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DaanS
Contributor
Contributor

VMware Player fails to initialize after upgrading to version 6

When starting VMWare Player 6, all UI elements are missing and there are several boxes on the right side of the window. After several seconds, Windows reports the application as "not responding". Memory, CPU and disk usage are all low. So as far as I can tell, the application is not simply busy. I've never had any problems like this with VMWare Player 5.0.x and earlier, and I can still downgrade to a fully functioning 5.0.2. However, I'd really like to upgrade to take advantage of support for newer Guest OS's.

Does anyone have any ideas on how I can get VMWare Player 6 working correctly?

I've attached a screenshot of the VMWare Player window. I'm using Windows 7 Pro SP1 64-bit on an Intel Core 2 Duo (E8400). Please let me know if I can provide any other information that might help.

vmware-player-6-not-responding.png

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17 Replies
antimojv
Contributor
Contributor

I have the same problem! and it's terrible!

I  event tried to install the workstation trial version but the problem remains the same Smiley Sad!

Please helpppp !!

If needed i can support for testing this issue (test , log and so on)

Thank you in advance

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Coffee7
Contributor
Contributor

I'm having the exact same issue, with a similar host configuration (Win 7 pro 64 bit)

Please advice! Very frustrating, almost thinking of reinstalling the older version.

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Franck141
Contributor
Contributor

I have the same problem. I am using Windows 8.0

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Coffee7
Contributor
Contributor

This seems like a common issue... Has anyone tried VirtualBox on Windows 7 64bit to host Windows Home Server 2011.. (I know this is not a great idea, but works for me)...

If this issue with VMware continues, I might resort to try Virtual Box.

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mfelker
Expert
Expert

How did you upgrade from Player 5.x to 6.0?  Was it from within the program?  This method should be deprecated.  It hardly ever works.  Instead see if you uninstall VMware Player 5.0 manually (use KB 1308 if necessary) and then install 6.0.

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1308

If you have done this and the problem still exists it would appear to be a bug.  I can't duplicate it myself and I no longer use WS for Windows (I have a Hper-V installation on another machine).

ViretualBox should also be considered - and that's too bad.

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DaanS
Contributor
Contributor

The initial upgrade was from within the program. But I went back and forth manually a few times while trying to troubleshoot the issue.

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mfelker
Expert
Expert

Was the uninstall successful.  Did anything change on the host?  Monitor, graphics card etc.  I don't know about Windows since I use the Linux but there should be an installation log somewhere.  You could post it if you find but I prehaps much doubt it would have much useful.  Can't think of anything else sorry. Smiley Sad

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kingmiro
Contributor
Contributor

Are you sure that your CPU has all the features in it, that are needed to run this Version of VMWare?

Pls check.

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antimojv
Contributor
Contributor

May be the program could/ should check this feature alone? I don't know if it's possible.


It's seems to be a bug rather than a CPU missing feature , but it's only an opinion Smiley Happy.

Anyway my CPU (should be useful for support may be)

AMD Phenom II X2 555 Processor

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DaanS
Contributor
Contributor

The only requirements I could find where VT-x and EM64T. Both should be supported by the Core 2 family.

(And, as far as I can tell, these are the same requirements as for Player 5.0.x)

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gggeek
Contributor
Contributor

Similar problem here - VMWare Player starts ok, but none of the VM images I used to be able to run on vmware player 5 can now be started on vmware player 6. I can get to see and edit their settings, but get a fatal error message (not very detailed) as soon as I try to start them.

It is surely not an uninstall/reinstall problem, as this install is a different laptop - it never had vmware player 5 installed before afaik.

It might relate to vm hdd image corruption during copy from old to new laptop, but everything else was copied over without problems - including virtualbox images 😉

OS: win7 64bit ultimate - HW: dell latitude 6530, with Intel Core i7-3720QM cpu

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gggeek
Contributor
Contributor

Side note: trying to create a new VM from scratch, using all the default settings for virtual HW as suggested by the player, and I get the same error on starting it - error while powering on: internal error

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gggeek
Contributor
Contributor

Final note: deinstalling Player 6.0 and reinstalling 5.2 => everything works like a charm...

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ziimen
Contributor
Contributor

Same deal. Player 5 worked. Installed 6, failed as described by OP. Uninstalled 6 and removed all the traces from various folders... Program Data, App Data ... etc. Same problem after installing after the cleanup.

Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 x64. Please fix.

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RichSposato
Contributor
Contributor

I came across the same problem with VMWare Player 6.0 (build # 1295980) on Windows 8 x64.

If you remove VMWare Player 6.0 and install VMWare Player 5.0, you won't be able to use any virtual machines that were made under 6.0.

Here is how you can correct it.

1. Uninstall VMWare Player 6.0.

2. Delete all files and directories for VMWare Player - but don't delete your virtual machines!

3. Download slightly later version VMWare Player 6.0 (build #1379776). You can get it here.

4. Install that version VMWare Player 6.0.

5. Continue using the same virtual machines you had before.

I don't know if VMWare fixed that bug in their latest build, so if somebody sees it again, please say so.

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gggeek
Contributor
Contributor

Something came recently to my mind: what if the minimum HW version was changed between player 5 and 6?

I had no time to try it out so far - but if you have old vm images, you can "upgrade" their virtual hw version by simply editing the .vmx file. Setting it to version 9 might be a good compromise. All you need to do is alter one line the restart Player.

virtualHW.version = "9"

ps: it is normally ok to upgrade the virtual hw version, not sure about downgrading it though...

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Junglee
Contributor
Contributor

Hey Folks,

I also Gone through this error and i was in middle of no where, frustrated, blaming VMWare and suddenly something flashed into my Little brain (LOL) and The solution is very simple.


Check whether all the services related to VMWare Player are running or not if not start them as below.


1. Open (Windows+r) and type services.msc.

2. search for VMware Authorization Service & VMware DHCP Service & VMware NAT Service & VMware USB Arbitration Service Start these 4 services

and enjoy virtualizing !!!!!!!!

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