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13 Replies Last post: Nov 9, 2009 6:08 AM by larrymenard  

VMware Server installation just fails, no error message posted: Nov 6, 2009 10:26 AM

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larrymenard
5 posts since
Nov 6, 2009
Hi,

I've had VMware 2.0 Server running on my Windows XP laptop for a year or more now, and it's been working fine. Then one day a couple of weeks ago it just stopped working. I forget the symptoms now, but that's not the point... I uninstalled it and since then have been trying to reinstall it. That's the problem... it won't reinstall. The installer immediately exits with no error messages at all.

I've tried both 2.0.1 and 2.0.2. Same thing happens (basically, nothing).

Last week I found a posting somewhere here that described a "VMware Installer Cleaner" script, but that didn't help at all.

I wish I had more info to give you, but that's all I have. Really appreciate any help with this.

Thanks.

Re: VMware Server installation just fails, no error message

1. Nov 6, 2009 11:21 AM in response to: larrymenard
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guyrleech
1,814 posts since
Mar 6, 2006

Do you get any log file if you run the installer with a /l argument (run with /? to get all options)?

A few people have said that uninstalling and reinstalling the Visual C++ 2005 runtime fixed it for them.

Failing that, I'd use SysInternals/Microsoft Process Monitor (http://live.sysinternals.com/procmon.exe), filtering on the installer executable, to try and figure out what file or registry key/value might be causing the problem.

I'd also "rename" the HKLM\Software\Policies key (and HKCU\software\policies) although that isn't likely to be the cause for this issue. I assume you are running the installer as an admin.

Guy Leech
VMware vExpert 2009

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Re: VMware Server installation just fails, no error message

2. Nov 6, 2009 12:31 PM in response to: guyrleech
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larrymenard
5 posts since
Nov 6, 2009

Thanks for the response.

Yes, I am using the administrator account.

When I run "VMware-server-2.0.2-203138.exe /l" I get nothing.

I found a temporary directory that contains files "instmsiw.exe" and "VMware Server.msi".

When I run "instmsiw.exe /l" I get message: "Setup has detected that the Service Pack of this system is newer than the update you are applying. There is no need to install this update.". (But according to Control Panel there is no trace of VMware left installed on my system. After I uninstalled it last week I even removed the program directory and several related registry keys.)

When I run "VMware Server.msi" it gives me message: "This installation package could not be opened. Contact the application vendor to verify that tis is a valid Windows Installer package.". (I checked the md5sum of the files, they are correct.)

I renamed the registry keys, no change.

The process returns immediately... it's not around long enough to analyze.

Something else that is odd... in Windows explorer the icon for the VMware install .exe files are not the typical MSI icons... they are just .exe icons (the white window icon with the 3 buttons in the top right). I'm not sure that is significant.

I am able to run other MSI installer applications though.

Any more suggestions?

Re: VMware Server installation just fails, no error message

3. Nov 6, 2009 12:46 PM in response to: larrymenard
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guyrleech
1,814 posts since
Mar 6, 2006

The instmsiw.exe is the Microsoft redistributable package for the Windows Installer which is shipped in case you're version of Windows Installer is not recent enough which evidently it is so this is benign.

Try running the msi thus:

msiexec /l*vx c:\install.log /i "vmware server.msi"

and see if it produces a c:\install.log file although I suspect that it won't. If it gives the same error that you've already reported then something is afoot given that you have verified the checksum and you say other MSI packages install ok.

The icons available from a .exe package are up to the developer in terms of what icon resources they build into the exe. My icon for the .exe on Vista, as viewed in explorer, is attached.

Guy Leech
VMware vExpert 2009

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Attachments:

Re: VMware Server installation just fails, no error message

4. Nov 6, 2009 2:27 PM in response to: guyrleech
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larrymenard
5 posts since
Nov 6, 2009

That command does generate a log file. It contains:

=== Verbose logging started: 11/6/2009 17:23:51 Build type: SHIP UNICODE 3.01.4001.5512 Calling process: C:\WINDOWS\system32\msiexec.exe ===
MSI (c) (68:94) 17:23:51:676: Resetting cached policy values
MSI (c) (68:94) 17:23:51:676: Machine policy value 'Debug' is 0
MSI (c) (68:94) 17:23:51:676: ******* RunEngine:

              • Product: VMware Server.msi
              • Action:
              • CommandLine: **********
MSI (c) (68:94) 17:23:51:676: Note: 1: 2203 2: VMware Server.msi 3: -2147287010
MSI (c) (68:94) 17:23:51:676: MainEngineThread is returning 1620
=== Verbose logging stopped: 11/6/2009 17:23:51 ===

Re: VMware Server installation just fails, no error message

5. Nov 6, 2009 2:35 PM in response to: larrymenard
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guyrleech
1,814 posts since
Mar 6, 2006

Error 1620 indicates an invalid install package. What is the MD5 checksum of the .msi (not the .exe) that you are using please? What version of msiexec do you have - run "msiexec /?" ?


Guy Leech
VMware vExpert 2009

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Re: VMware Server installation just fails, no error message

6. Nov 6, 2009 4:55 PM in response to: guyrleech
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larrymenard
5 posts since
Nov 6, 2009

Guy,

The md5sum of the "VMware Server.msi" file is 4F27727EE9FA3C010AB05EDA40278322.

The version of the MSI is "Windows ® Installer. V 3.01.4001.5512 ".

Thanks!

And I do mean "Thanks!"... at the very least, I'm getting quite an insight into MSI. :-)

Re: VMware Server installation just fails, no error message

7. Nov 6, 2009 5:23 PM in response to: larrymenard
Click to view tstrike34's profile Novice
tstrike34
6 posts since
Nov 6, 2009

I have 5 VMware Workstation licenses that are up for renewal but all these problems with VMware Server on open source Linux are now costing in small business revenue.

I have tried both Server 2.0.1 and 2.0.2 on CentOS and Fedora.. both do not work at ALL (I got embarassed on a demo) I have been lurking for quite awhile and I really have to agree with folks...

What a piece of crap. With IBM backing KVM, I have successfully converted half of my VMs to KVM/Qemu already.... This instability is deadly...

I wonder if VMware got fat and lazy with profitability?

Re: VMware Server installation just fails, no error message

8. Nov 6, 2009 5:23 PM in response to: tstrike34
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tstrike34
6 posts since
Nov 6, 2009
Sorry wrong thread

Re: VMware Server installation just fails, no error message

9. Nov 7, 2009 6:25 AM in response to: larrymenard
Click to view guyrleech's profile Virtuoso
guyrleech
1,814 posts since
Mar 6, 2006

MD5 of the MSI (not the exe) for me is f6bbdde2a76023a6be954a9f1ee354f4 so it looks like this has somehow become corrupt.


Guy Leech
VMware vExpert 2009

---
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Re: VMware Server installation just fails, no error message

10. Nov 8, 2009 2:46 AM in response to: larrymenard
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mwille64
3 posts since
Nov 8, 2009

Have the same problem under Windows 7 64bit. I got VMWare Server 2 installed yesterday and it was working perfectly fine. Today all of a sudden the VMWare services did not start any longer. I de-installed WMWare Server 2 and restored back the last working Windows 7 startup. Now I try to install the WMWare Server again and the installer vanishes in nirvana.

No entries in the Windows Event Viewer

No log files that I could find


Re: VMware Server installation just fails, no error message

11. Nov 8, 2009 3:17 AM in response to: mwille64
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mwille64
3 posts since
Nov 8, 2009
Just tried to install VMWare Player to temporary simply run one of my WMs. No chance. Just the same thing, the installer just vanishes in nirvana, no messages, nothing :-(

Re: VMware Server installation just fails, no error message

12. Nov 8, 2009 5:48 AM in response to: mwille64
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mwille64
3 posts since
Nov 8, 2009
OK, figured it all out.

The damn Windows 7 UAC settings where the culprit. As this is a brand new Windows 7 installation I was still downloading new drivers from HP. Not all installers support the new UAC and hence one has to disable UAC. The VMWare installer seems not to like this at all. Once I enabled UAC, the installer worked fine.


Next problem (but anticipated) was that I need to except my machine as a root certificate issuer. Well no problem with this.


However, the next stupid thing was just waiting. Whilst I could open the VM Manager in the browser, the console would just not opening up.


I solved it by creating a VM shortcut on the Desktop und set the shortcut property options to Run As Administrator.


Now it works...phew.


Could be a bit easier this installation process. This whole thing took approx. 12 hours to figure out...lots of wasted time.


VMWare is probably not to blame only. This looks pretty much like Windows 7 needs some fine tuning here. It should not be that applications just don't start and or are removed from memory without any trace or explanatory message. Having said this, maybe VMWare can do some validation in its installers to avoid this situation. The same applies also to the VMWare services, which will not start if UAC is disabled. I believe that this is what triggered all the trouble in the first place, as I was able to install and run VMWare before I disabled UAC. It was then when the services stopped working that I decided to uninstall and reinstall VMWare with the subsequent trouble.

Re: VMware Server installation just fails, no error message

13. Nov 9, 2009 4:27 PM in response to: guyrleech
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larrymenard
5 posts since
Nov 6, 2009
Guy,

I've deleted that temp folder altogether (including the exe and the msi), and I re-ran the "VMware-server-2.0.2-203138.exe" (md5sum A6430BCC16FF7B3A29BB8DA1704FC38A). Again, absolutely nothing happened. Now I also can't find an msi file anywhere, but I do see the following new log file:

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\My Received Files>type "..\..\local settings\temp"\vminst.log
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Begin Logging
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Info Command Line = /
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Info Admin = TRUE
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Info OS Major Version = 5
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Info OS Minor Version = 1
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Info OS Build Number = 2600
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Info OS Bitness = 32-bit
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Info OS Platform = NT
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Info OS Service Pack = 3
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Info running from --> C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\My Received Files\VMware-server-2.0.2-203138.exe
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Resource lpName = BLOCK_HYPERV, lpBuf = one
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Resource lpName = SKIPADMINCHECK NOT FOUND
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Resource lpName = MINORUPGRADE NOT FOUND
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Resource lpName = OPERATION, lpBuf = INSTALLUPD
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Resource lpName = PRODUCTNAME, lpBuf = VMware Server
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Resource lpName = PRODUCTCODE, lpBuf = {AF08C71F-F822-4416-87A9-2BBF5A8A5F12}
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Resource lpName = LANGUAGES NOT FOUND
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Resource lpName = VM_DATABASE, lpBuf = VMware Server.msi
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Resource lpName = SFXINSERT, lpBuf = 1036288
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Resource lpName = VMIOPTION, lpBuf =
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Resource lpName = MINIMUM_9X_MSI, lpBuf = 200
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Resource lpName = MINIMUM_NT_MSI, lpBuf = 300
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Resource lpName = INSTMSIW, lpBuf = instmsiw.exe
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Resource lpName = PROPERTIES NOT FOUND
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Resource lpName = OLDCODES, lpBuf = {5B9605EF-01FA-4429-8174-5A1039B0A7A5};{FEE84D71-7FF0-46C1-AED4-1BD821D53A9F}
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Resource lpName = HELPER_UI NOT FOUND
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Not running under Microsoft's Hyper-V.
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:08:01 Info Microsoft Hypervisor = NO

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\My Received Files>

I also tried installing "VMware-server-installer-1.0.10-203137.exe". Same thing (but not even a log file).
Note that I am running XP, not Vista, so there are no UAC issues. And Windows Firewall is turned off. And I have 25 Gb of free disk space.
When I copy (ftp) that exact exe to another Windows system (an XP VM, also with all the latest Windows Updates) it launches fine (and BTW, the file's icon on this system is a normal MSI icon... the open box and disc). The install log on that system contains:

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\My Received Files>type vminst.log
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Begin Logging
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Info Command Line =
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Info Admin = TRUE
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Info OS Major Version = 5
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Info OS Minor Version = 1
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Info OS Build Number = 2600
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Info OS Bitness = 32-bit
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Info OS Platform = NT
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Info OS Service Pack = 3
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Info running from --> C:\Documents and Settings\Foundations\VMware-server-2.0.2-203138.exe
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Resource lpName = BLOCK_HYPERV, lpBuf = one
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Resource lpName = SKIPADMINCHECK NOT FOUND
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Resource lpName = MINORUPGRADE NOT FOUND
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Resource lpName = OPERATION, lpBuf = INSTALLUPD
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Resource lpName = PRODUCTNAME, lpBuf = VMware Server
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Resource lpName = PRODUCTCODE, lpBuf = {AF08C71F-F822-4416-87A9-2BBF5A8A5F12}
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Resource lpName = LANGUAGES NOT FOUND
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Resource lpName = VM_DATABASE, lpBuf = VMware Server.msi
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Resource lpName = SFXINSERT, lpBuf = 1036288
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Resource lpName = VMIOPTION, lpBuf =
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Resource lpName = MINIMUM_9X_MSI, lpBuf = 200
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Resource lpName = MINIMUM_NT_MSI, lpBuf = 300
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Resource lpName = INSTMSIW, lpBuf = instmsiw.exe
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Resource lpName = PROPERTIES NOT FOUND
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Resource lpName = OLDCODES, lpBuf = {5B9605EF-01FA-4429-8174-5A1039B0A7A5};{FEE84D71-7FF0-46C1-AED4-1BD821D53A9F}
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Resource lpName = HELPER_UI NOT FOUND
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Not running under Microsoft's Hyper-V.
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Info Microsoft Hypervisor = NO
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Info UI thread started successfully
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Info Total unpacked size will be 531087762
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Info Total space required to unpack is 637305314
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Info attempting to find best unpack location for temporary installation files
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 C:\ has 10464997376 free
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 C:\ has 10464997376 free
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Local fixed drive C has 10464997376
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Not a directory: 2 - C:\DOCUME~1\FOUNDA~1\LOCALS~1\Temp{AF08C71F-F822-4416-87A9-2BBF5A8A5F12}~setup\
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Creating directory 'C:\DOCUME~1\FOUNDA~1\LOCALS~1\Temp{AF08C71F-F822-4416-87A9-2BBF5A8A5F12}~setup\'
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 C:\DOCUME~1\FOUNDA~1\LOCALS~1\Temp{AF08C71F-F822-4416-87A9-2BBF5A8A5F12}~setup\ has been selected as the unpack location
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 Info Extracting setup files to "C:\DOCUME~1\FOUNDA~1\LOCALS~1\Temp{AF08C71F-F822-4416-87A9-2BBF5A8A5F12}~setup\"
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 --> instmsiw.exe 2585872
BootStrapper: 11/09/09 08:56:57 --> VMware Server.msi 522657792

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents\My Received Files

So the problem may be related to the laptop Windows XP system, not the exe file. And yet, I can install other (non-VMware) MSI packages on it.

I am posiitvely anal about keeping my system as clean and stable as possible... I do not tinker with it. The only changes that occur regularly on it are Windows Updates (and it wouldn't be the first tiime I've been stung by those).

Do these two install logs help?

Thanks.

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