RHEL 9.4 and VMware Workstation 17.5.2

[Alan Baugher]

Observations:   The latest kernel of RHEL 9.4 has some challenges for the installation of VMware Workstation Pro 17.5.1 & 17.5.2  on a personal workstation.


1.   Minor challenge - Fresh install of RHEL 9.4 had missing kernel-headers and kernel-devel via official RHEL repos. These had to be downloaded & applied via a RHEL security advisory. https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:2394

View of OS prior to installation of kernel-headers and kernel-devel libraries.

$ rpm -qa kernel*
kernel-tools-libs-5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4.x86_64
kernel-modules-core-5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4.x86_64
kernel-core-5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4.x86_64
kernel-modules-5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4.x86_64
kernel-tools-5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4.x86_64
kernel-5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4.x86_64
kernel-srpm-macros-1.0-13.el9.noarch

$ uname -a
Linux hostname.here 5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4.x86_64 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Wed Apr 10 10:29:16 EDT 2024 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux




2a.   VMware workstation pro 17.5.1 & 17.5.2 both reported an error with the "vmware-modconfig" section during installation.

# ./VMware-Workstation-Full-17.5.2-23775571.x86_64.bundle

[Makefile:117: vmmon.ko] Error 2
[Makefile:1934: /tmp/modconfig-cwzWEe/vmnet-only] Error 2\nmake: ***
[Makefile:117: vmnet.ko] Error 2\nUnable to install all modules.  See log for details.\n\n'

Upon review within the installation log, it appears that two (2) modules need to be modified.
vmmon  & vmnet



2b.   To confirm the issue, tested with the vmware-modconfig  process.

$ sudo vmware-modconfig --console --install-all

[AppLoader] GLib does not have GSettings support.
(process:95861): GLib-CRITICAL **: 12:43:01.941: g_file_test: assertion 'filename != NULL' failed

Resolution:
- Upon additional research, I was able to find a working process via a dedicated git to the two (2) vmware host modules.

https://github.com/mkubecek/vmware-host-modules

Specifically, the steps introduced in this ticket resolved my challenge with RHEL 9.4 with the same kernel version.

https://github.com/mkubecek/vmware-host-modules/issues/244

####  Enclosing steps below to address installation challenges of personal edition of VMware workstation pro 17.5.2 on RHEL 9.4 ####


A. Address missing OS libraries [download and install two (2) RHEL libraries that match the current kernel version, including dependencies]
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:2394

dnf list kernel-devel-$(uname -r)

dnf list kernel-headers-$(uname -r)

sudo rpm -ivh /os-patches/kernel-headers-5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4.x86_64.rpm

sudo dnf -y install elfutils-libelf-devel

sudo dnf -y install openssl-devel

sudo rpm -ivh /os-patches/kernel-devel-5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4.x86_64.rpm

 

B.  Download the mkubecek/vmware-host-modules git repo and checkout the git that matches current VMware workstation release.

 [Note:  git version 17.5.1 worked for vmware workstation pro 17.5.2 as well]

mkdir vmware-module-git ; cd vmware-module-git

git clone https://github.com/mkubecek/vmware-host-modules.git

cd vmware-host-modules/

vmware --version

git checkout workstation-17.5.1

C.   STOP and edit two (2) files:

 Ref:  https://github.com/mkubecek/vmware-host-modules/issues/244

 

cd vmmon-only/include/

cp -r -p pgtbl.h pgtbl.h.prior.20240613

 

vi pgtbl.h and change this line:

from:

#if LINUX_VERSION_CODE >= KERNEL_VERSION(6,5,0)

 to:

#if LINUX_VERSION_CODE >= KERNEL_VERSION(6,4,10) || RHEL_RELEASE_CODE >= RHEL_RELEASE_VERSION(9, 4)

 

cd vmnet-only/

cp -r -p bridge.c bridge.c.prior.20240613

 

vi bridge.c and change this line:

from:

#if LINUX_VERSION_CODE >= KERNEL_VERSION(6, 4, 10)

to:

#if LINUX_VERSION_CODE >= KERNEL_VERSION(6, 4, 0) || RHEL_RELEASE_CODE >= RHEL_RELEASE_VERSION(9, 4)

 

 

D.  Continue with make process for the two modules

 

sudo make clean

make

sudo make install

sudo systemctl restart vmware.service

sudo systemctl status vmware.service


E.   Validate vmware workstation is working and able to access networking features.

 Able to enter license in to UI and continue with access.

 

F.   Output examples of validation of working installation.

$ systemctl status vmware.service
● vmware.service - VMware host virtualization and network services for Workstation
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/vmware.service; enabled; preset: disabled)
Active: active (running) since Thu 2024-06-13 17:40:34 CDT; 16min ago
Process: 151074 ExecStart=/usr/lib/vmware/scripts/init/vmware start (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
Tasks: 6 (limit: 3296082)
Memory: 3.4M
CPU: 152ms
CGroup: /system.slice/vmware.service
├─151134 /usr/bin/vmnet-netifup -s 6 -d /var/run/vmnet-netifup-vmnet1.pid /dev/vmnet1 vmnet1
├─151140 /usr/bin/vmnet-dhcpd -s 6 -cf /etc/vmware/vmnet1/dhcpd/dhcpd.conf -lf /etc/vmware/vmnet1/dhcpd/dhcpd.leases -pf /var/run/vmnet-dhcpd-vmnet1.pid vm>
├─151144 /usr/bin/vmnet-natd -s 6 -m /etc/vmware/vmnet8/nat.mac -c /etc/vmware/vmnet8/nat/nat.conf
├─151146 /usr/bin/vmnet-netifup -s 6 -d /var/run/vmnet-netifup-vmnet8.pid /dev/vmnet8 vmnet8
├─151149 /usr/bin/vmnet-dhcpd -s 6 -cf /etc/vmware/vmnet8/dhcpd/dhcpd.conf -lf /etc/vmware/vmnet8/dhcpd/dhcpd.leases -pf /var/run/vmnet-dhcpd-vmnet8.pid vm>
└─151166 /usr/sbin/vmware-authdlauncher

$ vmware --version
VMware Workstation 17.5.2 build-23775571

$ uname -a
Linux hostname.here 5.14.0-427.13.1.el9_4.x86_64 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Wed Apr 10 10:29:16 EDT 2024 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

$ sudo /usr/bin/vmware-networks --stop ; sudo /usr/bin/vmware-networks --verbose --start
Stopped Bridged networking on vmnet0
Stopped DHCP service on vmnet1
Disabled hostonly virtual adapter on vmnet1
Stopped DHCP service on vmnet8
Stopped NAT service on vmnet8
Disabled hostonly virtual adapter on vmnet8
Stopped all configured services on all networks
Commands specified: start
Features configured on vmnet0 are: Bridge
Started Bridge networking on vmnet0
Features configured on vmnet1 are: subnet DHCP HostOnlyAdapter
Creating thread #: 0 to ping subnet on vmnet1
Checking availability of subnet configured for vmnet1
Features configured on vmnet8 are: subnet DHCP NAT HostOnlyAdapter
Creating thread #: 1 to ping subnet on vmnet8
Checking availability of subnet configured for vmnet8
Subnet configured for vmnet1 is available
Subnet configured for vmnet8 is available
Checking if services on vmnet1 can be started, thread #0
Enabled hostonly virtual adapter on vmnet1
Started DHCP service on vmnet1
Finished processing thread #0 on vmnet1
Checking if services on vmnet8 can be started, thread #1
Started NAT service on vmnet8
Enabled hostonly virtual adapter on vmnet8
Started DHCP service on vmnet8
Finished processing thread #1 on vmnet8
Started all configured services on all networks

 F  Final / Side note:  Do not run the vmware-modconfig as it will still fail.   

 sudo vmware-modconfig --console --install-all

Hopefully this note has some value to others.


Cheers,

------------------------------
Alan Baugher
ANA
------------------------------

[Alan Baugher]

FYI - Two (2) follow-ups were needed to address minor issues.

1. UI issue for non-root user.
   • Added env variable to .bashrc  for non-root user.
     • export VMWARE_USE_SHIPPED_LIBS='yes'    
   • log out and log back in as user, and launch vmware.
     
     
2.   Unable to import an OVA file.   The screen would not advance to next screen after selecting the OVA file.
   • Observed no error messages within vmware logs nor journaclt
   • Attempt to load ova file with the CLI tool of 'ovftool'  and was able to capture error message of missing/deprecated library.
   • Use  'strace -e openat ovftool'  to confirm error message and missing library of 'libnsl'
   • yum provides libnsl    show this to be a deprecated library that is no longer shipped default with glibc for RHEL 9.4
   • deployed with   'dnf install -y libnsl'   and now able to use the Vmware UI to import OVA files.
   • Ref. https://access.redhat.com/solutions/4975641

### ###

View of "export VMWARE_USE_SHIPPED_LIBS='yes'"  in  .bashrc of non-root user.

 

View of "strace -e openat ovftool" and error message due to missing/deprecated library of 'libnsl'

Confirm that you can advance screens during the import of the OVA file.

------------------------------
Alan Baugher
ANA
------------------------------

[Alan Baugher]

We are using MITM methodology to isolate the certificate issues.

Ref.  https://anapartner.com/2023/07/13/secure-application-introspection/

On MS Windows, VMware Workstation uses MS Windows keystore (certlm.msc).
On RHEL 9.x  VMware Workstation uses /etc/pki location  (see README file for steps to use 'update-ca-trust' process)

A view of the flow captured.   It appears the root CA cert was not in the OS keystore.   Once you update the cert in your OS, you should not have this issue again.   Alternatively, instead of waiting on the OS vendor, you may add the Broadcom CA root cert directly to the OS keystore.

Finally, to confirm that there are no more issues, we are reviewing the logs under   /tmp/vmware-USERNAME    {where USERNAME is the non-root or root user, depending when VMware Workstation was executed on the RHEL OS}

The primary logs of interest are the ones named  "vmware-ui-XXXXXXX.log"

One remaining error/warning/status message we see is:

"2024-06-19T20:48:54.000Z In(05) vmui SOCKET 836 (17) AsyncTCPSocketSetOption: Option layer/level [6], option/name [1]: could not set OS option for TCP socket; error [95: Operation not supported]."

We suspect this could be a simple heart-beat check process that is confused by the underlying guest OS VMware image.   

Based on review of    

https://github.com/vmware/open-vm-tools/blob/master/open-vm-tools/lib/asyncsocket/asyncsocket.c

------------------------------
Alan Baugher
ANA
------------------------------