VMware Workstation 6.5 Easy Install of Windows 7 Beta

I downloaded the Windows 7 beta DVD and decided to install it in a VM. Since I’ve read a few other blog posts where the soon to be released version of the Windows operating system works great as a VM, I decided I’d try it for myself. On my company notebook I run VMware Workstation 6.5 on Microsoft Vista, and I chose to create a guest there first. I’ll probably try VirtualBox on my Ubuntu desktop soon too.

The installation was very simple and uneventful. I used the Workstation Easy Installer feature to pick all of the VM hardware configurations for me. There was very little to do actually. If you have never tried the Easy Install feature of Workstation it is very impressive and makes building VMs so easy that even a caveman could do it. (Maybe I should copy write that saying? )

I’ve documented the install with screen shots in this post in case readers would like to see the process, but honestly it’s straightforward. I’ve added some notes and impressions as well.

I started at approximately 6:25 am
You have to love the Workstation Easy Installer feature: Install from: Installer disk auto detected as Vista
Leaving the Windows Product Key blank for the beta
Thanks for the confirmation?
I had to change the default Name from Windows Vista, and I do not keep my VMs in the default location
I kept the suggested virtual disk configuration
Summary screen showed that the RAM was 1024 MB vNIC set to NAT Easy Install does not ask you to set these, but gives you the button to Customize Hardware if you don’t like. I kept them as is.
VM auto started
I installed the Windows Ultimate Edition. Not sure if 1GB RAM is enough for all features, but as a VM you don’t need all the visual enhancements anyways.
Installing by 6:30 am Interesting note: My mouse passed seamlessly between the VM console and my host notebook during the install. I was not prompted to make any changes or input anything, but I did click inside the console a few times and was able to move the mouse back out without using CTRL + ALT + INS
By 7:04 am I was ready to log in Windows 7 displays “Preparing Your Desktop” until you are prompted for the usual OS configurations.
Windows 7 networking
Easy Install also installs VMware Tools for you after you log in to the VM. The tools install takes place simultaneously as the Windows desktop is being configured.
When the tools install is complete there is an auto reboot
By 7:19 am I was finished. Note: The time it took to complete the install was delayed by my documentation in this post
After I logged in I was prompted if I wanted to auto install updates and I chose Yes. Updates began to download immediately. LOL! Some things never change! Turns out the update was a definition update for Windows Defender.
Unity mode is not supported yet with Windows 7 Beta

Tags: beta, microsoft, vmware, vmwareworkstation, windows, windows7

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 7th, 2009 at 6:09 am and is filed under microsoft. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Vladan

Hi Rich,

Hopefully Windows 7 will be less 'lazy' as a system. Looks similar to Vista, but one never know what's under.....

Me too I'm running Vista on my company laptop. I installed x64 bits edition, because I have 4Gb of RAM. Under the 32 bits version I could not use all the RAM available physically.

Peter

Does that fish in the background move? :)

It would be awesome if it did.

Bitstorm

Fish does not move... Would've been cool though! :)

Jim

One of my old managers said that he'd always wanted to take an old monitor, gut it, waterproof it, and put a light & a fish in it. Now, THERE's a screen saver that would look (be) real :)

Tomahawk

If you install the VMware Tools, it should install the Vista VMware Tools, which then will allow you to go into Unity mode. I have done this with the Windows 7 beta on VMware Fusion 2.0. I only allocated 512MB of RAM to the system, and I have to admit it's slower then my Windows XP VM, but it sure is better then my Vista VM.

Jason

Rich,

Thanks for giving this a try and letting people know how smoothly it went! We are very pleased with how well Windows 7 is working on Workstation. One additional recommendation I would make is to uncheck 3D Acceleration - otherwise launching games like Solitaire can cause the Guest OS to hang. We will have a fix for this very soon.

P.S. There is no need to run VB... Workstation runs great on Ubuntu as well!

Jason Joel
Product Manager - Desktop Clients
VMware

rbrambley

Just adding my recent tweet as a comment:

On Jan 9 Windows 7 Beta will b available via the Windows 7 page for first 2.5 million to download http://bit.ly/14jW3

Adam

After Vista, I am really looking forward to 7 to see what it can do. Thanks for the post, at least we know that it works okay in Vmware!!

nh

The VMWare tools SVGA Driver will not install in the X64 Windows 7 beta. Error message is that the driver is not for this version of Windows.

Jason

Folks,

I have a VM Workstation 5.5 running on Windows XP Professional SP3 , now my question is what guest O/S template do I need to chose to set up the Windows 7 image working ?

Thanks
J

K

I have it running on 5.9 using VISTA-EXPERIMENTAL.

neo

I have big problem to install the VMWare Tools,

btw. VM Workstation 6.5 Clientversion 2.0.2.
Installed as ISOLATED

KR neo

neo

Its all clear now,
I've forgot to change Guest os to Windows Vista

:)

Trey

I am following the same steps as you have documented. I have Windows 7 installed however I am having no luck with the VM booting all the way to the desktop. It has been starting for more than 20 minutes and still not at the desktop. Any suggestions?

rbrambley

Trey,

Not sure what could be slowing your VM boot down like that. I've since
installed Windows 7 on multiple desktops in both VMware Workstation and
VirtualBox and have yet to see that kind of delay. Hopefully it finally
loaded for you. Let me know.

Arun

It look like you are giving the ram size more than available. Please change the ram setting. It must work then ...

oilersman

k,i have a 64 bit pc, but during installation , i get an error saying this cpu isnt a 64 bit app.or some error like that...in vista(host) system settings say it is a 64 bit.any ideas?
i had windows 7 64bit installed on a dual boot sys. just want to do it this way but now i cant because of the error.

rbrambley

Oilerman,

Googling the exact error would be helpful I'm sure. But, I assume you
have installed the 64 bit version of VMware Workstation and you have
selected the OS type of your Winodws 7 VM as 64 bit too?

Jim

Hey, I had some probs installing a 64-bit guest a year or so ago, and found this article helpful:
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1004977
It basically tells you that there is a BIOS setting in some machines that must be changed.
I had a Dell t5400, and in the Performance section of the BIOS, I had to set "Virtualization" on: by default it was off.
After this, all went well.

eiger67

Hi guys i've got this probem installing Windows 7 on VmWare workstation. Too bad i can't up load fotos so itry to explain: After the install proces come a windows and ask about a CD/DVD driver.....
I try to install W7 with an ISO file and witn a DVD also. COme the same request..SOmeone of you expeted the same problem?
Thx in advance
Eger67

wouty159

amazing,
thx for this guide

Luis Cruz

Guys, I have vmware fusion 2.0.2 and I'm at the moment downloading windows 7. vmware 2.0.2 doesn't give me an option for windows 7 vm. I was wondering if I'm gonna' have to upgrade my vmware version.

PB

I have a VM Workstation 6.0.4 running on Windows XP Professional SP3 , now my question is what guest O/S template do I need to chose to set up the Windows 7 image working ?

Thanks
PB