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Upgrading a VMware Fusion virtual machine from Windows XP to Windows 7

Symptoms

  • Unable to upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7.
  • Errors during or after upgrade process from Windows XP to Windows 7.

Resolution

Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7 does not save your settings or installed software. A fresh install of Windows 7 is created and old documents and programs are placed in c:\Windows.old. You cannot run the programs that are carried over; all applications must be reinstalled.
 
Warning: Microsoft recommends backing up any important data before performing this upgrade. VMware recommends creating a new virtual machine to install Windows 7 instead of upgrading an existing virtual machine.
 
To upgrade a Fusion virtual machine from Windows XP to Windows 7:

  1. Insert the Windows 7 DVD, and ensure the optical drive is connected to the virtual machine. From Fusion's menu bar, click Virtual Machine > CD/DVD > Connect CD/DVD.
  2. From inside the virtual machine, click Install Now.
  3. Click Go online to get the latest updates for installation.
  4. Select I accept the license terms, then click Next.
  5. Click custom (advanced).
  6. Click Load Driver.
  7. Click Browse.
  8. Browse to C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Tools\Drivers\scsi.
  9. Click OK to select the driver folder.
  10. Click Next to load the driver.
  11. Click Next to start the install.
  12. Click OK on the warning screen. Follow the onscreen prompts to complete the installation.
  13. Shutdown the virtual machine.
  14. From Fusion's menu bar, click Virtual Machine > Settings.
  15. In the left column, click Windows XP Professional ▼ or Windows XP Home ▼.
  16. Select Microsoft Windows > Windows 7. Click Change to apply changes.
  17. Click Network.
  18. Click - to remove network adapter. Click Remove to confirm.
  19. Click + to add network adapter.
  20. Start the virtual machine.
  21. Click Virtual Machine > Install VMware Tools from the menu bar at the top of the screen. Click Install to confirm.
  22. Click Run setup.exe to start installation of VMware Tools.
  23. Follow onscreen prompts to install VMware Tools.
  24. Reboot the virtual machine when prompted.

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Actions
  • KB Article: 1015396
  • Updated: Nov 3, 2009
  • Products:
    VMware Fusion
  • Product Versions:
    VMware Fusion 3.x