VMware Workstation 6.5.2 with Mandriva 2009 Spring

Wednesday, 06 May 2009 17:35

How to build VMware Workstation 6.5.2, including VMware Player 2.5.2, against 2.6.29.X kernel with Mandriva 2009 Spring (a.k.a mdv 2009.1).

Here is a patch to get their modules to cleanly build on Linux kernel version 2.6.29.

Make sure your /usr/lib/vmware/modules/source directory is pristine.

Reinstall 6.5.2 (or VMware Player) if you have to, in order to return this directory to its unchanged settings, if you had trouble applying the patch earlier.

Let's make it easier for our MIB user.
Open a file explorer ( dolphin or konqueror, even better MidnightCommander, but I'll stick to konqueror ) as follow:

[symbianflo@symbianflo ~]$ su -
Password: ******
[root@symbianflo ~]# konqueror

As you can see in the content of  /usr/lib/vmware/modules/source folder I've already have the patch (vmware-6.5.2-modules-2.6.29-fix.patch) and the executable ( vmware-6.5.2-modules-2.6.29-fix.sh), so all you have to do is to download these two files from here  and save them in the following folder:

/usr/lib/vmware/modules/source

Now it's the hard part  :D
Open a root shell ( menu/instrumentes/konsole  for example , and then  the usual : su -  and pass)
As root insert the following :

cd /usr/lib/vmware/modules/source

so now you are in the modules source folder
and to launch the executable typing the following command :

bash ./vmware-6.5.2-modules-2.6.29-fix.sh

and will start the usual build, as you done it before, against  the older kernels.

At the end of build you should follow the advices and move modules/binary directory

 As for the modules/binary directory confusing VMware and thus needing to be moved out of the way

I've made this guide in order to give a chance of all Mandriva 2009.1 - PowerPack user to be able to install & build VMware Player, that Mandriva offers to all powerpack users by adding the restricted repository.

Of corse if you install VMware Workstation at the first start you have to insert the activation key and eventually to register your software.

 Thanks to  Krellan from VMare community

Ciao da SymbianFlo