VMware player 14.* not opening any of my Vm's after Windows 10 Version 1709. upgrade.

[HellPhantom]

HI

Error: Error while powering on: VMware Player cannot connect to the virtual machine. Make sure you have rights to run the program, access all directories the program uses, and access all directories for temporary files. Failed to connect pipe to virtual machine: The system cannot find the file specified.

I was on VMware-player-14.0.0 before my windows upgrade last week for some time without issues. I need to eventually upgrade win so I can't roll back.

Something I tried that eventually worked was installing any v12 VMware-player-12.5.9. This cant be the long term solution I need to get 14 working.

I have windows 10 Pro. now v 1709 on my desktop and the vm's i run contain a windows 7 although I also have a windows 10.

Vm's are not corrupt, I have many vm's and backups on many different locations. Usb sticks, Nas device, Local Hd's and backups on external drives all give same error but can be run from my notebook with same windows version and also latest VMware-player-14.1.1.

Things that I have seen that are different to V12 or notebook V14 is :

• VMware USB Arbitration Service is not running and I can not get it running after following all answers I have found -  works on V12 if i downgrade and must have worked before win upgrade

The registry key's some have mentioned to create exists nothing wrong, files also exist where they suggested (hcmon.sys)

• The Network adapter bridge settings are empty. Was there on 14 and is there on 12 also on my notebook
• I have seen this message "Failed to read vmware-authd port number: Cannot connect to VMX:" in logs but many people says they also have it, it is also there when i run 12 that works and also on my notebook v14 so I don't think it plays a role.
• I have seen the intel cpu requirements but my v14 worked on this desktop for quite some time before my win upgrade. This is also not an old pc.

I do not think any of the issues I mentioned is the problem I am only mentioning the differences. They might be issues later but

What I have tried.:

• Many Repairs in 14 with running in admin and without although my user has admin. No errors errors during repair
• Complete uninstalls and re-installs with and without admin with reboots in between always. No Errors during install
• I have also after some uninstalls manually cleaned out all i could find or what was suggested, made sure services are gone
• After V12 works I tried upgrading again to latest v14.1.1 but same prob.
• All services run except for USB one (VMware Authorization Service,VMware DHCP Service,VMware NAT Service,Windows Management Instrumentation)
• I don't think folder permissions are at play here because I have so many vms' different places and notebook starts vm, I can also see one of 2 cache files and lock file created when trying to start
• I have also tried with vm tools installed and without.

It seems like a permission error but where. I have read many similar threads but where they eventually find a missing file registry entry or a service that wont run mine are there and running and can be stopped started.

This is irritating because i have to continue some work i have so i need v12 installed to work and v14 to play and i don't thing i can have both concurrent.

Please Please help, any suggestions would be very welcome.

I will include log file after launching vmplayer and then one after launching vm and getting error.

[parmarr]

Please see VMware player error cannot connect to the virtual machine if this existing discussion helps.

[HellPhantom]

Thanks for responding.

The "power state and not from the hibernation state" and the "run as administrator" wont work , I have already tried this and I always shut down or power off.

I @ first did not get the "attach the old VHD to it" because I have not done this before.

I have already tried to created a new empty vm and to start it and it gave the same error but I will try this again and attach an existing VHD now that I know how. Unfortunately I don't have much hope for this since there was already an error even before vhd attached.

I was hoping for more suggestions before having to uninstall 12 and re-install 14, but I will try this.

There must be something inherently different between requirements or install of 12 and 14.

Thanks

[Bimmer_R]

Hi.

This problem has started for me (and my co-worker) after updating windows to latest 1803 version.

But we suspect it to be related with the lack of SMB 1 support!

After having updated our old NAS - hosting our virtual disks - we are having these exact problems.

Hope this can get us closer to a solution.