vmware player unable to start services in ubuntu

0
votes

I have some issue running VM Ware Workstation Player 12 on Ubuntu 16.04 LTS.

first I Download and install "VMware-Player-12.1.1-3770994.x86_64.bundle" using this command :

chmod +x ./VMware-Player-version/build_number.bundle

gksudo bash ./VMware-Player-version/build_number.bundle

the installation finished successfully but when i tried to Create a Windows 7 Virtual Machine i got these errors : enter image description here

Could not open /dev/vmmon: No such file or directory. Please make sure that the kernel module `vmmon' is loaded. Failed to initialize monitor device. and after i run this command :

vmware-modconfig --console --install-all

just figured out some of the services failed running :

Starting VMware services:

Virtual machine monitor
failed
Virtual machine communication interface
done
VM communication interface socket family
done
Blocking file system
done
Virtual ethernet
failed
VMware Authentication Daemon
done
Unable to start services

how can i fix these issue. thanks

3
virtual-machinevmwarevmware-playerubuntu-16.04

3 Answers

1
votes

I Found the Answer, it's all about Secure Boot that should be disabled while creating new virtual machines in VMWare Player or Oracle VirtualBOX.

1
votes

Alternatively, you could also sign the drivers with your own key and keep the Secure Boot.

You can find a description of how to do it here https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=2146460.

The required steps are the following:

  • Generate a key pair:

    $openssl req -new -x509 -newkey rsa:2048 -keyout MOK.priv -outform DER -out MOK.der -nodes -days 36500 -subj "/CN=VMware/"

  • sign the modules:

    $sudo /usr/src/linux-headers-`uname -r`/scripts/sign-file sha256 ./MOK.priv ./MOK.der $(modinfo -n vmmon)
    $sudo /usr/src/linux-headers-`uname -r`/scripts/sign-file sha256 ./MOK.priv ./MOK.der $(modinfo -n vmnet)

  • import the key to your MOK (Module owned Key) and select a password (you will to need this password on reboot, so it will be enrolled.

     $mokutil --import MOK.der

  • reboot - this will automatically start the "key enrollment" and will ask for the prior selected password

Note, that this will only be required doing once! The key you have created will be trusted, so make sure, you properly secure the key (it could be a security risk, as anything could be signed with this key and would be trusted by the system).

You could e.g. add a password for the key like this:

openssl rsa -des3 -in MOK.priv -out  MOK.priv

Removing the password is also very easy:

openssl rsa -in MOK.priv -out  MOK.priv

I myself have always problems with the loading of the vmmon module (I think it is not working after any system update). If anyone has suggestions what this problem may cause, it would be appreciated!

For now, I just redo the signing procedure (e.g. just signing the modules with the key), and then manually load the required modules: 

sudo modprobe vmnet
sudo modprobe vmmon

Signing the driver modules should also work for Virtualbox, here is a description: http://gorka.eguileor.com/vbox-vmware-in-secureboot-linux-2016-update/

0
votes

Try disabling UEFI secure boot on Ubuntu. To disable secure boot, go to BIOS(by pressing F2 key), go to secure boot option and disable it.

After that run the following command:

sudo vmware-modconfig --console --install-all

This fixed the issue for me.