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On Some Linux Guests with SELinux Enforcing Mode Turned On, Uninstalling VMware Tools Makes the File System Read-Only

Details

This problem occurs only if you uninstall the version of VMware Tools that was included with ESX 3.5 Update 3 and only if you do so on a Linux distribution that uses SELinux (Security-Enhanced Linux) with enforcing mode turned on. By default, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.2 has enforcing mode turned on. When VMware Tools is uninstalled, the file /etc/fstab is edited but does not have its selinux context restored. As a result, the next time you reboot the system, the / file system mounts as read-only.

Solution

To resolve the situation, do the following:
  1. Mount the root file system and make it writable by using the following command:

mount -o rw,remount /

  1. Mount other needed file systems by using the following command:
mount -a
  1. Set the /etc/fstab file so that it is no longer read-only by using the following command:

restorecon /etc/fstab

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Actions
  • KB Article: 1008090
  • Updated: Aug 14, 2009
  • Products:
    VMware ESX
    VMware ESXi
  • Product Versions:
    VMware ESX 3.5.x
    VMware ESXi 3.5.x Embedded
    VMware ESXi 3.5.x Installable