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

@jihem I "solved" this problem by launching VMware Workstation (the paid version) and selecting a 30-day trial. This made the license prompt disappear from VMware Player and everything works as before.

I haven't done this more than 30 days ago, though, so perhaps once the trial is over the prompts will reappear. I hope not!..

Edit: It seems this has already been talked about down below. However, I don't see any license countdown in Player.

I've updated the package. Unfortunately the problem with VMware Player license is still present. It seems this update mostly includes security fixes.

I created a PKGBUILD for 15.5.1 available at https://stro.nz/public/vmware-workstation-PKGBUILD.txt

the git diff of the PKGBUILD

diff --git a/PKGBUILD b/PKGBUILD
index 8dc52ec..7275600 100644
--- a/PKGBUILD
+++ b/PKGBUILD
@@ -21,10 +21,10 @@

 #PKGEXT=.pkg.tar
 pkgname=vmware-workstation
-pkgver=15.5.0
-_buildver=14665864
+pkgver=15.5.1
+_buildver=15018445
 _pkgver=${pkgver}_${_buildver}
-pkgrel=2
+pkgrel=1
 pkgdesc='The industry standard for running multiple operating systems as virtual machines on a single Linux PC.'
 arch=(x86_64)
 url='https://www.vmware.com/products/workstation-for-linux.html'
@@ -98,34 +98,28 @@ source=(
   'vmmon.patch'
   'vmnet.patch'
 )
-sha256sums=(
-  'b557b4dcebefb51466da5b33dc51549537b0d381864b6155c3a48a66801a8597'
-
-  '12e7b16abf8d7e858532edabb8868919c678063c566a6535855b194aac72d55e'
-  'da1698bf4e73ae466c1c7fc93891eba4b9c4581856649635e6532275dbfea141'
-  'ce3b1a82d9ed023b7591168bd49b218040ef70d1752a07792b0af6ac15a68453'
-  'd50aa0a3fe94025178965d988e18d41eb60aa1ce2b28ee6e3ca15edeabfa2ca7'
-  '8e4d08668a66be79a900521792b39c16a026cc90659241edee80b64e701bfbcd'
-  'b94959a11b28e51b541321be0588190eb10825e9ff55cbd16eb01483a839a69f'
-
-  'ce1fd2916c7dde0ed0fa3158c0e3055bbc84f6c397464e3a10776aeb35d9828f'
-  '434cd4aa440d36b75ee20e0b588aaad874bb0d796173990bc4046667c66f5099'
-  'cceaec1837fce1e03fa76cf0bf39eb01b19f4ffa45eb986d62221282682deb82'
-  '3c802523606184a5e8ebbe931d9c6c70d83ff8c6833b9f48aa264f0bd5a18a88'
-  'ad522a8cbc6103134ce5e677a01b503cd21875cbceb37bd13fd870ebd9ad0e6d'
-
-  'f9440479f3ae5ad0a39bba3150276627878bf83d6879444fb327c53a1dbb5a4d'
-  '42594b60085d0bbef01ab07b9f8b0d18640001107ce61cc0ddf02d0ab415140f'
-  'e4c2e97acf07c52de570dd4333d67acfb593db719937a563c6075ab773dcce33'
-  'e3812b78158672c7d96b6a58877681462f3fbdfe99a948b32c80c755c8682450'
-  'c0a5aea785db06921fb350d36d5e0fd9a14f5eee0c835686ec6fea1af8c92245'
-  'd7a9fbf39a0345ae2f14f7f389f30b1110f605d187e0c241e99bbb18993c250d'
-
-  '05e26d8b21d190ebabb7f693998114d9d5991d9dfb71acb4d990293a65b6b487'
-  '6ce902b1dab8fc69be253abd8e79017011985eca850ff7acc7282f9ab668e35d'
-  '1060b5d45caeda5119b220fab4e1ece398af34d75131139a5dc6f74ee06672c3'
-  '22d1f23c272dd2f7d4644dfffe051503cf62311886f67d57de3b7502615ceec1'
-)
+sha256sums=('490f8fe8d874c27601c155c1b2c0055ad0d4f14feb32fa9f18643659a147d3c6'
+            '12e7b16abf8d7e858532edabb8868919c678063c566a6535855b194aac72d55e'
+            'da1698bf4e73ae466c1c7fc93891eba4b9c4581856649635e6532275dbfea141'
+            'ce3b1a82d9ed023b7591168bd49b218040ef70d1752a07792b0af6ac15a68453'
+            'd50aa0a3fe94025178965d988e18d41eb60aa1ce2b28ee6e3ca15edeabfa2ca7'
+            '8e4d08668a66be79a900521792b39c16a026cc90659241edee80b64e701bfbcd'
+            'b94959a11b28e51b541321be0588190eb10825e9ff55cbd16eb01483a839a69f'
+            'ce1fd2916c7dde0ed0fa3158c0e3055bbc84f6c397464e3a10776aeb35d9828f'
+            '434cd4aa440d36b75ee20e0b588aaad874bb0d796173990bc4046667c66f5099'
+            'cceaec1837fce1e03fa76cf0bf39eb01b19f4ffa45eb986d62221282682deb82'
+            '3c802523606184a5e8ebbe931d9c6c70d83ff8c6833b9f48aa264f0bd5a18a88'
+            'ad522a8cbc6103134ce5e677a01b503cd21875cbceb37bd13fd870ebd9ad0e6d'
+            'f9440479f3ae5ad0a39bba3150276627878bf83d6879444fb327c53a1dbb5a4d'
+            '42594b60085d0bbef01ab07b9f8b0d18640001107ce61cc0ddf02d0ab415140f'
+            'e4c2e97acf07c52de570dd4333d67acfb593db719937a563c6075ab773dcce33'
+            'e3812b78158672c7d96b6a58877681462f3fbdfe99a948b32c80c755c8682450'
+            'c0a5aea785db06921fb350d36d5e0fd9a14f5eee0c835686ec6fea1af8c92245'
+            'd7a9fbf39a0345ae2f14f7f389f30b1110f605d187e0c241e99bbb18993c250d'
+            '05e26d8b21d190ebabb7f693998114d9d5991d9dfb71acb4d990293a65b6b487'
+            '6ce902b1dab8fc69be253abd8e79017011985eca850ff7acc7282f9ab668e35d'
+            '1060b5d45caeda5119b220fab4e1ece398af34d75131139a5dc6f74ee06672c3'
+            '22d1f23c272dd2f7d4644dfffe051503cf62311886f67d57de3b7502615ceec1')
 options=(!strip emptydirs)

 if [ -z "$_remove_vmware_keymaps_dependency" ]; then

I'm having the same issue, @dani.

Anyone got a solution yet?

EDIT:

Well I tried to downgraded using the older versions und build numbers for vmware workstations and fusions, as well as the sha256 hashes, from this commit without modifying the pkgbuild any further.

This should prevent the 5.4 patch from being reverted.

However this did not work and I made a full downgrade. :/

You shouldn't have the 30-day trial license unless you ask it after starting Workstation. Remove the file /etc/vmware/license-ws-150-e1-201804 and restart sudo vmplayer. The 30-day message should disappear.

This file does not exist on my system. This bug doesn't prevent vmplayer from starting correctly, but having to go through the licensing dialog each time is a pain in the ***.

How to switch tty for host?

I have tried the "Ctrl+Alt+Space, Ctrl+Alt+Fx" trick, which does not work for me.

@jihem

I'm getting validity check error on VMware-Workstation-Full-15.5.0-14665864.x86_64.bundle with the latest update.

Does anyone get the same?

@dani:

• I have installed Vmware Player on Windows: Player starts without asking a license.
• I have installed VMware Player (with the official method) on Arch, Fedora and Debian (the two last distros are officially supported): Player ask a license.

I think there is a bug in the Linux version. I'm searching a workaround but I don't have any idea.

You shouldn't have the 30-day trial license unless you ask it after starting Workstation. Remove the file /etc/vmware/license-ws-150-e1-201804 and restart sudo vmplayer. The 30-day message should disappear.

In the worst case, you can downgrade to 15.1.0. It should work at least until Linux 5.4 release. I hope VMware will release a fix before.

@jihem

Polkit was installed and the service was running.

I tried sudo vmplayer to bypass the polkit problem and it works.

Now I am in the 30-day trial. Even in Player, there is a count-down of the evaluation license.

I am afraid I won't even be able to use Player when it expires.

According to VMware website, Player is still free of charge for personal users. Do you think this is a bug?