Is there an easier way to install an update?

[thewul]

At launch Workstation Pro reported an update (17.6.2) was available and offered to install it.
Clicked OK.
Setup is downloaded and started.
1. at the "Welcome to the VMware Workstation Pro setup Wizard" click [Next]
2. Error: "Stop the following process or processes to enable the installation to continue: vmware-vmx.exe, vmware.exe"
How???
3. Went into the taskmanager and 'killed' VMware Workstation there
4. Again clicked [Next] in the setup wizard
5. Error: "Stop the following process or processes to enable the installation to continue: vmware-vmx.exe"
6. Went into Task Manager > tab details and ended the process vmware-vmx.exe"
7. Started setup
8. Upgrade
9. Somewhere at the end Error again "Service 'VMware Authorization Service' (VMAuthdService) could not be installed..."
clicked [Ignore]
10. setup finalized.

Rebooted PC
launched VMware
11. Error: 
VMware Workstation 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.
The VMware Authorization Service is not running.

12. Run a batch file that inclued
sc config VMAuthdService start= demand
net start VMAuthdService

Now it seems to work fine.

Q: Is there an easier way?

Likely I shouldn't not allow Workstation to upgrade/update but download the update manually.
However, I did so and still ran into this vmware-vmx.exe issue.
Seems the installer does not stop these services (?)

Thanks!

[RaSystemlord]

The easiest way is to uninstall everything - whatever that means, depends on the software.
Reboot.
Then do the regular install.

"Uninstall everything" - depends on the software. "Uninstall" is just another piece of software that the vendor provides and it can leave anything behind, depending on the case. Normal check would include: delete the program directory, delete temp contents, delete registry entries (for that you need to know what they are), delete any shortcuts and finally delete any services and do reboots while doing this to make sure that they are clean. I don't know what each VMware version does or leaves behind.

When you Upgrade OR do reinstall, your ip-address spaces changes - in history, virtually every time. You need to get them back - with the Virtual Network Editor - if your VM-computers are dependent on particular ip-addresses. Typically, you know this dependency yourself, if dependency exists (like possibly with Oracle (if you do it wrong), using fixed addresses, using router forwarding, having a bunch of VMs working together in some specific way, etc).

[thewul]

Thanks a lot. I'll certainly will do in future.
That said, I am curious to know whether I am the only one facing these kind of issues.
I just have one simple VM for testing purposes only. It contains three-four very basic utilities.

Currently running (Taskmanager > Tab Details)

vmcompute.exe
vmms.exe
vmnat.exe
vmnetdhcp.exe
vmware-tray.exe
vmware-vmx.exe
vmware.exe

(7 items)

OTOH when trying to install (my 1st post)

vmcompute.exe
vmms.exe
vmnat.exe
vmnetdhcp.exe
vmware-authd.exe
vmware-autostart.exe
vmware-tray.exe
vmware-vmx.exe
vmware.exe

(9 items, difference in bold - not sure whether they are essential though)

Anyway, clean install is the way to go next time.

Thanks again!

[RaSystemlord]

In some other thread, maybe with another Upgrade case, there has been claims that it fails always, in every case.

So, I do not think you are alone.

[thewul]

Many years (just checked - some 11 years) I used 2 batch files, to start and stop vmware.exe.
They have been and are still working flawlessly.

batch file 'start-vmware.bat'
sc config VMUSBArbService start= demand
net start VMUSBArbService
sc config VMAuthdService start= demand
net start VMAuthdService
sc config VMwareHostd start= demand
net start VMwareHostd
sc config VMnetDHCP start= demand
net start VMnetDHCP
sc config "VMware NAT Service" start= demand
net start "VMware NAT Service"
netsh interface set interface "VMware Network Adapter VMnet1" ENABLED
netsh interface set interface "VMware Network Adapter VMnet8" ENABLED
d:
cd VMware
start vmware.exe

and a 'stop-vmware.bat'

rem taskkill /F /IM "vmware.exe"
taskkill /F /IM "vmware-tray.exe"
net stop VMwareHostd
sc config VMwareHostd start= disabled
net stop VMUSBArbService
sc config VMUSBArbService start= disabled
net stop VMAuthdService
sc config VMAuthdService start= disabled
net stop VMnetDHCP
sc config VMnetDHCP start= disabled
net stop "VMware NAT Service"
sc config "VMware NAT Service" start= disabled
netsh interface set interface "VMware Network Adapter VMnet1" DISABLED
netsh interface set interface "VMware Network Adapter VMnet8" DISABLED

-above to run as admin.-

Got these batch files from experts on this forum at the time (back in nov.2013).


Now, I wonder, like above 'stop' batch file, whether there would be a way to stop/unload all running vmware related background processes (the .exe files) enabling error free install of the full installation file. Some sort of pre-install batch file.
IF.. that would be possible, uninstalling would not be necessary then.

What's the saying...?
"A fool can ask more questions than a wise man can answer" ...

[Dhairya Tomar]

thewul Request you to recreate the issue and share vminst and vmmsi logs from this location-

C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp

In the meantime can you try below and let us know if issue persists-

1. Clean Uninstall Workstation Pro:

    a) Uninstall WS Pro/Player.
    b) Go to this location - C:\ProgramData\VMware and delete the folders for VMware Workstation and VMware Player.
    c) Go to this location - C:\Users\dtomar\AppData\Roaming\VMware and delete all the files inside
    d) Go to this location - C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware and delete the folders for VMware Workstation and VMware Player.

2. Please stop related services if any by "sc stop serviceName" in cmd with administrative with priviledge

sc stop VMUSBArbService

sc stop hcmon

sc stop vmusb

3. Remove drivers:

del C:\Windows\System32\drivers\hcmon.sys

del C:\Windows\System32\drivers\vmusb.sys

remove hcmon, vmusb from here C:\Windows\System32\DRVSTORE

4. Remove registry related to WS Pro:

reg delete "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VMware, Inc." /f

reg delete "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\VMware, Inc." /f

5.

     a.Stop 'VMware USB Arbitration service' from services.msc if running.

     b.Delete below registry entries for

         i."VMUSBArbService from "Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\VMUSBArbService"

         ii."Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\vmusb"

     c.Delete same entries from CurrentControlSet001 if any.

6. Delete usb folders from "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\VMware\USB"

7. Delete hcmon and vmusb from  C:\Program Files\Common Files\VMware\Drivers\hcmon & C:\Program Files\Common

        Files\VMware\Drivers\vmusb

8. Reboot your system and install WS Pro.

[thewul]

What I did in the meantime ... 
1. until today, i.e. until v.17.6.0 I used startup batch files - things went fine, as said, already 10 years.
2. after updating to v17.6.2 the same batch file showed errors.
like: The VMware USB Arbitration Service service could not be started.
like: sc config VMAuthdService start= demand - The specified service does not exist as an installed service

etc.

Whatever I tired Workstation did not show removable drives in the drop down menu.

so

3. I uninstalled Workstation pro entirely using Revo Uninstaller (that means, after the default uninstall: 300+ registry keys and 29 folders with 277 files)

reboot and installed.

However,

4. the status of VMware Tools remains: "Reinstall VMware Tools", even after a few times 

5. "Removable drives" item still doesn't show up. 

What else can I do..?

[thewul]

Have posted 2 lengthy messages, both are gone. I do not want to repeat the whole bunch.
Bottomline I uninstalled Workstation including all left overs, i.e. 300+ registry entries and 29 folders/277 files, using Revo Uninstaller.

Re-installed.

Seems okay, except removable drives-item in the drop down menu isn't listed anymore.

Checked screenshots of the previous version vs. what's now.

show all USB input devices is greyed out.

Also the status of VMware tools remains "Reinstall VMware Tools" - even after doing it twice.

How to solve that..??

Thanks