VMware Tools now broken with gcc 5.1.0 upgrade

eduncan911 · 2015-05-22 02:19:38

This is more of a VMware Tools problem I believe as the community currently has to "patch" the vmware-tools-distro.pl script manually to get it to compile vmhgfs (which is used for file sharing between host and the Arch guest). I am starting a thread here to document any resolve, which currently there is none...

Around April 28th, the Arch linux kernel was compiled with gcc 5.1.0, even though gcc 4.9 was in the repository. This started the problems with vmware tools install:

https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=196915

I was able to resolve it by recompiling the kernel using the gcc 4.9 on the system. All attempts at upgrading gcc to 5.1.0 failed, because as I was able to build the tools using gcc 5.1.0, the VM was lockup when trying to enable the kernel modules for vmware. Both on script install, and during reboot.

Today I've upgraded my system and found gcc 5.1.0 upgraded.

I switched back to using the core kernel (compiled with gcc 5.1.0) and allowed gcc 5.1.0 to be installed. I rebooted and got a panic from the vmhgfs not being able to run, and was dumped to emergency mode. (Do note that I have vmhgfs in my fstab, this is most likely why it failed on boot)

So, I went into vmware-tools-distro, my patched version (see link above), and attempted to rebuild the vmware tools under the kernel compiled with gcc 5.1.0 and with gcc 5.1.0. Yay, it found gcc binary this time - the 5.1.0 version.

Unfortunately, the same previous 5.1.0 errors exists:

* during vmware-tools-install.pl, it won't compile vmhgfs with errors of functions not found. needs to be patched (vmware issue, ignore)
* during vmware-tools-install.pl again with patched script, it compiles just fine.
* but during the Kernel Modules enabling portion, the system hangs / freezes / halts. Hard reset is only resolve.
* on system boot, system hangs / freezes / halts on vmhgfs initialization.

Only current resolves are:

* Do not use file sharing (not an option)
* Install gcc 4.9 and recompile your kernel (I already have one, so i am using it)

This is obviously not a long term solution.

ewaller · 2015-05-22 03:03:10

eduncan911,

I saw your report -- Thanks, the mods like that means of communication As to which forum is appropriate, I think it is the AUR Issues and Discussion. Unfortunately VMware is not in core, extras or community. Nor is this a newbie problem. For now, I will move this to the AUR forum. You might leave a comment in the AUR. It might even be deserving of an out of date flag.

eduncan911 · 2015-05-22 03:06:46

Nice to hear I no longer have "newbie" issues.

I think I may add an out of date flag on the Wiki page <- is that what you were talking about?

ewaller · 2015-05-22 04:33:13

Hell, the moderators still have newbie issues I know I post there from time to time.
I had not been thinking about the wiki, but that is a good call. I don't use VMware, so I just checked the AUR -- $DEITY, there are a bunch of packages there... I had been thinking to tag one of those.

eduncan911 · 2015-05-22 05:33:07

I have switched to the Open VM Tools, the public domain versions, and am running into exactly the same "vmhgfs" problem: system panics/hangs/locks when trying to mount the share.

I posted a bug report over in VMware... But considering they haven't even fixed the build issues with VMware Tools in 7 months (dev says he has fixed it, but it's not released yet), I seriously doubt that gcc 5.1.0 will get any attention before the next year.

Guess I may be going back to VirtualBox after all. But the 3D acceleration sucks in that, as well as disk I/O.

Arch Linux

#1 2015-05-22 02:19:38

VMware Tools now broken with gcc 5.1.0 upgrade

#2 2015-05-22 03:03:10

Re: VMware Tools now broken with gcc 5.1.0 upgrade

#3 2015-05-22 03:06:46

Re: VMware Tools now broken with gcc 5.1.0 upgrade

#4 2015-05-22 04:33:13

Re: VMware Tools now broken with gcc 5.1.0 upgrade

#5 2015-05-22 05:33:07

Re: VMware Tools now broken with gcc 5.1.0 upgrade

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