VMWare will not run on kernel 2.4.0-test11

I just compiled and installed kernel 2.4.0-test11. Upon rebooting, vmware-2.0.3-786 refused to run. Running vmware-config.pl resulted in a the following message:

"Your processor does not have a Time Stamp Counter. VMware will
not run on this system."

Since (1) my hardware has not changed, (2) this VMware release ran perfectly on 2.4.0-test10, and (3) I changed nothing but the kernel in between 2.4.0-test10 and 2.4.0-test11, I feel quite confident in believing that I do indeed possess a Time Stamp Counter (whatever such a fabulous beast may be), but for some reason VMware is unable to detect its presence when running on kernel 2.4.0-test11. Evidently there has been some change in the kernel which renders VMware unable to detect this mysterious - but apparently crucial - feature.

I would appreciate any insights from either kernel folks or VMware folks as to where this problem may lie, with an eventual aim of patching either VMware or the kernel to allow VMware to run on this kernel.

 Linux Now!   ..........Because friends don't let friends use Microsoft.
 phil stracchino   --   the renaissance man   --   mystic zen biker geek
    Vr00m:  2000 Honda CBR929RR   --   Cage:  2000 Dodge Intrepid R/T
 Previous vr00mage:  1986 VF500F (sold), 1991 VFR750F3 (foully murdered)
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Tiny patch for vmware-config.pl

=====================================================================
Mohammad A. Haque                              http://www.haque.net/ 
                                               [email protected]

  "Alcohol and calculus don't mix.             Project Lead
   Don't drink and derive." --Unknown          http://wm.themes.org/
                                               [email protected]
=====================================================================

@@ -1113,7 +1113,7 @@
   if (direct_command(shell_string($gHelper{'grep'}) . ' ' . shell_string('^cpuid') . ' /proc/cpuinfo') eq '') {
     error('Your ' . (($gSystem{'smp'} eq 'yes') ? 'processors do' : 'processor does') . ' not support the cpuid instruction. VMware will not run on this system.' . "\n\n");
   }
-  if (direct_command(shell_string($gHelper{'grep'}) . ' ' . shell_string('^flags.* tsc') . ' /proc/cpuinfo') eq '') {
+  if (direct_command(shell_string($gHelper{'grep'}) . ' ' . shell_string('^features.* tsc') . ' /proc/cpuinfo') eq '') {
     error('Your ' . (($gSystem{'smp'} eq 'yes') ? 'processors do' : 'processor does') . ' not have a Time Stamp Counter. VMware will not run on this system.' . "\n\n");
   }
 }

Thanks, Mohammed! That was fast. :)

 Linux Now!   ..........Because friends don't let friends use Microsoft.
 phil stracchino   --   the renaissance man   --   mystic zen biker geek
    Vr00m:  2000 Honda CBR929RR   --   Cage:  2000 Dodge Intrepid R/T
 Previous vr00mage:  1986 VF500F (sold), 1991 VFR750F3 (foully murdered)
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It's probably due to /proc/cpuinfo change - 'flags' has changed to 'features'.

Jan Dvorak <[email protected]>
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Run 2.4.0-test11-ac3
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Hi,
Is there a way to change BIOS setting (like boot sequence) from the kernel space? Any pointers would be appreciated. Thanks

-A.

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Yes. All the BIOS does is configure your hardware. Get docs on your hardware, and you can do anything that BIOS does. For example, if your parallel port is disabled in BIOS, and you have the datasheet for your southbridge, then you can "manually" enable the parallel port by writing certain values to certain PCI config registers.

That said, it is generally a bad idea to do this sort of thing. Unless you have a cluster full of machines that all have a BIOS-related problem, or similar, you should just reboot and adjust your BIOS...

Of course, if you are really motivated, you could just flash your own BIOS. Check out http://www.acl.lanl.gov/linuxbios/

Regards,

Jeff

Jeff Garzik             |
Building 1024           | The chief enemy of creativity is "good" sense
MandrakeSoft            |          -- Picasso
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However , this won't change boot sequence at that is store in the CMOS on your RTC chip... if you really wanted though; you could mess with that via /dev/nvram or whatever it's called.

Not that I suggest this is a good idea, most likely you will corrupt it and the BIOS will get a checksum error and reinitialize the nvram to defaults.

--cw

On Fri, Nov 24, 2000 at 05:59:28PM -0500, Jeff Garzik wrote:

Andrew Park wrote:

> Is there a way to change BIOS setting (like boot sequence) from > the kernel space? Any pointers would be appreciated.

Yes. All the BIOS does is configure your hardware. Get docs on your hardware, and you can do anything that BIOS does. For example, if your parallel port is disabled in BIOS, and you have the datasheet for your southbridge, then you can "manually" enable the parallel port by writing certain values to certain PCI config registers.
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