Update win 10 to 11 in VMware Workstation Player 16.2

[chavalot]

I have Win 10 Home installed on a VMware Workstation Player 16.2 virtual machine and it works correctly.
I would like to know if there is any way to update it to Win 11 or do I have to do a clean install.

[RDPetruska]

Well, the great thing about virtual machines is it's real easy to try that...

Make sure to make a backup of your Win10 VM before you make any changes (plus that way you will still have a working Win10 VM once you have a working Win11 one, as well). 

Then, try running the Win11 upgrader inside that VM.  At worst case, all you'll be out is some time if it doesn't work.

[CarltonR]

One thing that you will need to be aware of when considering Win 11, is the infamous TPM . . . so please refer to the excerpt below from the forum thread Windows 11 Decrypt Password :

There are three ways in which to perform a VMware Workstation Win 11 VM clean install, plus one TPM 1.2 upgrade option:

• TPM 2.0 and other hardware is present and correct (VMware Workstation encryption config required)
• No TPM 2.0 with compatible hardware (implementing the experimental .vmx entry managedvm.autoAddVTPM)
• No TPM 2.0 with or without hardware compatibility checks (no changes to VMware Workstation required) [see below] 
• TPM 1.2 Upgrade from Win 10.

Note: When using the .vmx file change option then you might like to check out, if you have not already done so, the vimalin blog, plus, you have to remember after making the change, to shut down VMware Workstation for it to take effect.

So, should you wish to install without a TPM and with processor hardware that may or may not meet the prerequisites, and not have to make any changes to VMware Workstation, then . . . refer to this link for instructions. Clearly you will have to 'add the USB hardware' to the VM.  There is just one slight modification to the instructions, after the "Close the text editor window and the Command Prompt window" part, then perform the following action:

• Press the back Arrow on the toolbar

[chavalot]

I just need the VM to recognize that I have TPM 2.0 activated. I have tried this which I have seen on the forums:

                                                   managedvm.autoAddVTPM = "software"

but it doesn't work for me, nothing appears in the settings.

The rest of the solutions are with a clean installation, so for now I forget about win11.
Thanks for the help.
Greetings.

[CarltonR]

Slightly remis on my part, it was written in the contest of the original forum thread, you may be able to upgrade, depending upon a few other considerations, using the first two and the fourth one in the list,. 

Not sure what "nothing appears in the settings" means . . . but, did you shut down Workstation and then add the managedvm.autoAddVTPM = "software" line to the vmx file of your virtual machine ?  For a more detailed description refer vimalin blog

When logged into the Win 10 VM, can you see within Computer Management - Security devices a Trusted Platform Module [2.0 or 1.2] ?

[chavalot]

In Virtual Machine Settings nothing related to TPM appears.

Inside the virtual machine, TPM doesn't appear anywhere either.

My Workstation Player is not the PRO version in case that's why it happens.

[CarltonR]

Could you humour me, and try once again, as follows:

   Actions

• Shut down the VMware Workstation
• Open in Notepad the .vmx file for that specific Win 10 Guest VM
• Add the managedvm.autoAddVTPM = "software" line, at the very end/bottom of the .vmx file, save and close Notepad
• Start up VMware Workstation and then open the Win 10 Guest VM.

   Post Checks

• In the Win 10 .vmx file in question you should see a couple of new entries one of which contains the key
• When logged into the Win 10 Guest VM, confirm that Trusted Platform Module [2.0 or 1.2] is present within Computer Management - Security devices.

[chavalot]

I've done all the steps and the TPM doesn't appear anywhere.
My host system is OpenSuse leap 15.3 and the virtual machine is on a USB 3.0 external hard drive.
And at the end of the .vmx file these lines appear:

    managedvm.autoAddVTPM = "software"
    usb_xhci: 4.present = "TRUE"
    usb_xhci: 4.deviceType = "hid"
    usb_xhci: 4.port = "4"
    usb_xhci: 4.parent = "-1"
    unity.wasCapable = "TRUE"

What I will do is create a vm with win11 directly but at the moment I am fine with win10 and I will continue like this for a while.
Thank you.

[goldeneye_007]

I was wondering what the present thoughts on this are as I have several VM's in my environment

that have the same issue. I can test further if need be. Environment is OpenSUSE 15.3 running

VMware workstation 16.2.4. Windows 10 reports system is not eligible for upgrade to Windows 11.

Thanks.

[Technogeezer]

Random thoughts.

Did you run PC Health Check in the Windows 10 VM to find out what it thinks makes this VM ineligible for upgrade?

I would wait for the next Workstation version or if you can't wait, use the Tech Preview.  It has much better support for Windows 11 as both a host and guest. In particular, the TPM implementation in the Tech Preview (that's expected to be in the next Workstation release)  is a vast improvement over the experimental TPM implementation or full VM encryption currently found in Workstation 16. Avoid the experimental TPM in Workstation 16 at all costs. "Experimental" is a kind way of saying the feature is nowhere near fully baked/ready for prime time. It's a one-way street - you can never turn it off and salvage your VM or move a VM with this turned on another computer. 

Once you add the TPM and EFI Secure Boot to the VM *and* you meet all other Windows 11 pre-requisites, then I would think Windows would offer you the upgrade.

One thing you have to check as well is if the CPU chip you're running on is supported by Windows 11. As an example, I have a Mac mini 2014 with an older Core i3 chip that runs Windows 10 under VMware Fusion just fine. It won't offer to upgrade to Windows 11 because PC Health Check says the chip is too old. 

[goldeneye_007]

I think I found my specific issue. Windows 10 is 32bit version, not 64.