Solved VMware Workstation Pro

b009il · May 14, 2024

What happened with VMware Workstation Pro? It's free now for Personal Use and i can't download latest version because VMware site not working.

VMware Store
Down for Maintenance

As part of the transition to Broadcom systems, the store will be moving to a new domain. As a result, store will be shutdown starting 30 Apr 2024.

pparks1 · May 14, 2024

LOL, the whole merger to broadcom has sucked totally from a corporate standpoint. Used to love most of the VMWare stuff....now searching for all alternatives.

b009il · May 14, 2024

pparks1 said:
now searching for all alternatives.

Oracle VM VirtualBox? I don't like Hyper-V so much.

antspants · May 14, 2024

Read their notes. In the notes there is a redirect to a customer support portal at omnissa.com. On that site there is a list of downloads.

Notes:

System Migration Changes Impacting Workspace ONE and Horizon Customers

knowledge.broadcom.com

I am not sure if the Workstation is included in the download list

Link to available downloads:

https://customerconnect.omnissa.com/downloads/#products_atoz

b009il · May 14, 2024

Should i stop using VMware and use Oracle VM VirtualBox?

barreleye · May 15, 2024

MB11 said:
What happened with VMware Workstation Pro? It's free now for Personal Use and i can't download latest version because VMware site not working.

VMware Store
Down for Maintenance
As part of the transition to Broadcom systems, the store will be moving to a new domain. As a result, store will be shutdown starting 30 Apr 2024.

It's an epic quest to download anything from Broadcom. They make it nearly impossible, so as to weed out the unworthy. What worked for me was following the download link in the blog post below, which required creating an account, and from there, it continued to be the most confusing website I've ever used, but I was successful in the end (don't ask me for more details, I've been actively trying to forget the trauma):

https://blogs.vmware.com/workstation/2024/05/vmware-workstation-pro-now-available-free-for-personal-use.html

pparks1 · May 15, 2024

MB11 said:
Oracle VM VirtualBox? I don't like Hyper-V so much.

No, I'm talking enterprise alternatives to products like VMWare VCenter and VMWare NSX Load Balancer which I work on and support professionally.

hsehestedt · May 15, 2024

Thanks for the tip. I used to be a big fan of VMware Workstation but they have been stripping some key features out so I had given up on it. Since I was able to download it for free now, I installed it again just to see what the status of the latest version is like.

z3r010 · May 15, 2024

I spotted this last night that may be relevant.

https://blogs.vmware.com/cloud-foundation/2024/05/14/vmware-desktop-hypervisor-pro-apps-now-available-for-personal-use/

cereberus · May 15, 2024

MB11 said:
Oracle VM VirtualBox? I don't like Hyper-V so much.

Horses for courses.

Hyper-V is much more efficient when running Windows guests, although not so good for Home as that can only be run in Basic mode and has no sound.

However, Hyper-V is not so good at running most Linux OSs as, like home, they are mostly limited to basic mode i.e. no sound being main issue.

Linux OSs need to have an xrdp server to run in enhanced mode. It is usually a PITA getting sound though.

So I user Hyper-V mostly (great for Insider version). I rarely use alternatives.

hsehestedt · May 15, 2024

cereberus said:
Horses for courses.

Hyper-V is much more efficient when running Windows guests, although not so good for Home as that can only be run in Basic mode and has no sound.

However, Hyper-V is not so good at running most Linux OSs as, like home, they are mostly limited to basic mode i.e. no sound being main issue.

Linux OSs need to have an xrdp server to run in enhanced mode. It is usually a PITA getting sound though.

So I user Hyper-V mostly (great for Insider version). I rarely use alternatives.

I have migrated over completely to Hyper-V, but there is just one tiny thing that bothers me with Hyper-V: If you install Windows in VMware Workstation you can per perform personalization tasks up until you allow your VMware guest to have Internet access. With Hyper-V, you cannot perform personalization tasks (unless you activate Windows) even with networking turned off.

I don't usually care about personalization, but for those times where it matters, I prefer VMware Workstation as a last resort.

Wolfzz · May 15, 2024

z3r010 said:
I spotted this last night that may be relevant.

https://blogs.vmware.com/cloud-foundation/2024/05/14/vmware-desktop-hypervisor-pro-apps-now-available-for-personal-use/

VMware Workstation Pro goes free, official guides on how to install and switch are out

VMware Workstation Pro goes free, official guides on how to install and switch are out

VMware Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro are now free for personal use. Alongside that announcement, a senior executive has also published a couple of guides on how to get them or switch.

www.neowin.net

glasskuter · May 15, 2024

hsehestedt said:
Since I was able to download it for free now,

Can you share how. I get registered and verified and that's as far as the site will let me go. Download never starts.

OAT · May 15, 2024

This is cool, I 've been using their workstation Player for years but this adds some great features.

OAT · May 15, 2024

glasskuter said:
Can you share how. I get registered and verified and that's as far as the site will let me go. Download never starts.

Go here to register:

Home - Support Portal - Broadcom support portal

support.broadcom.com

Then here to download:

Please select your identity provider. - Support Portal - Broadcom support portal

support.broadcom.com

glasskuter · May 15, 2024

OAT said:
Then here to download:

Registered and verified first, logged in, clicked the little download cloud icon, says :"not entitled"

OAT · May 15, 2024

glasskuter said:
Registered and verified first, logged in, clicked the little download cloud icon, says :"not entitled"

Sorry about that.
I just tried again, and the cloud download works.
I wonder why.

gmcgee78 · May 15, 2024

I never liked Vmware it always has something wrong with it. I have used Virtualbox for years and never had any trouble with it. It is updated often and is still supported. I can run several Vms at the same time. Just make sure you add the Guest additions for your VM.

OAT · May 15, 2024

gmcgee78 said:
I never liked Vmware it always has something wrong with it. I have used Virtualbox for years and never had any trouble with it. It is updated often and is still supported. I can run several Vms at the same time. Just make sure you add the Guest additions for your VM.

I never liked VirtualBox. Never had any issues with VMware Workstation Player, whether running a Linux Distro or an insider release, or both.
I guess whatever works for one may not suit another.