Uninstall VMWare player crashes PC every time

[dunxd]

I installed Player a few months back to try a few things out. I recently decided I no longer need it and tried to uninstall from Add/Remove Programs. A few minutes into the uninstall my screen went blank and Windows started to boot again. Returning to Add/Remove programmes I found that VMWare player was not there anymore. Fine I thought.

Then, when I installed the latest version of QuickTime, during the installation process it told me about a partial uninstallation of VMWare Player (why?) and tried to complete the uninstall. Resulting in the same crash reboot. Now VMWare is back in the Add/Remove programs. And trying to remove it crashes the PC again.

I've done some searching, and found a few other people having this problem. There is a VMWare cleaner, and the option of running the installer with the /c switch. These seem to remove some VMWare info from the registry, but no files, and it still turns up in Add/Remove programs (minus any buttons with which to remove the software).

With this experience I now REALLY want to get rid of VMWare Player from my PC. It's blocking the installation of other products, and the fact that the uninstaller doesn't work makes me wonder what other surprises may be lurking.

Any new suggestions would be welcome.

[oreeh]

Start the Player installer with the /C (cleanup) option.

[dunxd]

It's really annoying when people respond to posts without reading them. I already stated that I did that, and that it did NOT work for me! If you expect people to read your answers and act appropriately, please have the courtesy to read their questions.

The next thing I tried was installing the latest version of VMWare Player over the top in the hope that any bugs would be cleaned up by this and I would then be able to uninstall. After various attempts I managed to get it installed after running the installer with the /c switch. However the uninstall did exactly the same thing - reset my computer. No BSOD, no error message, nothing in the events at the time of the crash.

I know VMWare hasn't really uninstalled as I am getting a bunch of VMWare related services failing to start because they can't find the files required (presumably removed as part of the failed uninstall). VMWare no longer shows up in Add/Remove Programs.

[oreeh]

The cleanup option removes the files.

That's why I suggested to do it again - after a reboot of course.

When the cleanup option ran successfully there are no "outstanding" installations.

[dunxd]

After running the cleanup option and rebooting I get the following VMWare related events in the event log:

• VMNetuserif - Starting up the User Interface Driver for VMWare Virtual Networks

• The VMware Authorization Service service depends on the following nonexistent service: vmx86

• The VMware NAT Service service failed to start due to the following error:
  The system cannot find the file specified.

• The VMware DHCP Service service failed to start due to the following error:
  The system cannot find the file specified.

I still have a VMWare folder in my Program Files containing 220 Mb of files.

There are four VMWare services set to Automatically run:

• VMWare Authorization Service

• VMWare DHCP Service

• VMWare NAT Service

• VMWare Virtual Mount Manager Extended (this successfully runs, the others fail with the errors above)

The cleanup option said it ran successfully. Perhaps it did - but what I am looking for is a complete uninstall of the product which this is not acheiving.

[oreeh]

Try the steps documented in KB article 1308

[dunxd]

Thanks for the link. I worked through it to the letter and still have the following issues:

The following VMWare services are still listed in Services:

• VMWare Authorization Service

• VMWare DHCP Service

• VMWare NAT Service

• VMWare Virtual Mount Manager Extended

I'm still getting the error about The VMware Network Application Interface service failed to start due to the following error:

The system cannot find the file specified.

This service isn't even listed!

So still some way from a full uninstall - the article you linked to talks about editing the registry, but never actually involves any manual registry editing.

[oreeh]

The Windows Services are below HKLM\SYTEM\CurrenControlSet\Services

You can remove them by deleting the appropriate keys. After a reboot the Services should be gone, then you can delete the remaining files.

Create a System Recovery Checkpoint before removing the services!!!

[dunxd]

That seems to have got rid of everything. I deleted the following services:

• VMWare Authorization Service

• VMWare DHCP Service

• VMWare NAT Service

• VMWare Virtual Mount Manager Extended

• VMware Network Application Interface (which wasn't listed in Services.msc, but was in the registry key you referred me to).

Hopefully all the associated services are clearly labelled as VMWare and I haven't missed any (especially hidden ones).

Thanks for your help oreeh - I appreciate you taking time on a Sunday to look at these issues.

[oreeh · Accepted solution]

The VMware services are (usually) - this depends a bit on the product and the configured options:

VMnetAdapter

VMnetBridge

VMnetDHCP

VMnetUserif

vmount2

VMparport

VMware

VMware NAT

vmx86

As long as you don't get any errors in the eventlog you are fine.

[dunxd]

Thanks - that makes for a pretty comprehensive answer I think. So far it is working for me

[gmasters]

wow, so you ask for help, and the reponse was brief so you go balistic and the helper actually continued helping- 3 cheers for the helper, most would have quit helping at that point- the guy in need miswrote the initial sentance saying " I have found advice on the net to run /c" Anyone reading that would initially think he is looking to see if that is good advice and should he run it- if reading deeper you can see he did run it- so perhaps helper was a little too brief and should have added the word "again" to response- gosh, sue him or something.

3 cheers for the helper, the rest of the post is very good info for forum members

[dunxd]

Ah - get off your high horse. I clearly stated in my original message that I had tried what was proposed - I wouldn't have said this had I not seen exactly the same solution posted many times and tried it several times to no avail. The solution was something different to this in the end. Had I said nothing it may well have gone in circles. It wasn't a flame. Don't you have anything better to do than critique someone's forum posts?

Hope the detailed solution was something that helped you.

[oreeh]

Oliver Reeh

VMware Communities User Moderator

[dunxd]

:smileygrin: