Installation of VMware 2.0.3 (included in SuSE Linux 7.2) or VMware 2.0.4 Under Kernel Version 2.4.4

Support knowledgebase (dolson_vmware_72)
Applies to

SuSE Linux: Version 7.2
This article refers to an older version of SuSE Linux. Therefore some of the informations given in this article may be outdated or the article may contain stale links.

Symptom

Following the installation of VMware 2.0.3 (located in the series 'pay' ) and the configuration with the perl script "vmware-config.pl", the floppy disk drive can not be used, or the drive can only be addressed once. In order to solve this problem, you need to upgrade to VMware version 2.0.4, which can be downloaded from VMware Inc. at the following URL:

Please make sure you download the RPM version, as the following approach only applies to the RPM package.

During the installation of VMware 2.0.4 on SuSE Linux 7.2 using a kernel version of the series 2.4.x (default kernel 2.4.4), the installation script "vmware-config.pl" issues a number of error messages while configuring the modules:

make[2]: Entering directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/driver-2.4.4-4GB' /lib/modules/2.4.4-4GB/build/include/linux/module.h:21: warning: No include path in which to find linux/modversions.h In file included from .././linux/driver.c:19: /lib/modules/2.4.4-4GB/build/include/linux/module.h:21: linux/modversions.h: No such file or directory make[2]: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/driver-2.4.4-4GB' make[2]: *** [driver.o] Error 1

Cause

For VMware 2.0.3: This version does not support Linux kernels of the series 2.4.x.

For VMware 2.0.4: The files "include/linux/version.h" and "include/linux/modversions.h" (that should be provided together with the kernel sources) are missing.

Solution

In order to create the missing include files in the kernel sources and eliminate numerous errors in the VMware 2.0.4 distribution, please start your system without an installed VMware package.

Perform the following operations as user "root".

Step 1:
Check the installed VMware version.

# rpm -qa | grep -i vmware
vmware-2.0.3-45
#

If you get the above error message, please continue with step 2. If another error message is issued, please continue with step 3.

Step 2: Since the init script enclosed with VMware 2.0.4 does not comply with the LSB standard used by SuSE Linux 7.2, it is necessary to save the init script of VMware 2.0.3 for later use:

# cd /etc/init.d
# cp -p vmware vmware-2.0.3

Now proceed with step 4:

Step 3: As explained under step 2, it is necessary to save the init script of VMware version 2.0.3 which is included in SuSE Linux 7.2. As this package is not installed it is sufficient to extract the script and manually set up a symbolic link.

Please insert and mount CD 5 of SuSE Linux 7.2 Professional:

# mount /cdrom
# cd /tmp
# ( cd /cdrom/suse/pay2; rpm2cpio vmware.rpm ) |
> cpio -idmv etc/init.d/vmware usr/sbin/rcvmware
etc/init.d/vmware
usr/sbin/rcvmware
22391 blocks
# mv etc/init.d/vmware /etc/init.d/vmware-2.0.3
# mv usr/sbin/rcvmware /usr/sbin
# rm -rf etc usr
# umount /cdrom
# eject
# Remove CD from tray
# eject -t

Continue with step 5.

Step 4: Uninstall VMware 2.0.3 before you install VMware 2.0.4:

# rcvmware stop
# rpm -e -h vmware-2.0.3-45
##################################################
#

Step 5:
Please install the new VMware 2.0.4 RPM package:

(*) # cd /tmp
# rpm --install -h VMware-2.0.4-1142.i386.rpm
##################################################
#

(*) Or specify the directory where you saved the downloaded RPM package (as described under "Symptom").

Step 6: Replace the installed "vmware" initscript with the script you extracted and saved from the SuSE Linux 7.2:

# cd /etc/init.d
# mv vmware vmware-2.0.4
# cp -p vmware-2.0.3 vmware

Step 7: Make sure no VMware kernel modules are currently loaded:

# rcvmware stop
...(lots of messages appear)...
#

Step 8: Since the kernel modules included in SuSE Linux 7.2 already included the VMware kernel modules, you can not use the latter. Therefore, please remove them as follows:

# cd /lib/modules/2.4.4-4GB/misc
# rm vmnet.o vmmon.o vmppuser.o

Step 9: Please create the missing Linux kernel from the source files:

# cd /usr/src/linux-2.4.4.SuSE
# cp /boot/vmlinuz.config .config
# make include/linux/version.h $(pwd)/include/linux/modversions.h
...(output of the make command)...
#
# ls -la include/linux/*vers*
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 29 Jul 24 14:25 include/linux
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 126 Jul 24 14:23 include/linux
#

Step 10: Since VMware Inc. has not yet adopted all modifications from the kernel series 2.4.x, it is necessary to correct some minor errors in the sources of the kernel module "vmppuser.o":

# cd /usr/lib/vmware/modules/sources
# tar -xpf vmppuser.tar
# cd vmppuser-only
# vi ppdev.c
:652<RET>
o
<TAB>THIS_MODULE,<ESC>
:x!<RET>
#

Note: <RET> asks you to press RETURN; <TAB> asks you to press TAB; and
<ESC> asks you to press ESC.

The above character sequence inserts a line with the text "THIS_MODULE" which is missing in the initialization of the "struct file_operations" at this location in the source code. This field was added to the Linux kernel series 2.4.x.

Step 11: Compile, install, and clean up the modified code of the module "vmppuser.o":

# make
# cp -p vmppuser-up-2.4.4-4GB /lib/modules/2.4.4-4GB/misc/vmppuser.o
# cd ..
# rm -rf vmppuser-only

Step 12: The installed VMware 2.0.4 can now be configured as described in the VMware installation instructions, i.e.:

# cd /tmp
# vmware-config.pl
...(a lot of output appears)...
...(If you confirm that the script should compile the modules "vmmon" and)...
...("vmnet" (the default answer), this script will)...
...(compile and install these two modules)...
...(together with the other kernel modules in "/lib/modules/2.4.4-4GB/misc")...
#

Step 13: Please make sure the dependencies are resolved correctly by executing the following command:

# depmod -ae

This procedure ensures that the dependencies for the newly installed VMware kernel modules are updated correctly in "/lib/modules/2.4.4-4GB/modules.dep".

Step 14: Log out from the "root" identity and log in with your user name. You can now use the "vmware" product as well as all other enclosed SuSE applications.

Note: The above procedure for installing and configuring the VMware version of your SuSE Linux 7.2 distribution will not affect your right to free installation support as described on the box containing the distribution


Keywords: 72, 244, VMWARE, WORKSTATION, MODVERSION

Categories: X Applications

SDB-dolson_vmware_72, Copyright SuSE Linux AG, Nürnberg, Germany - Version: 01. Feb 2002
SuSE Linux AG - Last generated: 04. Feb 2002 by tino (sdb_gen 1.40.0)