disk issue: "could not retrieve disk information. the system cannot find the file specified"

[hakalugi]

disk issue: "could not retrieve disk information. the system cannot
find the file specified"

this is the message when trying to 1) Create New Virtual Disk -> 2)
<specify size> -> 3) Allocate all disk space now ... about 2/3rds of
the way into the blue progress bar, the message above appears. I tried
restarting the host (Win2k) and starting the VM guest config stuff
from scratch, to no avail.

I'm trying this b/c my install of RH 8.0 (guest) --which I tried to
isntall w/o allocating all of the Virtual Disk up-front-- failed w/ a
premature and unexpected reboot (during the installation of the RPMs,
still on CD#1 of 3) after reboot, the [vm ware] system came blank
screen. "Resarting" the Virtual Machine results in the boot process
not happening at all.

(win2k seems to be stable under this all)

Model: IBM Thinkpad A31

you ever seen this notice?