Hi,
I'm having some challenges configuring VMware Tools on my OpenSUSE 11.4 guest. I've just upgraded my ESXi server from 5.0 to 5.1. The upgrade of the server went flawlessly, but the problems started when trying to upgrade the tools on my OpenSUSE 11.4 guest. I first tried the upgrade via the vSphere Client, but that failed with a non-descript error.
So I decided to upgrade it old school: via the console/terminal. After receiving several messages I don't ever remember seeing before and a failure at the end I uninstalled the previous VMware tools, rebooted, then tried again. I recieved those same messages. They were as follows:
The module vmxnet3 has already been installed on this system by another
installer or package and will not be modified by this installer. Use the flag
--clobber-kernel-modules=vmxnet3 to override.
The module pvscsi has already been installed on this system by another
installer or package and will not be modified by this installer. Use the flag
--clobber-kernel-modules=pvscsi to override.
The module vmmemctl has already been installed on this system by another
installer or package and will not be modified by this installer. Use the flag
--clobber-kernel-modules=vmmemctl to override.
Distribution provided drivers for Xorg X server are used.
Skipping X configuration because X drivers are not included.
Followed by the error:
Unable to configure the initrd modules file at /etc/sysconfig/kernel. Execution
aborted.
Now I was able to figure out the last error by reading the "vmware-config-tools.pl" file and noticed in the "configure_initrd_suse" section starting on line 7,511 that the config fails if the "INITRD_MODULES" key is missing in the "/etc/sysconfig/kernel" file. Simply adding the a blank entry that looks like this:
INITRD_MODULES=""
...at the end of the "/etc/sysconfig/kernel" fixed that issue. A quick re-run of the VMware Tools config file and all is happy again. Just wanted to put what I found in here just in case someone else runs into this issue...and this how to fix it easily. I couldn't find the error anywhere on the web..including in the VMware KB. Also, not sure if the VMware developers monitor these forums, but a better message that the "INITRD_MODULES" key is missing, or give the option to create it would be better then just quitting the way it did...just me two cents. ;-)
I am wondering though if I have to worry about the other messages regarding the kernel modules and the X drivers? I couldn't find a "vmmemctl" file anywhere, except with the vmware-tools stuff, so I did the "clobber" command (hope I didn't break anything)...but what about the others? There is already a "vmxnet3" and "pvscsi" kernel module that came with OpenSUSE 11.4...should I clobber them also?
Cheers,
Jim.