Vmware Player on kernel 2.6.35-24 (SOLVED)

[rogerduncan100]

I am unable to install Vmware Player on my new computer. I tried using the patch, see "How do I use a Patch?".
So the patch worked for Vmware Player 3.1.2 and kernel 2.6.35-22 when I installed on my laptop. It even works now after the update to kernel 2.6.35-23 and kernel 2.6.3-24.

My problem is I am unable to install Vmware Player on my new computer which already has kernel 2.6.35-24.

(I suppose I could do a clean install and install Vmware Player before I do the 172 automatic updates)

Is there a better way?


Thanks

rogerduncan100

[dibl]

Re: Vmware Player on kernel 2.6.35-24

Yeah, I know -- it's been a pain to install VMware Player on any kernel after 2.6.34. I've dealt with it on both 2.6.35 and 2.6.36. Let me see if I can recreate the rabbit trail that I have gone down about 3 times in the past year.

1. Download to your user folder the two files from the first post here: http://communities.vmware.com/thread/272625

2. Open the file named "patch-modules.sh" with kate. About the middle, there is a line that begins with the word "patch", that may or may not contain the correct kernel number that you actually need, so you might need to edit it to fix it. Mine (post-editing) presently says

"patch -p0 < vmware-7.1-2.6.36-generic.patch"

which works on my Debian Sid system. But, run uname -r, or else look in synaptic, and see what your latest kernel name is. Edit that line to match.

3. Now (as root, or with "sudo"), copy both files to /tmp.

4.

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install linux-headers-`uname -r' build-essential

5. At the /tmp directory:

sudo sh patch-modules.sh

Watch for any errors. If you have previously attempted to install VMware Player, then it should find all the directories that it's looking for.

Good luck!

[dibl]

Re: Vmware Player on kernel 2.6.35-24

Replying to myself ....

I was just exploring the VMware Forum and it appears the same guy has written an updated patch, and the patch-modules script also appears to be updated: http://communities.vmware.com/message/1650363#1650363

So, even though my VMs are working fine today, I think I'll download those for future use.

[rogerduncan100]

Re: Vmware Player on kernel 2.6.35-24 (SOLVED)

Thanks, I did finally get it working after I followed your instructions properly. What exactly did I do? I mean, can you say what was done by the instructions you gave me in general terms & as a corallory, why does this difficulty happen whenever there is a kernel update?

It's working now except there is no icon so I have to go to /etc/vmware/config to run it. I am trying to figure out how to put a shortcut but it seems difficult!

Thanks again.

[dibl]

Re: Vmware Player on kernel 2.6.35-24 (SOLVED)

Take a look at KMenu > System -- down at the bottom of the list of packages, you should see VMware Player.

If so, do this:

- unlock widgets with the cashew at the upper right of your screen

- go to KMenu > System > VMware Player, right-click it, and choose "Add to Panel"

- lock widgets

Now you can launch VMware Player from the icon on the panel.

Did it work for you?

As far as "how" on the patch, I wish I were more expert on such matters, but I'm really just a user of the system and the applications. I take it that VMware development is lagging a bit -- building their Linux application package for the stable 2.6.30 to 2.6.34 kernels. When you're a user of *buntu, or Debian Sid like me, you are always using newer kernels, and we're ahead of the actual configuration settings for VMware Player. That's why we need to patch the installer. Beyond that, you'll have to read the patch and figure out the details for yourself.

[rogerduncan100]

Re: Vmware Player on kernel 2.6.35-24 (SOLVED)

Interestingly, the icon is really gone. It's because I deleted it using the menu editor when I was deleting all the Vmware files during one of my many attempts at reinstallation. I am going to do a clean install anyway now that I can apply all my new-found knowledge about patches and Linux drivers for Radeon video cards.