# VMware fails to start...

## COiN3D

Hello guys,

i've already seen a thread with the same problem. My question is now if there is a solution...

Ok, i emerged vmware-workstation and did vmware-config. Everything compiled fine. But when i try to do /etc/init.d/vmware start , this errors appear:

```
the-rock coin # /etc/init.d/vmware start

 * Starting VMware services:                                              [ ok ]

 *   Virtual machine monitor                                              [ !! ]

 *   Virtual ethernet                                                     [ !! ]

 *   Bridged networking on /dev/vmnet0                                    [ !! ]

 *   Host-only networking on /dev/vmnet1 (background)                     [ ok ]

 *   Host-only networking on /dev/vmnet8 (background)                     [ ok ]

 *   NAT service on /dev/vmnet8                                           [ !! ]
```

I'm using 2.6 headers and Glibc with nptl-support. Is this the problem? I cant belive because ive seen people with the same error who use still 2.4 headers...

EDIT: oh, and i use udev, too.

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## COiN3D

Does really nobody have a little solution?  :Smile: 

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## Gandalf the White

Delete /etc/vmware/not_configured.

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## COiN3D

I've already done that, but the problem still persists.

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## Gandalf the White

You have the vmmon and vmnet in your /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.6?

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## nazgum

I have vmware working with 2.6 headers/ntpl/udev so I don't think that is your problem.

When you finish running the config script - if it finished properly you should be able to just do: vmware   to start vmware without having to load the modules.

Can you start it at that point?

In the config script - did you specify allowing the host to configure the system to share files or whichever it is (last question asked)?  You should say no to this - especially if you already have samba installed - or it will cause problems.

Maybe try not using bridged networking and use NAT instead - i used NAT and it works fine for me.

With udev, I had to add myself to the disk group as well otherwise i got a permission denied error on launching - I guess cause i used a real partition for my windows.

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## COiN3D

 *Quote:*   

> In the config script - did you specify allowing the host to configure the system to share files or whichever it is (last question asked)? You should say no to this - especially if you already have samba installed - or it will cause problems. 

 

Yes i did. I reconfigured it and it seems to work now. Much thanks!

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## COiN3D

Just a last question: Every time i start VMWare it mutes my sound. Do you know how to solve this problem? Im using ALSA.

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## stalcair

 *coin wrote:*   

> Just a last question: Every time i start VMWare it mutes my sound. Do you know how to solve this problem? Im using ALSA.

 

did that actually solve your problem or was it a temporary workaround?

I found that the only way (on some boxes... don't know why) to start up all the services in this situation is to rerun the vmware-config.pl

Next time I boot the /etc/init.d/vmware script does not work once again.

Tried new kernels, tried upgrading and downgrading various libs, tried pleading with the machine.

YAB -> Yet Another Bandage

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## Tanisete

It may mute your alsa because you have configured your virtual machine to start the sound device... if you uncheck the option to connect the sound at startup, you should have no problems at all.

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## jschellhaass

From the vmware knowledgebase 

 For VMware Workstation 4.x and later, and GSX Server 3.x and later, enter the following in the vmx file.

 pciSound.enableVolumeControl = FALSE

 For VMware Workstation 3.x and earlier, and GSX Server 2.5.x and earlier, enter:

sound.disableMasterVolume = TRUE

Jeff

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## slobba

 *stalcair wrote:*   

>  *coin wrote:*   Just a last question: Every time i start VMWare it mutes my sound. Do you know how to solve this problem? Im using ALSA. 
> 
> did that actually solve your problem or was it a temporary workaround?
> 
> I found that the only way (on some boxes... don't know why) to start up all the services in this situation is to rerun the vmware-config.pl
> ...

 

I was also having this problem. A post on the vmware forums suggests (if using udev) to add:

```
for a in `seq 0 9`; do mknod /dev/vmnet$a c 119 $a; done
```

to /etc/init.d/vmware. I added this just after the

```

start () {
```

line in /etc/init.d/vmware and it worked. No more running vmware-config.pl before using vmware   :Smile: 

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## lunarg

About the VMware failing to start.

I always had a similar problem, both with 2.4 and 2.6 kernels, and never found a real workaround to it, other than adding it to the default runlevel, and simply rebooting the system.

Worked everytime. If I didn't, I get the same result as the starter of this topic, regardless of inserting modules or whatever.

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## j0elbYte

I to had problems with starting the vmware services, but Gandalf the White solved this for me... after removing /etc/vmware/not_configured it starts without hassle.

Thanks!!

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## stalcair

 *slobba wrote:*   

> I was also having this problem. A post on the vmware forums suggests (if using udev) to add:
> 
> ```
> for a in `seq 0 9`; do mknod /dev/vmnet$a c 119 $a; done
> ```
> ...

 

Seems to be working (rebooted once after setting this up after the machine had a runaway process and died).

One more problem solved!!! (I need a quarter jar for this)

Thanks a ton slobba   :Smile: 

I just want to add that it did not surprise me AT ALL to see the number of posts on slobba, seeing as how he (uhh, I assume)  provided a clear answer.  Thanks again, you provided a solution where there are so many unanswered questions and so much undocumented wisdom and solutions.  There are certain people on forums who's posts clearly reflect the help they provide to the community.  You are greatly needed and appreciated.

Rock on    :Very Happy: 

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## sprite

 *Quote:*   

> slobba wrote:
> 
> I was also having this problem. A post on the vmware forums suggests (if using udev) to add:
> 
> Code:
> ...

 

i did this and get a, mknod: too many arguments, it does however start successfully =) thanks for the fix... and any help on the error would be nice, thanks~

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## hans_jyrkk

I had a simular problem and solved it by adding "Module unloading"  support to the kernel.

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## WladyX

I have module unloading in the kernel, but i have to configure vmware before i use it, strange, luckly i don't use it that often.

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## lotw

 *nazgum wrote:*   

> I have vmware working with 2.6 headers/ntpl/udev so I don't think that is your problem.
> 
> When you finish running the config script - if it finished properly you should be able to just do: vmware   to start vmware without having to load the modules.
> 
> 

 

He also may want to make sure the newest VMWARE Workstation is the one he is using.  They released one that works perfectly with the 2.6 kernel.

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## D-M

On upgrading to vmware workstation version 4.5.2-8848, runing the config file and then manually tring to start vmware I received the same error that started this thread.  However I am not running a 2.6 kernel, I am still on 2.4.25.  I tried everything I could find in the forums and even looked in the vmware forums.  What finally seemes to make things work was to use rc-update and add vmware to the default startup.  So far nothing new, others have indicated this fixed the issue for them.  I rebooted and sure enough, vmware started properly.  I could manually stop and restart vmware and again everything works.  I even removed vmware with rc-update from default, rebooted and I could manually start vmware with no issues?

Any ideas what is going on?  Why would running rc-update fix this issue?

DM

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## fctk

slobba i love you! your tip worked great for me!  :Cool: 

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## WladyX

I modified a bit the workaround to check wheter the nodes had already been created (usefull if you start the vmware init script, then stop it and then start it again):

```

 if ! vdir /dev/ | grep vmnet 1> /dev/null 2> /dev/null ; then

    for a in `seq 0 9`; do mknod /dev/vmnet$a c 119 $a; done

    fi

```

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## D-M

Like I posted above, none of the suggested solutions have worked for me, remember I am on the 2.4.x kernel so that maybe a part of the problem.  What I have found is that if you reboot, the problem goes away and everything works.  Problem with that is I would, and I am sure I am not the only one, prefer not to have to reboot just to make vmware work.  So after spending a little bit of time today I think I have some additional tips that might help at least people running on the 2.4.x kernel.  Again I am not sure the kernel matters, but ....

Away, after running vmware-config.pl try this, it worked for me and I hope it will work for you

ps -x

kill any vmware processes running (I had 4 running after vmware-config.pl exited)

rmmod vmnet vmmon (unloads vmware kernel modules)

/etc/init.d/vmware start

What I think is happening is either the vmware-config.pl isn't cleaning up after it's self or the init script for starting vmware doesn't know what to do if it finds vmnet and vmmon already loaded.  By removing any vmware processes running after vmware-config.pl is finish you can then unload vmnet and vmmon modules, allowing the init vmware script to start cleanly.  

Anyway, if this is still a problem for anyone I hope this helps.

DM

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## WladyX

The vmware-config.pl also starts a self init and loads the modules, so after the vmware-config.pl it vmware sould work without the init script, because everything is loaded by the config.pl.

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## tecknojunky

I have just spent an hour or so debugging the vmware script (the real one) because of a similar failure to start that yeilded an output like the one found in the first post (bridge failed).

I have found out that there is a synchronisation problem with that script.  It will first load the vmmon module (basically issuing /sbin/insmod -s -f /lib/modules/`uname -r`/misc/vmmon.o), after that load the vmnet module, and then run the  bridging program, if you have enabled that feature (/opt/vmware/bin/vmnet-bridge -d /var/run/vmnet-bridge-0.pid /dev/vmnet0 eth0).

The problem is that, on my box, it takes between 5 to 10 seconds before the /dev/vmnet[0-999] starts to appear (probably because of udev, i don't really know why).  So, the trick for me have been to stall the call to vmnet-bridge.  So I modified the vmware_start_bridge() function in the /etc/vmware/init.d/vmware script, from...

```
# Connect a physical host ethernet interface to a virtual ethernet hub

vmware_start_bridge() {

  local vHubNr="$1"  # IN

  local pHostIf="$2" # IN

  cd "$vmdb_answer_BINDIR" && "$vmdb_answer_BINDIR"/"$bridge" \

    -d /var/run/"$bridge"-"$vHubNr".pid /dev/vmnet"$vHubNr" "$pHostIf"

}

```

...to...

```
# Connect a physical host ethernet interface to a virtual ethernet hub

vmware_start_bridge() {

  local vHubNr="$1"  # IN

  local pHostIf="$2" # IN

  i=0

  while [ ! -e /dev/vmnet"$vHubNr" ]

  do 

     sleep 1

     i="$((i + 1))"

     [ $i -eq 10 ] && break

  done

  cd "$vmdb_answer_BINDIR" && "$vmdb_answer_BINDIR"/"$bridge" \

    -d /var/run/"$bridge"-"$vHubNr".pid /dev/vmnet"$vHubNr" "$pHostIf"

}

```

It's not very elegant, but at least now the script works, but it of course takes 5 to 10 seconds to load the bridging feature  :Very Happy:  

```
# VMWARE_DEBUG=yes /etc/vmware/init.d/vmware restart

Stopping VMware services:

   Virtual machine monitor                                             done

   Bridged networking on /dev/vmnet0                                   done

   DHCP server on /dev/vmnet1                                          done

   SMB share server on /dev/vmnet1/etc/vmware/init.d/vmware: line 502: kill: (26979) - No such process

                                                                       done

   SMB name server on /dev/vmnet1                                      done

   Host-only networking on /dev/vmnet1                                 done

   DHCP server on /dev/vmnet8                                          done

   NAT service on /dev/vmnet8                                          done

   Host-only networking on /dev/vmnet8                                 done

   Virtual ethernet                                                    done

Starting VMware services:

   Virtual machine monitor                                             done

   Virtual ethernet                                                    done

   Bridged networking on /dev/vmnet0                                   done

   Host-only networking on /dev/vmnet1                                 done

   Host-only networking on /dev/vmnet8                                 done

   NAT service on /dev/vmnet8Using configuration file: /etc/vmware/vmnet8/nat/nat.conf.

IP address: 172.16.97.2

 Subnet: 255.255.255.0

External IP address: 0.0.0.0

Device: /dev/vmnet8.

MAC address: 00:50:56:ED:1E:7F.

Ignoring host MAC address: 00:50:56:C0:00:08.

                                                                       done

```

Hope this will help someone (if not mentionned already elsewhere in these forums).

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## mrEvDav

Thanks technojunky, your little trick works like a treat

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## aqua26

some How i installed vmware but now it is giving me one more eror when i am starting a VM Machine in side Vmware.

it says

Could not open /dev/vmmon: No such file or directory

Please make sure that the kernel module 'vmmon' is loaded.

i have never heard of the vmmon module. & was unable to fine the same module in kernel configuration.

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## tecknojunky

 *aqua26 wrote:*   

> i have never heard of the vmmon module. & was unable to fine the same module in kernel configuration.

 Normal.  It's not part of the kernel.  It's generated when you run vmware-config.pl

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## aqua26

i ran the script again & it worked like a charm.

although i am having few problems inside Vmware it can't boot from cd or ISO image.

it is not going fullscreen. because frame buffer. 

do u know why it is behaving like this.

how can i improve this.

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## Zuti

To use cdrom / iso check "Legacy emulation" under machine settings -> dvdrom/cdrom

full screen:

edit your xfree/xorg file

add:

```
    SubSection  "extmod"

      Option    "omit xfree86-dga"   # don't initialise the DGA extension

    EndSubSection
```

under Section "Modules (located at the beginning of the conf).

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## Zuti

I forgot, install vmware-tools (after installing a vitrual OS).

You can find this in the vmware menu.

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## tecknojunky

 *aqua26 wrote:*   

> it is not going fullscreen. because frame buffer. 

 The resolution you set in the guest must be available in the Xorg config of your host.  For example, if you set a Windows guest to go into some 32bit color resolution but your host's config only defines 16 bits color resolutions, than vmware wont be able to go fullscreen.  TahT's all there is to it.

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## aqua26

 *tecknojunky wrote:*   

>  *aqua26 wrote:*   it is not going fullscreen. because frame buffer.  The resolution you set in the guest must be available in the Xorg config of your host.  For example, if you set a Windows guest to go into some 32bit color resolution but your host's config only defines 16 bits color resolutions, than vmware wont be able to go fullscreen.  TahT's all there is to it.

 

i don't know how to  set the host screen res. before it install full OS. I need to finad a way for that.

but the error it throw is that DGA extension has failed or not started but i do have the 

```
 SubSection  "extmod"

      Option    "omit xfree86-dga"   # don't initialise the DGA extension

    EndSubSection

```

in my xorg.conf

i am using 2.6.10-r6 kernel is this has something to do with the kernel.

 :Wink: 

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