VMware Player and Windows 10: Troubleshooting a Persistent Issue

As a VMware user, you may have encountered an issue where your virtual machine crashes during Windows updates on Windows 10 Enterprise Evaluation, version 22H2, 32-bit. This problem has been frustratingly persistent, with multiple attempts to resolve it resulting in no change. In this article, we'll explore the issue and potential solutions.

To reproduce the issue, I've tested it on four different computers with various configurations. The current VMware tools did not make a difference, and installing the latest cumulative update from Microsoft's update catalog also had no effect. The problem occurs when attempting to install Windows updates on a guest system running Windows 10 Pro, version 21H2, 32-bit.

The symptoms of this issue are as follows: after restarting the virtual machine, it will boot normally but display a BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) with an error message stating 'SYSTEM THREAD EXCEPTION NOT HANDLED.' This is followed by another automatic repair attempt, which undoes the updates and causes the VM to restart again. The subsequent reboot runs normally until around 30% completion, when the actual reboot occurs.

The problem is consistently triggered by the cumulative update and has been present since the October patches. It's essential to identify a solution for this issue to ensure seamless Windows updates on your virtual machines.

As a potential workaround, we can try installing the VMware tools manually or using a different version of the tools. Additionally, you can attempt to disable automatic restarts and run the updates in manual mode. However, these solutions may not resolve the underlying issue.

To better understand this problem and find a more permanent solution, further research is needed. It's possible that an interaction between VMware Player, Windows 10, and the cumulative update is causing the issue. Until a patch or workaround becomes available, you can continue to experience problems with Windows updates on your virtual machines.

In conclusion, troubleshooting persistent issues like this requires patience, persistence, and collaboration with the community. By sharing our experiences and findings, we can work together to identify solutions and improve the overall user experience for VMware and Windows users alike.

Vmware player windows 10