# VMWare Workstation and Gentoo 2.6.7-r9

## macawgumbo

I'm running a dual boot system with Windows 2000 Pro and Gentoo (of course!).  I am trying the get VMWare to work on Gentoo so eventually I may go to a complete Gentoo-based system.  I am running an NForce2 mobo w/ an Athlon XP 2500 processor.  Integrated everything.  I emerged VMWare and ran the config script (not sure what should be selected there) and tried to start VMWare from within GNOME.  No matter what I do, it says "The program has be configured incorrectly for you kernel.  Reconfigure it before starting it again" or something to that effect.  Anyways, I try to reconfigure it, but have to reboot because it fails to stop VMWare monitor and the other service below it.  Later on, I figure out that it failed to start those two services (after stopping them prior to running the config script) once the config script was run.  As of the moment I have done an emerge -C vmware-workstation to uninstall the program and in hopes that with advice may be able to get things going so I may get an installation of Windows up and running.  I will also make sure any vmware folders are deleted.

Sidenote:  When I configured my kernel, I built everything into kernel.  There are no modules except the nvidia module for my graphics (which was compiled independently of the kernel).  I read the VMWare documentation on how it needs parallel port loaded as a module.  I recompiled with that as a module and come to think of it, I don't think I ever loaded it.  Could this be a problem?  Also, is having no modules a problem?  Just curious on what works best and causes the least trouble.

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## Gandalf the White

This is a typical problem, experienced by many(myself included). Re-emerge vmware, but don't run the configuration program. After emerging is complete, browse over to http://ftp.cvut.cz/vmware/, and download the latest vmware-any-any-update tarball. Extract, and ./runme.pl, this will setup the modules and then it will ask you if you want it to execute the vmware config, do that. When that is complete, there is about a 75% chance that is still thinks it isn't configured, so cd /etc/vmware, ls and look for a file "not_configured", and delete it. Your vmware installation should now be working.

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## macawgumbo

Awesome, it works!

Great link.  Would be very helpful to anybody in the future.

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## adastra1982

 *Gandalf the White wrote:*   

> This is a typical problem, experienced by many(myself included). Re-emerge vmware, but don't run the configuration program. After emerging is complete, browse over to http://ftp.cvut.cz/vmware/, and download the latest vmware-any-any-update tarball. Extract, and ./runme.pl, this will setup the modules and then it will ask you if you want it to execute the vmware config, do that. When that is complete, there is about a 75% chance that is still thinks it isn't configured, so cd /etc/vmware, ls and look for a file "not_configured", and delete it. Your vmware installation should now be working.

 

Hmm.. Kinda strange this works since app-emulation/vmware-workstation-4.5.2.8848 ebuild downloads (and possibly uses - don't know yet - I'm emerging it as I write this) newest vmware-any-any-update patch by itself...

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## AlterEgo

adastra1982, I feel you're right.

I had to manually use vmware-any-update-75, although the ebuild suggests it does this (and did in the past!) for you automagically.

This behaviour started since app-emulation/vmware-workstation: 4.5.2.8848

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## Mr.Evolution

 *macawgumbo wrote:*   

> 
> 
> Great link.  Would be very helpful to anybody in the future.
> 
> 

 

Thank you!

I'm from Italy and this topic is too interesting for me

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## Xanith

Thank you!

This also has fixed my problem!

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## JetAce44

Worked for me as well, very good guide!

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## lotw

 *JetAce44 wrote:*   

> Worked for me as well, very good guide!

 

Another thing would be to upgrade to VMWARE Workstation v5, it supports the v2.6 kernels a lot better.

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## JetAce44

 *lotw wrote:*   

>  *JetAce44 wrote:*   Worked for me as well, very good guide! 
> 
> Another thing would be to upgrade to VMWARE Workstation v5, it supports the v2.6 kernels a lot better.

 

Thats currently what I'm using. Works very smoothly, especially with vmware tools installed on the emulated OS.

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## trogdorrr

hi

im running kernel version  2.6.11-gentoo-r11 , the latest vmware (5) and tried downloading the latest patch (vmware-any-any-update92) 

tried everything as above and still no good  :Sad: 

the error i get is

```
  

<snip>

CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config7/vmmon-only/vmcore/moduleloop.o

LD [M]  /tmp/vmware-config7/vmmon-only/vmmon.o

Building modules, stage 2.

MODPOST

CC      /tmp/vmware-config7/vmmon-only/vmmon.mod.o

LD [M]  /tmp/vmware-config7/vmmon-only/vmmon.ko

make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-2.6.11-gentoo-r11'

cp -f vmmon.ko ./../vmmon.o

make: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-config7/vmmon-only'

Unable to make a vmmon module that can be loaded in the running kernel:

insmod: error inserting '/tmp/vmware-config7/vmmon.o': -1 Unknown symbol in module

There is probably a slight difference in the kernel configuration between the 

set of C header files you specified and your running kernel.  You may want to 

rebuild a kernel based on that directory, or specify another directory.

For more information on how to troubleshoot module-related problems, please 

visit our Web site at "http://www.vmware.com/download/modules/modules.html" and 

"http://www.vmware.com/support/reference/linux/prebuilt_modules_linux.html".

Execution aborted.

```

can anyone help?

is there a bug for this? emerging the vmware thats in portage doesn't work either.

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## trogdorrr

*bump*

ANYBODY know of a solution to this?

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## trogdorrr

*sigh*

Even using ACCEPT_KEYWORDS="~x86" and emerging the latest vmware workstation that is in portage fails.

can someone help, or submit a bug, or advise how they got theirs working?

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## roRisc

config-2.6.11-gentoo-r11 here too.

vmware won't work. same error.

any suggesitons much appreciated.

thank you.

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## trogdorrr

so i upgraded my kernel to 2.6.12-gentoo-r4, emerged vmware-workstation and everything is working fine now.

Weird.

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