Clean install of Windows 11 Build 22533.1001 on VMware Player 16.2.2

The question I have now, how to I preserve the activation if I reinstall VMplayer and create a new Virtual Machine? Is there a VM machine file that can be saved ?

From Johnny:

"The files representing the VM's "hardware" for the Windows 10 digital license are the .VMCX .VMGS and .VMRS files, plus an empty folder by the same name as the 3 files"

edit: you don't have to create a new one, you can clean install the existing one by booting to firmware and pointing to an ISO, just like you'd normally install from USB

Hi Sibro,

Looks like the boot menu is not easy to reach on the VM player free. It only gets there when it times out on the normal boot.

I don't keep VMware installed all the time; I just reinstall it when I want to do a specific test like in this case.

I was just wondering if there was a way to preserve the same VM "hardware" identifier for the digital license of windows.

This time it took my old key, but I probably cannot reuse it on another VM. I just use one Virtual Machine not multiple.

Got it working, now it is just a matter of pointing the CD-ROM to a W11 ISO and boot to firmware.

Notice I'm using the Player, comes bundled with WMware Workstation Pro

The question I have now, how to I preserve the activation if I reinstall VMplayer and create a new Virtual Machine? Is there a VM machine file that can be saved ?

From Johnny:

"The files representing the VM's "hardware" for the Windows 10 digital license are the .VMCX .VMGS and .VMRS files, plus an empty folder by the same name as the 3 files"

edit: you don't have to create a new one, you can clean install the existing one by booting to firmware and pointing to an ISO, just like you'd normally install from USB

but if I cannot install in EFI mode I cannot update to Win 11. 😆

Maybe you could, I did it the other day when replying to Johnny.

.NET 6.0

I'm about to check on that W7 VM, stand by, it will take a while.

Hi Sibro,

Thanks, but I think I solved it, at least for now. 😉

I found a key that I had on an old PC that I just got rid of, that was an OEM key for Win 7 Pro that came with the box, this one worked when I used it directly on Win 11. in the V.M.

Kudos!

I'm glad for you and for me, I was having lots of problems with this old VM, they don't like to be moved around.

To add insult to injury, my wi-fi is going nuts.

The question I have now, how to I preserve the activation if I reinstall VMplayer and create a new Virtual Machine? Is there a VM machine file that can be saved ?

but if I cannot install in EFI mode I cannot update to Win 11. 😆

Maybe you could, I did it the other day when replying to Johnny.

.NET 6.0

I'm about to check on that W7 VM, stand by, it will take a while.

Hi Sibro,

Thanks, but I think I solved it, at least for now. 😉

I found a key that I had on an old PC that I just got rid of, that was an OEM key for Win 7 Pro that came with the box, this one worked when I used it directly on Win 11. in the V.M.

Kudos!

I'm glad for you and for me, I was having lots of problems with this old VM, they don't like to be moved around.

To add insult to injury, my wi-fi is going nuts.