freqsounds wrote:
I recently purchased Workstation and began setting up my environment. Everything is new: computer, hard drives, memory, Windows 7 (host), Windows Server 2012 (3 guests), all fresh installs. While in the middle of working on something, I'll get this error:
Faulting application name: vmware.exe, version: 11.0.0.54843, time stamp: 0x546ea534
Faulting module name: unknown, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x00000000
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x00000000
Faulting process id: 0x18ac
Faulting application start time: 0x01d099bcb3e37b12
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation\vmware.exe
Faulting module path: unknown
Report Id: 7009d2ff-05b3-11e5-847b-aeb7c629c08c
It happens completely randomly. I'm not doing anything in particular when this happens. It has happened at idle... I'm still in the process of setting up my servers, but just about done. I've been working around this error, but it's getting annoying.
Are there any logs I can send? I really need to get this fixed as I use this for web hosting for my business. Thanks in advance!
Join the club. I just got through posting about the same thing yesterday! ( VMware Workstation 11 Crashes After Installing VMware Tools )
I ended up just activating the setting in the Preferences menu to "Keep VMs Running when Workstation Closes". That way, my VMs are left intact when the crashes do happen.
There is one more thing you can try. I'm assuming you purchased a single use license? If you're willing to shell out $50, then you can purchase Per Incident support from the VMware store:
Per Incident Support - Workstation
They guarantee you'll be talking to a "technical engineer" (whatever that is). And if that doesn't work, you could try saying "Shiboleet" over the phone. 
(SOURCE: xkcd: Tech Support ) Anyways, I'm currently about to purchase tech support myself! It seems I'm getting nowhere here in the forums. Oh, and don't forget to update your Workstation before you contact Customer Support. I noticed you have version 11.0.0.54843 installed. The current version is 11.1.0.2496824. To do this, just click Help>Software Updates. And then in the dialog box that pops up, click "Check for Updates". The best to luck with your case. Feel free to reply if you have any more questions.
freqsounds wrote:
I saw that post. So it's directly related to VMWare Tools? It installed successfully on all my servers. Maybe there's a bad hook in one of the DLLs?
Yes, it appears that it's directly related to VMware Tools. I created a fresh virtual machine with a fresh copy of Windows 7. I did NOT install VMware Tools on it. Instead, I tested it out. I installed a few programs, ran them, and did other basic functions. During this time, Workstation did not crash once. After I was satisfied with my tests, I installed VMware Tools on this virtual machine. Here came the crashes!
It's funny you say that. I saw the setting, but for whatever reason -- when Workstation crashes, it leaves my VMs open and I have to rename the .lck folder. It doesn't seem to care what the setting is.
That's good. Then at least you didn't lose any data.
Sooo, what you're saying is, I shell out another $50 so I can talk to one of these "technical engineers" named "Shiboleet"? Is that pronounced like "shift" + "delete"??
The "Shiboleet" was a reference to the XKCD comic strip I posted a link to. :smileylaugh: In the comic strip, a guy is having trouble with Tech Support. He finally gets to talk to an Engineer. The engineer tells him that "Shiboleet" is the passphrase he should say over the phone whenever he's talking to Tech Support. They'll automatically transfer him to an engineer who knows a minimum of two programming languages. He's excited that he learned this secret, when he wakes up and finds out it's just a dream.
Paying over $200 for a license a week and a half ago doesn't warrant support?
Anyways, I was just as livid when I found this out when I called VMware the other day. Apparently, you need to buy 10 or more licenses to get free Tech Support. Otherwise it's "Pay Per Incident" of $50 an incident. "But wait!", says the schmuck on the other line, "We have Pay Per Incident VALUE PACKAGES!". "You can buy them in three or five incident packages." "For example, if you buy our five incident support package, it'll only cost you $200!" "A savings of $50!"
My response: "You don't know how this makes me feel right now." (I make a face similar to this: :smileyangry: )
I downgraded my Workstation in effort to get rid of the error. It's still doing it!
Ah, then that confirms it. It is VMware Tools' fault. From what I've read so far, it seems like VMware Tools is programed and updated separately from the Workstation. That means no matter what version of Workstation you have, whether it be 9, 10, or 11, if VMware Tools is causing the crashes, switching from one version of Workstation to another won't solve the crashes. At least that's what it seems like (from what I've read). I could be wrong, so don't quote me precisely on that.