VMWare Workstation keeps displaying me the error "\.\Global\vmx86: The system cannot find the file specified." when I try to start a VM.
I am using Workstation on a computer with multiple users. Directly after installing Workstation it runs the VM just fine, but after switching users a few times (each of the users also uses the same installation of Worksation with the same VM) it displays this error, followed by "Internal error".
The host system is Windows 7 Enterprise 64Bit.
What I have found out so far:
– the registry entries HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> SYSTEM -> CURRENT_CONTROL_SET -> ENUM -> ROOT -> LEGACY_VMX86 and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> SYSTEM -> CURRENT_CONTROL_SET -> services -> vmx86 get deleted at some point
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in C:\Windows\System32\drivers, the file vmx86.sys gets deleted
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when I run lusrmgr.msc, the formerly present entry Groups -> vmware is gone
What I have tried:
– reinstalling Workstation – helps, but is too time consuming and the problem will occur again soon
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Running Workstation as admin -> doesn't help
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renaming vmware.exe (found this tip on the internet) -> no change
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adding all users who log on to this computer and use the VM in lusrmgr.msc -> Groups -> vmware directly after installation -> seemed to work a bit longer than before, but problem still persists
I am not completely positive that this problem is directly related to switching users, but it only happened after logging out and back in so far. Any help would be much appreciated.
Best Answer
I tried @Andreas's solution but running the command didnt seem to result in anything, and I wasn't able to start my vm still.
In the end my solution was to run
net start vmx86in an administrator cmd prompt.