Workstation 7.1.4 cannot bridge VMNet0 on Windows 7 , 64 bit host

[qa4ever]

Unfortunately now 1 year later when I upgraded to 7.1.4 from 7.1.1 I see the same error message as I saw in this tread:

VMWARE Workstation 7.1.1 cannot bridge VMNet0 on Windows 7 , 64 bit host

Even more unfortunately is that now "Repair" option on the install media does not fix the problem.

Running as Local Administrator

Please advice,

QA4Ever

[continuum]

do you get the same dll problems ?

please open a cmd as admin and type

net start vmnetbridge

and report what it says

[qa4ever]

Still same error copying the vmnetbridge.dll file into c:\windows\system32 running setup as an local Administrator

C:\>net start vmnetbridge
The service name is invalid.

The vmware services that are installed are:

VMware Authorization Service
VMware DHCP Service
VMware NAT Service
VMware USB Arbitration Service

Using F-Secure , maybe this prevents resomething but I do not get any alert of virus.

C:\>dir C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\netbridge.inf_amd64_neutr
al_2505c14526c0d253
Volume in drive C has no label.
Volume Serial Number is 6A21-1DA3

Directory of C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\netbridge.inf_amd64
_neutral_2505c14526c0d253

2011-08-18  08:44    <DIR>          .
2011-08-18  08:44    <DIR>          ..
2011-03-25  23:41             4 411 netbridge.inf
2011-08-18  08:44             9 976 netbridge.PNF
2011-03-25  20:04            24 112 vmnet.sys
2011-03-25  20:04             8 335 vmnetbridge.cat
2011-03-25  20:04            56 880 vmnetbridge.dll
2011-03-25  20:04            45 104 vmnetbridge.sys
               6 File(s)        148 818 bytes
               2 Dir(s)  86 868 656 128 bytes free

C:\>dir c:\windows\system32\vm*
Volume in drive C has no label.
Volume Serial Number is 6A21-1DA3

Directory of c:\windows\system32

2009-07-14  01:42           130 048 VmbusCoinstaller.dll
2009-07-14  01:42            15 360 vmbuspipe.dll
2009-07-14  03:30            44 544 vmbusres.dll
2009-07-14  01:42           129 024 VmdCoinstall.dll
2009-07-14  03:30            53 760 vmicres.dll
2009-07-14  01:43           242 176 vmicsvc.exe
2009-07-14  01:43            51 712 vmictimeprovider.dll
2010-08-01  09:18            24 112 vmnet.sys
2010-08-01  09:18             9 082 vmnetadapter.cat
2010-08-01  09:18            20 016 vmnetAdapter.sys
2010-08-01  09:18             8 335 vmnetbridge.cat
2010-08-01  09:18            45 104 vmnetBridge.sys
2010-08-01  12:54         7 109 168 vmnetcfg.exe
2009-07-14  03:30            37 888 vmstorfltres.dll
              15 File(s)      7 977 209 bytes
               0 Dir(s)  86 868 598 784 bytes free

please advice,

QA4Ever

[continuum]

please post an registry export of

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\VMnetBridge

[qa4ever]

I dont have such key. only keys I have are:

[qa4ever]

Any more ideas on this issue?

Still cannot use bridged networking on 7.1.4

The main culprit is that I cannot copy vmnetbridge.dll into c:\windows\system32

Was this setup ever tested on Windows 7 64bit by Vmware?

Thanks,

qa4ever

[continuum · Accepted solution]

you could try to install the vmnetbridge service with vnetlib64.exe

have a look  here

http://sanbarrow.com/network/cmdguide2workstation.html

please note - the instructions were written for 32bit windows and may need some adjustments for 64 bit

what you could try now is : disable UAC, all firewalls and all antivirustools and then try as administrator to reset to factory defaults in virtual network editor

that may help

[qa4ever]

Many thanks continuum for the correct answer 

vnetlib64 -- install bridge

did resolve this issue.

I think it's difficult to even phanthom how much grief this has caused me but gladly, now that grief has left my spirit and soul, and is now part of the history of poorly written setup programs.

(strangely enought I still see no service running with the name vmnetbridge service)

/qa4ever

[continuum]

vmnetbridge is not listed as a service in services.msc

to check if it is installed correctly check wether it has an entry in registry and if you can start it from cmd with net start-stop vmnetbridge