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How To Fix Install VMware Tools Is Greyed Out.

How to fix the Install VMware Tools option being greyed out. While this option is greyed out you can’t use it. Nothing happens when you click on it.

VMware Tools is a set of virtual drivers that need to be installed onto the guest operating system when using VMware Player. They add extra functionality and communications between the host and guest systems.

Typically you’d install the Tools shortly after creating your virtual machine, but sometimes the option is greyed out and not available.

Install VMware Tools Option Is Not Available.

After creating a virtual machine using VMware Player you might notice that the option to install the VMware Tools is greyed out.

This issue seems to happen more often when installing older versions of Windows.

Windows 7, Vista and XP virtual machines are installed using the “Easy Install” method. And this seems to be the problem.

VMware Tools is greyed out and unavailable.
You can’t install VMware Tools if it’s greyed out.

How To Fix Install VMware Tools Is Greyed Out.

In order to fix the issue you’ll need to shutdown the guest operating system (the virtual machine).

Then open VMware Player.

Left click once on the problem VM to select it. With the VM selected, right click on it to open the options menu.

On the options menu, left click Settings.

How to fix VMware Tools is greyed out.
Select the virtual machine, right click on it and then click Settings.

Remove Virtual CD/DVD & Floppy.

On the Virtual Machine Settings page, make sure that you’re on the Hardware tab.

Select the CD/DVD by left clicking on it once and then click the Remove button. If you can see more than one CD/DVD then remove all of them.

Also remove the Floppy drive. Select it and then click the Remove button.

When you’ve removed all the CD/DVD & Floppy drives, click the Add button.

Remove virtual CD/DVD drives.
Remove all the virtual CD/DVD and Floppy drives one at a time.
Virtual machine settings page.
When all the virtual CD/DVD & Floppy drives have been removed, click the Add button.

The Add Hardware Wizard will open.

Select CD/DVD and then click the Finish button.

Close the Add Hardware Wizard window and re-start your virtual machine.

Add hardware wizard in VMware Player.
Add a new virtual CD/DVD drive and then click the Finish button.

As your virtual machine begins to boot up, you’ll see this message from VMware Player.

Click the Yes button.

Do you want to connect new virtual device.
Do you want to connect the new virtual device to your virtual machine. Click the Yes button.

Install VMware Tools Option Is Now Available.

After the virtual machine has fully loaded up try installing the Tools.

You’ll find that the Install VMware Tools option isn’t greyed out any longer and is now available.

Install VMware Tools isn't greyed out.
Now you can go ahead and install those Tools.
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