are signed using the SHA-2 algorithm. When the VMware installer attempts to load these drivers onto an unpatched Windows 7 system, the operating system rejects them as invalid. Symptoms of the Problem
Comprehensive Troubleshooting Guide: Resolving VMware Tools Installation Failure via KB 78708 kbvmware s article 78708 free
The keyword in your query, "free," might also relate to VMware's Free ESXi Hypervisor. Broadcom, which now owns VMware, discontinued the free version of ESXi in February 2024, moving to subscription-based licensing. However, the KB 78708 article and its solution are . The updates required to fix the VMware Tools installation are free downloads from Microsoft. These updates are also applicable to virtual machines running on any VMware product, including the free VMware Workstation Player and the (now-discontinued) free ESXi, as long as the guest operating system is Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2. are signed using the SHA-2 algorithm
Newer VMware Tools versions (11.1.x and later) bundle drivers that are signed with SHA-2. When you try to install these drivers on an unpatched Windows 7 system, the operating system's driver signature verification process fails because it doesn't recognize SHA-2 signatures. This failure triggers the "must be installed manually" error and halts the installation. Broadcom, which now owns VMware, discontinued the free
Additionally, a Windows Security warning may appear: