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vmindia2222
Contributor
Contributor

VMware tools , Ubuntu 8.10

Hi All,

I am using VMware workstation 5.5.3 on WinXp host and Ubuntu 8.10 guest.

When I install VMWare tools, it installs, but after installation, it asks to configure it. Please look at following logs after installation.

/********start logs**********/

The installation of VMware Tools 5.5.3 build-34685 for Linux completed

successfully. You can decide to remove this software from your system at any time by invoking the following command: "/usr/bin/vmware-uninstall-tools.pl".

Before running VMware Tools for the first time, you need to configure it by

invoking the following command: "/usr/bin/vmware-config-tools.pl". Do you want this program to invoke the command for you now?

/******end logs************/

When I try to configure it by selecting all default options, I get following logs.

/****** start logs *******/

None of the pre-built vmhgfs modules for VMware Tools is suitable for your

running kernel. Do you want this program to try to build the vmhgfs module for

your system (you need to have a C compiler installed on your system)?

Using compiler "/usr/bin/gcc". Use environment variable CC to override.

What is the location of the directory of C header files that match your running

kernel?

Extracting the sources of the vmhgfs module.

Building the vmhgfs module.

Using 2.6.x kernel build system.

make: Entering directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmhgfs-only'

make -C /lib/modules/2.6.27-9-generic/build/include/.. SUBDIRS=$PWD SRCROOT=$PWD/. modules

make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.27-9-generic'

CC /tmp/vmware-config0/vmhgfs-only/cpName.o

In file included from include/linux/string.h:11,

from /tmp/vmware-config0/vmhgfs-only/cpName.h:18,

from /tmp/vmware-config0/vmhgfs-only/cpName.c:18:

include/linux/types.h:40: error: conflicting types for ‘uintptr_t'

/tmp/vmware-config0/vmhgfs-only/vm_basic_types.h:160: error: previous declaration of ‘uintptr_t' was here

make[2]: *** Error 1

make[1]: *** Error 2

make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.27-9-generic'

make: *** [[vmhgfs.ko|http://www.linkedin.com/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Fvmhgfs%2Eko&urlhash=r2hN&_t=tracking_disc] ] Error 2

make: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmhgfs-only'

Unable to build the vmhgfs module.

/*****end logs*******/

There similar error when it tries to build vmxnet module.

When I tried to google for such errors, I came to know it is because Ubuntu 8.10 uses new kernel. This is problem with new Fedora also where new kernel is used.

when I try to apply any VMware path, I get following error

~/temp2/vmware-update-2.6.27-5.5.7-2$ sudo ./runme.pl

Unable to open the installer database /etc/vmware/locations in read-mode.

Execution aborted.

This is used to work perfectly when I had Ubuntu 7.04 guest.

Anyone knows solution?

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6 Replies
CaptainLeonidas
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

The quickest way i would imagion is to update the Workstation software you have.

I am pretty sure the latest version of VMworkstation will fully support Ubuntu 8.10

Current PC:

Intel BadAxe2 975-chipset

Intel QX6700

8GB DDR2

Vista Ult. x64

Soon:

Intel Smacktown x58-chipset

Intel i7 965

6GB DDR3

Vista Business x64

VMware Workstation 7.x User VMware ESXi 3.5.x/4.x Admin
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wila
Immortal
Immortal

Hi,

I agree with , but as an alternative you could try the open vmware tools.

http://open-vm-tools.sourceforge.net/



--

Wil

| Author of Vimalin. The virtual machine Backup app for VMware Fusion, VMware Workstation and Player |
| More info at vimalin.com | Twitter @wilva
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nextech
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

CaptainLeonidas & Wila,

In 's defense, I am running the latest Workstation 6.5 (build 118166) and VMWare Tools does not work in Ubuntu 8.10 (at least I've been unable to get it to work, or find a way to get it to work).

> I am pretty sure the latest version of VMworkstation will fully support Ubuntu 8.10

Just to clarify, I do have the latest version of VMWorkstation (6.5), and VMWare Tools does not work under Ubuntu 8.10 Server x86. Upon installation it reaches a point and says: "None of the pre-built vmmemctl modules for VMware Tools is suitable for your running kernel. Do you want to try to build the vmmemctl module for your system (you need to have a C compiler installed on your system)?"

This is way over my head, and way beyond my expertise. I've searched the forums, and can't seem to find a solution. I've found countless others complaining about the same thing, but can't seem to find any solution to the problem (or a simple step by step tutorial on how to get the VMTools installed and working on Ubuntu 8.10 Server).

I've found this, and following the instructions here:

http://communities.vmware.com/message/1128951

But they seem to be for Ubuntu 8.04, and do not work on the latest Ubuntu 8.10 release.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to get the VMWare Tools working under Ubuntu 8.10 Server?

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nextech
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

If I respond with "yes" build the vmmemctl module it says:

Using compiler "/usr/bin/gcc". Use environment variable CC to override. What is the location of the directory of C header files that match your running kernel?

This path does not exist on my machine (Ubuntu 8.10 Server). I have tried entering the following path: " /usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.27-9/include" as the path, but it didn't work. I have also tried the path "/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.27-9-generic" but that path didn't work either.

If I use the " /usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.27-9/include" path, it results in the following error:

"The path 'usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.27-9/include' is a kernel header file directory, but it does not contain the file 'linux/version.h' as expected. This can happen if the kernel has never been built, or if you have invoked the 'make mrproper' command in your kernel directory. In any case, you may want to rebuild your kernel."

Any ideas on how/what I should do next? Should I "rebuild my kernel" and if so, how do I do that?

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nextech
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I've searched everywhere, and it seems there are multiple websites and multiple forums, but no one seems to have ANY solution as to how to get past this problem:

A similar conversation (as of December 4, 2008) is mentioned above.

It seems to be an ongoing problem (at least for the past few months) and I've been unable to find ANY solution anywhere as to how to get VMWare Tools working under Ubuntu 8.10.

Can someone please shed some light on this, and possibly explain how we can fix VMWare Tools so that it will work with Ubuntu 8.10?

In another forum on a different website, I found someone that says " Headers relating to 2.6.24-19-386 do not seem to exist. My question was "How to update the kernel" Which I don't think you answered. If I am still pursuing the wrong approach please tell me what to do, what I need and where to get it. My apologies if this is tedious but your help would be appreciated."

But again, the response from the user "Nelz" doesn't seem to have a clear answer or a clear response as to how to do this.

Nelz's response seems to be:

" It's quite simple, you need the sources to your kernel. The package is called either kernel-sources or linux-sources, I don't have Ubuntu handy, and the version number must match your kernel. Install thatand vmware-config should run. "

That was a response, and then the thread seems to end. What exactly does this mean? Apparently some users may not realize that something that they think is as "simple" as recompiling a kernel or what/where the "sources to your kernel" even means. I'm quite clueless, just like the original author of the post, and I've messaged the other user who posted the original post, and he has still has not found a solution either, nor has he figured out even how to get VMWare Tools to work (and his original post was from 2+ weeks ago - December 6, 2008).

I've found several hundreds of posts on various thread, various websites, and various forums, but all of them seem to be "dead end" with no real solution as to how to get VMWare Tools working under Ubuntu 8.10. Does ANYONE have any clue as to how to proceed (step by step instructions). Just so that this can be saved for Archive purposes, so that others searching for a solution on how to install VMWare Tools in Ubuntu 8.10 can at least find this thread and get VMWare Tools working under Ubuntu 8.10.

Is VMWare "sleeping on the job"? It would seem that Ubuntu is a fairly mainstream flavor of Linux, and it just seems odd that VMWare would "drop the ball" on this, and not even bother fixing the VMWare Tools so that they would work on an operating system as common as Ubuntu. The thread "VMware Tools on Ubuntu 8.10 not working" has over 3,330+ views (in the past month), I've found several hundred posts, but it just seems odd that VMWare just isn't doing much of anything to fix it.

If this is such a "simple fix" then why hasn't VMWare taken the time to fix it? Why are the VMWare tools broken, and why do they not work properly under Ubuntu 8.10 Server?

Does anyone have a solution as to how I can "get the sources to your kernel" and where I would get them from (give me a link, and the proper commands to type). Would this be on the internet? Or on the Ubuntu installation disk? I'm really clueless as to where to get the "sources to your kernel" from, or even how to compile the kernel or "update the kernel" (just to get VMWare Tools to work).

A simple step-by-step tutorial would be good, and I've posted the installation instructions (step by step) that I have found here:

http://communities.vmware.com/message/1128951

But I'm stuck with trying to figure out how to update the kernel (and update it with what?). I know these may sound like stupid (and ignorant) questions, but please keep in mind that not all users are as "advanced" as others. So we're just trying to get some simple (step by step) answers, as to where to go to find these kernal sources or linux sources, or whatever they are, and how or what we should even do with them to make this "kernel" work properly.

Will VMWare Tools keep breaking? Or is this something I only have to do once? Is it really this difficult to get VMWare Tools working under Ubuntu 8.10? Why do the instructions seem so simple for Ubuntu 8.04, but what does this mean: "None of the pre-built vmmemctl modules for VMware Tools is suitable for your running kernal. Do you want this program to try to build the vmmemctl module for your system (you need to have a C compiler installed on your system)?"

Can someone please explain how to get this "vmmemctl module" built for Ubuntu 8.10 in VMware Tools? Or how to get VMWare Tools working in the Ubuntu 8.10 Guest OS?

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nextech
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Vmindia2222,

After 12 1/2+ hours, I've finally found a solution to the problem, and finally got everything working under Ubuntu 8.10 guest OS.

For more detailed instructions (step by step) on how to get VMWare Tools working on Ubuntu 8.10 Guest OS, you can look at the following links:

I created a small tutorial here:

http://communities.vmware.com/message/1129103#1129103

A post by Mufasa in this link helped as well:

http://communities.vmware.com/message/887802#887802

This link was very useful as well:

The one single link that helped the most by far was found here on the Ubuntu forums:

Keep in mind that if you are running a x86 (32-bit) version of Ubuntu 8.10, then the files you need to download and use are different than the instructions on the Ubuntu forums. So look over the instructions on the Ubuntu forums (if you are using a 64-bit version of Ubuntu 8.10 guest OS), but if you are installing VMWare Tools on a 32-bit version of Ubuntu Guest OS then follow the very first link up at the top of this post, or the link here below:

http://communities.vmware.com/message/1129103#1129103

That should be enough to help you (step by step) get the VMWare Tools installed and running on Ubuntu 8.10 Guest OS (32-bit or 64-bit).

Mark

P.S. Vmindia2222, I do hope you find that the links provided above help as a solution. Please post back with your results, and please award the "correct answer" points for the correct solution accordingly. Thank-you! (I'm hoping I might actually get my very FIRST full "Correct Response" points from a poster, yippie!) Or at least partial points for a "helpful" response. Every little bit helps. If the links above and the tutorial I created above help solve your question/problem, then please close out the question as answered and award the points. Even "helpful" points and "correct response" points are good. Thank-you!

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