VMware Communities
EpsilonPrime
Contributor
Contributor
Jump to solution

VMware Tools*STILL* doesn't support Windows 95

I'm getting tired of this. I've reported this issue for several versions of VMware. Do you guys actually test the operating systems you say you support?

Reply
0 Kudos
1 Solution

Accepted Solutions
admin
Immortal
Immortal
Jump to solution

Okay, one our installer guys described a workaround to me:

1. Download and install Microsoft's Windows Installer redistributable for Win9x: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=cebbacd8-c094-4255-b702-de3bb768148f

2. Mount the Tools ISO image (winPre2k.iso in the VMware Workstation installation folder). (Or just choose "VM > Install VMware Tools" from the menu, which will mount the image automatically.)

3. If AutoRun is enabled, it'll trigger setup.exe, which will crash. Ignore that. Right-click on the CD drive, select "Open", and then double-click on the "VMware Tools.msi" file.

View solution in original post

Reply
0 Kudos
8 Replies
EpsilonPrime
Contributor
Contributor
Jump to solution

Grr, can't cut and paste stack trace due to lack of vmware tools. I'll type it manually omitting the registers:

SETUP caused an exception c06d007fH in module KERNEL32.DLL at 0137:bff9a07c.

Seriously, just install an older version of Windows 95 and click on SETUP. It crashes instantly. ANY regression test would catch this.

Reply
0 Kudos
admin
Immortal
Immortal
Jump to solution

Which version of Windows 95, exactly? When was the last time it worked for you?

I just installed a Windows 95 OSR2 (4.00.950b) to a VM, and the Tools seemed to install fine.

Reply
0 Kudos
EpsilonPrime
Contributor
Contributor
Jump to solution

I'm using Windows 95 - 4.00.950. I believe it's one of the first releases but I don't have the disk handy with me.

Reply
0 Kudos
admin
Immortal
Immortal
Jump to solution

Argh, you're right: it's broken for 4.00.950.

We'll look into it.

Reply
0 Kudos
admin
Immortal
Immortal
Jump to solution

Okay, one our installer guys described a workaround to me:

1. Download and install Microsoft's Windows Installer redistributable for Win9x: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=cebbacd8-c094-4255-b702-de3bb768148f

2. Mount the Tools ISO image (winPre2k.iso in the VMware Workstation installation folder). (Or just choose "VM > Install VMware Tools" from the menu, which will mount the image automatically.)

3. If AutoRun is enabled, it'll trigger setup.exe, which will crash. Ignore that. Right-click on the CD drive, select "Open", and then double-click on the "VMware Tools.msi" file.

Reply
0 Kudos
gabster2
Contributor
Contributor
Jump to solution

Jameslin, if you look inside the winPre2k.iso, it already has the InstMsiA.exe that your Microsoft link is refering to.

FYI

EpsilonPrime
Contributor
Contributor
Jump to solution

Thanks your workaround does indeed work! I did receive an error message stating that the SVGA driver failed to be set automatically so that doesn't work but everything else seems to.

Also:

As previously reported, I did find that InstMsiA.exe already in the provided VMware Tools ISO.

Reply
0 Kudos
GlennyG
Enthusiast
Enthusiast
Jump to solution

The microsoft link's now broken (seems to be a MS sales site,  not support...)

The MSO installer package is in the winPre2k.iso,  so the MS link isn't necessary.

Reply
0 Kudos