vmware fedora 16

[PheonixFire]

I'm trying to get vmware player 4.0.2 to run on fedora 16.

I've tracked the problem back to the vmware service but I can't get it to start
Here's the logs related to it:

Feb 16 12:23:59 Pheonix vmware[2223]: Starting VMware services:
Feb 16 12:23:59 Pheonix vmware[2223]: Virtual machine monitor[FAILED]
Feb 16 12:23:59 Pheonix vmware[2223]: Virtual machine communication interface[FAILED]
Feb 16 12:23:59 Pheonix vmware[2223]: VM communication interface socket family[FAILED]
Feb 16 12:23:59 Pheonix vmware[2223]: Blocking file system[ OK ]
Feb 16 12:23:59 Pheonix vmware[2223]: Virtual ethernet[FAILED]
Feb 16 12:23:59 Pheonix vmware[2223]: VMware Authentication Daemon[ OK ]
Feb 16 12:23:59 Pheonix systemd[1]: vmware.service: control process exited, code=exited status=1
Feb 16 12:23:59 Pheonix systemd[1]: Unit vmware.service entered failed state.

any help would be appreciated
PheonixFire

[drewkenjo]

You need to configure vmware modules for your kernel. It is possible that you didn't install them. When you run vmplayer it will ask you to install modules. But "usually" new vmplayer and new kernels are not "compatible" and may require some patches.

[PheonixFire]

How do you do that, it isn't something I've had to do before

Thanks for the help
PheonixFire

[drewkenjo]

You can run vmplayer and it will automatically ask you to enter root password to configure modules.
If it will go successfully vmplayer will restart services.

[PheonixFire]

I don't think I explained very well.

I can start vmware player, it just won't run virtual machines which I think is because
the vmware service isn't running

Thanks for the help
PheonixFire

[drewkenjo]

The reason why your service can't start is that vmware module for your kernel isn't configured. You can configure it running following command as root:

vmware-modconfig --console --install-all

[PheonixFire]

Running the commands gets the following result:
gcc and kernel headers must be installed

gcc and kernel-headers are installed though, any suggestions

Thanks for the help
PheonixFire

[drewkenjo]

Check if you have kernel-headers and kernel-devel installed. Check if your running kernel and kernel headers are of the same version.

[PheonixFire]

installing the kernel-devel allow the above command to work, but it gave the following as part of the results

/tmp/vmware-root/modules/vmnet-only/filter.c:60:16: error: ‘THIS_MODULE’ undeclared here (not in a function)
/tmp/vmware-root/modules/vmnet-only/userif.c: In function ‘VNetCsumCopyDatagram’:
/tmp/vmware-root/modules/vmnet-only/userif.c:520:3: error: incompatible type for argument 1 of ‘kmap’
include/linux/highmem.h:48:21: note: expected ‘struct page *’ but argument is of type ‘const struct <anonymous>’
/tmp/vmware-root/modules/vmnet-only/userif.c:523:3: error: incompatible type for argument 1 of ‘kunmap’
include/linux/highmem.h:54:20: note: expected ‘struct page *’ but argument is of type ‘const struct <anonymous>’
make[2]: *** [/tmp/vmware-root/modules/vmnet-only/filter.o] Error 1
make[2]: *** Waiting for unfinished jobs....
make[2]: *** [/tmp/vmware-root/modules/vmnet-only/userif.o] Error 1
/tmp/vmware-root/modules/vmnet-only/netif.c: In function ‘VNetNetIfSetup’:
/tmp/vmware-root/modules/vmnet-only/netif.c:134:7: error: unknown field ‘ndo_set_multicast_list’ specified in initializer
/tmp/vmware-root/modules/vmnet-only/netif.c:134:7: warning: initialization from incompatible pointer type [enabled by default]
/tmp/vmware-root/modules/vmnet-only/netif.c:134:7: warning: (near initialization for ‘vnetNetifOps.ndo_validate_addr’) [enabled by default]
make[2]: *** [/tmp/vmware-root/modules/vmnet-only/netif.o] Error 1
make[1]: *** [_module_/tmp/vmware-root/modules/vmnet-only] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/kernels/3.2.6-3.fc16.x86_64'
make: *** [vmnet.ko] Error 2
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-root/modules/vmnet-only'
Unable to install vmnet

thanks for the help, I usually avoid messing with the kernel
PheonixFire

[drewkenjo]

And this is exactly the problem I mentioned before. About the compatibility of new kernel and vmware modules. Usually there are some patches in internet. But I don't believe that it is easy to find them if you have the newest kernel. You can try VirtualBox. For fedora I gave up VMware and switched to VirtualBox.

[xouskarle]

The patch can be found here.

[ErikLehnsherr]

Did you ever tried the Open Source Oracle VM Virtual Box? (assuming you not bought vmware license, sorry for that if you did).
Works like a charm here and don't need all these workarounds. And don't touch the kernel also.

[xouskarle]

Originally Posted by ErikLehnsherr

Did you ever tried the Open Source Oracle VM Virtual Box? (assuming you not bought vmware license, sorry for that if you did).
Works like a charm here and don't need all these workarounds. And don't touch the kernel also.

Using vmware player does not require the purchase of any license.
The patch doesn't touch the kernel, it patches vmware modules.

[PheonixFire]

I tried your Virtual Box suggestion, and it works pretty well so far

I was only using VMware player since it was what was being used
where I'm studying

Thanks for the help
PheonixFire