VMware Tools conflict with Windows XP

[Hector Acevedo]

Hi everybody!

This is my first post and I want to let you know I find this site extremely useful for us newbies. Thanks in advance for what you're already contributing and for any help you may be able to provide.

I'm currently using Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn and have just installed WMware-Server-1.0.4.56528.tar.gz. I had previously installed a lower version and sucessfully ran Windows XP with it.

With this newer version of WMware-Server I again tested WXP without any mishaps. However, I was advised that VMware Tools was not installed and proceeded to do so.

I got a first message indicating that VMware Tools was outdated. Since this was a completely new installation I just ran the tools setup.exe from D: (assuming the version there was the latest one). I was then requested to supply the path for i8042prt.sys (which I did) and installation proceeded normally, asking finally to reboot the VM.

Upon doing so, the following message was promptly issued:
"STOP. cc000021a {System Error} The Windows Logon Process finished unexpectedly with a state of 0xc0000139 (0x00000000 0x0000000) System has been turned off." (Please note this is my translation of the original message in Spanish).

Further rebooting of the VM or a restart of VMware Server did not correct this, making WXP totally unreachable. The same message keeps popping everytime.

Could someone out there provide help? Any ideas or am I doing something wrong?

Many thanks folks for your patience in reading this and for any suggestions you may forward.

Hector

[falko]

I got a first message indicating that VMware Tools was outdated. Since this was a completely new installation I just ran the tools setup.exe from D: (assuming the version there was the latest one). I was then requested to supply the path for i8042prt.sys (which I did) and installation proceeded normally, asking finally to reboot the VM.

Did you download the latest VMMware Tools version from vmware.com?

[Hector Acevedo]

Hi Falko!

Thanks for the fast reply! Actually, I downloaded the tar.gz file mentioned in my previous post and assumed the Tools were included. Besides, I could not find a download page for Tools, did I overlook that?

[falko]

You must click on VM in the top menu of the VMware Server console and select Install VMware Tools. This will download the latest VMware Tools to the vm.

[Hector Acevedo]

You must click on VM in the top menu of the VMware Server console and select Install VMware Tools. This will download the latest VMware Tools to the vm.

I did follow the above suggestion but does not work. To enable "Install VMware Tools" I have to activate a VM. Since the WXP VM will not work I used another one (DamnSmallLinux). Upon selecting to install, the icon and legend change to "Cancel VMware Tools install...". It then just hangs like that for ages and nothing appears to happen.

Thanks for your help, I look forward to further clues from you!

[falko]

Can you install a new XP in a vm?

[Hector Acevedo]

Hi Falko!

Yes, I was able to install a new XP VM. I again tried to load the updated VMware Tools to no avail. I suspect it has something to do with the Internet connection. I chose the NAT option but cannot reach the net nor open or use host files. In this new machine my USB stick is not recognized (it worked fine in the previous one).

Just in case, I am using nLite to shave down the XP and cut out the crap. Am I missing something or going too far with nLite? The old XP was installed using the same method but exhibited similar symptoms with the net and host files.

[falko]

Can you try a "traditional" install (not with nLite)?

[Hector Acevedo]

Hi Falko!

I had to postpone your suggestion untill now due to some other work that had to be attended.

I followed your advice and installed a "standard" WXP. It worked fine and I was able to load VMware Tools. However, Service Pack 2 was not accepted.

Eventually, I would like to:

1) Recover the information I had in the original WXP that went berserk. I wonder if it can be transferred to another VM?

2) Re-create the nLite shaved down XP. Do you believe using nLite is the culprit for the error I got in the first place?

Thanks again for your help!

Hector

[falko]

2) Re-create the nLite shaved down XP. Do you believe using nLite is the culprit for the error I got in the first place?

That's hard to tell... :( Might be the reason.

[Hector Acevedo]

Hi Falko!

Thanks for your comment. I might give it another try. It did work fine for a long period so I presume I could have luck again.

Any suggestions for my 1) question?

Thanks

Hector

[falko]

1) Recover the information I had in the original WXP that went berserk. I wonder if it can be transferred to another VM?

Do you still have the original installation? I don't think you can recover your information from the broken vm.

[Hector Acevedo]

Thanks Falko, I do have the original installation and will eventually retry it. Anyhoo, I just wanted to comment that I was able to recover my info with VirtualBox since you can import .vmdk files with it. Hope this help any others which had the misfortune I had.

Cheers! and thanks again

Hector