Install VMware tools is grayed out on XP VM

[MrMarkVM]

The Windows XP SP3 virtual machine is essentially useless because I can't get access to my LAN.  And (apparently), I cant get access to my LAN because it is not possible to Install VMware Tools, because that option is grayed out under Player/Manage.

This is in VMware Workstation 15 Player, if that makes any difference.

I sure would appreciate some help making this work.

Thanks,

-Mark

[Alex_Romeo]

Hi,

VMware workstation  is compatible with Windows XP

VMware Compatibility Guide - Guest/Host Search

Try to install them manually:

• From VMware Workstation 15 installation, in the "C: Program Files (x86), VMware Workstation" folder, mount the ISO file "WinPreVista.ISO"

This file is compatible with Windows XP:

• Mount file ISO

• Open the folder and copy all file in the virtual machine with windows XP, and proceed with the normal installation of the .exe file.

This is an alternative solution to your problem. The procedure is working.

Alessandro Romeo

[MrMarkVM]

Thank you, but where can I get the ISO file?  I don't have a CD...I'm pretty sure I never have.

[Alex_Romeo]

Hi,

I have seen that the vmware tools 10.1.3.2 are compatible with Windows XP, you can download them from here and install them directly from the virtual machine.

Download VMware vSphere

Download the file, then unzip it and install "WinPreVista.ISO"

:

Mount this file "WInPreVista.iso" and copy all the files contained in the virtual machine, then proceed to install the appropriate "setup.exe" or "setup64.exe file.

Alessandro Romeo

[MrMarkVM]

Thank you.  I downloaded the zip and extracted it, but I don't know how to use it.  Is this purposely arcane?

[BrentonPolo]

Hi,

Let me start with I am running VMWare v16 and I needed a Windows XP Pro OS virtual for my software needs. I could not copy and paste from my host to guest, and the D drive and floppy function did not work, as well as the Auto screen fit function.

So first of all we all we know to solve this problem we need to install the VMWare Tools software to the Virtual Machine, except how do can we get the downloaded software to the Virtual Machine if none of the functions to get this right is working?

I had the same problem and what I think the majority of the people (in my case) did not understand is that I can not copy and paste to the virtual. I tried the D Drive but it did not want to pull through to the Virtual. I even tried to create a floppy but this also did not want to work.

Here is a Step by Step procedure on how to get this issue resolved:

1. - Download the legacy VMWare Tools at: https://customerconnect.vmware.com/en/downloads/details?downloadGroup=VMTOOLS10012&productId=491 Note you need to register to be able to download. (Download the .zip format)

2. - Make sure that your virtual has a network connection and is bale to connect to the internet. (I had a problem with chrome and had to download firefox by creating my default browser setting in Internet explorer to www.mozilla.org to be able to download firefox.)

3. - Use a online file share website like www.filebin.net , you can add the whole zip file that you downloaded from customer connect or unzip the file and ony zip the vmtools folder and upload it online to the file share website by dragging and dropping the zipped file.

4. - Once the upload to the file share website is complete, use the link given or the link in the browser and type it in the virtual explorer.

5. - Download the file in the virtual (I had to drag and drop the file name from the website to my virtual desktop and run it from the desktop to be able to download the file.

6. - When the file is done downloaded, extract the vmtools folder and open the WinPreVista.iso but right clicking and selecting the option open, now extract all data from the WinPreVista to the desktop so that all the data is in its own folder.

7. - Run the Setup.exe and wait (this takes a while), and follow the prompts of the installation.

8. - Once the installation is complete the system will reboot and everything will work!

I hope this works for you guys, because I struggled for a whole day reading online comments and as I went got to this solution that worked for me.

[RDPetruska]

Not sure how your virtual CD drive (drive D:) didn't work, since you had to have used that to install the OS in the first place.