If you’ve just set up a Windows XP or Windows Vista virtual machine and clicked Install VMware Tools, you’ve probably been stopped by a message saying VMware Tools is no longer shipped for your guest operating system.
Don’t worry, nothing’s broken. VMware simply stopped including the older versions of VMware Tools with Workstation Pro, and XP and Vista can’t use the current version.
The good news is that you can still download the legacy VMware Tools for free and install it in a few minutes.
The catch, and it’s the bit most guides miss, is that Windows XP and Windows Vista need different versions. The XP download won’t install on Vista. I’ll show you which one you need, where to get it and how to install it.
The Short Version
- Download the right VMware Tools for your guest: winPreVista.iso for Windows XP, or VMware Tools 10.2.5 for Windows Vista.
- In Workstation Pro, go to VM, Settings, CD/DVD (IDE), choose Use ISO image file and pick the file.
- Inside the virtual machine, run the VMware Tools setup and click Next through the wizard.
- Restart the virtual machine when it asks.
VMware Tools Is No Longer Shipped with VMware Workstation for Legacy Guest Operating Systems
That’s the message VMware Workstation Pro shows when you try to install VMware Tools on a Windows XP or Vista virtual machine.
Depending on your version of Workstation, it can also read: “VMware Tools is no longer shipped with VMware Workstation for this guest operating system.” Both mean the same thing.
The message has two links in it, one on top of the other. The first one downloads the Tools file and the second opens a Broadcom help page.
Why VMware Stopped Shipping the Older Tools
Up to version 17.5, Workstation Pro came with VMware Tools for old versions of Windows built in. From Workstation 17.6, released in September 2024, Broadcom stopped including them. The release notes say the legacy Tools are “no longer included by default but are available for download”.
Current versions, including Workstation Pro 26H1, work the same way. The latest VMware Tools only supports newer versions of Windows, so XP and Vista need an older, frozen version that you download yourself.
If you haven’t got Workstation Pro yet, it’s free. Here’s how to download VMware Workstation Pro.
Which Version of VMware Tools Do XP and Vista Need?
This is where most people go wrong. Windows XP and Windows Vista use different VMware Tools files, and each one refuses to install on the other.
- Windows XP (and Windows 2000 and Server 2003): VMware Tools 10.0.12, in a file called winPreVista.iso. It’s the last version that supports XP.
- Windows Vista, with any service pack: VMware Tools 10.2.5.
- Windows Vista with Service Pack 2 can go as high as VMware Tools 11.0.6, but 10.2.5 works just as well, so there’s no need to check.
The name gives it away. winPreVista means “before Vista”, and VMware’s own documentation says it won’t run on Vista or anything newer. The normal Windows version of VMware Tools works the other way round and won’t install on anything older than Vista.
Download VMware Tools for Legacy Operating Systems
Both downloads are free and come straight from Broadcom, the company that now owns VMware.
Download the file on your normal PC, not inside the virtual machine. The old web browsers in XP and Vista can’t open most websites now anyway.
Download VMware Tools for Windows XP
Click the first link in the VMware message, or use this link to download it directly:
https://packages-prod.broadcom.com/tools/frozen/windows/winPreVista.iso
The file is called winPreVista.iso. Save it somewhere easy to find, such as your Downloads folder.
Download VMware Tools for Windows Vista
For Vista, skip the XP file and get VMware Tools 10.2.5 from Broadcom’s archive instead. It’s the one version that works on every copy of Vista.
Use this link to download it directly:
The file is called VMware-tools-windows-10.2.5-8068406.iso. It’s about 85 MB.
If you’d rather find it yourself, it’s in Broadcom’s VMware Tools 10.2.5 folder. Download the file ending in .iso, and ignore the .sha and .sig files and the x64 and x86 folders.
Install VMware Tools in XP and Vista
Once the download has finished you’ll have an ISO file, which is a disc image. You install VMware Tools by putting it in the virtual machine’s CD/DVD drive, just like a real disc.
Quick Tip
Take a snapshot of the virtual machine before you start. If anything goes wrong you can roll straight back. My guide to Workstation Pro snapshots shows you how.
Mounting the ISO File
- Start your XP or Vista virtual machine and wait for Windows to finish loading.
- On the Workstation Pro toolbar, click VM, then Settings.
- Select CD/DVD (IDE) in the left hand pane.
- On the right, tick Connected, choose Use ISO image file and click Browse.
- Find the VMware Tools ISO you downloaded, select it and click Open.
- Click OK.
Install Legacy VMware Tools
After a short pause, the VMware Tools installer should start on its own.
If it doesn’t, AutoPlay is probably turned off. Open My Computer in XP, or Computer in Vista, and double click the CD/DVD drive.
If that doesn’t start it either, open the drive and run setup, or setup64 on a 64-bit copy of Windows.
The VMware Tools Setup wizard opens. Click Next, leave it on Typical, click Next again and then Install.
Click Finish when it’s done, then Yes to restart the virtual machine.
Check VMware Tools Is Working
After the restart you should notice the difference straight away:
- The virtual machine’s screen resizes to fit the Workstation window.
- Your mouse moves in and out of the virtual machine without pressing Ctrl and Alt.
- A small VMware Tools icon appears in the system tray, next to the clock.
Back in Workstation Pro, the VM menu now says Reinstall VMware Tools instead of Install.
You can now take the ISO out of the drive. Go back to VM, Settings, CD/DVD (IDE) and untick Connected.
Troubleshooting
Setup Won’t Run on Windows Vista
You’ve almost certainly got the XP file, winPreVista.iso. It’s built for versions of Windows before Vista and won’t install on Vista. Download VMware Tools 10.2.5 instead, from the Vista section above.
It works the other way round too. A newer VMware Tools file won’t install on Windows XP.
The Download Link in the Message Doesn’t Work
Broadcom has moved its downloads around more than once, and not every link inside the message still works. For example, the link to windows-x86.iso, which the message gives for some 32-bit versions of Windows, was confirmed broken on Broadcom’s community forum in February 2026.
Use the direct links in this guide instead.
The Same Message on 32-bit Windows 10
You can see the same “no longer shipped” message on a 32-bit copy of Windows 10. The XP file isn’t the answer there. VMware Tools 12.4.5 is the last version that supports 32-bit Windows 10, and it’s in Broadcom’s archive:
https://packages-prod.broadcom.com/tools/releases/12.4.5/windows/
Install VMware Tools Is Greyed Out
If you can’t even click Install VMware Tools, that’s a different problem, usually caused by the virtual CD/DVD drive. My guide on how to fix Install VMware Tools greyed out walks you through it.
For XP and Vista you don’t actually need that menu option. Mounting the ISO yourself, as above, skips it completely.
The Mouse Is Stuck Inside the Virtual Machine
Until VMware Tools is installed, the virtual machine keeps hold of your mouse once you click inside it. Press Ctrl and Alt together to release it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I install the latest VMware Tools on Windows XP?
A: No. VMware Tools 10.0.12 is the last version that supports Windows XP. It comes in a file called winPreVista.iso, which you can still download free from Broadcom.
Q: What is winPreVista.iso?
A: It’s the frozen copy of VMware Tools 10.0.12 for versions of Windows before Vista: Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.
Q: Does winPreVista.iso work on Windows Vista?
A: No. It’s for versions of Windows before Vista, and setup won’t run on Vista. Use VMware Tools 10.2.5 on Vista.
Q: Do I need a Broadcom account to download legacy VMware Tools?
A: No. The links in this guide go straight to Broadcom’s public download server, so there’s nothing to sign in to.
Q: Does this work in VMware Workstation Player?
A: Yes, the same files and steps work. In Player, the CD/DVD settings are under Player, Manage, Virtual Machine Settings. Player has been discontinued, though, and it isn’t coming back.
Q: What does VMware Tools actually do?
A: It’s a set of drivers that goes inside the virtual machine. It gives you a proper screen resolution, smooth mouse movement between your PC and the virtual machine, copy and paste, drag and drop and shared folders.
Summary
Broadcom stopped shipping the legacy VMware Tools with Workstation Pro, but it hasn’t taken them away. Windows XP needs winPreVista.iso and Windows Vista needs VMware Tools 10.2.5. Get that right and the install takes a couple of minutes.
Once it’s working, make a complete backup of the virtual machine. Setting up XP or Vista from scratch takes a while, and a backup means you never have to do it twice.
Related Posts
How to Install Windows XP as a Virtual Machine on VMware Workstation Pro
Haven’t built the XP virtual machine yet? Start here.
How to Fix Install VMware Tools Greyed Out
Six fixes for when the Install VMware Tools option won’t let you click it.
How to Download VMware Workstation Pro for Free
Get the latest version of Workstation Pro, free for home and business use.
Windows 11 Virtual Computer
Create a Windows virtual machine. It’s free and not that difficult to do.
Virtual machines are great for experimenting with. You can try out new operating systems, you can browse the web safely and open suspicious emails. Download new software to try it out, all without risking your host (real) computer.
Set up a Windows 11 VM even if your PC doesn’t currently support it.
You can find this and other related step by step guides in – At Home Computer VMware Guides
Written by Jeff Porter. I’ve been fixing Windows PCs since 2010 and I’m CompTIA Network+ certified. More about me