Where to Find Old Versions of VMware Workstation and Why You Might Need Them

Familiar situation: you need to run an ancient project that only lives on Windows XP, or test software in a specific Windows 7 environment, and the vendor's official site has turned into a maze? After Broadcom swallowed VMware, the familiar direct download links for distributions have kicked the bucket. Now, to simply grab an installer, you need to go through registration on the Broadcom support portal, which in itself is quite a quest.

There's a repository on GitHub called 201853910/VMwareWorkstation that serves as a safe harbor for sysadmins and developers. The author has manually collected and uploaded virtually all significant versions of the hypervisor — from current builds to "museum" specimens from a decade ago.

Why This Might Come in Handy

It might seem like why would anyone in 2024 need to download VMware 10 or 12? But in reality, supporting old hardware and operating systems often dictates its own terms.

The project author clearly outlines the compatibility boundaries:

• If you need virtualization on Windows 7, the last stable version is 15.5.7.
• For Windows XP or 32-bit host systems, you'll need to roll back to version 10.0.7.

Interesting point: since May 2024, VMware Workstation Pro became free for personal use, and since November of the same year — for all users. This is an important change that makes finding clean distributions even more relevant, as the licensing barrier has practically disappeared.

What's Inside the Repository

This isn't just a list of links — it's a structured archive. Here's what you'll find there:

• Executable files (.exe) for Windows.
• Packages (.bundle) for Linux distributions.
• Download links via GitHub Releases, which guarantees decent download speeds without CAPTCHAs.
• Backup ed2k links (for those who still remember how to use eMule or a good old torrent client with Donkey network support).

The version list includes everything: from the "ancient" ninth version to fresh preview builds like 26H1. For each major version (17, 16, 15, and so on), almost all minor updates are available. This saves the day when a specific patch in a newer version breaks compatibility with your specific driver or network stack.

How to Use It

The simplest path is to head to the Releases section. The author uploaded the files directly there. If the official Broadcom site seems too cluttered, or you simply don't want to expose your email during registration, links from this repository make an excellent alternative.

By the way, the repository also mentions keys for old versions (before the software became completely free). This is handy for those restoring old workstations who don't want to waste time searching for serials in questionable sources.

Personal Observation

I often encounter the fact that old software versions disappear from the web without a trace. Vendors don't like maintaining legacy — it's more profitable for them if you upgrade. But in production development or when supporting legacy systems, "just upgrade" isn't always an option. Having such a mirror on GitHub is a kind of insurance policy for an engineer.

Should you trust these files? The question is always open. The author claims these are original installers. Ideally, after downloading, you should verify checksums if you have data from official sources. But judging by the number of stars (over 36,000) and activity in Issues, the community actively uses this "warehouse" and there haven't been any problems with code integrity so far.

Who Should Definitely Bookmark This

• Developers testing software on old operating systems.
• System administrators maintaining a fleet of machines running Windows 7/XP.
• Those who don't want to deal with the Broadcom portal just to download one file.

This project isn't about code — it's about tool accessibility. In an era when software turns into a service and hides behind paid walls or complex registration, initiatives like this help save hours of working time.