Knowledge Base

Missing Prebuilt Kernel Modules

If the config.pl script cannot locate prebuilt kernel modules for your guest, the following message appears:

None of the pre-built vmmemctl modules for VMware Tools is suitable for your running kernel. Do you want this program to try to build the vmmemctl module for your system (you need to have a C compiler installed on your system)? [yes]

Solution: Press Y to continue the install process.

Missing Compiler Program

If the config.pl script cannot find a C compiler program on your system, one of the following messages appears:

• Unable to find the 'make' program.

Solution: Run the apt-get install build-essential command to install the packages needed to build the kernel modules.

• Setup is unable to find the 'make' program on your machine. Please make sure it is installed. Do you want to specify the location of this program by hand? [yes]

Solution: Provide the complete name of a binary 'make' file.

1. Press Y to continue. The following message appears: What is the location of the 'make' program on your machine?
2. Enter the complete name of a binary 'make' file. If you do not provide the complete name, the following message appears: The answer "<binary file name> is invalid. It must be the complete name of a binary file.

Locating and Installing the C Header Files

If the script cannot locate the C header files in the default directory, /usr/src/linux/include, the following message appears:

What is the location of the directory of C header files that match your running kernel?

Solution: In a terminal window, run the following commands to install the Linux C header files:

1. Run the uname -r command to find the kernel version. An example of the output: 2.6.24-23-server.
2. Run the apt-cache search <version number> command to get the list of packages that includes the version number. For example: apt-cache search 2.6.24-23-server. Check the list and locate the linux-headers package name (linux-headers-<kernel version>). For example: linux-headers-2.6.24-23-server.
3. Run the apt-get install linux-headers-<kernel version> command to install the Linux C header files on your system. For example: apt-get install linux-headers-2.6.24-23-server.