Hi plcdude,
>>> keep hoping with each new Workstation and Player release that this issue will go away
If possible, could you just elabrate more about the issue you are facing? Just you don't want to see VMnetx to be listed as "Unidentified Network drivers", or you have other specific issues. We'd learn more if any.
>>> I am aware that the "Unidentified Network drivers" can be hidden with a registry change
Looks this is the KB you mentioned: http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1004813 (Redefine the VMware virtual NICs as endpoint devices).
>>> It would be nice if, at the least, this registry key were surfaced in VMware preferences as a check box.
Personally, I myself like this idea too.
However, I think why there's yet no a checkbox is partially because of these following:
This also causes the VMware virtual NICs to be exempt from all Windows Firewall access rules. When implemented, the control of virtual machine network access must be done from the guest operating system of each virtual machine. This bypasses the default security model of Windows with respect to the the VMware virtual NICs, and the implications of using this procedure must be carefully considered.
Thanks for your inputs and the help for us to do better.