Examsoft thinks VMware is still running when I'm natively in BootCamp/WinXP

[physicsguy52]

There is test taking software, Softest by Examsoft which, for security reasons, will not run under vmware. I am booted into WinXP natively on my bootcamp partition, but Softest still thinks vmware is running. It prompts me to terminate vmware or it can't continue.

I think this problem originated when I tried a trial version of vmware with my bootcamp volume a few weeks ago. The default vmware preference when quitting Windows was to suspend rather than shut down. So I guess when I quite Windows, it suspended under vmware. Now that the trial period expired, I can't go back into vmware to do a proper shutdown of Windows.

I booted natively with bootcamp/WinXP, searched for any file (including hidden) that had vmware in the name or contained the text "vmware" and deleted all of them (except for some installer logs that Windows keeps around). I also did a control panel removal of vmware tools. Multiple reboots. Windows disk check and repair. Reinstalled Softest. No dice. Softest still thinks vmware is running.

How can I solve this problem? Is there a file I need to delete somewhere on the Windows volume? I don't want to buy vmware just to do a shutdown (I alread have Parallels and was just curious about vmware).

Thaks for any help. Mac Leopard 10.5.2 on Macbook core duo. Whatever vmware version was current Feb. 2008. WinXP service pack 2.

[WoodyZ]

A Virtual Machine of the Boot Camp partition by default can not be suspender or have snapshots taken so there is not form that angle that could have caused an issue for you.

It's too late now that you manually deleted things but you probably could have set you systems date back to a time that was within the 30 day trial and the uninstalled VMware Tools properly although I do know if setting the date back would have worked.

I would try running Filemon and Regmon from Windows Sysinternals http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/default.aspx and see what Softest is looking at to see it you can manually finish removing the traced on VMware Tools and or Fusion.

[physicsguy52]

WoodyZ,

Thanks for the tips. I used xp system restore to go back in time several months, but that was totally useless. It seems Windows rather randomly decides what to dial back and what to keep at the current time point. Both Softest and VMware stuff were there despite being newer than the restore date.

I'll try the utilities you suggested.

Is there a "proper" vmtools uninstall that will get rid of all traces of vmware from my windows boot disk if I actually purchase vmware, go back in time a few weeks, and then boot my bootcamp volume as a virtual machine, and then run vmtools? Rather desparate, but I might be willing to do it. Thanks.

[WoodyZ]

The problem with uninstallers, in general, do not always remove all traces of a installed program and as such without knowing what a program is expressly looking for to keep it from running under a certain condition like in you're situation makes it a difficult position to be in. So even if you were to reinstall VMware Tools just to uninstall it through the uninstaller you may still be in the same situation and have to resort to forensic analysis anyway and that's where utilities like Filemon and Regmon come in. Both of those programs can be set to filter out programs that are running that have nothing to do with what your looking for or to target the program in question. You can also us MSCONFIG to temporarily turn off all startup items in order to make filtering easier or even test in Safe Mode to eliminate almost everything although if the program doing the checking doesn't run in Safe Mode then MSCONFIG is the option to look at.

Anyway I normally would never suggest that you register under a different email address to get another 30 day trial in order for you to be able to try cleaning up the VMware Tools install into the Boot Camp partition however under the circumstances... well anyway I'm sure VMware expects people to play fair and not abuse the free 30 day trial so do what you feel is appropriate.

I'm sorry I do not have an explicit, specific and comprehensive list of all the changes that are made as a result of using a Boot Camp partition as a Fusion Virtual Machine and I don't have time to trap an analyze it at the present time. Maybe someone from VMware will chime in with what to look for that the program is checking for. Good luck and I hope you don't have to rebuild your Boot Camp partition to get it done.

[admin]

Is there a "proper" vmtools uninstall that will get rid of all traces of vmware from my windows boot disk if I actually purchase vmware, go back in time a few weeks, and then boot my bootcamp volume as a virtual machine, and then run vmtools? Rather desparate, but I might be willing to do it. Thanks.

The only thing I could think of that Examsoft might be detecting would be traces of Tools. The Tools install iso should also have an uninstaller on it. I think it would be fine to get another trial license to try to get yourself out of this situation. You wouldn't have to buy Fusion or set your clock back.

[reelbgpunk]

I too am having a problem with Examsoft. I am in a trial mode and I can't use Examsoft. Is there anyway to just disable it when I run Windows natively? If not, I will certainly not purchase this product and I'll have to reinstall Windoze.

[admin]

I too am having a problem with Examsoft. I am in a trial mode and I can't use Examsoft. Is there anyway to just disable it when I run Windows natively? If not, I will certainly not purchase this product and I'll have to reinstall Windoze.

This question is ambiguous. What is "it", and what do you mean by "disable"?

[reelbgpunk]

By it, I meant is there any way I can disable VMWare once I'm in Windows natively. I went into the processes menu and couldn't find anything running there. If I don't install VMWare Tools, then would it work? I'd try it but I don't want to have to reinstall Windows again.

[physicsguy52]

Realbgpunk,

If you are still in trial mode, can you boot into windows virtually from vmware, and then run the vmware tools installer to UNINSTALL the tools, and then quit and boot back into windows natively and let us know if that solves the problem? That will save me from having to get another trial license to try it myself. Thanks.

[reelbgpunk]

No, I tried uninstalling tools and booting natively. It didn't work. This is why I had to reinstall windows, which I don't want to do again. I'm not going to reinstall Fusion until after exams until I know that I can use examsoft with it.

[admin]

By it, I meant is there any way I can disable VMWare once I'm in Windows natively.

VMware is a company, this question doesn't make sense.

I went into the processes menu and couldn't find anything running there. If I don't install VMWare Tools, then would it work? I'd try it but I don't want to have to reinstall Windows again.

It's a question of how Examsoft is coming to the erroneous conclusion that one of our products is running when it isn't. I have no idea why that is.

[reelbgpunk]

By VMWare, I meant Fusion. It appears to me that there will be no way to run examsoft with Fusion installed. Maybe I can call examsoft support or something.

[physicsguy52]

Did you have to erase your boot disk, or just reinstall windows on top of

what was there? Thanks. I have an XP SP2 install CD.

On Thu, Apr 17, 2008 at 12:10 PM, reelbgpunk <communities-emailer@vmware.com

[physicsguy52]

It is because of some crap that vmware fusion tools populates into the windows volume even when booted natively. I can search for and delete everything with "vmware" in the name or content, reboot windows natively, and all those files come back. So there is some mysterious process that was installed that is executing even when booting natively. Uninstalling vmware tools doesn't eliminate this process. This is really a crappy practice on vmware's part.

[reelbgpunk]

I just completely repartitioned the boot camp drive then reinstalled windows, a huge pain

[physicsguy52]

I never had this problem with Parallels (up to version 2.x anyway). There goes any thought of switching to VMware. I was thinking about it because Parallels is a bit slow and a little behind in development (64 bit, other guest OS), hence the unfortunate (in hindsight) trial. I am pissed.

[reelbgpunk]

For some reason parallels has never worked with my boot camp partition, don't know why

[admin]

Which files are these? You need to be specific.

[physicsguy52]

esung,

After I did another system restore to bring my computer back up to the present, I deleted the vmware files again and then they quit coming back after each reboot. I don't remember the names, but they all had vmware in the name and there were about 10 of them. I can't get them back.

But Examsoft's SofTest is still refusing to run because it still detects vmware fusion. Uploaded and attached is the image of the SofTest error window. It seems that it must be detecting some process that vmware fusion is still running. It seems you are an employee there, so I hope you can track down how to fix this, and feedback to your developers to not allow vmware fusion to run anything when vmware fusion is not being used. If I don't get this fixed in about 3 days, I'll have to wipe out my bootcamp image and reinstall Windows. Thanks.

!sofTestError.bmp!

[Bob_Zimmerman]

I wonder if they run the detection once on each good start and if it sees one of the giveaway characteristics of VMware, it simply shuts down and never looks again. That would "make sense" in that it would neatly explain the symptoms you are seeing without requiring VMware processes to be running or files to be present. It's also similar to something that my own company does (not with VMware, but with certain other environmental conditions).