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CDS2018
Contributor
Contributor

Problem Booting Win10 in VMWare Workstation for First Time

I purchased VMUG Advantage and am trying to create/load Win10 in VMWare Workstation. I can confirm I downloaded the full Vmware workstation .exe with the disc images (iso files) from VMUG's onthehub site and have a valid license.

After configuring my new VM for Win10 and attempting to boot, I get this message:

EFI Vmware Virtual SCSI Hard Drive (0.0) ... unsuccessful.

EFI Vmware Virtual SATA CDROM Drive (1.0) ... unsuccessful.

EFI Network ...

It is then followed up with a Boot Manager message; I've tried Enter Setup and tried both Configure boot options and Boot from a File. No success.

Can anyone provide insight or guidance on resolving this? Have I missed a step?

Thanks!

22 Replies
a_p_
Leadership
Leadership

Welcome to the Community,

can you confirm that you've mapped a Windows 10 installation DVD/ISO to the virtual machine's CD-ROM drive, and that it shows up as "Connected" (Connet at Power On)?

André

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CDS2018
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Andre,

I am fairly certain it is mapped correctly. I've included a screenshot below. Any thoughts?

Capture5.PNG

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CDS2018
Contributor
Contributor

Also, if it helps, here's additional screenshots that are prompted during attempted boot (in order of sequence from left to right).

Capture6.PNG

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bluefirestorm
Champion
Champion

The file C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation\windows.iso is NOT a bootable Windows 10 OS installation media. It is the ISO file for VMware Tools for Windows Vista/7/8/10 that is mounted into the guest Windows system when "Install VMware Tools" is invoked. Note that its size is around 100MB only.

You need to download the Windows 10 ISO or use the Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB Windows 10 installation. You also need the corresponding licence/product key for activation.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

CDS2018
Contributor
Contributor

BlueFirestorm,

This is extremely helpful. Thank you! I was able to get to the install screen in my VMware box for Win10.

For the LICENSE key, I thought VMUG Advantage provided you with a valid Windows license key. Do you know if that's not the case? I have a serial number for VMware Workstation 14 Pro for Windows - Download, but that appears to only be valid for the actual VMware workstation product.

Thanks!

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bluefirestorm
Champion
Champion

I am not familiar with VMUG Advantage.

But looking at the webpage

https://www.vmug.com/Join/VMUG-Advantage-Membership

It does not mention anywhere entitlement to a Windows 10 licence (be it Home or Professional). Retail price of new Windows 10 for Home and Professional are US$139 and US$199, respectively.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/b/windows?activetab=tab%3ashopwindows10

If a Windows 10 licence would be part of the benefits, it would have been a major selling point for the US$200 subscription. So it is unlikely that VMUG Advantage includes a Windows 10 licence.

Standard VMware EULA (be it Workstation Pro, Fusion on macOS, ESXi) requires the licensee is responsible for obtaining the corresponding guest OS licences. Look at clause 3.4

https://www.vmware.com/content/dam/digitalmarketing/vmware/en/pdf/downloads/eula/universal_eula.pdf#...

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limanem
Contributor
Contributor

When you creating your machine

1-Create New Machine Custom (Advance) -->

2-Customise your Hardware to your needs or leave default.-->

3-Select bottom option which is I will install OS later-->

4-Select your guest OS-->

5-Name Your OS and select the location-->

6-NOW SELECT FIRMWARE  "BIOS"-->

(

"Settings"  First Tab is "Hardware" second tab is "Options".

Select "Options" --> Advanced -- Go to Firmware Type and Select BIOS. (15.02).

7-Select your Processor Config or leave default--->

8-Adjust your memory or leave default-->

9-Select your Network Type or leave default (NAT)-->

10-Leave I/O Controller Types as is default-->

11-Select your Disk Type or leave default-->

12-Select Disk or leave default-->

13-Specify your disk Capacity or leave default-->

14-Specify Disk File or leave default-->

15-Finish

16 Now go back to your newly machine right click and "Settings"-->

17 Go to "CD/DVD and select your CD Driver or ISO image --> Hit Ok or Apply

18-Now select your OS and click "Play" button and follow regular MS operating system installation and your preferences.

deeperside
Contributor
Contributor

Just installed VMware Workstation 15.  I'm having the same problem the original user reported, same screens, etc.  The only difference is that I actually have the virtual CD rom pointed to a valid Win10 Pro x64 BOOTABLE ISO file.  I validated bootable by copying files to a physical USB and booting from it.  The ISO image also reports BOOTABLE from magicISO.  I tried changing the boot default to be the CDRom first but still unsuccessful.  I also tried to change the drive to legacy mode/IDE but still nothing.

The following option does not appear in VMWare Workstation 15 "6-NOW SELECT FIRMWARE  "BIOS"-->"

Next i'm going to try to update to V 15.02 as maybe this is a bug.  If anyone has any suggestions please advise.

limanem
Contributor
Contributor

Number 6 BIOS is  under on "Settings"  First Tab is "Hardware" second tab is "Options".

Select "Options" --> Advanced -- Go to Firmware Type and Select BIOS. (15.02). 

4n2h0ny
Contributor
Contributor

Thank you! This fixed it for me on Workstation 15 Pro.

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Andromache
Contributor
Contributor

Setting the firmware to BIOS fixed the EFI network error and the install went cleanly afterwards.

I am installing from a DVD in the optical drive, not an ISO image.

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abhiooz
Contributor
Contributor

worked perfectly!

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ki2rin
Contributor
Contributor

This is the most similar situation to what I'm facing except I use VMware Workstation 16 Player. Have tried to find workarounds but failed so far.

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continuum
Immortal
Immortal

Are you also trying to start with the vmware-tools.iso ?
That will not work ...

#metoo posts have a low chance for receiving helpful replies.
So please explain in details or attach the vmx-file and latest vmware.log

 

Ulli

 


________________________________________________
Do you need support with a VMFS recovery problem ? - send a message via skype "sanbarrow"
I do not support Workstation 16 at this time ...

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ki2rin
Contributor
Contributor

No. I was trying to start with a 5GB sized bootable .iso file. (Windows 10 x64)
The problem was my firmware setting which had 'ufi' and I removed that line from .vmx file, now it started to boot. (boot to BIOS)

In almost all cases, I've installed Windows 10 letting it boot to UEFI firmware.
So, still wondering why this issue happened. Are UFI and EUFI differs a lot when installing an OS?

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SAMSNEED
Contributor
Contributor

What you need to do to edit FIRMWARE in your VMWare machine?

Create a new virtual machine
Open the .VMX file of your virtual machine in Notepad (or similar) and add the following line to it:
firmware="efi" <-------- change to "bios"
Save the .VMX file.

SAMSNEED
Contributor
Contributor

Don't create a new VM just edit the one you already have. 

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rajk984
Contributor
Contributor

No need to remove that line from .vmx file. Just make a changes in settings - Option (tab) - Advanced - Bios (Select Bios from there). That's it. It will boot.

rajk984_0-1627896906416.png

 

kaleem333
Contributor
Contributor

thanks man.

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