SSH/SCP. Install Winscp or Filezilla on the host.

Or alternatively, Windows version of tar -> netcat -> network -> netcat -> Linux version of tar.

Remove the closed source VMWare and Install the open source Virtualbox ?

• https://www.linuxbabe.com/virtualbox/how-to-enable-file-sharing-between-host-and-virtualbox-guest-os
• https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Sharing_files_on_OSE

Create a virtualized FAT drive

Thank you all for your input's !! 🤗

I've put the files on a USB flash drive formatted as a classic FAT. Then I mounted it in the VM (I confirm no need the VMware-tools for that :)

I don't use VMware, so these are just ideas. Without using a network, I have to possible solutions in mind: a) can you drag and drop between the machines? or b) use a usb-stick to write and read from, at least until you find a better solution.

As you need an installation medium anyway, get those packages while you're at it, then install them on the VM.

Not sure whether open-vm-tools is needed for that, but you could try using the clipboard for the purpose. Compress the data and BASE32 encode it. Maybe also split it to smaller units so that it fits any clipboard limits.

How much data do you want to transfer?

You could also consider copying open-vm-tools to the VM this way, and then you could make use of proper shared folders.