Tag Archives: vmware

VMware – 15.5.1 Released – Just Runtime Client Security Fixes?

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VMware have released version 15.5.1, and details are here:  https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Workstation-Pro/15.5/rn/VMware-Workstation-1551-Pro-Release-Notes.html The Linux-kernel-related stuff appears to be unchanged, and compiles (with several warnings..) with Kernel 5.3 (tested with 5.3.11).    I got some odd behaviour (shared folders becoming disabled?) when running this unpatched version, and so applied the patched 15.5.0 vmmon/vmnet, which seems to work better.. Robert Gadsdon.    November … Continue reading →

Compiler – GCC 9 – First Impressions..

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Just updated to the pre-release Fedora 30 (Rawhide) on the test system, and tried out the new version of GCC: $ gcc –version gcc (GCC) 9.0.1 20190209 (Red Hat 9.0.1-0.4) Kernel 5.0-rc7 compiled successfully, and runs OK.    As expected, there were quite a lot of compiler ‘warnings’: ………………….. CC net/ipv4/proc.o CC drivers/hid/hid-samsung.o CC net/ipv4/fib_rules.o CC drivers/hid/hid-sunplus.o fs/xfs/xfs_ioctl32.c: … Continue reading →

VMware – Patches Available, for Kernel 5.0-rc1.

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Thanks – again – to Michal Kubeček, there are now patches available for VMware with Kernel 5.0-rc1, here:  https://github.com/mkubecek/vmware-host-modules . There are patched vmmon and vmnet versions available for the latest 12.x, 14.x and 15.x releases, so for 15.0.2, do: # git clone -b workstation-15.0.2 https://github.com/mkubecek/vmware-host-modules.git I have applied these, and can confirm that VMware 15.0.2 now … Continue reading →

Kernel – 4.18 Finally Released – OK with latest NVIDIA, and Patched VMware

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Kernel 4.18 has finally arrived, and details of changes since -rc8 are here:  http://lkml.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/1808.1/02806.html As expected, after changes in -rc7, the latest NVIDIA and (patched) VMware all compile/load OK..    Tested with VMware 14.1.2 with the vmmon patch, and NVIDIA 390.77 and 396.51. Coincidentally, I can also confirm that 4.18 boots OK on HP PA-RISC (HP9000/785-C3700) – but … Continue reading →

VMware – New Version of 4.18-rc1 ‘cmdline’ Patch..

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As expected, there is another version of the cmdline patch for Kernel 4.18-rc1 – this time from Linus himself.. at  http://lkml.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/1806.2/03011.html I have applied this, and – as with the previous version –  VMware now behaves correctly.. I should mention that is is not a good idea to try to copy/paste patches from a website newsgroup listing, … Continue reading →

VMware – Problem with Kernel 4.18-rc1 Found, and a Patch..

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Thanks to Michal Kubeček, the source of the VMware problem with Kernel 4.18-rc1 has been found, and a Kernel patch produced:  http://lkml.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/1806.2/02730.html I have applied this, and can confirm that VMware (14.1.2 patched) now operates correctly.. The kernel patch now has to run the gauntlet of the LKML ‘review process’, and so may be changed over time, … Continue reading →

VMware – Possible Clues to Failure?

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OPINION/SPECULATION: After more tests, I am still encountering the odd behaviour of VMware (14.1.2 with vmmon patch) and Kernel 4.18-rc1, but did notice one possible clue.. Looking at the # systemctl status vmware.service output, it includes the following: Jun 18 01:02:03 rgtest vmware[5663]: Blocking file system[FAILED] I think this should not be there, as VMBlock has been … Continue reading →

VMware – 14.1.2 Released – Fixes Annoying Bug..

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VMware 14.1.2 has been released, and details are here:  https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Workstation-Pro/14/rn/workstation-1412-release-notes.html This version fixes the annoying ‘window resizing’ bug, which caused the guest to suddenly flip from fullscreen to windowed, and then attempted to resize the window. As with 14.1.1, this version is OK with the latest Linux kernels (tested with 14.6.10 and 14.7-rc6). Robert Gadsdon.   May 22, … Continue reading →

VMware – Patch, If You Need Better ‘Meltdown/Spectre’ Protection..

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Thanks – again – to Michal Kubeček, who  has pointed out that there is still a vulnerability in some VMware (vmmon) code, that is not mitigated by Kernel/Compiler retpoline fixes, as it is written in assembler..   ( See comment on previous article – http://rglinuxtech.com/?p=2277 ) He has provided an appropriate fix for this, at https://github.com/mkubecek/vmware-host-modules/tree/player-14.1.1 Robert Gadsdon.   … Continue reading →

VMware – 12.5.8 Released – Still Incompatible..

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There has been a new release of Workstation 12.5 – 12.5.8 – and the – rather vague – release notes are here:  https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Workstation-Pro/12.0/rn/workstation-1258-release-notes.html I tested this with a ‘clean’ install on my cash-and-burn system, and basically, it suffers from the same compatibility problems as 12.5.7.    GCC7, Fedora 26/27, and Kernel 14.x all cause it to fail. # … Continue reading →