Again, we're talking two different problems here. The issue you're describing is due to kernel changes in 6.15 that keep the kernel modules in WS 17.6.3 and .4 from compiling (and where unofficial patches are available so that they will compile). And yes, Broadcom hasn't updated Workstation yet to add official support for these kernels. For the time being we're going to have to rely on the unofficial patches to keep things working on these new kernels.
The discussion in this thread started with an issue with loading compiled 17.6.3 modules on a 6.13.4 kernel. The funny thing about that is that the poster found that modules for 17.6.3 work fine on other machines running a 6.13.4 kernel. Which tells me that there's something different about the system with the errors compared to other systems with the same Workstation and kernel versions where things are working fine. That's where my comment/question about whether a custom kernel was in use was directed.
Original Message:
Sent: Jul 21, 2025 04:42 PM
From: Antonin Skala
Subject: WS 17.6.3 Linux host, Kernel 6.13.4 - Still fails with Kernel BUG on HP Envy 17 (2023) Laptop..
Hi, I have to use mentioned patch set also on clean openSUSE TW machine with kernel 6.15.6 so I do not think, that custom kernel nor configuration is an issue.
Original Message:
Sent: Jul 21, 2025 11:56 AM
From: Technogeezer
Subject: WS 17.6.3 Linux host, Kernel 6.13.4 - Still fails with Kernel BUG on HP Envy 17 (2023) Laptop..
I can confirm that both WS 17.6.3 and 17.6.4 need patches for kernel 6.15 (the module sources are the same between the 2 releases).
The support for the Workstation kernel modules doesn't keep up with the latest kernel releases - it's been that way for years. It's especially painful for distributions like Fedora that ship the latest kernel versions. This is complicated by the Linux kernel developers frequently changing things that break the compiling of the modules.
I think, though, that the module compilation problem on kernel 6.15 is a different issue than that being discussed in this thread. I'm wondering if a custom kernel configuration may be involved here. The OP provides a kernel version, but not the distro being used. Also@Antonin Skala indicates that a "xanmod" custom kernel is in use - not a standard Ubuntu kernel
------------------------------
- Paul (technogeezer)
vExpert 2025
Original Message:
Sent: Jul 20, 2025 10:38 AM
From: John Austin
Subject: WS 17.6.3 Linux host, Kernel 6.13.4 - Still fails with Kernel BUG on HP Envy 17 (2023) Laptop..
Yes I was very surprised that patches are still required for
Linux Workstation 17.6.4 build-24832109 for use with kernel 6.15.6-200.fc42.x86_64
The same patches (17.6.3) appear to work.
The patches have been available for some time!
https://community.broadcom.com/vmware-cloud-foundation/discussion/ubuntu-and-vmware-workstation-pro-after-installation-of-new-kernel
https://github.com/mkubecek/vmware-host-modules/issues/306
This is also probably relevant but I don't understand it!
https://github.com/mkubecek/vmware-host-modules/pull/303
Original Message:
Sent: Jul 19, 2025 08:40 PM
From: Robert Gadsdon
Subject: WS 17.6.3 Linux host, Kernel 6.13.4 - Still fails with Kernel BUG on HP Envy 17 (2023) Laptop..
Has this been fixed in 17.6.4? No mention on the release notes, and this version does not even work OOB with the latest (6.15) kernel!
Original Message:
Sent: Mar 04, 2025 06:52 PM
From: rgadsdon
Subject: WS 17.6.3 Linux host, Kernel 6.13.4 - Still fails with Kernel BUG on HP Envy 17 (2023) Laptop..
Attempted to upgrade to 17.6.3 on an HP Envy 17 2023 Laptop, and this still fails with a kernel BUG error, but is OK on other Linux systems:
[ 92.603890] vmmon: loading out-of-tree module taints kernel.
[ 92.607109] /dev/vmmon[2877]: Module vmmon: registered as misc device
[ 92.607112] /dev/vmmon[2877]: Using tsc_khz as TSC frequency: 2611200
[ 92.607113] /dev/vmmon[2877]: Module vmmon: initialized
[ 92.626464] Missing ENDBR: init_module+0x0/0xd0 [vmnet]
[ 92.627804] ------------[ cut here ]------------
[ 92.628863] Kernel BUG at exc_control_protection+0x29d/0x2a0 [verbose debug info unavailable]
[ 92.629887] Oops: invalid opcode: 0000 [#1] PREEMPT SMP NOPTI
[ 92.630922] CPU: 0 UID: 0 PID: 2901 Comm: modprobe Tainted: G O 6.13.4 #1
[ 92.631974] Tainted: [O]=OOT_MODULE
[ 92.633018] Hardware name: HP HP Envy Laptop 17-cw0xxx/8BDE, BIOS F.08 08/07/2024
[ 92.634068] RIP: 0010:exc_control_protection+0x29d/0x2a0
[ 92.635124] Code: d8 b9 09 00 00 00 48 8b 93 80 00 00 00 be 80 00 00 00 48 c7 c7 8b 01 55 b6 e8 7f 6c 33 ff 80 a3 8a 00 00 00 fb e9 31 fe ff ff <0f> 0b 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 66 0f 1f
[ 92.636274] RSP: 0018:ffffa3c205a379d0 EFLAGS: 00010002
[ 92.637405] RAX: 000000000000002b RBX: ffffa3c205a37a08 RCX: 0000000000000000
[ 92.638555] RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: ffff8e658f81c880 RDI: ffff8e658f81c880
[ 92.639709] RBP: 0000000000000000 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: ffffa3c205a37868
[ 92.640877] R10: ffffffffb6921e28 R11: 0000000000000003 R12: 0000000000000003
[ 92.642045] R13: 0000000000000000 R14: 0000000000000000 R15: 0000000000000000
[ 92.643228] FS: 00007f67566e5740(0000) GS:ffff8e658f800000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000
[ 92.644423] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033
[ 92.645614] CR2: 00007ffd873e9ef0 CR3: 000000010407e005 CR4: 0000000000f70ef0
[ 92.646829] PKRU: 55555554
[ 92.648019] Call Trace:
[ 92.649204] <TASK>
[ 92.650372] ? __die_body.cold+0x19/0x26
[ 92.651552] ? die+0x29/0x50
[ 92.652732] ? do_trap+0xc5/0x110
[ 92.653905] ? do_error_trap+0x60/0x80
[ 92.655073] ? exc_control_protection+0x29d/0x2a0
[ 92.656239] ? exc_invalid_op+0x4d/0x70
[ 92.657401] ? exc_control_protection+0x29d/0x2a0
[ 92.658558] ? asm_exc_invalid_op+0x1a/0x20
[ 92.659722] ? exc_control_protection+0x29d/0x2a0
[ 92.660870] asm_exc_control_protection+0x26/0x40
[ 92.662016] RIP: 0010:init_module+0x0/0xd0 [vmnet]
[ 92.663148] Code: 90 b8 f7 ff ff ff c3 cc cc cc cc b8 ff ff ff ff c3 cc cc cc cc 0f 1f 44 00 00 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 <66> 0f 1f 00 53 e8 a6 4e 00 00 85 c0 0f 85 65 7d 00 00 48 c7 c2 e0
[ 92.664357] RSP: 0018:ffffa3c205a37ab8 EFLAGS: 00010246
[ 92.665550] RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: ffffffffc1312120 RCX: 0000000000000000
[ 92.666740] RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 0000000000000000 RDI: ffffa3c205a37aa0
[ 92.667929] RBP: 0000000000000000 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: ffffa3c205a37806
[ 92.669106] R10: 00000000000007e0 R11: 00000000801e001e R12: 000055f672463715
[ 92.670329] R13: ffffa3c205a37ac0 R14: ffff8e5e10da4480 R15: ffff8e5e5c0f3ce0
[ 92.671508] ? __pfx_init_module+0x10/0x10 [vmnet]
[ 92.672688] do_one_initcall+0x5b/0x290
[ 92.673873] do_init_module+0x5b/0x1f0
[ 92.675062] init_module_from_file+0x81/0xc0
[ 92.676250] idempotent_init_module+0x110/0x310
[ 92.677447] __x64_sys_finit_module+0x5e/0xa0
[ 92.678646] do_syscall_64+0x7d/0x160
[ 92.679853] ? syscall_exit_to_user_mode+0x10/0x1c0
[ 92.681073] ? do_syscall_64+0x89/0x160
[ 92.682293] ? syscall_exit_to_user_mode+0x10/0x1c0
[ 92.683512] ? do_syscall_64+0x89/0x160
[ 92.684719] ? do_sys_openat2+0x97/0xe0
[ 92.685912] ? syscall_exit_to_user_mode+0x10/0x1c0
[ 92.687105] ? do_syscall_64+0x89/0x160
[ 92.688283] ? __count_memcg_events+0x4e/0xe0
[ 92.689471] ? handle_mm_fault+0x1be/0x290
[ 92.690660] ? do_user_addr_fault+0x31b/0x570
[ 92.691856] ? exc_page_fault+0x5f/0x80
[ 92.693042] entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x71/0x79
[ 92.694228] RIP: 0033:0x7f67560fff1d
[ 92.695406] Code: ff c3 66 2e 0f 1f 84 00 00 00 00 00 90 f3 0f 1e fa 48 89 f8 48 89 f7 48 89 d6 48 89 ca 4d 89 c2 4d 89 c8 4c 8b 4c 24 08 0f 05 <48> 3d 01 f0 ff ff 73 01 c3 48 8b 0d c3 5e 0f 00 f7 d8 64 89 01 48
[ 92.696667] RSP: 002b:00007ffd873ec088 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 0000000000000139
[ 92.697917] RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 000055f6b1b39f30 RCX: 00007f67560fff1d
[ 92.699178] RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 000055f672463715 RDI: 0000000000000003
[ 92.700432] RBP: 00007ffd873ec140 R08: 00007f67561f6b20 R09: 0000000000000000
[ 92.701678] R10: 000055f6b1b3a080 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 000055f672463715
[ 92.702924] R13: 0000000000040000 R14: 000055f6b1b39fd0 R15: 000055f6b1b3ab80
[ 92.704161] </TASK>
[ 92.705377] Modules linked in: vmnet(O+) vmmon(O) xt_comment nft_compat nf_conntrack_netbios_ns nf_conntrack_broadcast nft_fib_inet nft_fib_ipv4 nft_fib_ipv6 nft_fib nft_reject_inet nf_reject_ipv4 nf_reject_ipv6 nft_reject nft_ct nft_chain_nat nf_nat ip_set nf_tables qrtr vmw_vsock_vmci_transport vsock vmw_vmci bnep sunrpc cdc_mbim cdc_wdm cdc_ncm cdc_ether usbnet binfmt_misc vfat fat snd_ctl_led snd_soc_skl_hda_dsp snd_soc_intel_sof_board_helpers snd_soc_intel_hda_dsp_common snd_sof_probes iwlmvm snd_hda_codec_hdmi snd_hda_codec_realtek snd_hda_codec_generic snd_hda_scodec_component snd_soc_dmic snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl snd_sof_pci_intel_cnl snd_sof_intel_hda_generic soundwire_intel soundwire_cadence snd_sof_intel_hda_common snd_soc_hdac_hda snd_hda_scodec_cs35l41_spi snd_sof_intel_hda_mlink regmap_spi snd_sof_intel_hda snd_sof_pci snd_sof_xtensa_dsp snd_sof snd_sof_utils snd_soc_acpi_intel_match uvcvideo snd_soc_acpi_intel_sdca_quirks soundwire_generic_allocation videobuf2_vmalloc snd_soc_acpi uvc btusb soundwire_bus
[ 92.705403] videobuf2_memops snd_soc_sdca videobuf2_v4l2 btmtk btrtl snd_soc_avs mac80211 btbcm videodev snd_soc_hda_codec btintel libarc4 snd_hda_ext_core videobuf2_common intel_uncore_frequency snd_soc_core r8152 bluetooth intel_uncore_frequency_common mc mii snd_compress ac97_bus snd_pcm_dmaengine snd_hda_intel snd_intel_dspcfg snd_intel_sdw_acpi snd_hda_codec x86_pkg_temp_thermal snd_hda_core intel_powerclamp spi_nor snd_hwdep coretemp snd_seq iTCO_wdt mei_hdcp mei_pxp processor_thermal_device_pci snd_hda_scodec_cs35l41_i2c rapl mtd ee1004 snd_seq_device intel_pmc_bxt processor_thermal_device snd_hda_scodec_cs35l41 iwlwifi intel_cstate iTCO_vendor_support snd_hda_cs_dsp_ctls intel_rapl_msr processor_thermal_wt_hint snd_pcm processor_thermal_rfim snd_soc_cs_amp_lib hp_wmi processor_thermal_rapl cs_dsp mei_me wmi_bmof intel_uncore platform_profile spi_intel_pci cfg80211 pcspkr snd_timer snd_soc_cs35l41_lib i2c_i801 intel_rapl_common thunderbolt spi_intel mei snd rfkill i2c_smbus idma64 processor_thermal_wt_req
[ 92.712427] soundcore processor_thermal_power_floor processor_thermal_mbox igen6_edac intel_pmc_core int3403_thermal serial_multi_instantiate int340x_thermal_zone intel_vsec intel_hid pmt_telemetry int3400_thermal pmt_class acpi_thermal_rel sparse_keymap acpi_pad joydev soc_button_array loop dm_multipath dm_mod nfnetlink zram intel_ishtp_hid hid_sensor_hub crct10dif_pclmul crc32_pclmul crc32c_intel polyval_clmulni polyval_generic ghash_clmulni_intel rtsx_pci_sdmmc sha512_ssse3 mmc_core sha256_ssse3 ucsi_acpi intel_ish_ipc hid_multitouch sha1_ssse3 typec_ucsi rtsx_pci intel_ishtp typec i2c_hid_acpi i2c_hid pinctrl_tigerlake serio_raw nf_conntrack_pptp nf_conntrack nf_defrag_ipv6 nf_defrag_ipv4 fuse i2c_dev
[ 92.725647] ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]---
[ 92.727522] RIP: 0010:exc_control_protection+0x29d/0x2a0
[ 92.729387] Code: d8 b9 09 00 00 00 48 8b 93 80 00 00 00 be 80 00 00 00 48 c7 c7 8b 01 55 b6 e8 7f 6c 33 ff 80 a3 8a 00 00 00 fb e9 31 fe ff ff <0f> 0b 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 66 0f 1f
[ 92.731336] RSP: 0018:ffffa3c205a379d0 EFLAGS: 00010002
[ 92.733265] RAX: 000000000000002b RBX: ffffa3c205a37a08 RCX: 0000000000000000
[ 92.735200] RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: ffff8e658f81c880 RDI: ffff8e658f81c880
[ 92.737145] RBP: 0000000000000000 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: ffffa3c205a37868
[ 92.739099] R10: ffffffffb6921e28 R11: 0000000000000003 R12: 0000000000000003
[ 92.741054] R13: 0000000000000000 R14: 0000000000000000 R15: 0000000000000000
[ 92.743008] FS: 00007f67566e5740(0000) GS:ffff8e658f800000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000
[ 92.744975] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033
[ 92.746950] CR2: 00007ffd873e9ef0 CR3: 000000010407e005 CR4: 0000000000f70ef0
[ 92.748937] PKRU: 55555554
[ 92.750911] note: modprobe[2901] exited with irqs disabled
The last version that compiles/loads/runs OK on this system is 17.5.2, and fortunately this older version (with patches..) is still OK with the latest 6.14-rc kernels..
As a point of reference, 17.6.3 installs OK on other Linux systems with the same Kernel - 6.13.4 and Distro (Fedora 41)..