Install VMware Server 2.0 RC2 on debian/lenny // compile errors

[Kernel 2.6.26-1-(amd64)]

The module compilation in lenny/2.6.26 for the VMware Server 2.0/RC2 fails with a errormessage concerning the gcc path (about different gcc version than kernel, what is not true - only the path gets detected wrongly)

Building the vmmon module.

Using 2.6.x kernel build system.
make: Entering directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only'
make -C /lib/modules/2.6.26-1-amd64/build/include/.. SUBDIRS=$PWD SRCROOT=$PWD/. modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.26-1-amd64'
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/Makefile:106: *** Inappropriate build environment: you wanted to use gcc version 4.3.1 while kernel attempts to use gcc version 4.1.3.
/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/Makefile:108: *** For proper build you'll have to replace  gcc-4.1 with symbolic link to /usr/bin/gcc.  Stop.
make[1]: *** [_module_/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.26-1-amd64'
make: *** [vmmon.ko] Error 2
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only'
Unable to build the vmmon module.

As you can see the problem lies in /tmp/vmware-config0/vmmon-only/Makefile:106: *** Inappropriate build environment: you wanted to use gcc version 4.3.1 while kernel attempts to use gcc version 4.1.3. –> but this can be fixed easily by overriding the auto-detection:

baseservices:/home/user# export CC=gcc-4.1
baseservices:/home/user# export GXX=g++-4.1
baseservices:/home/user# vmware-config.pl 

The environmental variable CC overrides the gcc detection and the compilation succeeds:

Using 2.6.x kernel build system.
make: Entering directory `/tmp/vmware-config1/vmmon-only'
make -C /lib/modules/2.6.26-1-amd64/build/include/.. SUBDIRS=$PWD SRCROOT=$PWD/. modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.26-1-amd64'
  CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config1/vmmon-only/linux/driver.o
  CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config1/vmmon-only/linux/driverLog.o
  CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config1/vmmon-only/linux/hostif.o
  CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config1/vmmon-only/common/comport.o
  CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config1/vmmon-only/common/cpuid.o
  CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config1/vmmon-only/common/hashFunc.o
  CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config1/vmmon-only/common/memtrack.o
  CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config1/vmmon-only/common/phystrack.o
  CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config1/vmmon-only/common/task.o
  CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config1/vmmon-only/common/vmx86.o
  CC [M]  /tmp/vmware-config1/vmmon-only/vmcore/moduleloop.o
  LD [M]  /tmp/vmware-config1/vmmon-only/vmmon.o
  Building modules, stage 2.
  MODPOST 1 modules
  CC      /tmp/vmware-config1/vmmon-only/vmmon.mod.o
  LD [M]  /tmp/vmware-config1/vmmon-only/vmmon.ko
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.26-1-amd64'
cp -f vmmon.ko ./../vmmon.o
make: Leaving directory `/tmp/vmware-config1/vmmon-only'
The vmmon module loads perfectly into the running kernel.

The other modules and vmnet compiles just fine too.

If you have troubles with console access in Firefox you might try this:

$ VMWARE_USE_SHIPPED_GTK=yes firefox

keywords: vmware server 2.0, debian, lenny, install, module compilation, compile error, Kernel 2.6.26