(solved) vmware fusion 3: VMware Tools and gcc

[pinoc]

Trying to install VMWare Tools of the new VMware Fusion, version 3. Never had any problems before with version 2.x but now I get this error:

Searching for GCC...
The path "/usr/bin/gcc" is not valid path to the gcc binary.
Would you like to change it? [yes]

gcc, make, and all other needed stuff is installed and I just can't figure out why I get the message above. I have tried adding a new environment variable CC=gcc but still get the same error message.
gcc is in /usr/bin:
/usr/bin/gcc -> /etc/alternatives/gcc -> /usr/bin/gcc-4.4.1

obviously I have already tried specifying any of the 3 full paths in the VMware Tools script but always got back to the same error message. Any ideas what to do?
-p.

[pinoc]

Got it figured out, now it's clear and obvious, as so often once you understand it 
this problem is due to the fact that I imported an updated PCLOS VM which implies that it has a newer gcc than the one which was used to compile the current PCLOS kernel. Everything works fine in the new fusion3 when compiling the VMware tools directly on a non-updated, fresh install, because then the older gcc from the liveCD is used for the kernel of the liveCD. It should also work with an updated PCLOS (new gcc) and the new kernel 2.6.31, once that is out.

[MBantz]

Hi Pinoc,

I'm in the same trouble with gcc here on a 2.6.27 kernel and kde4, can't get access outside the VM, (and can't build rpms!!!!) without the tools.

Do you update to newest kernel (and kde4) after the fresh install or do you just keep the non-updated kernel as is until 2.6.31/32 is out?

cheers,
MBantz

[pinoc]

Hi MBantz,

a working solution for me so far:
- install MiniME, do not update anything but compile VMWare-tools using the old gcc and kernel from the MiniME liveCD
- reboot and ensure that everything is working, then update all, and keep the original kernel of course.

when I updated to Fusion3.0.1 some days ago, I thought it would force me to recompile the tools but it didn't and my VM still runs fine with the tools compiled under 3.0.0. But I assume with a fresh Fusion3.0.1 you can do the same steps as outlined above.

Another but untested option for installing the tools on an already updated PCLOS could be to set: export IGNORE_CC_MISMATCH=1
and then try to compile the tools with the new gcc. Maybe that works, don't know, have not tested this yet.
Hopefully we will have a new kernel compiled with the new gcc soon, then this issue should no longer appear.

good luck!
-p.

[MBantz]

Thanks Pinoc,

I try the MiniME approach,

I have tried the export IGNORE_CC_MISMATCH=1 and it does not work here (kde4, 2.6.27),

thanks again,
/MBantz

[pinoc]

update:
on a fully updated system, meaning with the new gcc, update to the latest kernel 2.6.32, the vmware-tools from vmware 3.0.1 will compile and work perfectly fine! What a Christmas present, thank you Tex!

[Texstar]

update:
on a fully updated system, meaning with the new gcc, update to the latest kernel 2.6.32, the vmware-tools from vmware 3.0.1 will compile and work perfectly fine! What a Christmas present, thank you Tex!

Heh heh, I take care of my homies!

[dasdfarmer]

The new kernel solved my problem with installing VMware tools. Thank You. Now when I try to execute getopenoffice it complains about the kernel not being a TEX kernel.

[Texstar]

The new kernel solved my problem with installing VMware tools. Thank You. Now when I try to execute getopenoffice it complains about the kernel not being a TEX kernel.

Yes we are aware of the Tex kernel getopenoffice conflict. Next kernel build will change the suffix to be backward compatible.