Error while validating for Ubuntu 12.10 Kernel headers

Question

I have my VMware Player (v 5.0.0 build-812388) all up and running Ubuntu (12.10) from my Windows (Win 7) machine.

When I launch sudo vmware-config-tools.pl, it tries to search for kernel

Searching for a valid kernel header path...
The path "" is not a valid path to the 3.5.0-17-generic kernel headers.
Would you like to change it? [yes]

Enter the path to the kernel header files for the 3.5.0-17-generic kernel?

I entered /usr/src/linux-headers-3.5.0-17-generic.

The path "/usr/src/linux-headers-3.5.0-17-generic" is not a valid path to the 
3.5.0-17-generic kernel headers.

Due to this it doesn't compile modules. So unable to mount HGFS (shared folder) filesystems.

Any ideas how I can fix this?

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 15 '13 at 20:59

2

Make sure you have rebooted Ubuntu since applying any software updates. Software updates may change the kernel version.
Make sure you install build-essential package.
Try sudo apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r)

answered Feb 15 '13 at 20:59

allquixotic

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Hi - I have installed build-essentials and also have installed headers thru sudo apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r). rebooted ubuntu. then ran sudo vmware-config-tools.pl. It still gives the same error when provide /usr/src/linux-headers-3.5.0-17-generic – user199627 Feb 16 '13 at 05:53
nice job. worked a charm. – John Mar 29 '13 at 09:27
Still I am not able to get shared folder any idea why? – Satyam Vakharia Sep 13 '13 at 02:56
You're probably using a kernel that's too new for VMware. They only support old kernels without a patch to the VMware host and/or guest kernel modules. Almost every kernel version breaks the VMware modules in some way and they can't keep up. – allquixotic Sep 13 '13 at 14:00
@SatyamVakharia http://superuser.com/a/588307/144607 – allquixotic Sep 14 '13 at 01:33

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 02 '13 at 18:38

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I faced the exact same problem. I did all of the above and upgraded my installed packages. sudo apt-get update&&sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

sudo vmware-config-tools.pl was then able to automatically detect my kernel header files and completed its execution sucessfully. On reboot, I was able to see the HGFS mount and my shared folders.

answered Mar 02 '13 at 18:38

Schumi Factor

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I followed your steps too, but still not able to get shared folder .. any idea why? – Satyam Vakharia Sep 13 '13 at 02:57

score 0 · Answer 3 · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:22

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The path you entered is wrong. The right path is /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/build/include/linux

See this post on AskUbuntu: what-is-the-path-to-the-kernel-headers-so-I-can-install-vmware.

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:22

Community

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answered Sep 08 '13 at 12:19

lianjizoi

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Can you consider moving the information from askubuntu across to avoid link rot? – 50-3 Sep 08 '13 at 12:49

score 0 · Answer 4 · edited Jan 16 '14 at 13:38

Yes, note that /usr/src/linux-headers.... is not the kernel header vmware-config-tools is searching for, the real path is /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/build/include.

But yet it is better for the tool to find the path itself, so I recommend:

reboot your ubuntu and run all of these in sudo mode :

apt-get purge linux-headers-... (all versions you have installed already )

apt-get install --reinstall build-essential binutils

apt-get install --reinstall linux-headers-$(uname -r)

then again run /usr/bin/vmware-config-tools.pl and hopefully it will find the path this time.

Error while validating for Ubuntu 12.10 Kernel headers

4 Answers4