Vmware Player doesnt start ubuntu 15.10

Question

I have an issue were vmware player doesnt start when i open it via the launcher. It just does nothing, no error message whatsoever. I got it running once, but now it wont open up.

Im using vmware 64 bit, already tried reinstall via the vmware installer.

Any ideas?

Solution

The solution below applies to versions of VMWare prior to 12.1.0. The 12.1.0 version of VMWare does not require this fix.

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VMWare and VMPlayer are in fact looking for a specific library string. You can execute VMWare/VMPlayer from the terminal by executing

export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/vmware/lib/libglibmm-2.4.so.1/:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH

then vmware or vmplayer

I made this a permanent change on my system by executing instead

executing sudo nano /usr/bin/vmware and adding the line

export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/vmware/lib/libglibmm-2.4.so.1

after the line export PRODUCT_NAME...

Press ctrl+o to save and ctrl+x to exit: VMWare will now work.

To perform the same function for VMPlayer, execute the same changes to /usr/bin/vmplayer

Comments

[Julian]

is the vmware in the first code meant to be a seperate line? If so, that doesnt work. if I execute the path command and vmware after that it says "command not found".

[Charles Green]

In your case, execute vmplayer instead of vmware

[Julian]

it worked but now i cant open mysql workbench with this error: /usr/lib/mysql-workbench/mysql-workbench-bin: symbol lookup error: /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libgiomm-2.4.so.1: undefined symbol: _ZN4Glib11VariantTypeD1Ev

[Charles Green]

That is actually a separate problem, and I'm one of the people that reported the bug you referred to (can't open gparted) - I have not looked into a work-around for this problem.

[Julian]

It used to work before I executed that line above, so that may be a reason for that kind of problem?

[Charles Green]

Really? I hadn't noticed that myself, and I have heard other reports of the library issue. Was it earlier today that you were able to run the sql workbench?

[Julian]

I can't recall if I tried earlier today, definitely worked on Friday though.

[Charles Green]

I removed the file from my system, and then executed sudo ldconfig - now I can start gparted. I assume that if you do the same, you can run sqlworkbench. We may have to choose what we want to run...

[Charles Green]

@Julian I updated my answer: remove the file in /etc/ld.so.conf.d if you created it, re-run sudo ldconfig and modiy your /usr/bin/vmplayer as noted in the answer

[marcosh]

I tryed this, but still have problems, could you please look at my question? askubuntu.com/questions/691715/vmware-player-on-ubuntu-15-10

[lviggiani]

Updating to vmware/player 12.1.0 seems to fix that without the workaround

[Charles Green]

@lviggiani This is quite true - the larger answer that this is a duplicate of indicates that as well. I had forgotten to update this answer - please see my other answer.

[McLan]

Simple question please: where to write the export command in windows (I am on windows 10)?!

[Charles Green]

@Suda.nese I am unsure - I run VMWare in Linux myself, and do not know of or follow the problems with running VMWare in Windows. You could try the VMWare community forums.