header files matching your running kernel were not found

[Thomas Schweikle]

VMware Kernel Modules Updater does not find the Kernel Header Files for kernel 2.6.35-22-generic, but these are installed. VMware ist unusable without the modules the kernel modules updater wants to compile and install.

I found it with
VMware Workstation 6.5.4, 7.0, 7.1, 7.1.1
Ubuntu 10.10 beta

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
Package: open-vm-tools 2010.04.25-253928-2+ubuntu2
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-22.32-generic 2.6.35.4
Uname: Linux 2.6.35-22-generic x86_64
Architecture: amd64
Date: Sat Sep 18 10:50:00 2010
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=de_DE.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: open-vm-tools

WORKAROUND: For 2.6.35 kernel and VMware 7.x.x, there’s a script to patch the VMware sources (see attachment at comment #13), give it execution permissions and run it:

sudo chmod +x vmware7.1.1-patch-kernel-2.6.35.bash
sudo ./vmware7.1.1-patch-kernel-2.6.35.bash

After that you can install the modules. You can do this with either by launching VMware and letting it install the modules from there with the GUI or alternatively you can execute the command:

vmware-modconfig --console --install-all

source:http://pario.no/2010/10/02/installing-vmware-workstation-7-1-1-64-bit-on-ubuntu-10-10/

[Samson Yeung (fragmede)]

Upgrade your vmware workstation to the latest 7.1.1.

[Thomas Schweikle (tps)]

OK. Done. Same problem.

Header files are now found, but modules do not compile as expected. In tune VMware will not start.

[Zahari Zahariev (zahari.zahariev)]

I have the same problem with the official Ubuntu 10.10 i386.

I confirm that if you download VMware Workstation 7.1.2 as of now it fixes the problem and all modules compile just fine.

[Adam Felson (adamf11)]

I don't have the option of moving to vmware 7.1.2 as vmware 7 will not work with the pentium-m in my laptop.
I need kernel headers that vmware 6.5 will tolerate.

[Victor Vargas (kamus)]

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and trying to help make Ubuntu better. However, it seems that you are not using a software package provided by the official Ubuntu repositories. Because of this the Ubuntu project can not support or fix your particular bug. Please report this bug to the provider of the software package. Thanks!

[Adam Felson (adamf11)]

The defective software is the ubuntu kernel headers which are missing items contained in the standard linux headers releases seen with all other distributions.

The fact that it prevents use of a 3rd party software product is irrelevant. Ubuntu isn't something owned by apple and is supposed to work with third party software.

[Juan Pablo Arias (j4np0l)]

Here is a way to solve this problem:

http://pario.no/2010/10/02/installing-vmware-workstation-7-1-1-64-bit-on-ubuntu-10-10/

Got it from here:

https://answers.launchpad.net/vmware-ubuntu/+question/128677

If anyone can confirm that this solves the problem reported in this bug that'll be great.

[Charlie Kravetz (cjkgeek)]

@Adam: that should be taken up with VMware itself. The latest version, 7.1.1, does include the headers.

[Adam Felson (adamf11)]

As I've posted twice before, vmware 7.x isn't a valid option as it
won't work on pentium-m machines.

It is ubuntu that broke vmware 6.x. AFAIK, other distributions have
the headers required.

On Thu, Nov 18, 2010 at 8:16 AM, Charlie Kravetz <email address hidden> wrote:
> @Adam: that should be taken up with VMware itself. The latest version,
> 7.1.1, does include the headers.
>
> ** Changed in: ubuntu
>       Status: Confirmed => Invalid
>
> --
> header files matching your running kernel were not found
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/641882
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>
> Status in Ubuntu: Invalid
>
> Bug description:
> VMware Kernel Modules Updater does not find the Kernel Header Files for kernel 2.6.35-22-generic, but these are installed. VMware ist unusable without the modules the kernel modules updater wants to compile and install.
>
> I found it with
> VMware Workstation 6.5.4, 7.0, 7.1, 7.1.1
> Ubuntu 10.10 beta
>
> ProblemType: Bug
> DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
> Package: open-vm-tools 2010.04.25-253928-2+ubuntu2
> ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-22.32-generic 2.6.35.4
> Uname: Linux 2.6.35-22-generic x86_64
> Architecture: amd64
> Date: Sat Sep 18 10:50:00 2010
> ProcEnviron:
>  PATH=(custom, user)
>  LANG=de_DE.utf8
>  SHELL=/bin/bash
> SourcePackage: open-vm-tools
>
> To unsubscribe from this bug, go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/641882/+subscribe
>

[Adam Felson (adamf11)]

Juan's response is irrelevant. It is about vmware 7.1.1 versus the linux 2.6.35 kernel.

Why have headers required by vmware 6.5 been removed?

My solution now is to use VirtualBox

[Juan Pablo Arias (j4np0l)]

Script for workaround (see description).

[Juan Pablo Arias (j4np0l)]

@Adam: This problem is related to VMWare versions 6.5.4, 7.0, 7.1, 7.1.1 (according to description) and with the 2.6.35 kernel.

The workaround I posted has been tested against Ubuntu 10.10 with 2.6.35 kernel (not by me tho) and it only applies to 7.x.x versions.

I don't know if this works with 6.5 version, but it would be better to update it first to the latest version (if possible). Or, like you said, use VirtualBox as an alternative.

[Juan Pablo Arias (j4np0l)]

@Adam: I've been thinking, if your are absolutely sure that version 6.5 works in other distros with the 2.6.35 kernel, it shouldn't be better to make a new bug report? (since this one affects versions 7.x also, and for that versions there's a workaround). Maybe, if you can point out the kernel headers that are missing (if possible of course) somebody related to the kernel development would be able to explain why are they missing (or consider the possibility of adding them).

First of all, check that the other distros you are trying with vmware 6.5 are using the same kernel version as Ubuntu (maybe the linux kernel version is incompatible with vmware 6.5 and this is not a problem with Ubuntu itself). In order to check your kernel version, you can just run uname -r from the console.

Regards!

[Adam Felson (adamf11)]

On Thursday 18 November 2010 9:15:18 am you wrote:
> @Adam: I've been thinking, if your are absolutely sure that version 6.5
> works in other distros with the 2.6.35 kernel, it shouldn't be better to
> make a new bug report? (since this one affects versions 7.x also, and
> for that versions there's a workaround). Maybe, if you can point out the
> kernel headers that are missing (if possible of course) somebody related
> to the kernel development would be able to explain why are they missing
> (or consider the possibility of adding them).
>
> First of all, check that the other distros you are trying with vmware
> 6.5 are using the same kernel version as Ubuntu (maybe the linux kernel
> version is incompatible with vmware 6.5 and this is not a problem with
> Ubuntu itself). In order to check your kernel version, you can just run
> uname -r from the console.

In retrospective, it may very well be vmware 6.5's inability to handle the
2.6.35 kernel. I've run into similar problems many times when moving to a new
kernel version on my bleeding edge gentoo desktop. I don't think much about
vmware 6.5 as the desktop has a processor that the latest vmware tolerates.

I know the drill with patching vmware; I'll try a patched 6.x kernel on my
laptop in the next few days. In the meantime, keep the bug closed. Anybody
using such an old laptop is better off with VirtualBox anyway.