Arch Linux User Repository

After the first installation, please:

1) install the appropriate headers package(s) for your installed kernel(s): linux-headers for default kernel, linux-lts-headers for LTS kernel...

2) reboot or load vmw_vmci and vmmon kernel modules (modprobe -a vmw_vmci vmmon)

3) Enable the services you need (using .service units to activate them during boot or .path units to activate them when a VM is started) :

• vmware-networks: to have network access inside VMs

• vmware-usbarbitrator: to connect USB devices inside VMs

I am on manjaro and I suddenly started experiencing the problem with the missing vmmon after vmware working for months.

Since vmware-modconfig --console --install-all expects there to be a vmware.service that solution fails.
your package is linked to in the arch wiki stating vmware.service is included.
I don't want the service but thought it could be good for you to know since it is not included.

I tried following the arch wiki instructions about uninstalling to then reinstall the package, but there is no vmware-installer.

There are multiple files in /usr/lib/modules/kernelname in a few directories but if I run:

modprobe -a vmw_vmci vmmon
modprobe: WARNING: Module vmmon not found in directory /lib/modules/6.4.10-1-MANJARO

But:

find /usr/lib/modules -name vmmon\*
/usr/lib/modules/6.1.45-1-MANJARO/updates/dkms/vmmon.ko.zst

Should I just reinstall and hope for the best?
Please advice.

edit
I just realized, this is for the other kernel I am running, so the error might be legit. I guess I change the question to, should I just reinstall to get the modules for the 6.4 kernel I am running?
I have both 6.1 and 6.4 installed.

Edit 2

sudo dkms install --no-depmod vmware-workstation/17.0.2_21581411 -k 6.4.10-1-MANJARO

Sign command: /usr/lib/modules/6.4.10-1-MANJARO/build/scripts/sign-file
Signing key: /var/lib/dkms/mok.key
Public certificate (MOK): /var/lib/dkms/mok.pub

Building module:
Cleaning build area...
make -j24 KERNELRELEASE=6.4.10-1-MANJARO KVERSION=6.4.10-1-MANJARO SRCDIR=/usr/src/vmware-workstation-17.0.2_21581411...(bad exit status: 2)
Error! Bad return status for module build on kernel: 6.4.10-1-MANJARO (x86_64)
Consult /var/lib/dkms/vmware-workstation/17.0.2_21581411/build/make.log for more information.

I have the log if you want it.

@swiat_linuksaYT I don't know exactly what happened on your system, but it probably loads the vmmon module remaining from an old VMware installation. You can try to clean your current VMware installation before reinstalling this package:

• Uninstall the bundle installation using the wiki instructions: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/VMware#Removal
• Check that there is no VMware module handled by DKMS: the output of dkms status should not display any line related to vmware-workstation
• Remove the eventual remaining VMware modules in your filesystem: find /usr/lib/modules -name vmmon\* -exec rm {} \; and find /usr/lib/modules -name vmnet\* -exec rm {} \;
• Reinstall this package
• Reboot
• Start your VM; you shouldn't have the error anymore

This package does not contain a service vmware.service. All the services provided by the package are listed and explained in the pin comment.

Package is compiling correctly - no errors, but cant start any VM - VMMON error on start - VMMON installed 410, required 416. There's no also vmware.service. Tried compile vmmon from github dosent work too.

Downloaded bundle from official site VMware-Workstation-Full-17.0.2-21581411.x86_64.bundle working without any problem, and no issues like - keyboard lag error in many distros, terminals. 3D Acceleration works perfect in new version on Nidia 525.xx drivers.

Sry 4 for my language , english isnt my native.

@jihem

This also works:

cat ~/.local/share/applications/vmware-workstation.desktop

[Desktop Entry]
Hidden=true

Nice, thanks

@s3rj1k To be honest, I don't want to make this package more complicated than it already is, just to allow to hide a part of the programs installed. This would not be difficult to implement, but it means I will have to check if the option to hide the Workstation part is not broken after at least each major update, and it complicates the review of the package by people who want to check it. I think it does not worth it.

Just a tip to hide the Workstation .desktop entry without changing anything in the package: creating the file /usr/local/share/applications/vmware-workstation.desktop with the following content:

[Desktop Entry]
Hidden=true

And then start the command update-desktop-database.

@jihem Hmm, so maybe just skip desktop entries and like force-disable ability to enter a product key, something like expired trial.

The goal is not to save space but to hide the paid part leaving only player to be visible and other bits disabled to some extend.

@s3rj1k I don't think this is really possible, especially if the goal is to save disk space. A large part of the package is the libraries which are used by both Workstation and Player, and the binary itself is the same:

# LANG=C ll /usr/lib/vmware/bin/{vmware,vmplayer}
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 29 Mar 19 10:19 /usr/lib/vmware/bin/vmplayer -> /usr/lib/vmware/bin/appLoader
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 29 Mar 19 10:19 /usr/lib/vmware/bin/vmware -> /usr/lib/vmware/bin/appLoader

Very much appreciated for the work being done here.

Is there a possibility to add some kind of optional switch to disable workstation binaries being installed, so that only player needed parts are installed?

@jihem I just rebuilt it; I'm not seeing any more issues.

Thank you so much for fixing this.

Carlos

@Carlos I applied only 2 of the 3 patches. Can you confirm that the current package version fix your problem?