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5 Replies Last post: Oct 17, 2008 10:35 AM by gbullman

Post 2.0 Challenges posted: Oct 17, 2008 5:41 AM

petesweekly

6 posts since
Sep 19, 2007

I am having a few issues that I can't see mentioned elsewhere.

Cannot get VMWARE Tools top install into an XP Pro virtual disk. When I take the option the cursor flickers in the XP screen, and then nothing happens. Eventually I opt to cancel the process (an hour later).

Trying to install McAfee is about the same.

No Unity mode at all.

Whereas before the Full screen mode would stretch to 2560 x 1920 (Apple big screen) and would fill the display, it now compresses into a smaller segment in the middle of the display, wasting a couple of inches on either side - with consequent dreadful resolution in the centre.

Whereas before the change to full screen would automatically adjust the resolution to match the native resolution of the display, it now just stretches the current resolution to the larger size, which looks awful.

No drag n drop any more, although I have seen that mentioned elsewhere.

My first thought is to go back to my previous version. Where do I start?

This is all on a MacPro under 10.5.5

Tags: no, unity, mode, fullscreen, drag_drop, xp-pro, xp_pro, 10.5.5

Re: Post 2.0 Challenges

1. Oct 17, 2008 6:10 AM

in response to: petesweekly

gbullman

415 posts since
Jan 29, 2008

I would say all of your problems are probably a result of not being able to install Tools. I had a similar problem with one VM, and in my case Fusion 2.0 would not tolerate some CD burning software and drivers that were left over from my converted physical machine (ie, that particular VM had been created with the converter).

The first thing you have to verify in the guest is that you have a CD drive at all in the VM. First check would be in my computer, if it is there then you have something else to track down, if it is not then go to System Properties, Hardware,Device Manager. If your CD/DVD drive has a yellow ! through it, then you have to solve that. Here is the thread which I participated in, and helped me solve my problem.

VMWare tools won't install in v2.0

Re: Post 2.0 Challenges

2. Oct 17, 2008 6:37 AM

in response to: gbullman

petesweekly

6 posts since
Sep 19, 2007

Thank you. I am backing up my entire system before I start messing with it. And then I will follow the path mentioned in the Link. Now that I think about it, more clearly, you are right in that everything seems linked to the missing installation of VMWARE Tools. Get that right, and all the rest falls into place. I have some direction. Thank you, once again. I will report back.

Re: Post 2.0 Challenges

3. Oct 17, 2008 6:41 AM

in response to: petesweekly

IamTHEvilONE

1,591 posts since
Apr 1, 2008

No Unity mode at all.

Requires tools

Full screen mode would stretch

This feature is called "auto fit to guest" ... requires the VMware SVGA driver .... which is in tools.

No drag n drop any more

Tools is required for Host to Guest direct interaction

When you click the "Install Vmware tools" option, Fusion will put a CD-Rom into the XP virtual machine. Double check that it appears in My Computer. If it does, double click the CD rom and see what happens.

In other words, the previous poster is correct. A lack of Tools is your problem.

EvilOne

1 - Check the documents
2 - Search the forums
3 - Post Question

And remember to award points to those who assist you.

Re: Post 2.0 Challenges

4. Oct 17, 2008 10:04 AM

in response to: petesweekly

petesweekly

6 posts since
Sep 19, 2007

WOW! What a long day

After seeming to get nowhere I opted to set up a new virtual disk. (There is something almost sexy about having a virgin installation to mess with.) It worked fine, which implies some issues with the migration/upgrade process.

Then I copied the driver files from the new installation to the old installation. Still no joy.

Then I followed the instructions in gbullman's post. (I love you. You married?) This involves messing in the Registry, and in my case deleting the lowerfilters entry. And then to reboot, clutching a glass of Merlot in desperate hope.

And, it worked! My joy knows no bounds.

I still have a couple of issues, including a Base System piece of hardware that keeps not being recognised, but we have a working system. I am dictating this response in Dragon Version 10, under Unity, and am functional again.

(I have offered the appropriate points and penances. Thank you so much.)

Much as I enjoy messing around with the technology, at this level of scratching in the innards, I still maintain that the product should not have been released. Apple, in my simple mind, provides a fairly closed set of hardware to operate within, and these problems should simply not happen -- at least not with "standard" Mac Pro. Most of my own clients would not be able to follow the instructions, and would probably give up the way I did when Parallels had problems. In this particular case the option of migrating all of my information to a new virtual disk was somewhat less than attractive. Windows installations, and software installations, are hardly fast.

Having said that, the product seems to work well. I am happy. And I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

Re: Post 2.0 Challenges

5. Oct 17, 2008 10:35 AM

in response to: petesweekly

gbullman

415 posts since
Jan 29, 2008

I would agree this stuff is not for the feint of heart, but it really is not that much different than maintaining physical machines. It does get kind of interesting around that virtual hardware / OS driver interface, and that is one area I would like to see some VMware documentation that provides guidance on what drivers to use for which aspects of the virtual hardware.

Like I said in the post I referenced I know of a fairly reliable way to locate drivers for physical machines, not always clear to me what I should be using for the VM.

As for me, the Fusion 2.0 printer sharing was a big plus, the ability to mount shutdown virtual disks comes in handy sometimes. Suspend / Resume in my case seems to be a little faster in 2.0 than it was in 1.1.3, performance overall is very similar, 2.0 might be just a little slower, use a little more CPU, but by an almost neglible amount.

Another feature I would like to see is drag and drop between running VMs. I can do that now by going through the Mac host, but VM to VM would be nice.

Glad you're up and running, hope it works out.

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