Searching for a valid kernel header path...?

Question

I'm trying to install vmware-tools on a linux guest but it gives me not a valid path error when I enter /usr/src/linux.

 The path "" is not a valid path to the 3.3.0-2-desktop kernel headers.
 Would you like to change it? [yes]

 Enter the path to the kernel header files for the 3.3.0-2-desktop
 kernel? /usr/src/linux

 The path "/usr/src/linux" is not a valid path to the 3.3.0-2-desktop kernel
 headers.
 Would you like to change it? [yes] yes

 Enter the path to the kernel header files for the 3.3.0-2-desktop
 kernel? /usr/src/linux/

 The path "/usr/src/linux/" is not a valid path to the 3.3.0-2-desktop kernel
 headers.
 Would you like to change it? [yes] yes

But I've always my linux source in /usr/src/linux? I've already installed kernel-devel and kernel-source. My distro is SUSE 12.2. The folder /usr/src/linux is filled with the linux source. Here is my option:

 S | Name                           | Zusammenfassung                | Typ       
 --+--------------------------------+--------------------------------+-----------
   | devel_kernel                   | Linux-Kernel-Entwicklung       | Schema    
   | kernel-coverage                | Kernel Coverage Imageing, Ga-> | Paket     
   | kernel-debug                   | A Debug Version of the Kernel  | Paket     
   | kernel-debug                   | A Debug Version of the Kernel  | Quellpaket
   | kernel-debug-base              | A Debug Version of the Kerne-> | Paket     
   | kernel-debug-devel             | Development files necessary -> | Paket     
   | kernel-default                 | The Standard Kernel            | Paket     
   | kernel-default                 | The Standard Kernel            | Quellpaket
   | kernel-default-base            | The Standard Kernel - base m-> | Paket     
   | kernel-default-devel           | Development files necessary -> | Paket     
 i | kernel-desktop                 | Kernel optimized for the des-> | Paket     
   | kernel-desktop                 | Kernel optimized for the des-> | Quellpaket
   | kernel-desktop-base            | Kernel optimized for the des-> | Paket     
 i | kernel-desktop-devel           | Development files necessary -> | Paket     
 i | kernel-devel                   | Development files needed for-> | Paket     
   | kernel-docs                    | Kernel Documentation           | Paket     
   | kernel-docs                    | Kernel Documentation           | Quellpaket
   | kernel-ec2                     | The Amazon EC2 Xen Kernel      | Paket     
   | kernel-ec2                     | The Amazon EC2 Xen Kernel      | Quellpaket
   | kernel-ec2-base                | The Amazon EC2 Xen Kernel - -> | Paket     
   | kernel-ec2-devel               | Development files necessary -> | Paket          
   | kernel-ec2-extra               | The Amazon EC2 Xen Kernel - -> |                 
   | kernel-firmware                | Linux kernel firmware files    | 
   | kernel-pae                     | Kernel with PAE S                                
   | kernel-pae                     | Kernel with PAE                                  
   | kernel-pae-base                | Kernel with PAE Support - ba-> | Paket     
   | kernel-pae-devel               | Development files necessary -> | Paket     
 i | kernel-source                  | The Linux Kernel Sources       | Paket     
   | kernel-source                  | The Linux Kernel Sources       | Quellpaket
   | kernel-source-vanilla          | Vanilla Linux kernel sources-> | Paket     
   | kernel-syms                    | Kernel Symbol Versions (modv-> | Paket     
   | kernel-syms                    | Kernel Symbol Versions (modv-> | Quellpaket
   | kernel-trace                   | The Standard Kernel with Tra-> | Paket     
   | kernel-trace                   | The Standard Kernel with Tra-> | Quellpaket
   | kernel-trace-base              | The Standard Kernel with Tra-> | Paket     
   | kernel-trace-devel             | Development files necessary -> | Paket     
   | kernel-vanilla                 | The Standard Kernel - withou-> | Paket     
   | kernel-vanilla                 | The Standard Kernel - withou-> | Quellpaket
   | kernel-vanilla-base            | The Standard Kernel - withou-> | Paket     
   | kernel-vanilla-devel           | Development files necessary -> | Paket     
   | kernel-xen                     | The Xen Kernel                 | Paket     
   | kernel-xen                     | The Xen Kernel                 | Quellpaket
   | kernel-xen-base                | The Xen Kernel - base modules  | Paket     
   | kernel-xen-devel               | Development files necessary -> | Paket     
   | kerneloops                     | Tool to collect kernel oopse-> | Paket     
   | kerneloops-applet              | Tool to collect kernel oopse-> | Paket     
   | nfs-kernel-server              | Support Utilities for Kernel-> | Paket     
   | patterns-openSUSE-devel_kernel | Meta package for pattern dev-> | Paket   

zypper se -si 'kernel*' prints this:

 S | Name                 | Typ   | Version   | Arch   | Repository      
 --+----------------------+-------+-----------+--------+-----------------
 i | kernel-desktop       | Paket | 3.3.0-2.1 | x86_64 | 12.2 milestone 2
 i | kernel-desktop-devel | Paket | 3.3.0-2.1 | x86_64 | 12.2 milestone 2
 i | kernel-devel         | Paket | 3.3.0-2.1 | noarch | 12.2 milestone 2
 i | kernel-source        | Paket | 3.3.0-2.1 | noarch | 12.2 milestone 2

Solution 1

You don't mention what distro your linux guest is running. More information would help give a more descriptive answer.

You should install either (or potentially both) the kernel-devel or kernel-headers packages. You may also need to install the development tools packages or groups so that vmware-tools can compile.

Solution 2

A quick reference on how to install VMware Workstation 9 on OpenSUSE 12.2 should be applicable to this problem. It fixes my kernel headers error as well.

how to install vmware workstation 9 on Opensuse 12.2

1. Download VMware Workstation 9.0 binary for Linux

2. After download, you should have a file similar to VMware-Workstation-Full-9.0.0-812388.x86_64.bundle

3. Now open terminal and type the following command. Actually you can also do this step using GUI but I prefer command line:

   chmod +x VMware-Workstation-Full-9.0.0-812388.x86_64.bundle
   

Now install using command

sh VMware-Workstation-Full-9.0.0-812388.x86_64.bundle

Then, VMware Installer will open up. Follow the wizard until finished.

Solution 3

The given error is due to an issue with the VMware configuration script.

Locate vmware-config-tools.pl (probably at /usr/bin/vmware-config-tools.pl):

Locate the below line in vmware-config-tools.pl:

$header_version_uts =~ s/^$pattern \"([^\"]*)\".*$/$1/;

change above line into

$header_version_uts=$gSystem{'uts_release'};

For more information in VMWare's knowledege base, click here!

Comments

[Micromega]

I was saying that I already installed kernel-devel and kernel-sources. The path /usr/src/linux is filled with the linux source.

[George M]

How about kernel-header? That's what appears to be missing.

[George M]

What is the output of zypper se -si 'kernel*'?

[Micromega]

See my edit. All kernel-source installed.