WS 15.5.0 - VMWare tools won't install on fresh Windows 8.1 VM

[Cornuvia]

I am using VMWare workstation 15.5.0 professional build 14665864.

I have just made a fresh VM installation of Windows 8.1 x64 build 9600 (virtualHW.version = "13").  It is a totally fresh Windows installation, no updates applied yet.

Nevertheless, I'm unable to install VMWare tools in this VM.  I get an error message that says "VMWare Alias Manager and Ticket Service" can't be started. I tried to start the service manually but that doesn't work either.

Any ideas? Do I need to install an older version of VMWare tools?

[a_p_]

... no updates applied yet.

This could be the root cause. VMware Tools require a current VC++ Runtime, which require a certain OS patch level.

Please update the OS with the latest patches to see whether this resolves the issue.

André