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be outdated or the article may contain stale links.
Kernel: Version 2.4.x (UP and SMP)
VMware: Version 2.0.3 and 2.0.4
This article covers the symptoms with both VMware 2.0.3 and VMware 2.0.4,
when one of these products are used the under the SuSE Linux 7.2 Professional
distribution.
The notes also apply for the SuSE Linux 7.2 Personal distribution, although
all references in this article to CDs used are with regard to the CDs found in the
Professional edition, and thus will have to be adjusted accordingly for the
Personal edition.
Symptoms with VMware 2.0.4:
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
For VMware 2.0.3:
For VMware 2.0.4:
.././linux/hostif.c:108: #error "64GB memory configuration is not supported"while VMware 2.0.4 does not support 64 GB addressing (i.e. does not support the usage of the PAE (Physical Address Extension) mode) -- complain to VMware, Inc., not to SuSE, if this is an issue for you.
As it is necessary to recreate the missing include files in the kernel sources, as well as to fix various bugs in the VMware 2.0.4 distribution, it is necessary to install the kernel sources, as well as to start with a system without any VMware package installed.
All the following steps are performed as the "root" user.
Step 0: Verify if the kernel sources have been installed:
If the above is returned, continue with step 1, otherwise do:
The kernel sources, which are needed for the steps later on, have now been installed.
Notes:
(1) Use the SPACE bar to select the menu; will be indicated with an "[X]".
(2) If the selection of this menu results in the error message "You have either
chosen an invalid installation medium or none at all!", then do the following
to select the CD as installation medium:
Step 1: Verify which VMware version you have installed:
If the above is returned, continue with Step 2.
If anything else (also nothing!) is returned, continue with Step 4.
Step 2: As the VMware 2.0.4 supplied "vmware" init script is not compatible with the LBS compliant SuSE Linux 7.2, it is necessary to secure the "vmware" init script that comes with SuSE Linux 7.2 for later usage by doing:
Step 3: Uninstall the VMware 2.0.3 package, before installing the VMware 2.0.4:
Continue with Step 5.
Step 4: As explained under Step 2 above, it is necessary to secure the "vmware" init script from the VMware 2.0.3 version as supplied with the SuSE Linux 7.2 distribution, but as you do not have this package installed, we need to extract this script and a symbolic link manually, like this:
Mount the CD #5 from the SuSE Linux 7.2 Professionel distribution in your CD drive, and do the following:
Step 5: Install the new downloaded VMware 2.0.4 RPM package:
Note:
In the above it has been assumed that the downloaded RPM package from
the VMware
download site (as described above under "Symptom") was
saved under the "/tmp" directory.
Should this not be the case, please, substitute the "/tmp" path name
in the above to whatever is appropriate for you.
Step 6: Replace the just installed "vmware" init script with the secured script from the SuSE Linux 7.2 distribution by doing:
Step 7: Make sure that no VMware kernel modules has been loaded:
Step 8: As the SuSE Linux 7.2 distribution already in its kernel modules have the VMware kernel modules included, but as we cannot make use of these, remove them by doing:
Note:
The above path name applies for the UP (Uni (single) Processor) kernel.
If you have installed the SMP (Symmetric Multi Processor) kernel,
the path name will be /lib/modules/2.4.4-4GB-SMP/misc (64GB is not supported
by VMware -- see also at the top of this article under the For VMware 2.0.4 section).
Use the path that is appropriate for your installation.
Step 9: Prepare the kernel sources for your current configuration -- this is especially needed, if you are using the SMP kernel, while this step creates/updates some essential include files that the VMware configuration script uses in order to be able to create the VMware kernel modules to fit the actual used kernel:
Note 1: In the above the "/boot/vmlinuz.config" file is copied to the local ".config" (i.e. ">dot<config") file!
Note 2: In case the "make menuconfig" bails out with the error message:
Step 10: Create the missing Linux kernel include source files by doing:
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 29 Jul 24 14:25 include/linux/modversions.h -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 126 Jul 24 14:23 include/linux/version.h
Step 11: As VMware Inc. has not made all of its code aware of the changes made in the source code for the Linux kernel 2.4-series, it is necessary to fix a minor bug in the source code to the VMware "vmppuser.o" kernel module by doing the following editing of the "ppdev.c" source file:
Note 1: <ENTER> means push the ENTER key; <TAB> means push the TAB key; and <ESC> means push the ESC key.
Note 2: The above character sequence inserts a line with the text "THIS_MODULE," (i.e "THIS_MODULE>comma<"), which is missing in the initialization of the "struct file_operations" at this place in the source code. This is due to the added field that has been introduced with the Linux kernel 2.4-series.
Step 12: Compile, install, and clean up the fixed code for the "vmppuser.o" kernel module by using either Step 12a & 12c when using an UP kernel, or by using Step 12b & 12c when using an SMP kernel:
Step 12a: When using an UP kernel do:
Step 12b: When using an SMP kernel do:
Note:
Only the "2.4.4-4GB-SMP" kernel is supported by VMware -- see also at the top of this
article under the For VMware 2.0.4 section.
Step 12c: Finish up with:
Step 13: The installed VMware 2.0.4 can now be configured as described in the VMware installation instructions, i.e.:
Step 14: Make sure that the correct dependencies are set by executing:
This will ensure that the dependencies for the newly installed VMware kernel modules are correctly updated in "/lib/modules/2.4.4-*/modules.dep".
Step 15: Logout as "root", and login under your own user account, and enjoy the usage of the "vmware" product together with all the other supplied SuSE applications.
Final note: The above given steps to get VMware 2.0.4 successfully installed and configured on a SuSE Linux 7.2 distribution will not effect your claim on free installation support, as outlined on the package in which the distribution was delivered in, as no changes have been made to the by SuSE supplied kernel.
General note:
If you do not want the kernel to complain about attempted but unsuccessful
accesses to the floppy drive (because no floppy has been inserted in the
drive), just configure the actual used "vmware" configuration such that it
starts with the floppy disconnected. When needed, the floppy can be
(re)connected at any time after the start of the "vmware" configuration.
For further instructions, please, refer to the VMware documentation.