"Our engineering team has updated us that this issue stems from the fact that our product release timelines and those of the various Linux distributions don't always align."
While that may be true, it does not excuse the lengthy delays that occur after the problem arises. For at least the last 3 versions, the 'fix' is a simple munge of a compile script that an intern could do. I am hopeful what you are saying is actually happening, but forgive me if I am doubtful.
As for the original poster, This is the current procedure that works for me, use at your own risk, it utilizes the github repo of mkubecek who has provided patches for many versions that have compilation errors.
cd /tmp
sudo bash
git clone github.com/mkubecek/vmware-host-modules.git cd vmware-host-modules git switch workstation-17.5.1
This will create a folder in your current directory /vmware-host-modules/
Look inside the sub directory /vmmon-only/include/ for this file 'pgtbl.h'
91#if LINUX_VERSION_CODE >= KERNEL_VERSION(6,5,0)
92 pte_t *pte = pte_offset_kernel(pmd, addr);
93 #else
94 pte_t *pte = pte_offset_map(pmd, addr);
95 #endif
...
line 94: replace pte_offset_map with pte_offset_kernel to make kernel version check invalid
94 pte_t *pte = pte_offset_kernel(pmd, addr);
Next look inside the sub directory /vmnet-only/ for this file 'bridge.c'
...
28
29 #if LINUX_VERSION_CODE >= KERNEL_VERSION(6, 4, 10)
30 #include <net/gso.h>
31 #endif
...
line 28: add #include <net/gso.h> so that net/gso.h will be included anyway
28 #include <net/gso.h>
The files should look like this:
pgtbl.h
...
91#if LINUX_VERSION_CODE >= KERNEL_VERSION(6,5,0)
92 pte_t *pte = pte_offset_kernel(pmd, addr);
93 #else
94 pte_t *pte = pte_offset_kernel(pmd, addr);//replace "pte_offset_map" with "pte_offset_kernel" to make kernel version check invalid
95 #endif
...
bridge.c
...
28 #include <net/gso.h> //add this line so that net/gso.h will be included anyway
29 #if LINUX_VERSION_CODE >= KERNEL_VERSION(6, 4, 10)
30 #include <net/gso.h>
31 #endif
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE kernel_source for your running kernel installed or you won't be able to compile.
Depending on your setup you may also have to install 'make' and 'gcc'.
Now execute
make clean
make
make install
Try and launch VMware Workstation if there are no errors. This method has been posted numerous places on the internet. The github gets updated from time to time so these instructions may be partially out of date so you may have to tweak them to suit your situation. This set of instructions basically just comments out some version checking.
It seems to work for many, but not for all. There isn't really a consistent basis for why it works for some and not others. If you have a fairly vanilla and clean distro it will likely work. If it doesn't, no harm, just delete the downloaded git files and wait for an official patch. Be aware, it might be months away.
Original Message:
Sent: Aug 20, 2024 11:51 PM
From: Julia Klaus
Subject: Follow-Up on VMware Workstation Linux Issues and Next Steps
Hi Yilmaz, Gary,
Our engineering team has updated us that this issue stems from the fact that our product release timelines and those of the various Linux distributions don't always align. This means that changes upstream can lead to incompatibility. To address this in the long term, the team is studying solutions that need to be approached from several angles:
- Up-to-date public-facing documentation for when such incidents occur.
- An official VMware/Broadcom process for delivering out-of-band patches to address issues with newer kernels.
This problem isn't new and has always been a challenge, so they are trying to understand if something specific is making it more prevalent or causing issues in the field.
Additionally, the team is working on reproducing the networking issues reported, and they will inform us if they need to reach out for additional details or help with reproducing; however, If someone in the community happens to have any up-to-date documentation or wants to reproduce the issue on different versions of Linux and share their findings, I will gladly pass that information along to the engineering team and check if they can use it as. "Up-to-date public-facing documentation for when such incidents occur."
I have also raised Gary's question, "could Broadcom publish the Linux system requirements for the modules that need to be compiled to access the kernel?" I'm waiting for answers on this one, as I'm not sure on the policies to release this kind of information.
Also, feel free to chime in if you think you can contribute to the solutions.
Thanks,
-Julia
Original Message:
Sent: Aug 20, 2024 01:52 PM
From: gary fargusson
Subject: Follow-Up on VMware Workstation Linux Issues and Next Steps
Good Afternoon Julia,
Thank you for reaching out.
Now that Workstation Pro is now available as a personal use license, could Broadcom publish the Linux system requirements for the modules that need to be compiled to access the kernel?
There are members of the community that are familiar with compiling C and linking objects to create executable code. If we are aware of the dependencies of these modules, the community may be able to pinpoint the source of the issue with suggested solutions for members and the Broadcom development teams. I saw in the log file, there was a search for configuration files, if we could explicitly define these dependencies in a configuration file, we might not have to download patches from githubs on the internet.
In this case there have been community members that have helped other members get their installations up and running again. Given that there are many flavors of Linux and they are being continually updated, having more eyes on these kind of issues would be beneficial for customer experience.
This seem to be great community, please help us get the tools to help one another.
Regards and respect
Gary Fargusson
Original Message:
Sent: Aug 19, 2024 10:30 PM
From: Julia Klaus
Subject: Follow-Up on VMware Workstation Linux Issues and Next Steps
Hi All,
Thank you for bringing this issue with Workstation to our attention in such detail. I completely understand your frustration and how this ongoing problem is affecting you,
I want to assure you that this matter has been raised Internally. The PMs who are closely involved with the Workstation have informed us that they will follow up on the current situation with the Workstation on Linux and will provide us with an update after catching up with the team regarding Linux support.
Please know that we take your concerns very seriously, and we're committed to finding a resolution. I will let you know of any developments. If you have any more questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me directly.
Thank you for your continued support. We value your trust and are working to ensure it remains well-placed.
Best regards,
Julia Klaus
--
Customer and Community Division,
Broadcom