both of these files, to the same directory.

Then, run the script, as root. (Check it first, unless you REALLY trust me not to put some kind of rootkit in there!)

su <-- become root

bash ./vmware-6.5.2-newkernmods.sh <-- run the script

I tested it, and it worked, on these 3 kernels:

Linux 2.6.29.2

Linux 2.6.30.1

Linux 2.6.31-rc3

This is only for VMware Workstation 6.5.2. It won't work on any older version.

It's only for the host OS. It won't work on the guest OS (VMWare Tools).

It won't work on VMware Player.

It won't work on VMware Server.

Do let me know if this works successfully for you!

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91 Replies
tntcoda
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks very much for making this, works perfectly for me on Arch Linux with 6.5.2 & kernel 2.6.30 with no hassel.

Really hope it works or is easy to update and keep working for future kernels Smiley Happy

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sidvdhc
Contributor
Contributor

Like slavek1979 in the previous thread (http://communities.vmware.com/message/1314440#1314440), the checksums of my tar files from a fresh install don't match. I even removed and re-installed VMware-Workstation-6.5.2-156735.i386.rpm, checking that /usr/lib/vmware/module/source was really gone (it was).

I walked through your script by hand, replicating what you are doing (doing the key bits by hand). While the starting checksums don't match, the patch file applies properly and the modules build.

Here are the starting checksums. Note that the first matches slavek1979's.

111725518eb37a65e5ad6bc6bd16774b vmblock.tar
d654b4764492da5de867bcda5181c7cd vmci.tar
a1e624e0e0c13c72a23dc0f80e85b831 vmmon.tar
747053ac258cde670284902016343d9b vmnet.tar
e6e64cc49a94d0234f52e408c326d897 vmppuser.tar
ec01c92e6e976f0987a9ec1e557bdd17 vsock.tar

In the end, same result as before. When shutting down a guest, the GUI hangs and the associated vmware-vmx process continues after the GUI finally crashes, with the message (when vmware is run from a terminal):

terminate called after throwing an instance of 'vmdb::Error'
what(): Internal error

I had to kill the vmware-vmx process.

BTW, running Fedora 11 with kernel 2.6.29.5-191.fc11.i686.PAE.

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tntcoda
Contributor
Contributor

Could the checksums not match because of the architecture?

I had no issues with an x64 .bundle install of vmware, I guess the source might well have different checksums in the x86/i386 version, just a guess.

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Krellan
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

That is interesting. I didn't even consider that the source for 32-bit and 64-bit might differ. There should be no source difference between architectures.

It's sloppy coding practice to require different source files (it is preferred to use #ifdef and other statements, to make the same source code compatible across different architectures).

I'll have to download both versions and check it out. In the meantime, consider my patch 64-bit only.

BTW, running VMware on a 32-bit machine is kind of painful. VMware really loves having more than 4GB of memory available on the host!

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meijkl
Contributor
Contributor

I'm using Ubuntu Jauny x64 with the 2.6.31-rc3 kernel and VMware Player.

I can confirm that your patch works perfectly with VMWare Player 2.5.2.

Thanks

Klaus

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Krellan
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

OK, here is an updated script (.sh file).

Please download this script. It REPLACES the script I originally attached to the top message. (Unfortunately, VMware Forums doesn't let me edit entries already made.)

The patch file is UNCHANGED. Interestingly, the 32-bit and 64-bit VMware installations have slightly different content for their modules files, but they patch in exactly the same way.

So, here's the updated script, attached.

This should work for both 32-bit and 64-bit.

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Rubeck
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Also running Ubuntu Jaunty x64 with the 2.6.31-rc3 kernel.... and Workstaion 6.5.2..

Worked perfectly... : Smiley Happy Thanks a bunch, Krellan.. Good work!

/Rubeck

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jaksprats
Contributor
Contributor

the new patch works for 2.6.31-3-generic x32 Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala .. and Workstaion 6.5.2..

Lots of warnings during compile but the end result is good.

thx

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Krellan
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Interestingly, I just compared the 32-bit and 64-bit tarballs, that come with the various installations.

The contents are the SAME.

The file timestamps are slightly off, though. VMware must package their 32-bit and 64-bit builds at slightly different times of day. That was enough to throw off my checksums of those tarballs.

So, there should be no need to worry about 32-bit vs. 64-bit differences, so that's good.

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Poloisfej
Contributor
Contributor

This one actually works. Maybe Arch kernel is a little trickier, but this one still nails it =)!

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Spamspam
Contributor
Contributor

I'm running under Ubuntu 9.10 and these patches helped at building the modules. But for some strange reason my mouse and keyboard do not work. I tried with guest as windows vista/windows 7. If I choose from the menu's the grab input option the mouse will move for a few seconds. If i switch to unity it is working.

Any ideas?

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cfandre
Contributor
Contributor

I'm also experiencing the same keyboard/mouse problem. It started happening after a dist-upgrade last week. I'm guessing it has something to do with a X update maybe??? I am seeing this behavior on both a desktop and laptop, both running nvidia cards. Any help is appreciated.

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cearap01
Contributor
Contributor

Thank you for the latest patch! All working better now with the latest Arch kernel. Smiley Happy

Excellent and much appreciated ...

___

Anthony Rosati

___ Anthony Rosati
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walt_walt
Contributor
Contributor

i experience the very same mouse-cursor problem as spamspam. furthermore vmware tools hang at loading. system kubuntu karmic 89.109, vm ws. 6.5.2, guest winxp sp3.

everything worked fine under 9.04.

any help is much appreciated.

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rgbatduke
Contributor
Contributor

I'm still experiencing a bit of the can't halt system inside the VM problem described at the beginning of the other thread with this patch on a Fedora 11, VMware 6.5.2 pristine install (kernel 2.6.29.6-213.fc11.x86_64). Still, I can get to my VMs which is a relief -- I foolishly assumed that VMware would have expended some effort making their rpm work correctly on the latest generation of linux kernels in e.g. Fedora 11 without relying on their users to patch what is after all not a GPL product. I'm guessing/hoping that 6.5.3 will resolve this issue, and in the meantime I suppose I can just kill the hung exit processes the hard way and cross my fingers that the actual shutdown has successfully occurred before the VM console tries to handle the exit and hangs.

It does rather suck, though. It will teach me (next time) to read through the VMware wiki stuff before accepting an upgrade option in Fedora.

rgb

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gartim
Contributor
Contributor

hi --

tried fresh install of fedora 11same error. applied updates, ran:

./VMware-Player-2.5.2-156735.x86_64.bundle

./vmware-6.5.2-newkernmods.sh ( newest version )

vmware-modconfig --console --install-all

vmplayer (using winxp/sp3)

(shutdown)

(hangs for about 2minutes)

then:

terminate called after throwing an instance of 'vmdb::Error'

what(): Internal error

what gives? any help is deeply appreciated!

Linux penquin 2.6.29.6-213.fc11.x86_64

-- gary

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schlomo
Contributor
Contributor

Hi,

from me a third message about the mouse cursor and keyboard problem.

I use karmic_x64 as host and winXP_SP3 as guest with vmware WS 6.5.2.

Additionaly I experience a problem in the host system with mouse and keyboard.

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Vaxter
Contributor
Contributor

It's probably not patch problem, but i have to tell someone... :smileygrin:

I have managed to start Vmware Workstation, thanks for patch man, but my machine just resets, when i hit Power on virtual machine button. :smileygrin:

It's on OpenSUSE 10.3 with custom kernel 2.6.30.1 build and A LOT of modifications.

Think that's the reason... :smileygrin:

Just ask for Diamond!
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Poloisfej
Contributor
Contributor

I had to change the modules checksums but after that everything compiled well on 2.6.30.4-1-ARCH.

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