A workaround to enable NAT port forwarding on the crippled VMware Player 3.0.0

[Tronchaviones]

Since the new VMware Player 3.0.0 (build-203739) has eliminated the essential support tool vmnetcfg.exe (Virtual Network Editor Application), we have to find other way to configure its port forwarding. We have three options (apart from using other virtualization platform):

• Buy WMware Workstation (No, thanks. This is not the way to improve its market share)

• "Upgrade" to VMware Player 2.5.3 (yes, it is really an upgrade from a crippled new version). download VMware Player 2.5.3

• Use the old vmnetcfg.exe over the (not improved at all) virtual network of vmplayer 3.0.0. It works, so there is no need to "upgrade" to 2.5.3 if you have already reconfigured your VMs on the new version. Since the current DLLs will crash vmnetcfg.exe, it is necessary to keep vmnetcfg.exe on another directory, with the 18 DLLs it needs. This is the list of files needed (all taken from the "C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Player" directory of a 2.5.3 install):

vmnetcfg.exe
glib-2.0.dll
glibmm-2.4.dll
gmodule-2.0.dll
gobject-2.0.dll
iconv.dll
intl.dll
libxml2.dll
sigc-2.0.dll
sysimgbase.dll
vixDiskMountApi.dll
vmcryptolib.dll
vmnetmgr.dll
vmnetui.dll
vmwarebase.dll
vmwarecui.dll
vmwarestring.dll
vmwarewui.dll
zlib1.dll

19 archivos 23.861.648 bytes

[continuum]

another workaround:

install Workstation and run it without license - then the Workstation GUI will not be able to run VMs but you can use vmplayer.

This VMplayer "as it should be" then has the must have support tools and there is no need to manually add any files.

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VMX-parameters- VMware-liveCD - VM-Sickbay

[popej]

I think this problem was already discussed. Player 3.0 contains vmnetcfg.exe, but probably this file is not installed. Run install file with options /e:

VMware-player-3.0.0-203739.exe /e my_directory

Then unpack network.cab from my_directory, it contains vmnetcfg.exe. I have used 7-zip for unpacking, but probably other archivers will do aswell.

[Tronchaviones]

Thanks, continuum and popej. Your workarounds are very helpful. The next is just for vmware staff...

Player 3.0 contains vmnetcfg.exe, but probably this file is not installed

It is a very clever move from VMware, Inc. The best strategy to build a big and happy customer base is not to improve service, but to play a game of "where is it hidden" against the new customers. Since millions of customers love Nintendo's "[Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professor_Layton_and_the_Diabolical_Box|Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box]", next gaming industry's bestseller will be "[VMware Player and the Hidden Utilities|http://downloads.vmware.com/d/details/player_3_0/ZGp0YmQlJSpiZGVkZA==]". A lot of laughs for free.

There is only a reason to hurry up to deploy versión 3.0.1... someone forgot to hide vmplayer.exe! After patching this critical bug, success will be guaranteed: it will be very funny to see all that customers asking "where I have to click?", "what is my mistake?", "how is it possible I cannot install a simple program?".