Tech: Installing Windows Vista RC1 on VMware Workstation 5.5.2

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日本語

Tech: Installing Windows Vista RC1 on VMware Workstation 5.5.2

Posted by Alessandro Perilli | Saturday, September 09, 2006 | 3 Comments

If you tried to install last Microsoft Windows Vista build (5600 aka RC1) on VMware Workstation 5.5.2 instead of Server 1.0.1 you sadly discovered the setup process hungs on Windows is loading files. It's nothing unexpected since Vista is still not supported on Workstation 5.5.x. Anyway a VMware user posted a simple solution on VMTN Forums: just edit the virtual machine configuration file (.vmx) to include:

svga.maxWidth = "640" svga.maxHeight = "480"

Other users already reported the trick works. Joel Spolsky finds odd Microsoft didn't verify compatibility with a so popular application like VMware Workstation. I don't have enough elements at the moment to further comment on this, but there are two important points I would like to underline:

it's univerally clear Microsoft is not considering this Release Candidate as a test-for-shipment product. So everybody should behave accordingly, accepting Vista is still breaking compatibility with major applications at this point.
if Microsoft is trying to distrurb VMware work (which I sincerely don't believe) would have planned such joke for RTM build timeframe

Sometimes an error is just an error.

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3 Comments

Anonymous Tuesday, September 12, 2006 4:55:00 PM

Sometimes an error is just an error.

Ever heard of the AARD code?

While this might turn out to be just an error, MS has a verified track record of playing these kinds of games with competitors.

Anonymous Sunday, September 17, 2006 11:39:00 PM

SVGA size trick works indeed

Anonymous Monday, September 18, 2006 4:57:00 AM

SVGA tip works for me...
Indeed you can boost it to
1150/768 or similar
Once Vista boots again you will have the option to use the resolution to max out your screen.

Also if the Install disk fails to complete, use the ISO DVD natively - changing the VMWare setting to suit.

Happy Camping
Fran McLoughlin

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