Windows – Upgrade from Windows 7 to 10 using VMware fusion 8.0

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I'm having difficulty (=it doesn't work) to upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10.

This is the situation:

I use a 2011 MacBook Pro running OSX 10.10.05 and VMware fusion 8.0.0 (I have it set to run W10 x64)

Currently W7 is installed all up to date

When I use the normal upgrade procedure (clicking the icon in the right bottom corner) it tells me my SVGA is not good enough and I don't have enough memory (I've got 4GB allocated to VMware).

Yes it had to be SVGA.

I have tried the solution that VMware suggested, but that didn't work. I've mounted the .iso W10 file from my Mac and from a USB stick.

I'm not sure what the difference is between running W7 in a VM and boot-camped W7 through VMware fusion.

What else can I try and do to upgrade?

Best Answer

The following article: Upgrading to Windows 10 using Software Update in Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 virtual machines fail with the error: Unsupported SVGA driver (2126929) at vmware.com should solve your problem.

To preserve readability I don't quote the article.

Details
Upgrading to Windows 10 using Software Update in Windows 7 and Windows 8/8.1 guests fails You see the error:

Unsupported SVGA driver

Solution
This issue occurs because, in certain circumstances, the Microsoft validation tool used to assess a system’s readiness for Windows 10 misrepresents the capabilities of the VMware SVGA drivers, preventing the upgrade.

Note: The issue affects all virtualization platforms, including those not from VMware.

To resolve this issue, upgrade the virtual machine:

Note: VMware recommends to take a backup before upgrading the guest operating system in the virtual machine. For more information, see Best Practices for virtual machine backup (programs and data) in VMware Fusion (1013628) and Best practices when backing up a VMware Workstation virtual machine (2006202).

  1. Uninstall VMware tools from the virtual machine.

    • For Workstation, see the Uninstall VMware Tools section in the Creating Virtual Machines Guide.
    • For Fusion, see the Uninstall VMware Tools section in the VMware Fusion help Guide.

  2. Shut down the virtual machine (not suspend).

  3. Change the virtual machine's operating system type to Windows 10.

    • For Fusion: Click the Virtual Machine menu and click Settings > General. Change OS type to Windows 10 or Windows 10 x64

    • For Workstation: Click the VM menu and click Settings. Click the Options tab. Change the Guest operating system version to Windows 10 or Windows 10 x64

      Note: If Windows 10 is not available in the list then ensure that you are running the latest builds for VMware Fusion/Workstation. You can download the latest versions from VMware Download Center. For more information, see Downloading and installing VMware Fusion (2014097) and Downloading and installing VMware Workstation (2057907).

  4. Download the Media Creation tool available at the Microsoft Software Download Center. Ensure to select the appropriate version and edition (32 or 64 bit) while downloading.

    Note: The preceding link was correct as of August 14, 2015. If you find the link is broken, provide a feedback and a VMware employee will update the link.

  5. Run the Media Creation tool and select Upgrade this PC option.

  6. Follow the Windows 10 installation prompts to complete the installation.
  7. Install VMware Tools on the virtual machine after the installation is complete. For more information, see General VMware Tools installation instructions (1014294).

Additional Information:

If you are performing an upgrade using an .iso image and a valid Windows 10 license key, perform these steps:

  1. Mount the Windows 10 .iso file in VMware Fusion/Workstation.

    To mount the .iso file in Fusion:

    • Select Virtual Machine > Settings.
    • Click the CD/DVD drive.

    • Select Choose Disc or Disc Image and then select the .iso file you downloaded.

      Note: The file name is similar to Win10_English_x64.iso.

    To mount the .iso file in Workstation:

    • Select VM > Settings.
    • Click the CD/DVD drive.
    • Select the Use .iso image option.

    • Browse to the .iso file you downloaded.

      The Autoplay process should now begin within Windows. If not, double-click CD-ROM from the This PC shortcut on the left side of the File Explorer window.

  2. Follow the Windows 10 installation prompts to complete the installation.

  3. Install VMware Tools on the virtual machine after the installation is complete. For more information, see General VMware Tools installation instructions (1014294).
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