Unable to install Win 7 from ISO image using VMware Fusion 3 on Mac

[ksphanse]

On trying to install Windows 7 from an ISO image using VMware Fusion 3 on MacBook Pro, I get the following error message:

PXE-E53: No boot filename received

PXE-M0F: Exiting Intel PXE ROM

Operating System not found

Search on the Internet showed that this problem isn't a new problem, but I did not find any solution. Please help.

This is the first time I'm using Vmware Fusion. So please pardon my ignorance. Any help in this matter would be much appreciated.

Best regards,

Kaustubh

[WoodyZ]

Where did the ISO Image come from?  Is it actually a Bootable Install Disc Image?

Are you using Easy Install or bypassing Easy Install to continue installing manually?  In either case and a newly created Virtual Machine if the ISO Image is an actual Bootable Install Disc Image then it should boot from it, although in the later case (a manuall install) you could try setting the CD/DVD as the Startup Device under Advanced in the Virtual Machine's Settings.

[ksphanse]

The ISO indeed came from a bootable Windows 7 Pro DVD and so far I have only tried the Easy Install.

I'm going to burn the ISO image on a DVD and use it for the installation. Let me see if that works.

[WoodyZ]

The ISO indeed came from a bootable Windows 7 Pro DVD

Did you create the ISO Image and if yes how?  Below are directions for creating using Disk Utility.

I'm going to burn the ISO image on a DVD and use it for the installation. Let me see if that works.

Assuming the source Optical Disc is Bootable and the ISO Image was properly created then you should not have to be burned it back to Optical Media to use it with a Virtual Machine.

====================

Notes: Creating an ISO Image of the CD/DVD Disc

When using Disk Utility in order to have a bootable ISO Image you should select CD/DVD Master with no encryption in which case by default it will have a .cdr file extension and in version 1.1 of Fusion and later does not need to be changed to .iso although one can if one chooses to. A default .dmg image is compressed and may not bootable depending on which version of VMware Fusion is being used although an uncompressed .dmg will boot (if changed to .iso with VMware Fusion 1.1 through 2.x, not necessary for 3.x) and of course the source CD/DVD must be bootable in the first place.

To create an ISO Image using Disk Utility...

1. Insert the CD or DVD disc in your computer's optical drive.
2. Open Disk Utility (/Applications/Utilities/Disk Utility).
3. Select the CD or DVD disc in the list of disks and volumes.
4. Choose File > New > "Disk Image from (Name of Disc)."
5. Type a name for the disc image.
6. Choose "DVD/CD master" from the Image Format pop-up menu.
7. Choose "none" from the Encryption pop-up menu.
8. Click Save.

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[ksphanse]

Trying to install it from a bootable Windows 7 disk did not work either. I also tried the Manual Install option by deselecting Easy Install and choosing CD/DVD as the Startup Device from Settings -> Advanced. But it still did not work, giving me the same error (see images below). When I start the process, VMware does detect the DVD automatically and asks if that's the OS that needs to be installed. But later it somehow does not pick up the OS from the DVD. It seems to do something with "DHCP...." so I'm not sure if it's trying to find something on the network.

[ksphanse]

Thanks for the detailed instructions.

I did not create the ISO image, but got it from an admin at a remote office. I'll see if I can get him to redo the ISO image. Can you please send me the steps to create a "bootable" ISO image on Windows because that's what he's using.

[ksphanse]

The iso image turned out to be the problem. The problem was solved with a new iso image. Thanks for your help.

[SisypheanTed]

I've been fighting with this EXACT issue for some days now.  Seeing the recent posts, I decided it must be a bad ISO image (in spite of downloading directly from the Microsoft software distribution center site with no erorrs reported), so ordered the media kit in frustration.   The DVD arrived today, in the brand new shiny Microsoft wrapper, and I tried my install again to create the VM.   EXACTLY the same error/issue.

So I am at a loss now.   This type of error has been reported off an on since 2008 according to posts I've been finding in various nooks and crannies of the web.   I don't have an Intel windows PC here that works to try to see if the DVD is bootable (well, I have one, but it does not have a DVD drive in it).

So does anyone have any suggestions?

[solaimanjahed]

I have the same problem, But My ISO Image was booting in VMWare Workstation 12. but here in VMware Fusion I don't know what happened. please guide me if you know any solution regarding this

[Mikero]

It is preferred that you start a new thread rather than try to hijack this 10-year old long-since-abandoned thread.