VMware doesn't count on users to remove default functionality, that's why it doesn't work after you ruined... ehm, editted your installation source using nLite. Your problem is nLite, not VMware. Ask at the nLite section of this forum, perhaps someone there can be of service. Adding drivers to your installation source doesn't matter for VMware, as VMware doesn't use your physical hardware, but virtual hardware for which VMware provides it's own drivers and such. I never understood why people would want to strip default functionality from their installation source using applications such as nLite. If you're concerned with disk space on your installation medium, simply use a DVD. Enough ranting from my side