virtual machine - cannot start from BIOS the installation of windows 7 on vmware

I was given an .iso with windows 7 but I cannot install it using vmware workstation player 12.

1. The .iso seems to be correct since I passed it to a usb and started
   an installation on real hardware and everything started properly (I
   didn't finish that installation since that was not what I wanted)
   Also if I mount the iso using daemon tools and launch the new
   virtual drive, it starts an installation as well.


2. The ability to read .iso directly from the virtual machine seems
   also correct since I downloaded a slax distro to check it and the
   virtual machine started from the .iso

Things I've tried so far:

1. (obviously) use the iso directly as d: drive inside the virtual machine


2. mount the iso with daemon tools and tell the virtual machine that the physical d: drive is the mounted one


3. burn the iso and use the physical dvd drive inside the virtual machine


4. create a usb with this and tell the BIOS to start from there


5. create a new virtual machine from step (3) : the wizard even asks me for a password but it doesn't follow.

All the options lead me to a "net startup" that fails.
Also a quick download of virtual box and testing step (3) from above did also fail.
Please any help is appreciated