Trying to install vmware-server on 2009.0

I have never had a problem getting vmware server to install before but this
one is sticking. The 'sticking' is when I it asks for the kernel headers.

I thought I had both the headers and the source installed for the current
running kernel, yet when the install program gets to the point of
confirming their location, prompting with [/usr/src/linux/include], it
cannot find them. If I change it to /usr/src/linux it remains unhappy.

I guessed that this might be a symbolic link issue. However as I was
rebooting I was surprised to see that the system thought it was on system
with a dual processor i.e i686.

The running kernel reported by uname is: 2.6.27-desktop-0-rc6.5.1mnb
The source installed was: kernel-source-2.6.27-0.rc6.5.1mnb-1-1mnb2.i586

On reflection, I seem to recall having to re-compile some of the kernels to
ensure compatibility. Would that be a wasted effort now, given that this is
only a release candidate?

Alan Secker wrote:
[color=blue]
> I have never had a problem getting vmware server to install before but
> this one is sticking. The 'sticking' is when I it asks for the kernel
> headers.
>
> I thought I had both the headers and the source installed for the current
> running kernel, yet when the install program gets to the point of
> confirming their location, prompting with [/usr/src/linux/include], it
> cannot find them. If I change it to /usr/src/linux it remains unhappy.
>
> I guessed that this might be a symbolic link issue. However as I was
> rebooting I was surprised to see that the system thought it was on system
> with a dual processor i.e i686.
>
> The running kernel reported by uname is: 2.6.27-desktop-0-rc6.5.1mnb
> The source installed was: kernel-source-2.6.27-0.rc6.5.1mnb-1-1mnb2.i586
>
> On reflection, I seem to recall having to re-compile some of the kernels
> to ensure compatibility. Would that be a wasted effort now, given that
> this is only a release candidate?[/color]

You need kernel-desktop-devel for your running kernel in order to compile
third-party modules, not kernel-source (which is intended only for
re-compiling the kernel).

jim

Alan Secker wrote:
[color=blue]
> I have never had a problem getting vmware server to install before but
> this one is sticking. The 'sticking' is when I it asks for the kernel
> headers.
>
> I thought I had both the headers and the source installed for the current
> running kernel, yet when the install program gets to the point of
> confirming their location, prompting with [/usr/src/linux/include], it
> cannot find them. If I change it to /usr/src/linux it remains unhappy.
>
> I guessed that this might be a symbolic link issue. However as I was
> rebooting I was surprised to see that the system thought it was on system
> with a dual processor i.e i686.
>
> The running kernel reported by uname is: 2.6.27-desktop-0-rc6.5.1mnb
> The source installed was: kernel-source-2.6.27-0.rc6.5.1mnb-1-1mnb2.i586
>
> On reflection, I seem to recall having to re-compile some of the kernels
> to ensure compatibility. Would that be a wasted effort now, given that
> this is only a release candidate?[/color]

The kernel-source needs to be configured and at least one "make prepare"
should have been issued. You may use the corresponding -devel rpm instead.

James Kerr wrote:
[color=blue]
> Alan Secker wrote:
>[color=green]
>> I have never had a problem getting vmware server to install before but
>> this one is sticking. The 'sticking' is when I it asks for the kernel
>> headers.
>>
>> I thought I had both the headers and the source installed for the current
>> running kernel, yet when the install program gets to the point of
>> confirming their location, prompting with [/usr/src/linux/include], it
>> cannot find them. If I change it to /usr/src/linux it remains unhappy.
>>
>> I guessed that this might be a symbolic link issue. However as I was
>> rebooting I was surprised to see that the system thought it was on system
>> with a dual processor i.e i686.
>>
>> The running kernel reported by uname is: 2.6.27-desktop-0-rc6.5.1mnb
>> The source installed was: kernel-source-2.6.27-0.rc6.5.1mnb-1-1mnb2.i586
>>
>> On reflection, I seem to recall having to re-compile some of the kernels
>> to ensure compatibility. Would that be a wasted effort now, given that
>> this is only a release candidate?[/color]
>
> You need kernel-desktop-devel for your running kernel in order to compile
> third-party modules, not kernel-source (which is intended only for
> re-compiling the kernel).
>
> jim[/color]

Thank you both. Very helpful.

Regards

Alan

Alan Secker wrote:
[color=blue]
> I have never had a problem getting vmware server to install before but
> this one is sticking. The 'sticking' is when I it asks for the kernel
> headers.
>
> I thought I had both the headers and the source installed for the current[/color]
//

Well, it worked up to a point but then hit insuperable problems. If it isn't too much trouble, I would appreciate an opinion (or two)1

root/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/./include/compat_semaphore.h:5:27: error: asm/semaphore.h: No such file or directory
/root/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:146: error: unknown field ‘nopage’ specified in initializer
/root/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:147: warning: initialization from incompatible pointer type
/root/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:150: error: unknown field ‘nopage’ specified in initializer
/root/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:151: warning: initialization from incompatible pointertype
/root/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c: In function ‘LinuxDriver_Ioctl’:
/root/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.c:1670: error: too many arguments to function ‘smp_call_function’
make[2]: *** [/root/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.o] Error 1
make[1]: *** [_module_/root/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.27-desktop-0.rc7.1.1mnb'
make: *** [vmmon.ko] Error 2
make: Leaving directory `/root/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.

Alan Secker wrote:
[color=blue]
> Alan Secker wrote:
>[color=green]
>> I have never had a problem getting vmware server to install before but
>> this one is sticking. The 'sticking' is when I it asks for the kernel
>> headers.
>>
>> I thought I had both the headers and the source installed for the current[/color]
> //
>
> Well, it worked up to a point but then hit insuperable problems. If it
> isn't too much trouble, I would appreciate an opinion (or two)1
>
> root/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/./include/compat_semaphore.h:5:27:
> error: asm/semaphore.h: No such file or directory[/color]
......
Which version of vmware did you try to install?
If it's the 1.07, you may have to lookup the latest vmware-any-any patch.
Well, I have vmware here as well, but with a self-compiled 2.6.25 kernel
which is really stable.

wisdomkiller & pain wrote:
[color=blue]
> Alan Secker wrote:
>[color=green]
>> Alan Secker wrote:
>>[color=darkred]
>>> I have never had a problem getting vmware server to install before but
>>> this one is sticking. The 'sticking' is when I it asks for the kernel
>>> headers.
>>>
>>> I thought I had both the headers and the source installed for the
>>> current[/color]
>> //
>>
>> Well, it worked up to a point but then hit insuperable problems. If it
>> isn't too much trouble, I would appreciate an opinion (or two)1
>>
>> root/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/./include/compat_semaphore.h:5:27:
>> error: asm/semaphore.h: No such file or directory[/color]
> .....
> Which version of vmware did you try to install?
> If it's the 1.07, you may have to lookup the latest vmware-any-any patch.
> Well, I have vmware here as well, but with a self-compiled 2.6.25 kernel
> which is really stable.[/color]

Yes it was 1.0.7 but having the correct files available (source, headers et
al) stilled caused errors. An attempt at recompiling went the same way. I
downloaded rc2 last night. I intend installing that first. It might prove to
be a better environment.

Regards

Alan