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VMware tools - kernel headers for 2.6.25.7

Nick_Walton
Posts: 28
 Member Since:
2007-12-16
Submitted by Nick_Walton on Fri, 01/02/2009 - 11:34am.

I'm trying the 2.6.1 VMware image, and I really need VMware tools installed to automatically shutdown the guest operating system (trixbox) when my server reboots at the end of each week.

Problem is - I have no idea where to find the kernel headers for the modified kernel, which leaves me pretty much clueless as to how to solve this problem.

Has anyone got any ideas? This is a small home environment and I know the system works well otherwise. Using a dedicated machine is not possible, and I haven't done for some time, as I've been using PBX in a Flash VMware. Ideally I'd like to use trixbox again however :)

Thanks in advance!

‹ Override number Questions re: Trixbox purchased support ›

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IcelandDreams
Posts: 415
 Member Since:
2007-09-11
I don't know the vm kernel
Fri, 01/02/2009 - 11:40am

I don't know the vm kernel but have you tried 'yum install kernel-headers'?


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Nick_Walton
Posts: 28
 Member Since:
2007-12-16
I tried that, and it said
Fri, 01/02/2009 - 11:43am

I tried that, and it said 'Nothing to do', yet their is nothing in /usr/src/, no linux directory which should, from what I've found, be present?


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adabbas
Posts: 191
 Member Since:
2008-11-19
Do those links help ? :)
Fri, 01/02/2009 - 3:32pm

Do those links help ? :)

http://www.trixbox.org/forums/trixbox-forums/share-your-trixbox-s...
http://www.thoughtpolice.co.uk/vmware/howto/centos-5-vmware-tools...


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adabbas
Posts: 191
 Member Since:
2008-11-19
VM Kernals are no longer needed :)
Fri, 01/02/2009 - 4:43pm

I’ve spent few hours searching the internet as a result to your post. And after some tracking I’ve found out that after user using trixbox and asterisk on CentOS has reported this bug to CentOS who made few special VM kernels, many have reported the issue upstream to RedHat who have fixed their stock kernels to run under VMware without timing issues :)

Now you only need to change some kernal parameters to get it working. There is no need to re-install a special VM kernel.

Check the following link for “Linux time keeping best practices
http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en...

Since the new trixbox uses CentOS 5.2 32bit version (am I correct??) then the proper values are:

divider=10
clocksource= acpi_pm

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Nick_Walton
Posts: 28
 Member Since:
2007-12-16
Thanks for all getting back
Fri, 01/02/2009 - 5:07pm

Thanks for all getting back to me! This is very interesting. I think I'll give it a try tomorrow and post back with my findings :)

Adabbas, you mention some parameters need to be set? Is that just for the timekeeping, or do you know if they're likely to be related to audio quality e.g. choppy sound?

Thanks :)


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adabbas
Posts: 191
 Member Since:
2008-11-19
As far as I’ve know; Audio
Fri, 01/02/2009 - 6:38pm

As far as I’ve know; Audio problems (with recorded audio) is caused by timing issues. I cannot point you to the source of this information, but I’ve read that in many posts in this and other forums.

I’ve also read that giving your trixbox Virtual Machine a minmum of 500Mhz of CPU time on ESX 3.5 systems will also help. But my advice is to test every solution separately to make sure what solves it for you :)

BTW I still did not try any of these info, as I’ve just got my Dell PE2950 Dual Quad core 8GB RAM Server :) and I still need to setup few things before it is trixbox ready. But I am looking forward to finally start applying all what I’ve read so far.


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Nick_Walton
Posts: 28
 Member Since:
2007-12-16
Success
Wed, 01/07/2009 - 5:34am

Having just installed trix 2.6.2 iso version into a new VMware server, I've found it to work perfectly! Sound quality on IVR and voicemail is completely fine, and the VMware tools installed with no problem :) So I'm sorted and can move back to trixbox :) Thanks for the help all.


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adabbas
Posts: 191
 Member Since:
2008-11-19
Dear Nick, Can you please
Thu, 01/08/2009 - 12:02am

Dear Nick,

Can you please give more details;

* What kind of a VMware server: Was it ESX or Vmware server on Windows/Linux host

* Did you need to do anything to make it work: Change change some kernal parameters, giving it a minmum of 500Mhz of CPU time on ESX 3.5, or it simply worked after a fresh install??

* Were any of th other Virtual Machines or the host doing anything that would overload the CPU?? Did you test if that will effect the Sound quality on IVR and voicemail??

And thanks for the good news :)


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Nick_Walton
Posts: 28
 Member Since:
2007-12-16
It was a VMware server 2.0
Thu, 01/08/2009 - 9:23am

It was a VMware server 2.0 'machine'. I set it up as 'other Linux 2.6 Kernel 32bit' or something like that. Gave it 512 ram, and didn't specify any CPU settings. The physical machine is or was my laptop- running Vista 32bit, 4gb of RAM, Core 2 Duo @ 2.26ghz. So it pretty much worked after a fresh install. I tested the voice quality on the IVR and the Voicemail, as these are the areas I've had problems in and read about other people's problems. Quality was perfect.

The server I plan to install it on has within the past few days become deceased (an AMD 32bit Athlon XP3000, 1.2gb of ram). Power supplied went, so decided it was time for an upgrade anyway. About to build the new machine on a Pentium Dual-Core e5200, 2Gb of RAM. As for software, it will run Server 2003, and I'll install VMware server 2.0 on it and move the virtual machine trixbox is running in to the new physical server. Once I've done that I'll post back with my results :)


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Nick_Walton
Posts: 28
 Member Since:
2007-12-16
Yep
Thu, 01/08/2009 - 5:16pm

Working fine. After many issues installing Windows, dead RAM etc.. finally got to installing VMware server 2.0, once I'd done that and worked out how to open the trixbox VM I copied from my laptop, started it, and it worked perfectly. Voicemail/IVR sound quality still perfect.


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