sorry - missed your answer ...
very early in the setup VMware creates ssl-keys by calling a tempoarary openssl.exe with special parameters.
If your system already has a version of openssl inside its searchpath this may fail.
Thats why you should open a cmd-box and type openssl.exe
If you have a version of openssl somewhere in your path this command will show this.
So if you type openssl.exe and get anything other than "not found" - you must locate your already installed openssl.exe and temporarily renmae it
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description of vmx-parameters: http://sanbarrow.com/vmx.html
VMware-liveCD: http://sanbarrow.com/moa.html