HowTo: Windows (XP) on Ubuntu with VMWare Server

[Th3Professor]

Hi, I tried all the steps (including defaults during install) in the original post and during vmware server config I received errors that prevented me from completing the steps. Any ideas on how I can get this working?

Here they are:

The installation of VMware Server 1.0.5 build-80187 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.pl".

Before running VMware Server for the first time, you need to configure it by 
invoking the following command: "/usr/bin/vmware-config.pl". Do you want this 
program to invoke the command for you now? [yes] 

Making sure services for VMware Server are stopped.

Stopping VMware services:
   Virtual machine monitor                                             done

You must read and accept the End User License Agreement to continue.
Press enter to display it. 

VMWARE MASTER END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT

[omitting EULA]

Do you accept? (yes/no) yes

Thank you.

Configuring fallback GTK+ 2.4 libraries.

In which directory do you want to install the mime type icons? 
[/usr/share/icons] 

What directory contains your desktop menu entry files? These files have a 
.desktop file extension. [/usr/share/applications] 

In which directory do you want to install the application's icon? 
[/usr/share/pixmaps] 

/usr/share/applications/vmware-server.desktop: warning: value "vmware-server.png" for key "Icon" in group "Desktop Entry" is an icon name with an extension, but there should be no extension as described in the Icon Theme Specification if the value is not an absolute path
/usr/share/applications/vmware-console-uri-handler.desktop: warning: value "vmware-server.png" for key "Icon" in group "Desktop Entry" is an icon name with an extension, but there should be no extension as described in the Icon Theme Specification if the value is not an absolute path
Trying to find a suitable vmmon module for your running kernel.

None of the pre-built vmmon modules for VMware Server is suitable for your 
running kernel.  Do you want this program to try to build the vmmon module for 
your system (you need to have a C compiler installed on your system)? [yes] 

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? [/lib/modules/2.6.24-19-generic/build/include] 

Extracting the sources of the vmmon module.

Building the vmmon module.

Using 2.6.x kernel build system.
make: Entering directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only'
make -C /lib/modules/2.6.24-19-generic/build/include/.. SUBDIRS=$PWD SRCROOT=$PWD/. modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.24-19-generic'
  CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.o
In file included from /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/./include/vmware.h:25,
                 from /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:48:
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/./include/vm_basic_types.h:161: error: conflicting types for ‘uintptr_t’
include/linux/types.h:40: error: previous declaration of ‘uintptr_t’ was here
In file included from /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.h:20,
                 from /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:49:
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/./include/compat_wait.h:37:5: warning: "VMW_HAVE_EPOLL" is not defined
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/./include/compat_wait.h:43:5: warning: "VMW_HAVE_EPOLL" is not defined
In file included from /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.h:20,
                 from /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:49:
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/./include/compat_wait.h:60: error: conflicting types for ‘poll_initwait’
include/linux/poll.h:65: error: previous declaration of ‘poll_initwait’ was here
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:147: warning: initialization from incompatible pointer type
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:151: warning: initialization from incompatible pointer type
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c: In function ‘LinuxDriver_Ioctl’:
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:1659: error: ‘struct mm_struct’ has no member named ‘dumpable’
make[2]: *** [/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.o] Error 1
make[1]: *** [_module_/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.24-19-generic'
make: *** [vmmon.ko] Error 2
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only'
Unable to build the vmmon module.

For more information on how to troubleshoot module-related problems, please 
visit our Web site at "http://www.vmware.com/download/modules/modules.html" and
"http://www.vmware.com/support/reference/linux/prebuilt_modules_linux.html".

Execution aborted.

me@pc:~/vmware-server-distrib$ vmware
vmware is installed, but it has not been (correctly) configured
for this system. To (re-)configure it, invoke the following command:
/usr/bin/vmware-config.pl.

I'm running Ubuntu Studio 8.04 with Linux kernel 2.6.24-19-generic.

I see the following errors standing out:

/usr/share/applications/vmware-server.desktop: warning: value "vmware-server.png" for key "Icon" in group "Desktop Entry" is an icon name with an extension, but there should be no extension as described in the Icon Theme Specification if the value is not an absolute path

/usr/share/applications/vmware-console-uri-handler.desktop: warning: value "vmware-server.png" for key "Icon" in group "Desktop Entry" is an icon name with an extension, but there should be no extension as described in the Icon Theme Specification if the value is not an absolute path
Trying to find a suitable vmmon module for your running kernel.

/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/./include/vm_basic_types.h:161: error: conflicting types for ‘uintptr_t’
include/linux/types.h:40: error: previous declaration of ‘uintptr_t’ was here

/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/./include/compat_wait.h:60: error: conflicting types for ‘poll_initwait’
include/linux/poll.h:65: error: previous declaration of ‘poll_initwait’ was here

/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:1659: error: ‘struct mm_struct’ has no member named ‘dumpable’
make[2]: *** [/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.o] Error 1
make[1]: *** [_module_/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.24-19-generic'
make: *** [vmmon.ko] Error 2
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only'
Unable to build the vmmon module.

Thanks in advance for any input, suggestions, recommendations, etc.

[sayotte]

I've encountered the same problems as the last poster; I'm using Hardy with kernel 2.6.24-16-server, and trying to get VMware-server-1.0.5-80187 working.

I tried applying the vmware-any-any-update115.tar.gz available here: http://knihovny.cvut.cz/ftp/pub/vmware/

This cleared up the error regarding a struct having no member "dumpable", but ran into a problem with a kernel header file. The error is as follows:

Using compiler "/usr/bin/gcc-3.4". Use environment variable CC to override.

What is the location of the directory of C header files that match your running
kernel? [/lib/modules/2.6.24-16-server/build/include]

Extracting the sources of the vmmon module.

Building the vmmon module.

VMware 2 or VMware Express detected, building for VMware 2, VMware Express and VMware Workstation 4.0.x.
Using 2.6.x kernel build system.
make: Entering directory `/tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only'
make -C /lib/modules/2.6.24-16-server/build/include/.. SUBDIRS=$PWD SRCROOT=$PWD/. modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.24-16-server'
  CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only/linux/driver.o
  CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only/linux/driverLog.o
  CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only/linux/hostif.o
  CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only/common/comport.o
  CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only/common/cpuid.o
In file included from include/asm/bitops.h:2,
                 from /tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only/./include/vcpuset.h:74,
                 from /tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only/./include/modulecall.h:23,
                 from /tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only/common/vmx86.h:19,
                 from /tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only/common/hostif.h:18,
                 from /tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only/common/cpuid.c:15:
include/asm/bitops_32.h:9:2: error: #error only <linux/bitops.h> can be included directly
make[2]: *** [/tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only/common/cpuid.o] Error 1
make[1]: *** [_module_/tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.24-16-server'
make: *** [vmmon.ko] Error 2
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-config3/vmmon-only'
Unable to build the vmmon module.

I edited the file /usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.24-16-server/include/asm/bitops_32.h, changing this line:

From this:
#error only <linux/bitops.h> can be included directly
To this:
/* #error only <linux/bitops.h> can be included directly */

It then built, albeit with a lot of warnings, and the kernel module loaded successfully. However, I'm still getting these errors in /var/log/vmware/vmware-serverd.log:

Jul 20 16:11:30: app| Msg_Post: Error
Jul 20 16:11:30: app| [msg.vmmonPosix.badVersion] Version mismatch with vmmon module: expecting 138.0, got 137.0.
Jul 20 16:11:30: app| [msg.vmmonPosix.badDriver] You have an incorrect version of the `vmmon' kernel module.
Jul 20 16:11:30: app| Try reinstalling VMware Server.
Jul 20 16:11:30: app| [localized] Version mismatch with vmmon module: expecting 138.0, got 137.0.
Jul 20 16:11:30: app| You have an incorrect version of the `vmmon' kernel module.
Jul 20 16:11:30: app| Try reinstalling VMware Server.
Jul 20 16:11:30: app| ----------------------------------------
Jul 20 16:11:30: app| Msg_Post: Version mismatch with vmmon module: expecting 138.0, got 137.0.
Jul 20 16:11:30: app| You have an incorrect version of the `vmmon' kernel module.
Jul 20 16:11:30: app| Try reinstalling VMware Server.
Jul 20 16:11:30: app|
Jul 20 16:11:30: app| Msg_Post: Error
Jul 20 16:11:30: app| [msg.vmmonPosix.initFailed] Failed to initialize monitor device.
Jul 20 16:11:30: app| [localized] Failed to initialize monitor device.
Jul 20 16:11:30: app| ----------------------------------------
Jul 20 16:11:30: app| Msg_Post: Failed to initialize monitor device.
Jul 20 16:11:30: app|

I suspect a newer vmware-any-any-update will take care of this, but I don't see one available.

I'll try the VMWare-2.0 beta/RC and post back here if that ends up working.

[Th3Professor]

It then built, albeit with a lot of warnings, and the kernel module loaded successfully. However, I'm still getting these errors in /var/log/vmware/vmware-serverd.log:

A little confused... do you mean it is working now but has errors in the log?

Or that it sill isn't working and also has errors in the log?

On a similar note, since this appears to be a kernel issue, if I were to go back to a previous kernel, would vmware server probably install and configure?

If that's the case, is there a specific kernel version that should definitely (hopefully) work?

Thanks!

[sayotte]

It's *not* working, but it is *close* to working. Basically it would not build before, and now it builds and runs but doesn't actually do anything useful.

The vmware-any-any update makes the vmware-config.pl and the associated kernel patches be less picky about what versions the modules will compile against et cetera. It seems that in this case, the vmware-any-any update was actually targeted at an older release of VMWare-server, so it inserted code that had a version string for an older vmmon module. The vmware-serverd detects this version string in the vmmon module when it tries to load it, and refuses to finish loading it. It might be possible to go and edit the version string, but it's probably not the best idea unless you're willing to do what the guy who maintains vmware-any-any does between each of his releases.... no idea how much work he does, do it at your own risk.


My past experiences have generally been that going with the most-common kernel and a slightly-older release of VMWare will get you the best coverage from support forums like this, patches like vmware-any-any, and so forth. So, I don't know of a specific release number or kernel version, but you might check for whatever the default kernel is for 8.04 and get the VMWare release that corresponds to vmware-any-any-update-115.



I haven't been having much luck with vmware-server-2.0 beta so far; the web admin interface is running poorly with lots of timeouts and such. Other people in IRC assure me they haven't had this problem so I am not ruling it out yet. Meanwhile, I'm installing vmware-server-1.x on a Windows machine in hopes that the idiot-proof packaging there will get me by.

[Th3Professor]

So an older vmware and an older kernel? (should work?)

...I can try that...

The Linux kernel versions don't get better with each release, yet they don't get worse. It's like a rollercoaster ride, with the ups and downs from one ver to the next.

[Th3Professor]

On 2nd thought, I had an old version before. I jsut tried the new one (1.0.6). Now it installed and configured... though when I tried "vmware" command, alone, it brought up the gcc stuff:

/usr/lib/vmware/bin/vmware: /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libgcc_s.so.1/libgcc_s.so.1: version `GCC_3.4' not found (required by /usr/lib/libcairo.so.2)
/usr/lib/vmware/bin/vmware: /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libgcc_s.so.1/libgcc_s.so.1: version `GCC_4.2.0' not found (required by /usr/lib/libstdc++.so.6)
/usr/lib/vmware/bin/vmware: /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libgcc_s.so.1/libgcc_s.so.1: version `GCC_3.4' not found (required by /usr/lib/libcairo.so.2)
/usr/lib/vmware/bin/vmware: /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libgcc_s.so.1/libgcc_s.so.1: version `GCC_4.2.0' not found (required by /usr/lib/libstdc++.so.6)
/usr/lib/vmware/bin/vmware: /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libgcc_s.so.1/libgcc_s.so.1: version `GCC_3.4' not found (required by /usr/lib/libcairo.so.2)
/usr/lib/vmware/bin/vmware: /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libgcc_s.so.1/libgcc_s.so.1: version `GCC_4.2.0' not found (required by /usr/lib/libstdc++.so.6)

Any ideas?

I think I've got gcc 4.2 right now... not sure why it's not finding that. Though I don't know about the v 3.4 either. <ponders...>

EDIT:

Nevermind!

I did this:

sudo cp /lib/libgcc_s.so.1 /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libgcc_s.so.1
sudo cp /usr/lib/libpng12.so.0 /usr/lib/vmware/lib/libpng12.so.0

And it's up and running now.

[sayotte]

I just got it working myself ...
Had to use a different vmware-any-any patch, which I found here: http://www.nowhere.dk/archives/2008/...atch/index.php

Oddly the vmware-any-any-update-116 which one would expect to work better than t his addon to 115 didn't do the trick. Whatever, it works and I'm ok with that.

Happy hunting man; one of the two of us needs to document exactly what we have working on the ubuntu vmware-server wiki I think.

[Th3Professor]

You can <lol> ...but yeah it's weird.

I'm trying to get Maple Story running, though before I delve into that I've gotta get all the basic drivers and junk installed in XP. I had to switch from bridged to NAT to get online. Now to find those drivers, to get directx upgraded to v9+, who knows what else (beyond antivirus/etc. junk)...

[Th3Professor]

Okay this is odd... it's no longer working.

I had to reboot because it was acting fishy, my shift and control keys stopped working. I might have been fine with just logging out and back in, though needed a fresh reboot anyway. And it did the auto fsck, took a while... well now vmware won't run at all. I tried config again, nothing. Removing and re-installing it, nothing.

Every config attempt, and the current reinstall attempt, stop at this point:

/usr/share/applications/vmware-server.desktop: warning: value "vmware-server.png" for key "Icon" in group "Desktop Entry" is an icon name with an extension, but there should be no extension as described in the Icon Theme Specification if the value is not an absolute path
/usr/share/applications/vmware-console-uri-handler.desktop: warning: value "vmware-server.png" for key "Icon" in group "Desktop Entry" is an icon name with an extension, but there should be no extension as described in the Icon Theme Specification if the value is not an absolute path
Trying to find a suitable vmmon module for your running kernel.

None of the pre-built vmmon modules for VMware Server is suitable for your 
running kernel.  Do you want this program to try to build the vmmon module for 
your system (you need to have a C compiler installed on your system)? [yes] 

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? [/usr/src/linux/include] 

The path "/usr/src/linux/include" is not an existing directory.

What is the location of the directory of C header files that match your running
kernel? [/usr/src/linux/include] 

The path "/usr/src/linux/include" is not an existing directory.

What is the location of the directory of C header files that match your running
kernel? [/usr/src/linux/include]

Any ideas what to do?

I've tried the various steps provided in here, nothing so far.

[sayotte]

"/usr/bin/gcc" looks suspicious, I think we overcame some errors earlier by setting the environment variable CC=/usr/bin/gcc-3.4 didn't we?
Also, the path to the kernel headers if you install the package "linux-headers-$(uname -r)" should be /usr/src/<some path that isn't just "linux">