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Note: I will be answering this question myself to help other people who come across this problem in the future. Feel free to submit your own answers if you want, but know that it's already answered!

I am attempting to install the VMware Tools in a Windows 8.1 guest, but the Manage > Install VMware Tools... menu bar button is greyed out. I have downloaded the VMware tools for Windows (I can see it in C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Player\windows.iso) on the host computer. How can I fix this problem?

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2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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Even though it seems obvious now, the issue was that the Windows 8.1 guest did not recognize a CD/DVD drive. I had to add one manually in the virtual machine settings. I also found that although the Manage > Install VMware Tools... menu button was then enabled, I still had to manually mount the windows.iso file in the CD drive for the VMware Tools to display in "This Computer". Hopefully this helps someone.

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    For info: same issue and solution with a Windows 10 guest.
    – dr_
    Sep 21, 2016 at 5:46
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    +1 for no CD/DVD drive installed in a recently P2V'd image. Duuur.
    – WernerCD
    Nov 18, 2016 at 18:15
  • Never occurred to me that I needed to have a virtual DVD drive to be able to install the VM Tools. In retrospect, makes sense.
    – Eric B.
    Dec 2, 2016 at 3:44
  • Ok, in my case, for a new Win 10 machine, I needed to apply two solutions: change Proxy settings in File->Preferences to "No proxy", and remove the CD/ROM, shutdown the machine, add a new CD/ROM and start again the manchine. Only in the sequence I was able to activate the option.
    – Eagle
    Jan 3, 2019 at 15:55
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For me what worked was to change the Floppy disk type to "physical". It doesn't make any sense because I obviously don't have a floppy disk connected to my laptop, but this post suggested it, and it worked.

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