6.5.2 on Windows 7

[LoZio]

Hi

I have Windows 7 x64 RTM with Workstation 6.5.2 and have a couple of big problems.

1) In windowed, full screen or fast switch mode, my mouse pointer is offset some 100 pixels to the top-left respect to the position of the pointer inside the machine (with tools installed, on any Windows from xp to Vista via 2003...). This way I cannot click objects near the left or top border of the screen.

I have an Intel 965 that worked ok when the laptop was running Vista.

2) The virtual machines run very slooooooow, moving files via the network at 10Kb/sec !!

Any idea other than "Wait for a new release" ?

Thanks

[LoZio]

I'll reply to myself.

After lots of hours spent exeprimenting, I found that I HAVE to disable aero to have VMWare Wks 6.5.2 work correctly.

Re-enabling aero results in loss of VMs console mouse control.

Reading these forums, I see this is an open issues since 2007.... I'm going to consider using free products, they have a patch timing more affordable than VMWare's.

Sigh...

[Scissor]

I'll reply to myself.

After lots of hours spent exeprimenting, I found that I HAVE to disable aero to have VMWare Wks 6.5.2 work correctly.

Re-enabling aero results in loss of VMs console mouse control.

Reading these forums, I see this is an open issues since 2007.... I'm going to consider using free products, they have a patch timing more affordable than VMWare's.

Sigh...

Sigh all you want, but VMware will not support Windows 7 until it is officially released. The same thing happened before Windows Vista was released so it should not be a surprise to anyone. VMware doesn't have the resources to chase bugs with pre-release software.

But don't lose hope! Windows 7 will be out very soon (tomorrow for Technet subscribers). I wouldn't be surprised to see support for Win7 in the next release of VMware Workstation. And since 6.5.2 has been out for so long, based upon VMware's historical release intervals, my personal guess is that we will see a new release of VMware Workstation soon.

[Scissor]

Hi

I have Windows 7 x64 RTM with Workstation 6.5.2 and have a couple of big problems.

1) In windowed, full screen or fast switch mode, my mouse pointer is offset some 100 pixels to the top-left respect to the position of the pointer inside the machine (with tools installed, on any Windows from xp to Vista via 2003...). This way I cannot click objects near the left or top border of the screen.

I have an Intel 965 that worked ok when the laptop was running Vista.

I do not see this issue on my Win7 x86 system, but I'm not running a laptop or using an Intel 965 graphics adapter. My guess is a buggy graphics card driver.

2) The virtual machines run very slooooooow, moving files via the network at 10Kb/sec !!

I don't see this problem on my Win7 x86 system. Are your Guests configured for NAT mode? Try changing them to Bridged mode.

Are any of your Guests configured with more than 1 vCPU? IF so, change them back to 1 vCPU and try again.

What anti-virus are you running on your Host? Any 3rd party firewalls or other "security" software installed on your Host? Try temporarily turning off any "Task Offload" or other "offload" settings on your Host's NIC properties to see if that helps.

[LoZio]

Hi Scissors

not to start a flame but the buggy graphics driver only has problems with VMWare Workstation and some guests. I know this can be, but it is really very strange.

About 2): I used bridged, NAT and host only network, with 1 and 2 vCPU with same results.

The host and the guest are not running any antivirus software. Intel GMA 965 is one, if not the one, most used graphics chip on the market, being integrated in Intel chipsets.

In conclusion: as I stated in my first post, as a paying customer I'll wait for the next release. BTW Seven Beta was downloadable for every user since dec 2008, and RTM was sent to partners on July 15. You can read of this problem in post dated two years.

The release of Seven will be THE event in the VMW Wks market, and if there is one company who has time and resources to work on a product, this is VMW. Hope they work hard, really.

Thanks for the reply

Bye

[Scissor]

Hi Scissors

not to start a flame but the buggy graphics driver only has problems with VMWare Workstation and some guests. I know this can be, but it is really very strange.

Perhaps try the workaround suggested here: http://www.yellow-bricks.com/2009/05/12/windows-7-and-the-intel-965-video-driver/

About 2): I used bridged, NAT and host only network, with 1 and 2 vCPU with same results.

- - Check to make sure you're running the latest NIC drivers on your Host

- - Try disabling any "Task Offload" or other "offload" settings under the advanced properties of your host NIC.

- - Do network testing with 1 vCPU Guests.

- - Make sure latest VMware Tools are installed inside your Guest.

- - Do not use the VMware Shared Folders feature -- it is buggy.

[LoZio]

Thanks, I already found that post but it is really wrong in two ways:

- the driver in the Seven RTM DVD is buggy, but when you do the first WindowsUpdate it get replaced by a new one

- Vista drivers follow WDM driver model 1.0. Seven is 1.1 although it also supports 1.0. Running a 1.0 driver on Seven will revert back to the mixed GDI-DirectX world, reducing performance and hogging memory. It's just like saying "Hey man, problems with Seven? Just install good old XP". Aero was only some kind of slow eye candy on Vista, but is a substantial experience tool in Seven, just too comfortable to work with.

About other tests I run all them and in any combination during my hours spent chasing this problem, with no luck. And no, I do not use Shared Folders but regular network access.

Just now I'm tryng Virtualbox 3, and it seems Sun received Windows Seven long before VMWare, and with patched drivers too...

[LoZio]

Hi, great news here! Windows Seven was released. Also VMWks 7 was, and the problem is still here, even with released video drivers from Intel.

Also seems VMWare did not notice Seven was out when building vSphere client.

Having to pay a new license for Wks 7, why I should stay with VMWare instead of something else working (Vbox for example).

I don't really start a flame, just to note that paying customers need some more attention.

Bye

[Scissor]

Also VMWks 7 was, and the problem is still here, even with released video drivers from Intel

What OS are you running in your Guest? Can you attach the vmware.log and .vmx file from the directory containing your Guest?

Also seems VMWare did not notice Seven was out when building vSphere client.

vSphere was released before Windows 7 was released. It is unfortunate that the vSphere client doesn't work out of the box on Win7, but I am sure they will fix that in a future vSphere release. In the meantime, this thread has a workaround to get vSphere client running on Win7: http://communities.vmware.com/thread/211440

Having to pay a new license for Wks 7, why I should stay with VMWare instead of something else working (Vbox for example).

If Vbox give syou all the features you need then you should not spend money you don't need to.

I don't really start a flame, just to note that paying customers need some more attention.

No worries!