vmware kernel module updater ubuntu 13.04

First off, if you are trying to get VMware Workstation 9.x to run on a non-supported system or one that really hasn’t even been formally released yet like Ubuntu 13.04 “Raring Ringtail” you need to stop and ask yourself a few questions…

• Do you want the drama?
• Can you handle the bleeding edge and constant updates through the Ubuntu daily channel that will generate havoc on your computer?
• Why can’t you just be normal and stay on supported versions of Linux?
• What is wrong with you?

Good. If you’re still with me, then here are some tricks to try and get you over some bumps with getting VMware Workstation 9 to run on Ubuntu 13.04 and the 3.8.0-x kernels.

1. If you get the VMware Kernel Mod screen.

Try doing a symlink to the changed location of the version.h file to a spot where vmware is looking for it. In my case with kernel 3.8.0-12-generic it was located in

/usr/src/linux-headers-3.8.0-12-generic/include/generated/uapi/linux/version.h

But vmware is looking for the version.h file in under /include/linux/version.h so, you giving it a symlink might get you past it.

sudo ln -s /usr/src/linux-headers-3.8.0-12-generic/include/generated/uapi/linux/version.h /usr/src/linux-headers-3.8.0-12-generic/include/linux/version.h

Doing this then trying to run vmware-workstation from the terminal or via a GUI launcher should get you past the Module Updater prompt.

2. If you are still getting kernel module issues after install. Try installing the open vm-tools for your distro. For Ubuntu 13.04, they look like this in Synaptic. Get them all.

sudo apt-get install open-vm-tools open-vm-tools-dev open-vm-dkms open-vm-toolbox open-vm-tools-dev

3. You can start VMware Workstation 9.0.x but you are unable to enter your license code through the GUI. This is annoying.

It looks like it will fire-up to allow you to enter your license key, but it doesn’t. Good news is you can do it via terminal. Close out of vmware-workstation and run this.

usr/lib/vmware/bin/vmware-vmx-debug --new-sn xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

with the xxxx being your valid license key. This will get the key into the config properly without having to try and game the busted GUI.

4. Always, always check to make sure you get the latest and greatest version of vmware-workstation. As of this post, the current was VMware Workstation 9.0.2 and it came out about a week ago. They do updates to get you in the ballpark of issues, but they are generally always behind the churn of Linux kernels. They also tuck the behind a login which is a pain.

Hope this helps. VMware eventually gets stuff going well, you just typically need to stay a bit behind on kernel and distro versions which is fine for the “normal” people out there. All bets are off if you are crazy like many Linux folks though.