fusion 6 - upgrade vm from win 7 32bit to win 8.1 32bit gives "This PC can't run Windows 8.1 ... processor doesn't support NX."

[oaks]

hello,

i was trying to upgrade a win 7 32bit vm to win 8.1 rtm 32bit in fusion 6.0.0.

running the setup from within windows, after asking for updates, i get the following error:

"This PC can't run Windows 8.1"

"(X) You can't install Windows 8.1 because your processor doesn't support NX."

however, if i do a fresh install of windows 8.1 (booting from the same setup iso) using the fusion "add vm wizzard", everything works flawlessly.

i already tried everything i could come up with: using the .vmx file of the fresh install and preserving only the vmdk, trying to enable processor options in fusion, accessing the bios of the vm (there is no option for NX there)...

has someone been successful with such an upgrade? didn't find much in google about my issue.

best regards,

oskar

[admin]

Can you upload the vmware.log file for the problematic VM?

[oaks]

here it is

[admin]

Interesting.  The log file shows that the vCPU does support NX.

Can you try the following at a command prompt in the Windows 7 VM:

wmic OS Get DataExecutionPrevention_Available

[oaks]

yes, this is interesting:

C:\Windows\system32>wmic OS Get DataExecutionPrevention_Available

DataExecutionPrevention_Available

TRUE

[admin]

So, Windows 7 also believes that DEP (NX) is available.

Is DEP disabled in the Windows 7 VM?

From a command prompt, type sysdm.cpl.   Under Advanced -> Performance -> Settings, check the Data Execution Prevention settings.

[oaks]

hello again,

my actual setting is "DEP turned on only for essential windows programs and services"

tonight i do not have the install iso at hand (forgot the usb stick at work..). i will try tomorrow morning, if turning DEP on for all prgs will do the trick.

in the meanwhile, thank you very much for your help!

oskar

[admin]

Well, that means that Windows 7 is actually using DEP (NX) already.  Changing the setting probably won't help.

Let me continue to investigate.  Sorry for the trouble.

[oaks]

wow! that did the trick!

"Turn on DEP for all programs and services", reboot and now the setup goes on.

thank you very much for directing me to the right setting. wouldn't have found it on my own.

oskar

[oaks]

i think i will give up...

upgrade options available where:

- keep files

- keep nothing

then after the installation started i got this error (very helpful, microsoft):

will go on with my virgin installation now. at least that one seems to work.

bye and thank you!