VMWare Workstation 6.5.1 on OpenSUSE 11.1

Posted by ionut
March 2, 2009

Finally, I received my new hdd (the previos one died) so I decided to install OpenSUSE 11.1.  VMWare refused to work. I tried to install VMware-server-1.0.8 but without any success, and in the case of VMware-server-2.0.0 I don’t like the new management interface (they didn’t keep the old vmware-console, you will need to manage your virtual machines using firefox) so, finally I said ok, let’s try workstation. And here is what I did:

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ionut@vaio:~> uname -a
Linux vaio 2.6.27.19-3.2-default #1 SMP 2009-02-25 15:40:44 +0100 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
ionut@vaio:~> cat /etc/SuSE-release
openSUSE 11.1 (x86_64)
VERSION = 11.1
ionut@vaio:~>
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ionut@vaio:~> chmod 755 VMware-Workstation-6.5.1-126130.x86_64.bundle
ionut@vaio:~> sudo ./VMware-Workstation-6.5.1-126130.x86_64.bundle
Extracting VMware Installer...done.
You must accept the EULA to continue.  Press enter to proceed.
.....[skip]....
Path to Eclipse directory for use with Integrated Virtual Debugger
(optional):
 
The product is ready to be installed.  Press enter to begin
installation or Ctrl-C to cancel.
 
Installing VMware Workstation 6.5.1
    Configuring...
[######################################################################] 100%
Installation was successful

Let’s see if it is working:

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ionut@vaio:~> vmware
Logging to /tmp/vmware-ionut/setup-13622.log
modinfo: could not find module vmmon
modinfo: could not find module vmnet
modinfo: could not find module vmblock
modinfo: could not find module vmci
modinfo: could not find module vsock
modinfo: could not find module vmmon
modinfo: could not find module vmnet
modinfo: could not find module vmblock
modinfo: could not find module vmci
modinfo: could not find module vsock
/usr/bin/vmware: line 31: 13622 Segmentation fault      "$BINDIR"/vmware-modconfig --appname="VMware Workstation" --icon="vmware-workstation"
ionut@vaio:~>

TO FIX IT:

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sudo mv /usr/lib/vmware/modules/binary /usr/lib/vmware/modules/binary_old

and now run vmware as root and it will build the modules again and everything will work fine.

If after reboot vmware will not start, then check if vmware service is running:

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sudo /etc/init.d/vmware status
sudo /etc/init.d/vmware restart

Enjoy

Linux, Virtualization

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Comments
Comment by Hans on March 5, 2009 @ 1:21 am

Googling for the exact same error, I came upon your blog post as the 3rd (or so) result. Success! Thanks a lot.

Comment by Alan Beard on March 9, 2009 @ 9:38 am

openSUSE 11.1 64 bit, still does not work, after module rebuild:
elite:/boot # /etc/init.d/vmware status
Module vmmon not loaded
Module vmnet not loaded

because, from dmesg:
vmmon: no symbol version for struct_module
vmci: no symbol version for struct_module
vmblock: no symbol version for struct_module
vmnet: no symbol version for struct_module

Linux version 2.6.27.19-3.2-vanilla (geeko@buildhost) (gcc version 4.3.2 [gcc-4_3-branch revision 141291] (SUSE Linux) ) #1 SMP 2009-02-25 15:40:44 +0100
Command line: root=/dev/system/root resume=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST31000333AS_5TE0EKS3-part2 splash=silent vga=0×31a

Thanks for the afore mentioned hints – Alan

Comment by Alan Beard on March 9, 2009 @ 12:00 pm

NOTE: I tried the “rpm” version. Above, you used the “bundle”
version. I’ll give that a go.

Comment by Alan Beard on March 9, 2009 @ 1:34 pm

I found the trick, boot the kernel:
2.6.27.19-3.2-default

not
2.6.27.19-3.2-vanilla

CPU0: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q8200 @ 2.33GHz stepping 07

Comment by ionut on March 10, 2009 @ 11:59 am

@Alan
1. I mentioned that I am using “default” kernel and not vanilla and that problem with vmware still persist, but in the post you will find the solution to solve it

2. rpm version of vmware is a packaged version of .bundle. If you will look in your /tmp you will find the .bundle package.

3. As I mentioned, you need to start/restart vmware service, after you rebuild the modules. You didn’t, that’s why you had the messages that your “vmmon and vmnet not loaded”

Cheers!

Comment by cepheus on March 10, 2009 @ 1:59 pm

Googled for the same error, used your solution and it worked. Thanks, sir.

Comment by ionut on March 26, 2009 @ 10:43 pm

you are welcome

Comment by Roger Walters on April 1, 2009 @ 4:45 pm

I too myself is using openSUSE 11.1 64 bit and I love it especially for the 3D graphics effects and all that. I also wanted to install VMware Workstation 6.5.1 64 bit and I wasn’t getting through. So, I did a search for vmware on http://www.openSUSE.org website and came across a blog that shows that you must have some files installed first like gcc, make, kernel-source, etc. before installing VMware Workstation. You can check it out here http://en.opensuse.org/Setting_up_VMware_Workstation if you like. It will be very helpful to you I guess.

Comment by swilson on April 1, 2009 @ 5:52 pm

Great tip! Fixed the problem on SLED 11 for me.

Comment by Damian on April 1, 2009 @ 11:13 pm

did you guys try running vmware-modconfig. That is what I did and it worked for me.

Comment by ionut on April 2, 2009 @ 10:41 am

@Damian thanks for suggestion, I didn’t try it.

Comment by Bojan on May 27, 2009 @ 10:57 am

I also tried all your suggestions but still cannot run VMware on opensuse11.1 64 bit. here is the output after entering vmware command.
Any suggestions.
Thanx and bye, Bojan

# vmware
Logging to /tmp/vmware-root/setup-25911.log

(vmware-modconfig:25911): Gtk-WARNING **: GModule (/usr/lib64/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/engines/libqtcurve.so) initialization check failed: Gtk+ version too old (micro mismatch)

(vmware-modconfig:25911): Gtk-WARNING **: GModule (/usr/lib64/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/engines/libqtcurve.so) initialization check failed: Gtk+ version too old (micro mismatch)

(vmware-modconfig:25911): Gtk-WARNING **: GModule (/usr/lib64/gtk-2.0/2.10.0/engines/libqtcurve.so) initialization check failed: Gtk+ version too old (micro mismatch)
filename: /lib/modules/2.6.27.21-0.1-default/kernel/drivers/misc/vmmon.ko
license: GPL v2
description: VMware Virtual Machine Monitor.
author: VMware, Inc.
srcversion: 96CBF0250D0FB3F01BFBFFC
depends:
vermagic: 2.6.27.21-0.1-default SMP mod_unload modversions
filename: /lib/modules/2.6.27.21-0.1-default/kernel/drivers/misc/vmnet.ko
license: GPL v2
description: VMware Virtual Networking Driver.
author: VMware, Inc.
srcversion: ADCA63162FFDDBB3FC374B5
depends:
vermagic: 2.6.27.21-0.1-default SMP mod_unload modversions
filename: /lib/modules/2.6.27.21-0.1-default/weak-updates/updates/vmblock.ko
version: 1.1.2.0
license: GPL v2
description: VMware Blocking File System
author: VMware, Inc.
srcversion: 0D03AFB7AE1D9AEFF2A8629
depends:
vermagic: 2.6.27.19-3.2-default SMP mod_unload modversions
parm: root:The directory the file system redirects to. (charp)
filename: /lib/modules/2.6.27.21-0.1-default/weak-updates/updates/vmci.ko
license: GPL v2
version: 1.0.14.0
description: VMware Virtual Machine Communication Interface
author: VMware, Inc.
srcversion: DB1E47C104F199AD6C9AE06
alias: pci:v000015ADd00000740sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
depends:
vermagic: 2.6.27.19-3.2-default SMP mod_unload modversions
filename: /lib/modules/2.6.27.21-0.1-default/weak-updates/updates/vsock.ko
license: GPL v2
version: 1.0.0.0
description: VMware Virtual Socket Family
author: VMware, Inc.
srcversion: BFC329214E804B7D8653C2A
depends:
vermagic: 2.6.27.19-3.2-default SMP mod_unload modversions
filename: /lib/modules/2.6.27.21-0.1-default/kernel/drivers/misc/vmmon.ko
license: GPL v2
description: VMware Virtual Machine Monitor.
author: VMware, Inc.
srcversion: 96CBF0250D0FB3F01BFBFFC
depends:
vermagic: 2.6.27.21-0.1-default SMP mod_unload modversions
/usr/lib/vmware/bin/vmware: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib64/libgtkmm-2.4.so.1: undefined symbol: gtk_action_set_tooltip

Comment by Janos on July 8, 2009 @ 6:20 am

Thanks dude, it works perfectly now, you are god.

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