vmware workstation kernel 2.6.24 compile error

[blocker]

Hi Forumers,

i am experiencing troubles building the vmware workstation module on my linux PC, i think that it has something to do with the kernel version i use because on earlier version there was no such problem present.

Software i use:
Debian sid, kernel 2.4.24 build from the debian source package gcc-4.2 (also tried with debian precompiled image linux-image-2.6.24-1-686)
VMware-workstation-6.0.3-80004.i386 (also tried with VMware-workstation-6.0.2-59824.i386)

Building the vmmon module.

Using 2.6.x kernel build system.
make: Entering directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only'
make -C /lib/modules/2.6.24/build/include/.. SUBDIRS=$PWD SRCROOT=$PWD/. modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-source-2.6.24'
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/driver.o
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/hostif.o
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/hostif.c: In function ‘HostIF_BrokenCPUHelper’:
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/linux/hostif.c:3056: warning: passing argument 1 of ‘HostIFBrokenCPUHelper’ discards qualifiers from pointer target type
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/common/comport.o
CC [M] /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/common/cpuid.o
In file included from include/asm/bitops.h:2,
from /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/./include/vcpuset.h:74,
from /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/./include/modulecall.h:23,
from /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/common/vmx86.h:18,
from /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/common/hostif.h:18,
from /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/common/cpuid.c:14:
include/asm/bitops_32.h:9:2: error: #error only <linux/bitops.h> can be included directly
make[2]: *** [/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/common/cpuid.o] Error 1
make[1]: *** [_module_/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-source-2.6.24'
make: *** [vmmon.ko] Error 2
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only'
Unable to build the vmmon module.

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.

does anybody have an idea how can i fix that?

[o.meyer]

Hi blocker,

please have a look at http://www.howtoforge.com/vmware-server-1.0.4-fedora8-kernel-2.6.24 maybe this will also work for Debian.

Best regards,

Olli

[blocker]

hmm it looks like that the tread you posted is for vmware server, and i would like to have vmware workstation installed....

[blocker]

I have tried vmware server, your walktrough works perfect also on debian!
Thanks!

[rmarrs]

I just tested this on Hardy Heron using VMWare Workstation. Works fine, because the kernel modules are what wouldn't build. Doesn't matter which scale of VMWare you have, they'll all build the same kernel modules.

[bnv]

For me the vmmon and vmnet modules compile using the proposed solution, but my virtual machine will not start due to a version mismatch with vmmon module: expecting 167.0, got 161.0. VMWare Workstation 6.02 build-59824 and Kubuntu kernel 2.6.24-16-generic.

[bnv]

For a working solution for the combination VMWare Workstation 6.02 and host kernel 2.6.24-16, use the patched any-any patch from http://aldeby.org/blog/?p=113