Just installed Kernel 3.18-rc4 on the test system, and this time it booted OK, and without any ‘tombstones’…

Further details here: http://lkml.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/1411.1/00410.html

$ uname -a 
Linux rg6830l 3.18.0-rc4 #1 SMP PREEMPT Sun Nov 9 21:27:52 PST 2014 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

VMware 10.0.3 – with the vmnet patch, and NVIDIA 340.58 both install and load OK.

Robert Gadsdon.   November 9, 2014.