Error mapping disk in VMware 10.0.0 build 1295980 and Windows 8.1

[JimmyW]

I have a host that's dual boot: Win 7x64 Enterprise and Win 8.1x64 Enterprise.  I created a Win 7 guest on my Win 7 host.  I created the VM from a dd image.  The image and VM are on Volume F (on Win 7 and Win 8 hosts).  I took two snapshots.  The VM runs fine on both Win 7/8 hosts.  On the Win 7 host, I can map the disk as RO or RW.  However, if I try to map the VM disk on the Win 8 side, VMware reports an error reading the volume information.  See the attached screenshot.  Thanks. 

[WoodyZ]

Are you able to Map other disks under Windows 8.1?

Have you checked to see if it's a permissions issue?

[JimmyW]

Thanks, Woody.  Running VMware explicitly as Admin only solves part of the issue.  If I "run as admin," VMware at least sees the volumes - screenshot 1.  However, if I try to map a volume as either RO or RW, I receive the error as in screenshot 2: "the target volume is unavailable."  The same things happen even if I create a VM in my Win 8 host.  I can map network shares to my Win 8 host, if that's what you meant. It seems to be something in Win 8 that VMware can't overcome, unless I'm missing a setting. 

[xishengzhang]

does the xxxx-000002.vmdk is your current disk? in vm setting, click the disk in left table, then you can see the corresponding disk file in right.

If yes, could you please try to the following way? in vm setting, click the disk, then click the "Map" under "Utils" in the right.

[JimmyW]

What you suggest is what I did from the start.  The snapshot was current, and I tried to map the snapshot from Utils.  However, I figured out the answer, or at least what seems to work.  Before, I had "disabled" User Account Control through Control Panel.  Later, I disabled it completely through the registry:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System:  EnableLUA=0x00.  Now, I can map as RO/RW, and I don't have to explicitly open apps as Admin.  However, I cannot use Metro Apps (which is a good thing - who cares ) 

[WoodyZ]

Jimmy,

What I meant by "Are you able to Map other disks under Windows 8.1?" was, as an example, I took an empty yet partitioned and NTFS formatted monolithicSparse .vmdk file that was created on a different system and then under Windows 8.1 x64 using VMware Workstation 10.0.0 I was ably to right-click the .vmdk file and use both of the Context Menu commands, Map Virtual Disk... and Map First Volume as Z: (Read-Only).  I also mounted it as Read/Write and created a New Test Document, wrote to it and saved it and then used Disconnect Virtual Disk.

Note:  On some of the disconnects I had to select Force Disconnect however it did disconnect and could be mapped immediately afterwards again.

So...  This tells me that the Map command does work under Windows 8.1 x64 using VMware Workstation 10.0.0, although I'd say it's buggy!

Next I took a dd Image and manually created a .vmdk file for it, took a Snapshot.. and tested both Context Menu commands, Map Virtual Disk... and Map First Volume as Z: (Read-Only).  I also mounted it as Read/Write and created a New Test Document, wrote to it and saved it and then used Disconnect Virtual Disk.  Next took a second Snapshot and repeated tests.

So...  This tells me that the Map command does work under Windows 8.1 x64 using VMware Workstation 10.0.0 using a .vmdk file backed by dd Image too.

So while I can't totally dismiss whether of not it may be due to something buggy in VMware Workstation's Map command nonetheless I venture to say the underlying issue is something permissions related or if you manually created the .vmdk file to be backed by the dd Image then there may be something different between mine and yours other then the obvious difference with the size and structure of the dd image.

I'd suggest test mapping with a plain normal .vmdk file and if it doers map, as it should, then it probably is not a VMware issue per se.

[JimmyW]

Thanks, Woody.  The right-click method presents a problem, as it doesn't allow me to "map as admin," so Win 8 complains.  I created an empty, flat, NTFS vmdk with no operating system.  When I open VMware as admin, I can see the partition.  When I map it as RW or RO, I receive the Windows error message, and the drive is not mapped.  VMware thinks that it's mapped, as it offers the option to disconnect.  I then created a flat, basic Win 7 VM.  Same thing.  So, I basically can't map anything unless I totally disable UAC.

However, note that I can use other tools to mount the vmdk normally.  Check out FTK Imager, free at http://www.accessdata.com/support/product-downloads, or Arsenal Image Mounter, also free: http://arsenalrecon.com/apps/image-mounter/  Neither of those tools require that I disable UAC. 

[n0rg]

Hi Jimmy,

Does the /etc/vmware/vmnet8/nat.mac file really need to be world writeable?  THANKS!  /Roy

[JimmyW]

Thanks, but I don't know what you mean.  I don't think that the file relates to my problem. 

[WoodyZ]

n0rg's reply has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with anything at all in this thread (even if he thinks so)!