Can't uninstall VMware-server

[rturney]

I can't uninstall VMware-server. I had installed it with YaST (running SUSE 10.2) and wanted to redo the install because I followed the wrong instructions on the post-install. When I try to remove with YaST it fails with the following messaage:

---
/var/tmp/rpm-tmp.11626: line 34: /etc/vmware/installer.sh: No such file or directory

error: %preun(VMware-server-1.0.1-29996.i386) scriptlet failed, exit status 127

2007-02-27 18:59:13 VMware-server-1.0.1-29996.i386 remove failed
rpm output:
/var/tmp/rpm-tmp.73235: line 34: /etc/vmware/installer.sh: No such file or directory

error: %preun(VMware-server-1.0.1-29996.i386) scriptlet failed, exit status 127

Trying "rpm -qa | grep vmware" returned no results. In desperation I tried "rpm -e VMware-server-1.0.1-29996.i386" which returned:

/var/tmp/rpm-tmp.70447: line 34: /etc/vmware/installer.sh: No such file or directory

error: %preun(VMware-server-1.0.1-29996.i386) scriptlet failed, exit status 127

Then I deleted all the vmware directories and went back to YaST expecting the VMware-server to be gone, but it was still listed in YaST as "installed"! I retried uninstalling it in YaST but got the same error.

At this point I tried reinstalling it by right-clicking on the rpm and selecting "Open with | Install software". I got this result:

Transaction failed: Transaction preparation failed: Package VMware-server-1.0.1-29996 is already installed.

I would appreciate any thoughts on this problem.

[gogalthorp]

What are you trying to do??

If you just need to reconfig the VM run vmware-config this will allow you to change the settings ofthe install.

There was just a kernel upgrade for 10.1 I had to reinstall the NVIDIA drivers and VMWare. Never tried to actually uninstall!

[rturney]

I'm trying to get rid of VM server. And it appears to be impossible!!! The uninstall failed. There has to be some way to accomplish removing it but I don't know what that is.

[gogalthorp]

From the Manual

Uninstalling VMware Server on a Linux Host
   To uninstall VMware Server or any of its component, open a terminal and log on as the 
   root user.
   To uninstall VMware Server or any of its components on a Linux host
   !    If you used the RPM installer to install VMware Server, enter the following 
        command to view the name of the package to uninstall:
        rpm -qa | grep VM
   !    If you used the RPM installer to install VMware Server, remove the software from 
        your system by running:
        rpm -e <VMware-server package name>

!  If you used the tar installer to install VMware Server, remove the software from 
   your system by running:
   vmware-uninstall.pl
NOTE    Uninstalling the server software removes the VmPerl API and the 
        Programming API that were installed with it.
!  To uninstall the VMware Management Interface components, run the program:
   /usr/bin/vmware-uninstall-mui.pl
!  To uninstall a Linux console that was installed from an RPM package, type:
   rpm -e VMware-server-console
!  To uninstall a Linux console that was installed from a tar package, run the 
   program:
   /usr/bin/vmware-uninstall-server-console.pl
!  To uninstall the VmPerl API that was installed on a remote client from a client 
   package, type:
   /usr/bin/vmware-uninstall-api.pl

When in doubt RFM

[rturney]

Thanks, but I did that already (read my first post). I read the manual and did what it said, but it didn't work. YaST, manually using rpm and using the Perl script won't let me re-install it, saying its already installed. And those same methods fail during uninstall for the reasons I mentioned earlier. I've even tried manually deleting the files, but probably haven't gotten all of them.

I booted into Vector Linux last night and downloaded the VM server tar.gz. After melting the tar, I ran the vmware-install.pl. (This is becoming a comedy of errors) I realized that the registration code was saved on the SUSE distro and I aborted the install script to go back and get that. When I returned to Vector Linux, I found that I was in the same situation as I was in SUSE: can't install or uninstall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[gogalthorp]

Have you asked ovewre on the VM boards?

maybe you not holding your mouth right

[rturney]

LOL! No, But I probably will go over there and ask the same question. I was thinking it was a YaST issue or rpm type of problem. It really seems like a catch-22! What puzzles me is after deleting the files, YaST, rpm and the Perl installer script all think that the package is still installed

[gogalthorp]

Actually it my be a Yast problem.

You may have actually removed it and Yast simply does not know.

But I have never had a problem restarting the vmware-config.pl file??

[rturney]

Actually it my be a Yast problem.

That's what I was thinking. Something is telling YaST that it is still installed.

[axobeauvi]

that's an rpm problem.
it sounds like the "scriptlet failed" because some of the files it expected were missing, and so it's in limbo and can't complete the rpm transaction (so it just stops and doesn't try to finish the operation)
try this, install the same version from the rpm.
if you can't do it automatically try to unpack the rpm and manually put the files where they should go, then try to rpm -e the package.
if that doesn't work, you'll have to take a crash course in rpm database manual editing.