cant copy/paste from guest to host

[gokufast]

i was searching trying to solve this problem but nothing, the problem is that i cant copy any file from the guest and paste in the host.

I try to uninstall the vmware tools and install it again and nothing, reinstall vmware tools and nothing.

it happens when i try to copy text or files, any text and any size/type of files.

but, when i try to copy any file/text from de host to the guest it copy in the VM.

it is a problem of my host? vmwaretools? vmware workstation?

Host: Windows 7 64bits

Guest 1: Windows 7 64bits

Guest 2: Windows XP.

[DanlOfRI]

I have this problem as well. I know the posts are old 'zombie' posts, but the problem still raises its head from time to time and I think I have discovered a common link.

If I startup my guest OS cleanly I can copy and paste.

If I let my OS go into hibernation mode, then copy and paste will be disabled.

In this case I first tried stopping and restarting the vmnetbridge service using:

Net Stop vmnetbridge

Net Start vmnetbridge

However in today's case this did not solve the problem. I have had this work in the past.

Today I had to reboot the guest operating system. Once I did that then the problem was solved.

Test platform:

Host: Windows 7x64

Guest: Windows 7x86

Copy / paste is always enabled in vm settings

Hopefully this helps others who come this way.

[TheEiq]

Hi all !

Our company just updated from VMWare Workstation 8 to version 11. Unfortunately the upgrade had resolved none of issues I was having (and I still have) with previous version.

Copy/paste is still not working. After couple of copy/paste actions this future will stop working and it is no longer possible to copy file into station or out of it (using ctrl+c/v or using drag&drop) until I revert snapshot. Sometimes copy/paste will cause deadlock of the application that is receiving pasted file (e.g. explore.exe or totalcmd.exe).

As a workaround I'm using vmrun to copy files into/from VMWare. Yet this solution has also a bug; copying files is incredibly slow. Especially large files (150MB takes ~30sec to copy). Version 11 upgrade did not fix this bug.

I don't suppose those issues will ever be fixed (or at least they weren't for couple of years).

Can anyone help me with this please ? Is there a 3rd party tool for supporting copy/paste in VMWare Workstation ?

Thank you for any help !

[VM0Sean]

Can you use regular network shares or shared folders?

Have you filed a support ticket about your problems?

[TheEiq]

1. I'm trying to avoid usage of shared locations as it is easy way for malware (which I work with) to spread to my host machine.

2. No.

[VM0Sean]

If you are only copying files *in* then you can set the shared locations as read only.  That way it's easy to get data in but the VM itself cannot write anything there.

[thoral77]

djbarrett wrote:

I had all the same symptoms and just managed to fix this by doing the following steps in order. (VMware Workstation 9.0.2 build-1031769, CentOS 6 guest, Windows Server 2008 host)

1. Go into VM / Settings / Options / Guest Isolation
2. UNCHECK both checkboxes (Enable drag and drop, Enable copy and paste) and click OK.
3. Shut down the guest, and shut down VMware Workstation
4. Reboot the host computer
5. Run VMware Workstation but do not launch the guest yet.
6. Go into VM / Settings / Options / Guest Isolation for the guest, and CHECK both checkboxes
7. Power On the guest.

Copying and pasting now works.

This reset procedure worked for me for VMware Workstation 11 with a VM guest Server 2012 R2. The guest could not receive the paste contents from the host, but the host could receive the clipboard buffer from the guest... Very strange. But now everything seems to work fine again.

[webera02]

I have the same problem every one else has.  I couldn't copy and paste to VMWare Fusion from my Mac even though VM -> Settings -> Isolation was enabled.

I tried restarting, upgrading, unchecking, and every combo of those.

In the end it was simply VMWare Tools was not installed.  I don't know how it became uninstalled, but I installed it and everything back to normal.

Such a simple solution, I don't know how I missed it.  I didn't see this solution on any of the forum posts, so I thought I would add this incase people missed this very basic check.

[alex3518]

For Workstation make cmd or bat file with:

taskkill /F /IM vmtoolsd.exe

"C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Tools\vmtoolsd.exe" -n vmusr

I am sure that this works in most Vmware versions, but sure in Workstration !

- Second way send via VM Ctrl+Alt+Del and log off

- And if you just like you can restart host OS !

Be Happy  !!!

[alex3518]

Read answer No 47 or just fo you I will repeat !!!

For Workstation make cmd or bat file with:

taskkill /F /IM vmtoolsd.exe

"C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Tools\vmtoolsd.exe" -n vmusr

I am sure that this works in most Vmware versions, but sure in Workstration !

- Second way send via VM Ctrl+Alt+Del and log off

- And if you just like you can restart host OS !

Be Happy  !!!

Here is attachment with this file, download, run and don't worry (Be Happy !!! )

[alex3518]

Not needed to reboot host OS, especially NOT guest OS !!!   just ucheck fields in guest isolation, close panel and open check fields again ! That is enough !!!

Or little more elegant and reliable way: Read my answer No 47 !!! (or where is it now !? )

Or just use this down as attachment !!!

Message was edited by: alex3518

[quiettime]

Thanks Alex I'll try those things next time.

[jepy]

Thank you Alex, the stop and start commands work for me on Workstation 11 with Windows 7 32 guest and Windows 8.1 host.

Strange enough vmware tools were working perfectly when logged with an account with local admin rights and were not working with an admin domain account...

Thanks again.

[alex3518]

Glad to help you !!! ( I hope & anothers users)

And there is no necessary to run VM as Admin (Just no any reason to do that !!!) Do not complicate, even enough complicated VMware problems !!! )

Regards Alex !

[MCM62]

Incredible that VMware has not given an easy to find solution to the copy paste problem in Workstation 11 and Workstation 12 preview.

I have spent the past 3 days browsing to find a solution and the only thing I have found is a lot of people with the same problem.

We are willing and eager to devote time and make a great effort in learning new tools that help make our lives more interesting, productive and rewarding.

We want to take advantage of the latest technologies that help us improve ourselves and our systems, and hopefully we would later be able to add our part to help and improve the lives and systems of others.

Let’s do our best and not be mediocre.

You could do better.

This comment is meant as a respectful and constructive criticism and I hope it helps you improve your offerings which I do value and appreciate.

[MCM62]

The mentioned solution DOES NOT work.

The problem persists.

[vwal]

I'm having the same problem, and as more and more development is moving into Ubuntu 12.04 or 14.03 guest (running on Windows 7 or 8.1 host) this is becoming more and more of a problem. None of the suggested solutions work for me. Does vmware read these threads?

Another issue I see often is that Workstation often complains that the VMware tools would not be installed, even though they are, positively, installed (and the latest version, too). I've been wondering if this is somehow related, because without VMware tools obviously the clipboard sharing between the host and the guest would not work.

[ThisDoesNotMake]

Hi, I've tried all the potential fixes here without success.

The only thing that has worked for me is to REPAIR not uninstall and reinstall VMWare Tools.

Workstation - 11.1.2 build-2780323

[vwal]

The problem persists in the newly released Workstation 12. Disappointing!!

Similarly, even though I upgraded to the latest VMware tools (i.e. VMwareTools-10.0.0-2977863.tar.gz), I still get the warning of VMware tools having not been installed (Ubuntu 12.04 guest).

--

Edit a few moments later: I ran the new vmware-install.pl, which asked me to remove the installed:

open-vm-toolbox

open-vm-tools

Then I re-ran vmware-install.pl, restarted the guest GUI, and now copy-and-paste is working both directions, at least for the time being!

[soniavm68]

I have the same problem every one else has.  I couldn't copy and paste to VMWare Fusion from my Windows even though VM -> Settings -> Isolation was enabled.
Win 7 64 bit and Vmware 12.1.0
Please help me !

[soniavm68]

Thank you !

I've tried this but I can't copy and paste to guest now