Setup failed to install the VSock Virtual Machine Communication Interface Sockets driver automatically. This driver will have to be installed manually

[Harry5432]

Environment:

Application: VMWare Workstation Pro 16

Host: Windows 10 x64 (19041.508)

Guest: Windows 7 x64

Problem:

When installing VMWare tools this error is displayed and "Shared Folders" do not work.

"Setup failed to install the VSock Virtual Machine Communication Interface Sockets driver automatically. This driver will have to be installed manually."

Notes:

- The problem did not exist with VMWare Workstation Pro 15.5.6

- The problem does not exist with Windows 10 x64 guest

- The problem does not exist when installing VMWare tools extracted from VMWare Workstation Pro 15.5.6 on Windows 7 x64 virtual machine created in VMWare Workstation Pro 16

[thepwrtank18]

I'm having the same problem.

Here is what I have: https://www.reddit.com/r/vmware/comments/izt584/cant_install_vmware_tools_completely/

Same thing, only happens on 16, not 15.5.6.

[thepwrtank18]

My guess is that someone forgot to sign the drivers, so Windows will prevent some from installing for safety reasons.

[wila · Accepted solution]

Hi,

From what I read somewhere here in the forums, the drivers are signed, but only with sha2 and that means that your operating system first needs to be updated to be able to read the certificates of the signed drivers.

See this article for more details:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4472027/2019-sha-2-code-signing-support-requirement-for-win...

and then run the updates for your operating system to be able to read modern signatures.

--

Wil

[thepwrtank18]

So here is the answer:

Download the SHA-2 updates that you need here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4472027/2019-sha-2-code-signing-support-requirement-for-win...

Then after those are done, install VMware Tools.

[rshack777]

Hello, the link is no good now.  Any other ways to solve the Vsock issue for Windows 7 x64?  I am also getting Host Guest drive issue.

[wila]

Hi,

The links seem OK to me?
Eventually they end up on:

http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/search.aspx?q=4490628

and
http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/search.aspx?q=kb4474419

There you then have to choose your OS: Windows 7 and bitness (x86 or x64 depending on what your Windows version is)

Download both of the above, Install & reboot

--
Wil

[DutchMike]

I had both issues.

vsock and the host guest failed

i wanted to install both them KB files but with one it said it was already installed. 
Then after a reboot i tried to install vm tools again and it worked.

I was now also able to install ms edge... wich i could not before neither, and drag and drop was working. 

[tashinz]

This absolutely solved my problem - I have windows 7 32-bit vm, upgrade it to workstation 16.2, started to offer me update of VMware tools, I started it, and it couldn't install vmci and bunch of other drivers. after installing these two knowledge base articles, installation of VMware tools went smoothly. Lost 4 hours of my life though, 'till I've found this, thanx!

[mustaphazarrouq]

i 've the same problem when i want to install limited windows 7 or 10 like "windows 7 super lite", lot of services not start