VMware 3.2.1 not working for anyone but the installing account
Here's a tough one for y'all...
I've repackaged VMware Workstation for Windows v3.2.1 (the latest and last of the v3.x series) but it won't run for
unprivileged (i.e. non-administrator) users: I double-click the shortcut, but no program window appears (and the process
closes very quickly). I've successfully repackaged version 3.1.1 before and have the same permissions applied to the newer
version, but one doesn't work for anyone except the user who installed it. So, brace yourself and here goes!
Here's what I know from the old version 3.1.1:
- the "HKLM\VMware, Inc.\VMware Workstation\" tree must be open
- "C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Workstation\Programs\messages" must be open
- it _does_ work for any and all users, even without admin permissions!
Running the indispensable FILEMON and REGMON when executing v3.2.1 as a regular user shows me this:
- the EXE does open for a moment, and reads a bunch of its DLLs from its own directory
- it never even reads the Registry (where its license info is kept)!
* Also, auditing features in the Event Log show a Failure to use the "SeIncreaseBasePriorityPrivilege".
Running REGMON and FILEMON when successfully executing the program as the admin-level user who installed it shows this:
- some important preferences files are stored in this users' AppData folder
- a few settings are stored in the HKCU Registry hive, but none which mention the preferences path
- the license information is read from the HKLM path
* Also, auditing features in the Event Log show no privilege use, but does show a successful registration of a trusted logon
process named "KSecDD", seemingly at the time of execution.
Running from another admin-level users shows this:
- REGMON & FILEMON show the same stuff as above is read, including the preferences from the AppData folder of the user who
installed the MSI
- program still quits quickly, no window every appears
Some notes on the MSI package:
- is always installed Per-Machine
- no self-healing takes place with the first execution, as there are no HKCU Registry entries
- no files are put in any AppData directories (VMware made those itself the first time it ran from the installing person's account)
- no Regstry entries or MSI properties refer to the AppData folder at all
- all 3 VMware services and the User & Group were created and are running successfully after the install
Phew! That's about everything, I think. Any ideas?
I've repackaged VMware Workstation for Windows v3.2.1 (the latest and last of the v3.x series) but it won't run for
unprivileged (i.e. non-administrator) users: I double-click the shortcut, but no program window appears (and the process
closes very quickly). I've successfully repackaged version 3.1.1 before and have the same permissions applied to the newer
version, but one doesn't work for anyone except the user who installed it. So, brace yourself and here goes!
Here's what I know from the old version 3.1.1:
- the "HKLM\VMware, Inc.\VMware Workstation\" tree must be open
- "C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Workstation\Programs\messages" must be open
- it _does_ work for any and all users, even without admin permissions!
Running the indispensable FILEMON and REGMON when executing v3.2.1 as a regular user shows me this:
- the EXE does open for a moment, and reads a bunch of its DLLs from its own directory
- it never even reads the Registry (where its license info is kept)!
* Also, auditing features in the Event Log show a Failure to use the "SeIncreaseBasePriorityPrivilege".
Running REGMON and FILEMON when successfully executing the program as the admin-level user who installed it shows this:
- some important preferences files are stored in this users' AppData folder
- a few settings are stored in the HKCU Registry hive, but none which mention the preferences path
- the license information is read from the HKLM path
* Also, auditing features in the Event Log show no privilege use, but does show a successful registration of a trusted logon
process named "KSecDD", seemingly at the time of execution.
Running from another admin-level users shows this:
- REGMON & FILEMON show the same stuff as above is read, including the preferences from the AppData folder of the user who
installed the MSI
- program still quits quickly, no window every appears
Some notes on the MSI package:
- is always installed Per-Machine
- no self-healing takes place with the first execution, as there are no HKCU Registry entries
- no files are put in any AppData directories (VMware made those itself the first time it ran from the installing person's account)
- no Regstry entries or MSI properties refer to the AppData folder at all
- all 3 VMware services and the User & Group were created and are running successfully after the install
Phew! That's about everything, I think. Any ideas?
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