VMWare Workstation requires adminisrator privilege occasionally.

[PeterM1122]

I am running Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC running VMWare Workstation Pro 12.5.9,

VMWare runs using a standard user account in kiosk mode, so when the PC is powered on, the user  boots straight to the VM operating system.

Occasionally I get a UAC prompt for an Administrator user name and password with the message "This VMWare product requires administrator privilege. If you click Cancel the application will have limited functionality."

I could switch UAC off but is there any reason why sometimes elevated access is required to run VMWare Workstation ?

Is there a workaround ? I tried a delayed start for the VMWare Authorization Service but it didn't help.

Thanks!

[Alex_Romeo]

Hi,

the UAC service is Microsoft. If a program requires administrative credentials to be able to be executed, the UAC intervenes.

You don't have many solutions except to lower the UAC level.

ARomeo

[PeterM1122]

When I lower the UAC level, VMware Workstation hangs at the VMware logo (as if it is looking for elevated permission to run).

Most of the time VMWare starts no problem with the standard user. Unfortunately VMWare  seems to randomly require elevated permission when starting.

Thanks

[Mits2020]

You could try changing the vmware.exe Properties and setting the Privilege Level (in the Compatibility tab) to "Run this program as an Admininstrator". My guess is that this would allow WS to run independently of the UAC level you set (and which should be high for a kiosk installation).

Maybe other executables' Privilege Level should be changed too, like vmrun.exe.

Hopefully all services needed to run WS are always running independently of what user is logged on.

[PeterM1122]

When I check 'Run this program as administrator' in Compatibility mode, VMWare Workstation requires an Admin password on every boot.

I use a batch file to run Vmware workstation using  Vmware-kvm.exe.

Would it be an option to grant admin access through the batch file ?

[continuum]

That may work.

Open a cmd as admin and start the batch from there.

Plan B: if a VM requires to be launched as admin 0 you may use a device that requires admin-rights.

You may not need that device - and removing it may do the trick.

(just guessing ... - dont know your VM personally )

[Mits2020]

I have limited experience using vmware-kvm.exe but after reading the docs about it, it does not seem to allow passing credentials in its parameters. Hopefully more experienced users will step in to suggest solutions.

[PeterM1122]

I found the appropriate log file showing the error.

The following lines appear to show where the problem is.

Could not connect to pipe \\.\pipe\vmware-authdpipe within retry period

VMHSCOM: Failed to CreateElevInstance: hr = 0x800704c7

VTHREAD initialize thread 6 "vthread-6" host id 6356

VMware KVM failed to start the VMware Authorization Service

I have tried setting VMWare Authorization Service to Automatic (Delayed Start) but it did not fix the issue.