Cannot Purchase Upgrade To Workstation 7

[cdc1]

Here is the background information:

I have one license each for Workstation 6.x for which I cannot purchase upgrades. After I click on the button to add the item to the cart, I am prompted to sign in, which I do just fine. However, when I'm supposed to be prsented with the page that is supposed to allow me to select which license I would like to upgrade, I instead get the page repesented in the attached screenshots.

This happens regardless of web browser being (IE7, IE8 - with and without compatibility mode, Safari 3/4, and Firefox 3.x). I have cleared browsing histories as well, to no affect.

I opened up a support request ... It was closed with no callback or email.

I have contacted VMware via email ... got zero replies.

I have contacted VMware via phone. Was told it was a known issue, and directed to Workstation Zealot Blog, where I was able to use a temporary 30-day license key (which expires in 4 days.)

4 days ago, I contacted VMware, again, via phone ... was, again, told that it was a known issue. Sales Rep asked me for my email address, which I provided. Then, they looked up my account, and said that everything looked fine there, and that they would create a support ticket. I was then told that I would be called by somebody in Technical Support within one day. Nobody has called me.

I consider myself to be a patient individual. I do not find it unreasonable to expect some type of positive action on the part of VMware during the last 3-4 weeks of me attempting to deal with this issue.

Here is the question/plea:

Dear Folks at VMware that read these forums,

Is there any that I can do better that will allow your technical support or sales reps assist me in purchasing my upgrades? Please don't force me to imagine tumbleweeds drifting by in this new discussion thread that I have just created.

Thanks

[Student_Driver]

Strange. I found that I had difficulty initially just getting a license at all because the site seems to be going through an eternal upgrade process (couldn't log on to the forums again this morning because of it).

Dell SXPS 1340, P9600, 8GB RAM

MCSE/MCSA 2003, MCTS, RHCT

[cdc1]

Still no contact from VMware regarding my issue ...

-

---

See them tumbling down,

Pledging their love to the ground,

Lonely but free I'll be found,

Drifting along with a tumbling tumbleweed.

Bob Nolan, "Tumbling Tumbleweed"

[temancini]

Exactly the same problem here. Opened a support ticket yesterday, nothing yet.

[cdc1]

Hello????

VMware???

Are you out there ... anywhere???

I'd like to give you some money in exchange for some goods, but your website won't let me, and your Phone People say the website is the only way to purchase.

Need help, please.

I can no longer power up my virtual machines in Workstation 7 as the "trial" license key I was given to get me "through these issues as you work to sort them out" 30 days ago has now expired.

Paying customer starting to lose patience here ...

[versusmachine]

I've been trying for days to upgrade as well. I registered my copy of v6 a month ago and went partially through the order process but then decided to hold off. Now that I want to complete the order, I can't even 'Add to Cart' because my serial number is not found in their system, and registering it from that page brings up the message:

"We are in process of creating/updating your account. Certain functions

may not be accessible for next 30 minutes (e.g managing your licenses,

upgrading your products) while we update our systems. We apologize for

any inconvience this may cause."

My serial number appears in 'My Account' though.

I hope they address this problem soon.

[temancini]

Support seems to be aware of the issue but has no timeline in which it will be fixed. They are only interested in closing SR's.

My guess is this is the result of a recent SAP upgrade.

Our only option is to install and wait out the 30 days. I suppose you could request the license key if it expires.

[versusmachine]

It would be nice to be able to order within the next few days while there is a sale for 30% off, which makes a nice gesture for frustrated customers, but I guess this sale will just add insult to injury as it comes and goes, the trial versions expire, and we are left waiting to pay full price in however many weeks or months it takes for the website to be fixed, with no notice or workaround having ever been put in place.

I can't even contact sales support with the online form because the Country and State drop-down lists don't work , and are 'required' for submittal.

[cdc1]

Well, at this rate, I will consider myself lottery-winning lucky if it gets fixed before my Beta coupons expire at the end of December.

The 30% off sale didn't even register as a slim possibility with me, until somebody from VMware sent me a PM yesterday morning. However, I'm still not very confident that it will be resolved before the end of December, let alone by the end of business today. People are going to start taking their Xmas vacations very soon. When that happens, the chances go from slim to none, and that's when I start to seriously consider switching to another product.

Then again, I'm on my second 30-Day "trial" key now. Maybe I'll just make GMail accounts until I retire, and get perpetual "trial" licenses until then.

[PShahood]

I was able to purchase an upgrade online yesterday. Went without a hitch and I got my receipt/license key the same day.

[temancini]

Upgrade to VMware Workstation 7

VMware Red Tag Sale — *Save 30% Instantly

Hurry, offer expires 12/2/09 11:59 PT.

*Prices below reflect a 30% discount. Prices go up 12/3/09.

Sad, very sad. They should be thoroughly embarrassed to display such an ad such as this with no way to purchase the product.

You can see how much attention this has garnered as no one from VMware has yet to respond and the obvious ignorance to this issue.

[PShahood]

I got the upgrade at the special price without issue.

From my perspective, there is obviously NO issue for them to respond to!

[cdc1]

You know, if they gave us the ability to ignore other posters on these forums, you would be the only person on my list.

[PShahood]

Gee, no need to get personal!

What I am suggesting is that if I was able to get it, and there only seem to be a few that have reported this issue, then perhaps it is not VMWare at all. The stuff between us and them is abundant and varied - maybe all of you that are having the problem have some common denominator, or perhaps active firewalls that you are not aware of, or ......

Much to consider - just trying to offer something to think about.

[Kage_no_Gundan]

I've been having this exact issue as well... been trying for 2 days now. I called the number listed on the VMware Workstation website (1-877-486-9273) and spoke to someone from Sales who said they have seen this error, but she wasn't sure what the issue was or when it would be resolved. She sent me a manual order form and just asked to include a screenshot of the discount price and email it back... unfortunately there is no secure way to email it so your credit card info would be going out in plain text.

I called it quits right there, but if you're desperate enough feel free to call them directly and ask for one (they don't take orders over the phone).

[cdc1]

No way I'm that desparate.

Anyway, like I said, every coupon I have will expire in about 3 weeks. After that, I'm not going to bother with VMware Workstation anymore. I've been using it since 1999 or so at work/home ... perhaps it's time for a change? I'm kicking mysef for upgrading my Fusion to 3.0 back on Oct. 27th. A clean break from VMware Desktop products would've been better.

But hey, at least they're keeping the support ticket open this time, instead of closing it with an explanation that had absolutely zero to do with the problem that I reported ... thank god for small miracles.

[cdc1]

Just FYI to anyone else that has had this problem, and haven't tried to make their upgrade purchase in a while ...

The issue has been fixed as part of the planned partial website maintenance that VMware had on Friday, December 4th. After that maintenance was completed, I was able to finally purchase my upgrade.

[versusmachine]

Well, it's good to hear that at least your problem has been addressed.

I'm in limbo. I was desperate enough to send a manual order over email. I went through the process of calling them up just before it was mentioned as a suggestion in this thread.

A couple of days later I emailed the person I talked to on the phone to find out when I could expect the order to be completed. I was simply told the order was sent to the appropriate department.

A week later (this past Wednesday) I emailed again to express my sense of urgency and to plead for help, after weeks of trying to upgrade. I didn't receive a response.

They have my credit card information, and I don't know whether the order will go through or not.

My trial version is expired. I've been completely stonewalled. I don't know what else I can do.

[martyfelker]

You are lucky you've received the beta testing coupon at all. The frustration of trying to get this after signifanct beata testing wasmore than I had time for. Beises - that was sulpposedly a 25% discount - now they are (or were) offereing a 30% discount to the genral public? WTF?

ON a moare useful subject. It has been my invariable experience that when the Sate dropdown list in a form does not appear it because javascript is not allowed on yhour computer. I know this because I have the Noscript addon for Firefox and allowing scripts (can be temporary) will enable the dropdown list.

Marty Felker