I have following system:
VMware® Workstation 12 Pro (12.0.0 build-2985596) on Windows 10 (Windows 10, 64-bit (Build 14393). I can't install Ubuntu 16.04 to this system (typical or custom installation); sometimes only Ubuntu logo is shown on the screen, sometimes it starts to boot but with live ubuntu and with lot of system error windows. I did try also Fedora, but also I face lot of problems and cannot finish installation. On same machine on Virtual box everything did work out of a box. Not so familiar with VMware, but this cannot be this hard because I cannot be the only one who is trying to install Ubuntu 16.04 to VMware Workstation 12 Pro. So question is, where is the problem.
Ubuntu 14.04 works out of a box.
Version 12.0.0 is quite old.
You should update to 12.5.9 (should be free).
Version 14.x will be a paid upgrade and does not allow the use of older CPUs (e.g. Intel Nehalem and earlier and certain Bay Trail/Atom processors).