2.6.20-16 kernel, was Re: vmware blues

[Paul Kaplan]

On Monday 11 June 2007 5:25:10 am david wrote:
> On Mon, 2007-06-11 at 05:06 -0400, Paul Kaplan wrote:
> > On Monday 11 June 2007 3:17:02 am david wrote:
> > > On Mon, 2007-06-11 at 01:02 +0000, pkaplan1 at comcast.net wrote:
> > > > -------------- Original message ----------------------
> > > > From: david <david at kenpro.com.au>
> > > >
> > > > > Installing vmware on feisty:
> > > > >
> > > > > sudo apt-get install vmware-server
> > > > >
> > > > > everything installs fine, but when I try to "power up" it says:
> > > > > error, and stops!
> > > > >
> > > > > I tried to install from tar-ball, but it didn't like my headers.
> > > > > It wanted linux-headers-386 (from memory) but I
> > > > > have /usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.20-15-386/ which evidently isn't
> > > > > good enough :(
> > > > >
> > > > > Then I looked at re-installing from apt-get and noticed that
> > > > > apt-get insists on vmware-server-kernel-modules-2.6.20-16 although
> > > > > i'm running 2.6.20-15  ...... maybe that's why it won't power up?
> > > > >
> > > > > any thoughts?
> > > > >
> > > > > thanks, David.
> > > >
> > > > A couple...
> > > >
> > > > Make sure your kernel and your headers are both at the same number. 
> > > > If you have copies of two versions of the header package get rid of
> > > > the one not the same as your kernel.
> > >
> > > thanks.. i've tried that, but as long as I stay with the deb packages I
> > > can't get the numbers to match.
> >
> > Sounds like that's your problem.  If you can get them to match, I'll bet
> > that'd solve your problem.  Did you try the Ubuntu wiki or fora?
> > Paul
>
> No, but I've been researching upgrading the kernel. Sadly I see nothing
> but bad news about 2.6.20-16 so I'm a bit reluctant. Is there any GOOD
> news about this kernel? Is it just a case of
> <sudo apt-get install linux-image-2.6.20-16-386>
>
> Maybe there are just a few people having problems and most people are OK
> with this kernel. Any comments?
>
I've been running 2.6.20-16on Feisty w/ no problem.

I would search your installed packages for any package containing "2.6.20" in 
the name.  Use a gui front end for apt-get, if necessary.  Make sure 
everything installed has a "-16" extension and uninstall anything with a 
lower number.  (You don't have multiple kernel versions installed do you?).   
As a last resort you could reinstall the kernel and header packages, but if 
you installed from apt-get and didn't write anything to a restricted 
directory you should be OK.

One last thought.  Did you install/configure VMServer as a normal user or w/ 
sudo.  Workstation won't work unless done as sudo (however normal user can 
run).