Barthax
asked on
VMWare Server 2 requires vmware-config after each boot on Linux
I use VMWare Server 2 on an Ubuntu 10. I shutdown last thing & boot up again first thing. Every boot up, the VMWare Server 2 fails to function - the web interface is inaccessible and starting the vmware-vmrc from the command-line fails to connect. Running 'sudo /usr/bin/vmware-config.pl' results in the following:
====
The following VMware kernel modules have been found on your system that were
not installed by the VMware Installer. Please remove them then run this
installer again.
vmnet
vmmon
vmci
I.e. - 'rm /lib/modules/2.6.32-24-gen eric/misc/ <ModuleNam e>.{o,ko}'
Execution aborted.
====
At this point, I follow the instructions (note that the vsock.* is unafflicted) with 'sudo rm /lib/modules/2.6.32-24-gen eric/misc/ vm*' and re-run the vmware-config.pl with full path. This time it uses the init.d script for vmware to shut it down and everytime achieves:
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Making sure services for VMware Server are stopped.
Stopping VMware autostart virtual machines:
Virtual machines done
Stopping VMware management services:
VMware Virtual Infrastructure Web Access
VMware Server Host Agent done
Stopping VMware services:
VMware Authentication Daemon done
VM communication interface socket family: done
Virtual machine communication interface done
Virtual machine monitor done
Bridged networking on /dev/vmnet0 done
Host network detection done
DHCP 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 failed
Unable to stop services for VMware Server
Execution aborted.
====
My only recourse is to reboot (which thankfully is not long), log in & re-run the vmware-config.pl script once again and VMWare Server 2 kicks into life.
Note that the installation is from VMware-server-2.0.2-203138 .i386.tar. gz with the AMD patch: VMware-server-2.0.2-203138 -update-2. patch if that helps any.
I'd like to put an end to this cycle. :)
====
The following VMware kernel modules have been found on your system that were
not installed by the VMware Installer. Please remove them then run this
installer again.
vmnet
vmmon
vmci
I.e. - 'rm /lib/modules/2.6.32-24-gen
Execution aborted.
====
At this point, I follow the instructions (note that the vsock.* is unafflicted) with 'sudo rm /lib/modules/2.6.32-24-gen
====
Making sure services for VMware Server are stopped.
Stopping VMware autostart virtual machines:
Virtual machines done
Stopping VMware management services:
VMware Virtual Infrastructure Web Access
VMware Server Host Agent done
Stopping VMware services:
VMware Authentication Daemon done
VM communication interface socket family: done
Virtual machine communication interface done
Virtual machine monitor done
Bridged networking on /dev/vmnet0 done
Host network detection done
DHCP 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 failed
Unable to stop services for VMware Server
Execution aborted.
====
My only recourse is to reboot (which thankfully is not long), log in & re-run the vmware-config.pl script once again and VMWare Server 2 kicks into life.
Note that the installation is from VMware-server-2.0.2-203138
I'd like to put an end to this cycle. :)
Looks like some patches might be required - see http://communities.vmware.com/thread/267682;jsessionid=212396894D37352521AC75DD3520FF17?tstart=0
Good Luck
Good Luck
ASKER
Thanks, bgoering. I'll give them a go. :)
ASKER
Hmmm... two reboots later & it's definitely not changing the circumstances. I plan to look into it more as I think I may have missed something. Not forgotten. ;)
Found another link with a script for a 2.6.32 kernel: http://radu.cotescu.com/2010/02/21/how-to-install-vmware-server-kernel-2-6-32/
ASKER
Thanks bgoering. Of the above two latest links, the first one confirms in the responses beneath that it does not fix the issue I face - indeed the author confirms it happens to himself. The second is a general "how to" getting it working in the first instance - I'm long past that one. ;)
ASKER
I've decided to try altering the vmware startup script & add in a new script which removes the modules on shutdown.
ASKER
So here's the attempt. The script is in /etc/init.d and I've called it vmware-mod-rem. chmod +x vmware-mod-rem is done to ensure it is executable and it works from a command window. I've linked it into the /etc/r5.d directory as S02vmware-mod-rem and K50vmware-mod-rem - very early start but late closure compared to the K0x entries for vmware.
The check before running vmware-config.pl is of the vmmon.o - the first item built by the vmware-config.pl.
Just need to test booting (which I haven't got time today as I've wasted 30 mins preparing).
The check before running vmware-config.pl is of the vmmon.o - the first item built by the vmware-config.pl.
Just need to test booting (which I haven't got time today as I've wasted 30 mins preparing).
#!/usr/bin/env bash
case $1 in
start)
if [ ! -e "/dev/vmmon" ] ; then
mknod /dev/vmmon c 10 165
chmod 600 /dev/vmmon
fi
for a in `seq 0 9` ; do
if [ ! -e "/dev/vmnet$a" ] ; then
mknod /dev/vmnet$a c 119 $a
chmod 600 /dev/vmnet$a
fi
done
if [ ! -e /lib/modules/`uname -r`/misc/vmmon.o ] ; then
/usr/bin/vmware-config.pl -default
fi
;;
stop)
rm /lib/modules/`uname -r`/misc/vm*
;;
esac
ASKER
Minor update: had to alter the shebang to #!/bin/sh before it worked... and the minor mistake of putting the links in the wrong run level. :D The files now get recompiled on reboot but VMWare doesn't start automatically. Attempting to start it manually indicates the modules are for the wrong version of the kernel (still). Thankfully, I can remove the modules, recompile them & start VMWare without any further reboots now.... That's at least one step closer. :)
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ASKER
Good idea, thanks bgoering. I've switched the script to bash & added a "env >/root/envbuild" line to get some detail. It's 5:20 here, so I won't be returning to this until sometime next week. Here's hoping. :)
ASKER
Hmmm... it compiled afresh on boot up - the file time stamps prove that. Unfortunately, the ethernet portion of VMWare Server is not 100%, returning me to where I was. The environment output is in the code block for this post - that seems sufficient, IMO.
So, I'm thinking now that it is boot order of something else which may be afflicting the build. I'm going to push the rebuild script to last (S99) for the next boot.
So, I'm thinking now that it is boot order of something else which may be afflicting the build. I'm going to push the rebuild script to last (S99) for the next boot.
TERM=xterm
PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin
PWD=/
LANG=en_GB.utf8
SHLVL=1
_=/usr/bin/env
ASKER
I found http://communities.vmware.com/thread/8767 and it has the suggestion of prepending "VMWARE_DEBUG=yes" before vmware scripts to get the debug output.
The script reckons it has found a conflict of IPs:
Host-only networking on /dev/vmnet1Host-only networking disabled because 172.16.29.1
appears to be a real, physical, existing address.
Trouble is, this only exists after VMWare has failed... So, I know this is something in the network portion of VMWare which is causing it. I've altered my script with belt-and-braces stop-vmware-at-all-costs-a nd-remove- the-module s knowledge and I'm going for another reboot.
The script reckons it has found a conflict of IPs:
Host-only networking on /dev/vmnet1Host-only networking disabled because 172.16.29.1
appears to be a real, physical, existing address.
Trouble is, this only exists after VMWare has failed... So, I know this is something in the network portion of VMWare which is causing it. I've altered my script with belt-and-braces stop-vmware-at-all-costs-a
ASKER
I've just noticed (post-reboot) that there's more than one vmware entry in the rc2.d. I've removed them now, so my script is the only one involved. Postponing more on this until tomorrow.
Sounds like you are on the right track - good luck
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ASKER
On checking, there is a different environment by the time S99 kicks in. Naturally, there's some improvements to be made to the above script (like not appending to the same file forever!). I think that does me. Thanks for the assistance, bgoering.
Good job, glad you were able to achieve a workaround.
ASKER
One extra thing: the vmware-config.pl puts an S90vmware back in rc2.d. So the end of the start portion of my script now also removes this entry.
ASKER
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