vmware unable to start services error after upgrade to ubuntu 16.04

Question

I just upgraded to ubuntu 16.04 and I started having problems with vmware 10.0.6-2700073.x86.

[Unable to start services. See log file /tmp/vmware-root/vmware-modconfig-16014.log for details.]

    2016-11-10T09:41:06.301Z| vthread-3| I120: Log for VMware Workstation pid=16014 version=10.0.6 build=build-2700073 option=Release
2016-11-10T09:41:06.301Z| vthread-3| I120: The process is 64-bit.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.301Z| vthread-3| I120: Host codepage=UTF-8 encoding=UTF-8
2016-11-10T09:41:06.301Z| vthread-3| I120: Host is Linux 4.4.0-45-generic Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS
2016-11-10T09:41:06.301Z| vthread-3| I120: Msg_Reset:
2016-11-10T09:41:06.301Z| vthread-3| I120: [msg.dictionary.load.openFailed] Cannot open file "/usr/lib/vmware/settings": No such file or directory.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.301Z| vthread-3| I120: ----------------------------------------
2016-11-10T09:41:06.301Z| vthread-3| I120: PREF Optional preferences file not found at /usr/lib/vmware/settings. Using default values.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.301Z| vthread-3| I120: Msg_Reset:
2016-11-10T09:41:06.301Z| vthread-3| I120: [msg.dictionary.load.openFailed] Cannot open file "/root/.vmware/config": No such file or directory.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.301Z| vthread-3| I120: ----------------------------------------
2016-11-10T09:41:06.301Z| vthread-3| I120: PREF Optional preferences file not found at /root/.vmware/config. Using default values.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.301Z| vthread-3| I120: PREF Unable to check permissions for preferences file.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.301Z| vthread-3| I120: Msg_Reset:
2016-11-10T09:41:06.301Z| vthread-3| I120: [msg.dictionary.load.openFailed] Cannot open file "/root/.vmware/preferences": No such file or directory.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.301Z| vthread-3| I120: ----------------------------------------
2016-11-10T09:41:06.301Z| vthread-3| I120: PREF Failed to load user preferences.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.301Z| vthread-3| W110: Logging to /tmp/vmware-root/vmware-modconfig-16014.log
2016-11-10T09:41:06.307Z| vthread-3| I120: Obtaining info using the running kernel.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.307Z| vthread-3| I120: Created new pathsHash.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.307Z| vthread-3| I120: Setting header path for 4.4.0-45-generic to "/lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.307Z| vthread-3| I120: Validating path "/lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include" for kernel release "4.4.0-45-generic".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.307Z| vthread-3| I120: Failed to find /lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include/linux/version.h
2016-11-10T09:41:06.307Z| vthread-3| I120: /lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include/linux/version.h not found, looking for generated/uapi/linux/version.h instead.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.307Z| vthread-3| I120: using /usr/bin/gcc for preprocess check
2016-11-10T09:41:06.312Z| vthread-3| I120: Preprocessed UTS_RELEASE, got value "4.4.0-45-generic".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.312Z| vthread-3| I120: The header path "/lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include" for the kernel "4.4.0-45-generic" is valid.  Whoohoo!
2016-11-10T09:41:06.427Z| vthread-3| I120: found symbol version file /lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/Module.symvers
2016-11-10T09:41:06.427Z| vthread-3| I120: Reading symbol versions from /lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/Module.symvers.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.442Z| vthread-3| I120: Read 18806 symbol versions
2016-11-10T09:41:06.442Z| vthread-3| I120: Reading in info for the vmmon module.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.442Z| vthread-3| I120: Reading in info for the vmnet module.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.442Z| vthread-3| I120: Reading in info for the vmblock module.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.442Z| vthread-3| I120: Reading in info for the vmci module.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.442Z| vthread-3| I120: Reading in info for the vsock module.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.442Z| vthread-3| I120: Setting vsock to depend on vmci.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.442Z| vthread-3| I120: Invoking modinfo on "vmmon".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.444Z| vthread-3| I120: "/sbin/modinfo" exited with status 256.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.444Z| vthread-3| I120: Invoking modinfo on "vmnet".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.445Z| vthread-3| I120: "/sbin/modinfo" exited with status 256.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.445Z| vthread-3| I120: Invoking modinfo on "vmblock".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.446Z| vthread-3| I120: "/sbin/modinfo" exited with status 256.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.446Z| vthread-3| I120: Invoking modinfo on "vmci".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.447Z| vthread-3| I120: "/sbin/modinfo" exited with status 256.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.447Z| vthread-3| I120: Invoking modinfo on "vsock".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.448Z| vthread-3| I120: "/sbin/modinfo" exited with status 0.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.459Z| vthread-3| I120: to be installed: vmmon status: 0
2016-11-10T09:41:06.459Z| vthread-3| I120: to be installed: vmnet status: 0
2016-11-10T09:41:06.478Z| vthread-3| I120: Obtaining info using the running kernel.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.478Z| vthread-3| I120: Setting header path for 4.4.0-45-generic to "/lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.478Z| vthread-3| I120: Validating path "/lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include" for kernel release "4.4.0-45-generic".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.478Z| vthread-3| I120: Failed to find /lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include/linux/version.h
2016-11-10T09:41:06.478Z| vthread-3| I120: /lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include/linux/version.h not found, looking for generated/uapi/linux/version.h instead.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.478Z| vthread-3| I120: using /usr/bin/gcc for preprocess check
2016-11-10T09:41:06.482Z| vthread-3| I120: Preprocessed UTS_RELEASE, got value "4.4.0-45-generic".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.482Z| vthread-3| I120: The header path "/lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include" for the kernel "4.4.0-45-generic" is valid.  Whoohoo!
2016-11-10T09:41:06.596Z| vthread-3| I120: found symbol version file /lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/Module.symvers
2016-11-10T09:41:06.596Z| vthread-3| I120: Reading symbol versions from /lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/Module.symvers.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.610Z| vthread-3| I120: Read 18806 symbol versions
2016-11-10T09:41:06.610Z| vthread-3| I120: Kernel header path retrieved from FileEntry: /lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include
2016-11-10T09:41:06.610Z| vthread-3| I120: Update kernel header path to /lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include
2016-11-10T09:41:06.610Z| vthread-3| I120: Validating path "/lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include" for kernel release "4.4.0-45-generic".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.610Z| vthread-3| I120: Failed to find /lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include/linux/version.h
2016-11-10T09:41:06.610Z| vthread-3| I120: /lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include/linux/version.h not found, looking for generated/uapi/linux/version.h instead.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.610Z| vthread-3| I120: using /usr/bin/gcc for preprocess check
2016-11-10T09:41:06.615Z| vthread-3| I120: Preprocessed UTS_RELEASE, got value "4.4.0-45-generic".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.615Z| vthread-3| I120: The header path "/lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include" for the kernel "4.4.0-45-generic" is valid.  Whoohoo!
2016-11-10T09:41:06.615Z| vthread-3| I120: Found compiler at "/usr/bin/gcc"
2016-11-10T09:41:06.617Z| vthread-3| I120: Got gcc version "5.4.0".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.617Z| vthread-3| I120: The GCC version matches the kernel GCC minor version like a glove.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.617Z| vthread-3| I120: Using user supplied compiler "/usr/bin/gcc".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.618Z| vthread-3| I120: Got gcc version "5.4.0".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.618Z| vthread-3| I120: The GCC version matches the kernel GCC minor version like a glove.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.621Z| vthread-3| I120: Trying to find a suitable PBM set for kernel "4.4.0-45-generic".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.621Z| vthread-3| I120: No matching PBM set was found for kernel "4.4.0-45-generic".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.621Z| vthread-3| I120: The GCC version matches the kernel GCC minor version like a glove.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.621Z| vthread-3| I120: Validating path "/lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include" for kernel release "4.4.0-45-generic".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.621Z| vthread-3| I120: Failed to find /lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include/linux/version.h
2016-11-10T09:41:06.621Z| vthread-3| I120: /lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include/linux/version.h not found, looking for generated/uapi/linux/version.h instead.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.621Z| vthread-3| I120: using /usr/bin/gcc for preprocess check
2016-11-10T09:41:06.626Z| vthread-3| I120: Preprocessed UTS_RELEASE, got value "4.4.0-45-generic".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.626Z| vthread-3| I120: The header path "/lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include" for the kernel "4.4.0-45-generic" is valid.  Whoohoo!
2016-11-10T09:41:06.627Z| vthread-3| I120: The GCC version matches the kernel GCC minor version like a glove.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.627Z| vthread-3| I120: Validating path "/lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include" for kernel release "4.4.0-45-generic".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.627Z| vthread-3| I120: Failed to find /lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include/linux/version.h
2016-11-10T09:41:06.627Z| vthread-3| I120: /lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include/linux/version.h not found, looking for generated/uapi/linux/version.h instead.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.627Z| vthread-3| I120: using /usr/bin/gcc for preprocess check
2016-11-10T09:41:06.631Z| vthread-3| I120: Preprocessed UTS_RELEASE, got value "4.4.0-45-generic".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.631Z| vthread-3| I120: The header path "/lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include" for the kernel "4.4.0-45-generic" is valid.  Whoohoo!
2016-11-10T09:41:06.631Z| vthread-3| I120: Using temp dir "/tmp".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.632Z| vthread-3| I120: Obtaining info using the running kernel.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.632Z| vthread-3| I120: Setting header path for 4.4.0-45-generic to "/lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.632Z| vthread-3| I120: Validating path "/lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include" for kernel release "4.4.0-45-generic".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.632Z| vthread-3| I120: Failed to find /lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include/linux/version.h
2016-11-10T09:41:06.632Z| vthread-3| I120: /lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include/linux/version.h not found, looking for generated/uapi/linux/version.h instead.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.632Z| vthread-3| I120: using /usr/bin/gcc for preprocess check
2016-11-10T09:41:06.636Z| vthread-3| I120: Preprocessed UTS_RELEASE, got value "4.4.0-45-generic".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.636Z| vthread-3| I120: The header path "/lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include" for the kernel "4.4.0-45-generic" is valid.  Whoohoo!
2016-11-10T09:41:06.752Z| vthread-3| I120: found symbol version file /lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/Module.symvers
2016-11-10T09:41:06.752Z| vthread-3| I120: Reading symbol versions from /lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/Module.symvers.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.766Z| vthread-3| I120: Read 18806 symbol versions
2016-11-10T09:41:06.766Z| vthread-3| I120: Invoking modinfo on "vmmon".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.768Z| vthread-3| I120: "/sbin/modinfo" exited with status 256.
2016-11-10T09:41:06.768Z| vthread-3| I120: Invoking modinfo on "vmnet".
2016-11-10T09:41:06.769Z| vthread-3| I120: "/sbin/modinfo" exited with status 256.
2016-11-10T09:41:07.170Z| vthread-3| I120: Setting destination path for vmmon to "/lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/misc/vmmon.ko".
2016-11-10T09:41:07.170Z| vthread-3| I120: Extracting the vmmon source from "/usr/lib/vmware/modules/source/vmmon.tar".
2016-11-10T09:41:07.175Z| vthread-3| I120: Successfully extracted the vmmon source.
2016-11-10T09:41:07.175Z| vthread-3| I120: Building module with command "/usr/bin/make -j8 -C /tmp/modconfig-wu9efZ/vmmon-only auto-build HEADER_DIR=/lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include CC=/usr/bin/gcc IS_GCC_3=no"
2016-11-10T09:41:08.134Z| vthread-3| W110: Failed to build vmmon.  Failed to execute the build command.
2016-11-10T09:41:08.136Z| vthread-3| I120: Setting destination path for vmnet to "/lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/misc/vmnet.ko".
2016-11-10T09:41:08.136Z| vthread-3| I120: Extracting the vmnet source from "/usr/lib/vmware/modules/source/vmnet.tar".
2016-11-10T09:41:08.140Z| vthread-3| I120: Successfully extracted the vmnet source.
2016-11-10T09:41:08.140Z| vthread-3| I120: Building module with command "/usr/bin/make -j8 -C /tmp/modconfig-wu9efZ/vmnet-only auto-build HEADER_DIR=/lib/modules/4.4.0-45-generic/build/include CC=/usr/bin/gcc IS_GCC_3=no"
2016-11-10T09:41:11.840Z| vthread-3| W110: Failed to build vmnet.  Failed to execute the build command

 /etc/init.d/vmware start
Starting VMware services:
   Virtual machine monitor                                            failed
   Virtual machine communication interface                             done
   VM communication interface socket family                            done
   Blocking file system                                                done
   Virtual ethernet                                                   failed
   VMware Authentication Daemon                                        done

Does anyone have a fix for this?

Answer 1

My experience has been that there is no fix for this issue. I encountered the issue and so far vmware's official answer has been that the issue occurs because the drivers needed to start vmware workstation 10 and 11 are unsigned drivers (vmmon, and vmnet); and Ubuntu 16 does not allow for unsigned drivers to automatically run on the OS. Also vmware workstation does not natively provide those drivers, they must be compiled and installed at the time of running the service. So their suggested workaround is to create a public/private key pair that signs the drivers when installed, so that Ubuntu UEFI can accept them. Another suggested workaround was to turn off UEFI bios.

Well my experience has been that none of the above "fixes" actually work with all systems. The fix for me was to shell out the cash and pay for vmware workstation 12 Pro. It automatically loaded the vmmon and vmnet drivers and saw all my vm's and loaded them.

If this is not a production system you can try downloading the 12 Pro trial version and see for yourself.