Installing VMware Workstation Player on a Windows 10 Host with a Windows 10 Evaluation Guest

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You will need to download VMware Workstation Player 16 for Linux. You will also need to download the Windows 10 Development Environment Virtual Machine or an older Legacy Version of Windows Development Environment Virtual Machine:

The Windows 10 Enterprise Evaluation VM is a temporary 50 day throw away VM designed for software development and software testing. After 50 days you should just download a newer up to date Windows 10 Enterpriae Evaluation VM.

System requirements

  • ≥6th generation i5 or later
  • ≥8 GB of RAM
  • ≥250 GB SSD (120 GB for VM)

Checking ISO Checksums

The zip file is a large download, it is worthwhile checking the zip file SHA256 to ensure you have a complete download before trying to create a VM.

Copy the path of your downloads folder:

Right click the Start Button and select Windows Powershell:

Type in the following, in place of path paste in the location of your downloads folder. In place of the file name copy and paste the name of your zip folder:

certutil -hashfile [path]\[filename].zip SHA256

The SHA256 can be copied using [Ctrl]+[ c ] and on Microsoft's download page for the VM you can press [Ctrl]+[ f ] and then paste in the checksum. If you get a match your download is complete. If not your download is corrupt and you should try again:

Installing VMware Workstation Player

You will need to download VMware Workstation Player 16 for Linux. Launch the application:

Accept the User Account Control Prompt:

You will see the VMware Player 16 splash screen:

Select Next:

Accept the License Agreement and select Next:

Select Next:

You can optionally opt to search for Product Updates when VMware Player starters and to join the User Experience Program. Once you have made your select, select next:

You can optionally for a Desktop and Start menu Programs Folder shortcut. Once you have made your select, select next:

Select Install:

Select Finish:

You can now launch VMware Player:

You will need to license VMware Player for Commercial use however you can use it free for non-commercial use:

Select Finish:

VMware Player is now installed:

Enabling Virtualization Technologies within your UEFI BIOS

In order to create a VM, you will need to enable CPU Virtualisation technologies in your UEFI BIOS Setup. Power up your Dell and press [F2], if using a Lenovo press [F1]:

Look for Virtualization Support. Enable Intel Virtualization Technology:

Enable VT for Direct I/O:

You do not need Trusted Execution (this is only required if using a service like Windows 10 BitLocker in a Windows 10 VM):

Save the changes and exit the UEFI BIOS Setup:

Extracting the VM to Documents

Right click the zip file and select Extract All…

You can either use the default location or move it. In this case I will move it to a folder within documents:

Select Extract:

You will have an extracted virtual hard drive file and a open virtual format (ovf) file:

Launch VMware player and select Open a Virtual Machine:

Navigate to you OVF file and select Open:

Select Import:

Optimizing the VM Virtual Hardware

If your computer is power you can assign more of its resources to virtual hardware resulting in increased VM performance. Select Edit Virtual Machine Settings:

Up the Memory to 4 GB (you can use more if your PC has more than 8 GB of RAM):

Change the number of processors to 2 (using more will result in the VM having a BSOD):

Change USB Compatibility to 3.1:

Select Accelerate 3D Graphics and change the Graphics Memory to the largest value available. Then select OK:

First Time Boot

Select Play Virtual Machine:

During the first time boot the VM freezes hereL

Select Player→Power→Shut Down Guest:

Select Yes:

The VM will work correctly next time, select Yes:

Updating VMware Tools

The VMware tools will be out of data and you will see a notification balloon. Unfortunately when you select Update you will get a bug. The reason for this is the VM has no optical drive. It will not allow you to create one if you have no physical optical drive or do not have a ISO file handy to mountinto the optical virtual drive:

We can instead just download the VMware tools either directly on the VM (which has internet access via the Host PC) or on the host PC directly and copy them across:

The VMware Tools is available as a 64 Bit application. 11.1.5 is the latest version at the time of writing:

Launch the setup within the VM and select the User Account Control within the VM:

Proceed with the install using the default options:

Select Install:

Then Yes to Restart the VM:

The VMware Tools will now be up to date, unfortunately the dialog box will still display. Select Never Remind me:

Changing the Language Settings

The VM is unfortunately in English (US). It can be changed to English (UK) by right clicking the Clock and selecting Adjust Date/Time:

Then changing the time zone and/or setting the time automatically:

Next select Region and change the options to English (UK)L

Then select Language and then move English (United Kingdom) to the top.

Finally select Keyboard:

Change to English (UK):