Performing a Windows repair on a Windows XP virtual machine
search cancel

Performing a Windows repair on a Windows XP virtual machine

book

Article ID: 308735

calendar_today

Updated On:

Products

VMware Desktop Hypervisor

Issue/Introduction

This article details how to repair Windows XP running in a virtual machine. This process has additional steps that are not needed to repair Windows XP when it is running on a physical computer.

For virtual machines running Windows Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8, no additional steps are needed. The process is the same as the process Microsoft provides for repairing these operating systems on a physical computer. For more information, see the appropriate Microsoft article: Note: The preceding links were correct as of September 6, 2013. If you find a link is broken, provide feedback and a VMware employee will update the link.

Symptoms:
  • You get a blue error screen when booting to Windows.
  • You cannot boot into Windows.
  • You see one of these errors when starting Windows:
     
    • NTLDR is missing
    • Hard disk not found.
       
  • You see an error related to:

    AGP440.sys


Environment

VMware Workstation Player 12.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation Pro 14.x (for Linux)
VMware Player 6.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 10.x (Linux)
VMware Fusion 8.x
VMware Workstation 7.x (Windows)
VMware Player 4.x (Linux)
VMware Fusion 10.x
VMware Workstation Player 14.x (Windows)
VMware Fusion Pro 8.x
VMware Workstation Pro 15.x (Linux)
VMware Player Pro 7.x (Linux)
VMware Fusion 1.x
VMware Workstation Player 15.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation Pro 15.x (Windows)
VMware Player 3.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation 7.x (Linux)
VMware Fusion 7.x
VMware Player 7.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation Player 15.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 9.x (Windows)
VMware Fusion 4.x
VMware Player Pro 7.x (Windows)
VMware Fusion 5.x
VMware Workstation Pro 14.x (for Windows)
VMware Player 7.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation Player 12.x (Linux)
VMware Player 4.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation 8.x (Linux)
VMware Player 6.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation 8.x (Windows)
VMware Fusion Pro 10.x
VMware Workstation 10.x (Windows)
VMware Player 5.x (Linux)
VMware Fusion 3.x
VMware Workstation 11.x (for Linux)
VMware Player 3.x (Windows )
VMware Player 5.x (Windows)
VMware Workstation Player 14.x (Linux)
VMware Fusion 6.x
VMware Fusion 2.x
VMware Workstation 9.x (Linux)
VMware Workstation 11.x (for Windows)

Resolution

Any of these symptoms can be a sign that Windows needs to be repaired. In order to repair Windows, you need the original Windows installation media (CD or disk image file). You may need a special drivers file from VMware so that your installation media will recognize the virtual hard disk.

Caution: VMware recommends backing up the entire virtual machine bundle before making changes, to avoid possible data loss. For information on backups, see Best practices for virtual machine backup (programs and data) in VMware Fusion (1013628).

The steps differ depending on your version of Windows XP. Click the link to view the directions for your version:  

Windows XP 32-bit

To repair Windows, you must download a drivers file, mount the drivers, and then repair Windows:
 
  1. Download the SCSI driver floppy image from http://download3.vmware.com/software/vmscsi-1.2.0.4.flp. (Do not try to open that link; instead, hold Ctrl and click the link, then choose Save Link As... or Download Linked File As...)

    Note: When downloading in Google Chrome, the final extension may be doubled. Ensure that this file is saved as vmscsi-1.2.0.4.flp and not vmscsi-1.2.0.4.flp.flp.
     
  2. Add a floppy drive to the virtual machine and mount the floppy image:
     
    • If you are using Workstation or Player:
       
      1. Shut down the virtual machine.
      2. Click VM > Settings
      3. Add Floppy Device, then select Next to finish.
      4. Mount the .flp file. Click VM > Settings > Floppy device, and select Use floppy image file.
      5. Browse to the .flp file that you downloaded previously.
      6. Select OK to apply the setting.
         
    • If you are using Fusion 7.x, 6.x, 5.x or 4.x:
       
      1. Shut down the virtual machine.
      2. Go to Virtual Machine > Settings > Add Device...
      3. Choose Floppy Drive and click Add... A dialog appears asking you to choose a floppy image file.
      4. Browse to the location of the .flp file that you downloaded and select the file.
      5. Next to Enable Floppy Drive, change the switch to Off.
         
    • If you are using Fusion 3.x:
       
      1. Shut down the virtual machine.
      2. Go to Virtual Machine > Settings > Other Device.
      3. Click + and choose Add Floppy. A dialog appears asking you to choose a floppy image file.
      4. Browse to the location of the .flp file that you downloaded and select the file.
      5. Deselect Connected.
         
  3. Mount your Windows ISO (or put the Windows disk in the drive) and ensure the CD drive is connected by going to Virtual Machine > Settings > CDs & DVDs and selecting Connected.
     
    • If you are using Workstation or Player
      1. Go to VM > Settings > CD/DVDs. Ensure that it is set to connected.
      2. Start the virtual machine, and press any key to boot to the CD when prompted.
         
    • If you are using Fusion 7.x, 6.x, 5.x or 4.x:
       
      1. Go to Virtual Machine > Settings > Startup Disk.
      2. Select CD/DVD.
      3. Start the virtual machine, and press any key to boot to the CD when prompted.
         
    • If you are using Fusion 3.x:
       
      1. Go to Virtual Machine > Settings > Advanced. By default, the Startup Device tab opens.
      2. Select CD/DVD.
      3. Start the virtual machine, and press any key to boot to the CD when prompted.
         
    • If you are using Fusion 1.x or 2.x:
       
      1. As soon as your virtual machine starts, press ESC to get the Boot menu.
      2. If you cannot press ESC quickly enough, add a 5-second delay to the BIOS screen by adding this line to the .vmx file:

        bios.bootDelay = "5000"

        For more information, see Editing the .vmx file for your VMware Fusion virtual machine (1014782) or Tips for editing a .vmx file (1714)
         
      3. Select Boot from the CD-ROM drive using the arrow keys.
      4. Press Enter.
         
  4. As soon as your virtual machine starts, press ESC to get the Boot menu.
  5. If you cannot press ESC quickly enough, add a 5-second delay to the BIOS screen by adding this line to the .vmx file:

    bios.bootDelay = "5000"

    For more information, see Editing the .vmx file for your VMware Fusion virtual machine (1014782) or Tips for editing a .vmx file (1714)
     
  6. Select Boot from the CD-ROM drive using the arrow keys.
  7. Press Enter.
  8. As soon as the Windows repair starts, press F6 when prompted (or fn + F6 if you have not set your keyboard to send function keys by default), to indicate that you need to load additional drivers.
    • Note: There is no acknowledgement that this key has been pressed.
  9. After the drivers have finished loading, when Windows prompts you, press S to specify additional devices.
  10. Press Ctrl + Command for Fusion or Ctrl+Alt for Workstation to release the mouse from the virtual machine.
  11. Click the picture of the disk image in the icon tray and choose to Connect the floppy.
  12. After connecting the disk, press Enter on the Insert a Floppy screen.
  13. Choose VMware SCSI Controller and press Enter.
  14. Press Enter again to continue past the Specify additional devices screen.
  15. Continue with the directions for all users.
 

Windows XP 64-bit

  1. Mount your Windows ISO (or put the Windows CD in the drive) and make sure the CD drive is connected by going to Virtual Machine > Settings > CDs & DVDs and selecting Connected.
  2. Boot from the CD drive
     
    • If you are using Workstation or Player
      1. Go to VM > Settings > CD/DVDs. Ensure that it is set to connected.
      2. Start the virtual machine, and press any key to boot to the CD when prompted.
         
    • If you are using Fusion 7.x, 6.x, 5.x or 4.x:
       
      1. Go to Virtual Machine > Settings > Startup Disk.
      2. Select CD/DVD.
      3. Start the virtual machine, and press any key to boot to the CD when prompted.
         
    • If you are using Fusion 3.x:
       
      1. Go to Virtual Machine > Settings > Advanced. By default, the Startup Device tab opens.
      2. Select CD/DVD.
      3. Start the virtual machine, and press any key to boot to the CD when prompted.
         
    • If you are using Fusion 1.x or 2.x:
       
      1. As soon as your virtual machine starts, press ESC to get the Boot menu.
      2. If you cannot press ESC quickly enough, add a 5-second delay to the BIOS screen by adding this line to the .vmx file:

        bios.bootDelay = "5000"

        For more information, see Editing the .vmx file for your VMware Fusion virtual machine (1014782) or Tips for editing a .vmx file (1714)
         
      3. Select Boot from the CD-ROM drive using the arrow keys.
      4. Press Enter.
         
  3. Continue with the directions for all users.
 

All Users

  1. Press Enter on the Welcome to Setup screen to indicate you want to set up Windows. This will guide you to the automated repair, rather than the manual repair option through the Recover Console.
  2. Press F8 to agree to the End User Agreement. You see a screen that says:

    If one of the following Windows XP installations is damaged, Setup can try to repair it.
     
  3. Select the Windows install that you want to repair, if there is more than one.
  4. Press R to start the repair.
  5. Continue with the Windows install wizard to repair Windows, until it completes.
 

Note for Windows XP 32-bit

After the repair finishes, disconnect the floppy drive so that Windows does not try to boot from the disk. To disconnect the floppy drive:
  1. When the Setup is restarting screen appears, press Ctrl + Command for Fusion or Ctrl+Alt for Workstation to release the mouse.
  2. Click the picture of the disk image in the icon tray and select Disconnect Floppy.

    Note: If you do not do this before rebooting, you may receive the error:

    NTLDR is missing


Additional Information

Best Practices for virtual machine backup (programs and data) in VMware Fusion
Editing the .vmx file for your VMware Fusion virtual machine
Tips for editing a .vmx file
Como recuperar o Windows em uma máquina virtual do Windows XP no Fusion
Realización de una reparación de Windows en una máquina virtual Windows XP en Fusion
在 Fusion 和 Workstation 中对 Windows XP 虚拟机执行 Windows 修复
Windows XP 仮想マシン上で Windows 修復を実行する

Powered by Wolken Software