VMware Workstation Easy Install is unable to install Windows 8 with a product key specified

I recently attempted to install Windows 8 Enterprise Edition in VMware Workstation. It specified that Easy Install would be used, and requested for the product key, for which I entered the generated MSDN key.

This didn't work - the installation goes into a loop with each iteration of the loop ending with the following screen:

The guest reboots and the process repeats after clicking "OK".

Has anyone been able to successfully install their MSDN image with Easy Install in Workstation?

Solution 1:

You need to delete the file unattend.txt because the installer is getting the key (which is apparently not valid) from that, then you can input a different key. It is located in the ProductID entry under the UserData section.