Vmware Workstation User’s Manual 5.0 Ws5

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User’s Manual
Powerful Virtual Machine Software for the Technical Professional
VMware, Inc.
3145 Porter Drive
Palo Alto, CA 94304
www.vmware.com
Please note that you can always find the most up-to-date technical documen-
tation on our Web site at http://www.vmware.com/support/.
The VMware Web site also provides the latest product updates.
Copyright © 1998-2005 VMware, Inc. All rights reserved. Protected by one or more of U.S. Patent Nos. 6,397,242,
6,496,847, 6,704,925, 6,711,672, 6,725,289, 6,735,601, 6,785,886, 6,789,156 and 6,795,966; patents pending.
VMware, the VMware “boxes” logo and design, Virtual SMP and VMotion are registered trademarks or
trademarks of VMware, Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. Microsoft, Windows and Windows
NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. All
other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.
Revision: 20050916 Version: 5.0 Item: WS-ENG-Q205-062
Table of Contents
3
Introduction and System Requirements __________________________ 15
Product Overview ______________________________________________ 16
Powerful Virtual Machine Software for the Technical Professional _______ 16
Overview of This Manual ______________________________________ 18
About the Host and Guest Computers ____________________________ 18
What’s New in Version 5 _________________________________________ 19
Multiple Snapshots ___________________________________________ 19
Teams _____________________________________________________ 19
Clones_____________________________________________________ 19
Improved Performance for Virtual Machines Running Concurrently _____ 20
Improved Networking Performance______________________________ 20
Improved Suspend/Resume and Snapshot Operations _______________ 20
New Host Operating System Support_____________________________ 20
New Guest Operating System Support____________________________ 20
Improved 64-bit Host Support __________________________________ 21
Isochronous USB support ______________________________________ 21
Command Line Interface ______________________________________ 21
Movie Record and Playback ____________________________________ 21
Improved Linux User Interface __________________________________ 21
Easier Upgrades and VMware Tools Installation Improvements _________ 22
Support for NX bit____________________________________________ 22
Experimental Support for Direct3D_______________________________ 22
Experimental Support for Guest ACPI S1 Sleep______________________ 22
VMware Virtual Machine Importer _______________________________ 22
Host System Requirements _______________________________________ 23
PC Hardware________________________________________________ 23
Memory ___________________________________________________ 23
Display ____________________________________________________ 23
Disk Drives _________________________________________________ 24
Local Area Networking (Optional)________________________________ 24
Host Operating System________________________________________ 24
Virtual Machine Specifications_____________________________________ 27
Processor __________________________________________________ 27
Chip Set ___________________________________________________ 27
BIOS ______________________________________________________ 27
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Memory ___________________________________________________ 27
Graphics ___________________________________________________ 27
IDE Drives __________________________________________________ 27
SCSI Devices ________________________________________________ 28
Floppy Drives _______________________________________________ 28
Serial (COM) Ports ____________________________________________ 28
Parallel (LPT) Ports____________________________________________ 28
USB ports __________________________________________________ 28
Keyboard __________________________________________________ 28
Mouse and Drawing Tablets ____________________________________ 28
Ethernet Card _______________________________________________ 29
Sound _____________________________________________________ 29
Virtual Networking ___________________________________________ 29
Supported Guest Operating Systems _______________________________ 30
Microsoft Windows 32-bit______________________________________ 30
Microsoft MS-DOS ___________________________________________ 30
Linux______________________________________________________ 31
Novell Netware ______________________________________________ 31
FreeBSD ___________________________________________________ 31
Sun Solaris _________________________________________________ 31
Technical Support Resources______________________________________ 32
Documentation on the Web____________________________________ 32
VMware Knowledge Base ______________________________________ 32
VMware User Community______________________________________ 32
Reporting Problems __________________________________________ 32
Where to Go Next ______________________________________________ 34
Installing VMware Workstation __________________________________ 35
Selecting Your Host System_______________________________________ 36
Upgrading from Previous Versions _______________________________ 36
Workstation Cannot Share a Host with Other VMware Products ________ 36
Installing VMware Workstation 5 on a Windows Host ___________________ 37
Installing Workstation on a Windows Host _________________________ 38
Installing VMware Workstation Silently____________________________ 41
Uninstalling VMware Workstation 5 on a Windows Host ______________ 43
Installing VMware Workstation 5 on a Linux Host ______________________ 44
Before Installing on a Linux Host_________________________________ 45
Installing Workstation on a Linux Host ____________________________ 45
5
Configuring with vmware-config.pl ______________________________ 48
Web Browser Required ________________________________________ 48
Uninstalling VMware Workstation 5 on a Linux Host _________________ 49
Where to Go Next ______________________________________________ 50
Upgrading VMware Workstation ________________________________ 51
Preparing for the Upgrade________________________________________ 52
Before You Install VMware Workstation 5 __________________________ 52
Upgrading on a Windows Host ____________________________________ 55
Upgrading from Version 4 or an Earlier Version 5 Release______________ 55
Upgrading from Version 3 to Version 5 ____________________________ 55
Upgrading on a Linux Host _______________________________________ 56
Using Workstation 4 Virtual Machines in Workstation 5__________________ 57
Create Everything New from the Start ____________________________ 57
Use a Legacy Virtual Machine without Upgrading ___________________ 57
Use a Legacy Virtual Machine with Upgrade _______________________ 58
Where to Go Next ______________________________________________ 60
Learning VMware Workstation Basics ____________________________ 61
Launching VMware Workstation ___________________________________ 62
Launching VMware Workstation on a Windows Host_________________ 62
Launching VMware Workstation on a Linux Host ____________________ 63
Overview of the VMware Workstation Window________________________ 64
The Home Page, Summary View, and Console View__________________ 66
The Toolbar_________________________________________________ 69
The Favorites List_____________________________________________ 71
Checking for Product Updates_____________________________________ 75
Setting Preferences for VMware Workstation__________________________ 76
Workspace _________________________________________________ 77
Input ______________________________________________________ 78
Hot Keys ___________________________________________________ 78
Display ____________________________________________________ 79
Memory ___________________________________________________ 80
Priority ____________________________________________________ 81
Lockout (Windows Hosts Only)__________________________________ 82
Virtual Machine Settings _________________________________________ 83
Hardware __________________________________________________ 83
Options____________________________________________________ 84
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Command Line Reference ________________________________________ 91
Startup Options on a Linux Host_________________________________ 91
Startup Options on a Windows Host _____________________________ 92
Command Line Application ____________________________________ 93
Keyboard Shortcuts ____________________________________________ 95
What Files Make Up a Virtual Machine? ______________________________ 96
Where to Go Next ______________________________________________ 99
Creating a New Virtual Machine ________________________________ 101
Setting Up a New Virtual Machine_________________________________ 102
Steps to a New Virtual Machine ________________________________ 102
Converting a VirtualPC Virtual Machine_____________________________ 113
Installing a Guest Operating System and VMware Tools ________________ 117
Example: Installing Windows XP as a Guest Operating System ________ 117
Installing VMware Tools _________________________________________ 120
Upgrading VMware Tools _____________________________________ 120
VMware Tools for Windows Guests ______________________________ 120
VMware Tools for Linux Guests _________________________________ 122
VMware Tools for FreeBSD Guests_______________________________ 127
Installing VMware Tools in a NetWare Virtual Machine _______________ 129
VMware Tools Configuration Options ______________________________ 130
Using the Control Panel to Configure VMware Tools ________________ 130
Using the System Console to Configure VMware Tools in a NetWare Guest
Operating System___________________________________________ 135
Where to Go Next _____________________________________________ 137
_________________________________ Running VMware Workstation 139
Starting a Virtual Machine _______________________________________ 141
Virtual Machine Location _____________________________________ 141
Checking the Status of VMware Tools ______________________________ 142
Suspending and Resuming Virtual Machines ________________________ 143
Shutting Down a Virtual Machine _________________________________ 144
Power Off vs. Shut Down _____________________________________ 144
Resetting a Virtual Machine ______________________________________ 145
Reset vs. Restart ____________________________________________ 145
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Taking and Reverting to a Snapshot _______________________________ 146
Cloning a Virtual Machine _______________________________________ 147
Deleting a Virtual Machine ______________________________________ 148
Using Virtual Machine Teams_____________________________________ 149
Controlling the Display _________________________________________ 150
Using Full Screen Mode ______________________________________ 150
Using Quick Switch Mode_____________________________________ 151
Taking Advantage of Multiple Monitors __________________________ 151
Fitting the Workstation Console to the Virtual Machine Display________ 152
Nonstandard Resolutions _____________________________________ 153
Simplifying the Screen Display _________________________________ 153
Installing New Software_________________________________________ 155
Cutting, Copying and Pasting Text_________________________________ 156
Using Shared Folders ___________________________________________ 157
Viewing a Shared Folder ______________________________________ 161
Using Drag and Drop___________________________________________ 163
Using Devices in a Virtual Machine ________________________________ 164
Adding, Configuring, and Removing Devices in a Virtual Machine______ 164
Connecting and Disconnecting Removable Devices ________________ 164
Creating a Screen Shot or a Movie of a Virtual Machine ________________ 165
Creating a Screen Shot of a Virtual Machine_______________________ 165
Creating a Movie of a Virtual Machine ___________________________ 165
Where to Go Next _____________________________________________ 167
Moving and Sharing Virtual Machines ___________________________ 169
Virtual Machine Identifier — UUID ________________________________ 170
The UUID Location and Format ________________________________ 170
The UUID and Moving Virtual Machines __________________________ 171
Specifying a UUID for a Virtual Machine __________________________ 172
Setting the UUID for a Virtual Machine that Is Being Moved___________ 172
Moving a VMware Workstation 5 Virtual Machine _____________________ 173
Hosts with Different Hardware _________________________________ 173
Virtual Machines Use Relative Paths _____________________________ 174
Preparing a Workstation 5 Virtual Machine for a Move _______________ 174
Moving a Workstation 5 Virtual Machine to a New Host______________ 175
Moving a VMware Workstation 4 Virtual Machine _____________________ 176
Preparing Your Workstation 4 Virtual Machine for the Move __________ 177
Moving a Workstation 4 Virtual Machine to a New Host Machine ______ 178
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Moving an Older Virtual Machine _________________________________ 179
Moving VMware Workstation 3.0 Virtual Machines__________________ 179
Moving VMware Workstation 2.x Virtual Machines __________________ 181
Considerations for Moving Workstation Disks in Undoable Mode ______ 182
Sharing Virtual Machines with Other Users __________________________ 184
Moving Linked Clones __________________________________________ 185
Using Disks _________________________________________________ 187
Configuring Hard Disk Storage in a Virtual Machine ___________________ 188
Disk Types: Virtual and Physical_________________________________ 188
Disk Files __________________________________________________ 191
Lock Files__________________________________________________ 192
Defragmenting Virtual Disks ___________________________________ 193
Shrinking Virtual Disks _______________________________________ 193
Adding Drives to a Virtual Machine ________________________________ 197
Adding a New Virtual Disk to a Virtual Machine ____________________ 197
Adding Physical Disks to a Virtual Machine________________________ 201
Adding DVD or CD Drives to a Virtual Machine ____________________ 204
Adding Floppy Drives to a Virtual Machine________________________ 206
Connecting a CD-ROM or Floppy Drive to an Image File _____________ 207
Using VMware Virtual Disk Manager _______________________________ 208
Running the VMware Virtual Disk Manager Utility __________________ 209
Shrinking Virtual Disks with VMware Virtual Disk Manager ____________ 212
Examples Using the VMware Virtual Disk Manager__________________ 213
Configuring a Dual-Boot Computer for Use with a Virtual Machine _______ 215
Using the Same Operating System in a Virtual Machine and on the Host
Computer _________________________________________________ 216
Before You Begin____________________________________________ 217
Configuring Dual- or Multiple-Boot Systems to Run with VMware Workstation
219
Setting Up Hardware Profiles in Virtual Machines___________________ 225
Running a Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 Virtual
Machine from an Existing Multiple-Boot Installation ________________ 230
Setting Up the SVGA Video Driver for a Windows 95 Guest Operating System
Booted from a Raw Disk ______________________________________ 230
Setting Up the SVGA Video Driver for Use with a Windows 98 Guest Operating
System Booted from a Raw Disk ________________________________ 232
9
Do Not Use Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Dynamic
Disks as Raw Disks___________________________________________ 234
Configuring Dual- or Multiple-Boot SCSI Systems to Run with VMware
Workstation on a Linux Host ___________________________________ 235
Known Issues and Background Information on Using SCSI Raw Disks ___ 238
Installing an Operating System onto a Physical Partition from a Virtual Machine _
241
Configuring a Windows Host __________________________________ 242
Configuring a Linux Host _____________________________________ 244
Legacy Virtual Disks ____________________________________________ 246
Upgrading a Legacy Virtual Machine for New Features of Workstation 5 _ 247
Using a Legacy Virtual Machine without Upgrading ________________ 247
Creating a Legacy Virtual Machine with Workstation 5_______________ 247
Preserving the State of a Virtual Machine ________________________ 249
Using Suspend and Resume _____________________________________ 250
Using Snapshots ______________________________________________ 251
Understanding Snapshots ____________________________________ 252
Examples of Using Snapshots__________________________________ 254
What Is Captured by a Snapshot? _______________________________ 255
Taking a Snapshot___________________________________________ 256
The Snapshot Manager_______________________________________ 258
Restoring a Snapshot: Revert or Go To? __________________________ 263
Deleting a Snapshot _________________________________________ 264
Making a Clone from a Snapshot _______________________________ 264
Virtual Machine Settings for Snapshots __________________________ 265
Snapshots and Legacy Virtual Machines__________________________ 266
Cloning a Virtual Machine _____________________________________ 267
Understanding Clones _________________________________________ 268
Why Make a Clone?__________________________________________ 268
Full and Linked Clones _______________________________________ 269
Full Clones and Snapshots of the Parent__________________________ 269
Creating Clones _______________________________________________ 270
The Clone Virtual Machine Wizard ______________________________ 270
Working with Clones ___________________________________________ 273
Making a Linked Clone of a Linked Clone_________________________ 273
Making a Full Clone of a Linked Clone ___________________________ 273
Network Identity for a Clone___________________________________ 273
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The Linked Clone Snapshot ___________________________________ 274
Linked Clones and Access to the Parent Virtual Machine _____________ 274
Configuring Teams __________________________________________ 277
Teams Overview ______________________________________________ 278
Creating and Deleting Teams ____________________________________ 279
Making a New Team _________________________________________ 279
Opening a Team ____________________________________________ 284
Closing a Team _____________________________________________ 284
Deleting a Team ____________________________________________ 285
Adding and Removing Virtual Machines ____________________________ 286
Adding an Existing Virtual Machine to a Team _____________________ 286
Removing a Virtual Machine from a Team ________________________ 286
Cloning and Taking Snapshots of Team Members_____________________ 288
Cloning a Virtual Machine in a Team_____________________________ 288
Taking Snapshots of Individual Virtual Machines in a Team ___________ 288
Starting and Stopping Teams ____________________________________ 289
Powering On a Team_________________________________________ 289
Powering Off a Team ________________________________________ 289
Suspending a Team _________________________________________ 289
Resuming a Team ___________________________________________ 290
Power Operations for Individual Members of a Team ________________ 290
Working with Team Networks ____________________________________ 292
LAN Segment Requirements __________________________________ 292
Creating a Team LAN Segment_________________________________ 293
Connecting to or Changing a LAN Segment ______________________ 293
Renaming a LAN Segment ____________________________________ 294
Deleting a LAN Segment _____________________________________ 294
The Startup Sequence __________________________________________ 295
Understanding the Start-Up Sequence Delay______________________ 295
Working with the Team Console View______________________________ 296
Displaying Teams ___________________________________________ 296
The Active Virtual Machine ____________________________________ 297
Using Full Screen with Teams __________________________________ 297
Editing Team Settings __________________________________________ 298
Connections _______________________________________________ 298
Virtual Machines ____________________________________________ 299
LAN Segments _____________________________________________ 300
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Options___________________________________________________ 302
Command Line for Teams _______________________________________ 303
Configuring a Virtual Network _________________________________ 305
Network Basics _______________________________________________ 306
Components of the Virtual Network _______________________________ 307
Virtual switch ______________________________________________ 307
Bridge ____________________________________________________ 307
Host Virtual Adapter _________________________________________ 308
NAT Device ________________________________________________ 308
DHCP Server _______________________________________________ 308
Network Adapter ___________________________________________ 308
Common Networking Configurations ______________________________ 309
Bridged Networking _________________________________________ 309
Network Address Translation (NAT) _____________________________ 310
Host-Only Networking _______________________________________ 312
Custom Networking Configurations _______________________________ 313
Changing the Networking Configuration ___________________________ 316
Adding and Modifying Virtual Network Adapters___________________ 316
Configuring Bridged Networking Options on a Windows Host ________ 318
Enabling, Disabling, Adding and Removing Host Virtual Adapters ______ 323
Advanced Networking Topics ____________________________________ 326
Selecting IP Addresses on a Host-only Network or NAT Configuration___ 327
Avoiding IP Packet Leakage in a Host-Only Network ________________ 330
Maintaining and Changing the MAC Address of a Virtual Machine _____ 332
Controlling Routing Information for a Host-only Network on a Linux Host 334
Other Potential Issues with Host-Only Networking on a Linux Host _____ 335
Setting Up a Second Bridged Network Interface on a Linux Host_______ 336
Setting Up Two Separate Host-Only Networks _____________________ 337
Routing between Two Host-Only Networks _______________________ 340
Using Virtual Ethernet Adapters in Promiscuous Mode on a Linux Host__ 344
Understanding NAT ___________________________________________ 345
Using NAT _________________________________________________ 346
The Host Computer and the NAT Network ________________________ 346
DHCP on the NAT Network____________________________________ 346
DNS on the NAT Network _____________________________________ 347
External Access from the NAT Network___________________________ 347
Advanced NAT Configuration __________________________________ 348
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Custom NAT and DHCP Configuration on a Windows Host ___________ 352
Considerations for Using NAT __________________________________ 353
Using NAT with NetLogon ____________________________________ 353
Sample Linux vmnetnat.conf File _______________________________ 355
Using Samba with Workstation ___________________________________ 358
Modifying Your Samba Configuration ___________________________ 358
Using a Samba Server for Both Bridged and Host-Only Networks ______ 358
Using Samba without Network Access___________________________ 358
Configuring Video and Sound _________________________________ 359
Setting Screen Color Depth______________________________________ 360
Changing Screen Color Depth on the Host _______________________ 360
Changing Screen Color Depth in the Virtual Machine _______________ 361
Using Full Screen Mode on a Linux Host ___________________________ 362
Experimental Support for Direct3D ________________________________ 363
Audience for Direct3D Experimental Support _____________________ 363
Accelerated 3-D Limitations ___________________________________ 364
Enabling Accelerated 3-D _____________________________________ 364
Known Issues ______________________________________________ 367
Helping VMware with Experimental Support ______________________ 368
Configuring Sound ____________________________________________ 369
Installing Sound Drivers in Windows 9x and Windows NT Guest Operating
Systems___________________________________________________ 369
Connecting Devices __________________________________________ 371
Using Parallel Ports ____________________________________________ 372
Parallel Ports _______________________________________________ 372
Installation in Guest Operating Systems __________________________ 372
Configuring a Parallel Port on a Linux Host________________________ 373
Special Notes for the Iomega Zip Drive __________________________ 376
Using Serial Ports______________________________________________ 377
Using a Serial Port on the Host Computer ________________________ 377
Using a File on the Host Computer______________________________ 378
Connecting an Application on the Host to a Virtual Machine _________ 380
Connecting Two Virtual Machines ______________________________ 382
Special Configuration Options for Advanced Users _________________ 385
Examples: Debugging over a Virtual Serial Port ____________________ 387
Keyboard Mapping on a Linux Host _______________________________ 389
Quick Answers _____________________________________________ 389
13
The Longer Story ___________________________________________ 389
V-Scan Code Table __________________________________________ 393
Using USB Devices in a Virtual Machine ____________________________ 397
Notes on USB Support in Version 5______________________________ 397
Enabling and Disabling the USB Controller________________________ 397
Connecting USB Devices _____________________________________ 398
Using USB with a Windows Host________________________________ 398
Replacing USB 2.0 Drivers on a Windows 2000 Host_________________ 399
Using USB with a Linux Host___________________________________ 399
What Has Control over a USB Device?____________________________ 400
Disconnecting USB Devices from a Virtual Machine _________________ 401
Human Interface Devices _____________________________________ 401
Connecting to a Generic SCSI Device ______________________________ 402
Generic SCSI on a Windows Host Operating System ________________ 402
Generic SCSI on a Linux Host Operating System ___________________ 404
Performance Tuning __________________________________________ 407
Configuring and Maintaining the Host Computer_____________________ 408
Location of the Working Directory ______________________________ 408
Defragmentation of Disk Drives ________________________________ 408
Adequate Free Disk Space ____________________________________ 409
NIC Interrupt Coalescing______________________________________ 409
Configuring VMware Workstation _________________________________ 410
General VMware Workstation Options ___________________________ 410
VMware Workstation on a Windows Host_________________________ 413
VMware Workstation on a Linux Host ____________________________ 415
Monitoring Virtual Machine Performance ___________________________ 416
Memory Usage Notes __________________________________________ 418
Virtual Machine Memory Size __________________________________ 418
Memory Use on the Host _____________________________________ 419
Using More Than 1GB of Memory on a Linux Host __________________ 422
Improving Performance for Guest Operating Systems _________________ 424
Windows 95 and Windows 98 Guest Operating System Performance Tips 424
Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Guest Operating
System Performance Tips _____________________________________ 426
Windows NT Disk Performance on Multiprocessor Hosts _____________ 427
Linux Guest Operating System Performance Tips___________________ 427
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Disk I/O Performance Tips _______________________________________ 429
Memory Trimming __________________________________________ 429
Page Sharing_______________________________________________ 429
Special-Purpose Configuration Options _________________________ 431
Locking Out Interface Features ___________________________________ 433
Removing a Forgotten Password _______________________________ 434
Restricting the User Interface ____________________________________ 435
Automatically Returning to a Snapshot with a Restricted User Interface _ 436
Using Full Screen Switch Mode ___________________________________ 438
Creating a Virtual Machine for Use in Full Screen Switch Mode ________ 438
Moving a Virtual Machine to the User’s Computer __________________ 439
Setting Configuration Options on the User’s Computer ______________ 439
Starting and Stopping Virtual Machines on the User’s Computer ______ 443
Guest ACPI S1 Sleep ___________________________________________ 446
Glossary ____________________________________________________ 447
Index ______________________________________________________ 453
CHAPTER 1
15
Introduction and System
Requirements
This chapter discusses the following topics:
•Product Overview on page 16
•What’s New in Version 5 on page 19
•Host System Requirements on page 23
•Virtual Machine Specifications on page 27
•Supported Guest Operating Systems on page 30
•Technical Support Resources on page 32
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VMware Workstation 5 User’s Manual
Product Overview
Thank you for choosing VMware® Workstation, the powerful virtual machine software
for enterprise IT professionals.
Run the operating systems and applications you need — all on a single desktop
Powerful Virtual Machine Software for the Technical
Professional
VMware Workstation is desktop software for developers and IT professionals that
allows you to run multiple x86-based desktop and server operating systems
simultaneously on a single PC, in fully networked, portable virtual machines — with
no rebooting or hard drive partitioning required.
With VMware Workstation, you spend less time procuring and configuring, and more
time testing and deploying. Over three million software development, quality
assurance, and IT professionals worldwide find VMware Workstation an indispensable
tool.
Key benefits include:
•Run multiple operating systems simultaneously on a single physical
machine — VMware Workstation is desktop software for software developers
CHAPTER 1 Introduction and System Requirements
17
and IT professionals that allows a single PC to simultaneously run multiple x86-
based operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and NetWare, and their
applications in fully networked, portable virtual machines - without rebooting or
hard drive partitioning. The result is reduced hardware expenditures and quicker
access to different computing environments. Additionally, VMware Workstation
lets users avoid platform lock-in and preserve the freedom and flexibility to
deploy the most appropriate platforms for their needs.
•Revolutionize software development and testing — VMware Workstation
streamlines software development and testing by letting users create multiple
development and testing environments as virtual machines on a single PC.
Developers can create a library of virtual machines and use them to easily
develop and test applications on multiple operating systems, or to quickly create
and test “real-world” multi-tier configurations or virtual networks. Developers
can also use the multiple snapshot capabilities of Workstation to capture and
manage point-in-time configurations to facilitate debugging and give a
developer the ability to easily revert back to stable configurations should an
error occur during testing. VMware Workstation enables developers to reduce
configuration and set-up time, and instead focus on development and testing.
•Enhance productivity of enterprise IT professionals — VMware Workstation
allows system administrators, system engineers, and other enterprise IT
professionals to create and test multiple computing environments as virtual
machines on a single PC prior to deploying these environments on physical PCs
or servers in a production environment. This dramatically reduces hardware
costs and the time and risk associated with IT tasks such as deploying new
applications, application updates, and operating system patches. Additionally, IT
help desk departments can create a virtual library of corporate desktop and
server configurations that they can quickly access and manipulate (and then
“undo” if necessary), thereby improving their responsiveness and effectiveness
when troubleshooting end-user problems.
•Facilitate team collaboration — VMware Workstation lets users easily
collaborate with their colleagues and share virtual machines. Once a computing
environment — OS, associated applications, disk images, memory, etc. — has
been turned into a virtual machine, it becomes a set of hardware-independent,
encapsulated files that are highly portable and can be shared with any other
Workstation user. A virtual machine can be placed on a shared drive where
others can quickly access and upload it. Features in Workstation such as linked
clones and video capture further facilitate team collaboration.
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VMware Workstation 5 User’s Manual
•Introduce Virtual Infrastructure to your enterprise — Virtual machines
created in Workstation can be deployed to the other desktop and server
virtualization platforms offered by VMware. Introducing VMware Workstation
virtualization to the desktop is an ideal first step to transforming your physical IT
infrastructure into virtual infrastructure.
Overview of This Manual
If you’re a veteran user of VMware products, take a few minutes to see What’s New in
Version 5 on page 19, and check out Upgrading VMware Workstation on page 51.
If you’re new to VMware Workstation, this is the place to start.
•The first chapters of this manual — through Running VMware Workstation on
page 139 — introduce you to some of the things you can do with VMware
Workstation and guide you through the key steps for installing the software and
putting it to work.
•Later chapters provide in-depth reference material for getting the most out of
the sophisticated features of VMware Workstation.
About the Host and Guest Computers
The terms host and guest describe your physical and virtual machines:
•The physical computer on which you install the VMware Workstation software is
called the host computer, and its operating system is called the host operating
system.
•The operating system running inside a virtual machine is called a guest
operating system.
•For definitions of these and other special terms, see Glossary on page 447.
CHAPTER 1 Introduction and System Requirements
19
What’s New in Version 5
Multiple Snapshots
VMware Workstation 5 greatly enhances the snapshot functionality available in
previous releases of the product by allowing you to take a series of point-in-time,
saved-to-disk snapshots of running virtual machines. This makes it easier to capture
and switch between multiple configurations and accelerates testing and debugging.
Should a problem arise during testing, you can easily revert to a prior, stable snapshot.
The new snapshot manager displays thumbnails of all your snapshots on a single
screen, making it easy for you to track and revert to a previously saved snapshot. Also,
when reverting to a previously saved snapshot, Workstation creates a new branch
automatically, so other snapshots continue to be available. See Using Snapshots on
page 251.
Teams
Teams functionality makes it easier to manage connected virtual machines and
simulate “real-world” multitier configurations. A team is your designated group of
virtual machines and the private networks that connect them.
Teams allow you to configure power operations, such as powering on and off and
suspending or resuming virtual machines, in the exact sequence you desire. You
determine network characteristics between the virtual machines in a team, including
network bandwidth and packet loss percentages. The console view displays active
thumbnails of all the virtual machines in a team, allowing you to easily identify and
switch between any of the virtual machines on your team. See Configuring Teams on
page 277.
Clones
Clones simplify the process of copying a virtual machine. Clones facilitate
collaborative testing and debugging, and let colleagues share virtual machines more
easily. You can duplicate a virtual machine as a linked clone or a full clone.
•Linked clones make it easy to set up a library of baseline virtual machines on a
shared drive, to be accessed and shared by you and others, without using
unnecessary disk space on local machines.
•A full clone — a complete copy — is also available when you need an identical
virtual machine without the need to locate files within the host file system or to
tediously install everything required to duplicate an existing guest configuration.
See Cloning a Virtual Machine on page 267.
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VMware Workstation 5 User’s Manual
Improved Performance for Virtual Machines Running
Concurrently
Workstation 5 includes significant improvements in memory utilization when virtual
machines are used concurrently. This allows you to efficiently run multiple virtual
machines with much less total memory.
Improved Networking Performance
Workstation 5 offers optional, enhanced networking performance by leveraging
VMware's custom network driver. Once you install the updated VMware Tools, the
necessary network drivers integrate seamlessly to offer significantly improved
network performance.
Improved Suspend/Resume and Snapshot Operations
Workstation 5 performs significantly faster suspend/resume and snapshot operations,
enabling you to spend more time testing and less time waiting for power operations
to execute.
New Host Operating System Support
•SUSE Linux Pro 9.2
•SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9.0
•Mandrake Linux 10
•Windows Server 2003 SP1
•Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.0
New Guest Operating System Support
•Windows Small Business Server 2000
•Red Hat Linux Advanced Server 3.0
•SUSE Linux Pro 9.2
•SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9.0
•Mandrake Linux 10
•Novell NetWare 6.5 SP3
•Novell NetWare 5.1 SP8
•Novell Linux Desktop 9
•Sun Java Desktop System
•Windows Server 2003 SP1
CHAPTER 1 Introduction and System Requirements
21
•Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.0 beta
•SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 SP1 (experimental support)
•Various other service pack updates and kernel updates
Improved 64-bit Host Support
•Workstation 5 includes hardware support for AMD Opteron, AMD Athlon 64, and
Intel EM64T.
•Software support includes 64-bit host operating systems:
•Windows XP (experimental support)
•Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3.0
•SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 7, 8, 9
•Windows Server 2003 SP1
•Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.0
Isochronous USB support
Workstation 5 offers support for isochronous USB input devices such as Web cameras
and microphones, as well as output devices such as speakers. Use your webcam or
work with multitrack audio within your guest operating system.
Command Line Interface
Workstation 5 offers a new command line interface, enabling you to create scripts to
automate certain manual steps. See Command Line Reference on page 91.
Movie Record and Playback
Workstation 5 offers the ability to record your actions within a virtual machine and
save the movie in an AVI format, facilitating team collaboration. Replay the resulting
AVI file on any PC equipped with an AVI player. A free Windows player is available for
download from the VMware Web site.
Record steps to reproduce defects in a particular configuration, or record
configuration steps prior to running an application. Share the movie with colleagues
to enable team collaboration. See Creating a Movie of a Virtual Machine on page 165.
Improved Linux User Interface
Workstation 5 offers a new GTK+, version 2-based user interface on Linux, which
provides an improved look and feel, and enhanced usability.
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VMware Workstation 5 User’s Manual
Easier Upgrades and VMware Tools Installation Improvements
Starting with Workstation 5, on Windows hosts you can automatically install a new
release over an existing Workstation release. The installer automatically uninstalls the
previous version before installing the new version. Workstation 5 also streamlines
VMware Tools installation for Linux virtual machines by allowing users to install
VMware Tools without exiting the X session. See Upgrading VMware Workstation on
page 51, and Installing VMware Tools on page 120.
Support for NX bit
Support for the NX bit and XD bit improves security for guest operating systems that
take advantage of the feature.
Workstation 5 now supports the no execute and execute disable bit for guest
operating systems that can leverage it. Aimed at thwarting malicious buffer overruns,
NX and XD allow properly written applications to designate memory space as
nonexecutable, so that no code can be executed from that memory space.
Experimental Support for Direct3D
Workstation 5 includes experimental support for Direct3D video acceleration. This
feature is not fully functional. For information on configuring a virtual machine for 3-D
support, see Experimental Support for Direct3D on page 363
Experimental Support for Guest ACPI S1 Sleep
Workstation 5 VMware Tools provide experimental support for guest operating
systems that enable ACPI S1 sleep. (This feature requires you to have the latest
VMware Tools installed.) For detailed configuration options, see Guest ACPI S1 Sleep
on page 446.
VMware Virtual Machine Importer
This standalone utility allows you to convert your Microsoft® virtual machines — from
either Virtual PC or Microsoft Virtual Server — into a VMware virtual machine. The
VMware virtual machine is compatible with Workstation 4 or 5, completely
independent of the previous format, ready to use with all the enhanced VMware
Workstation functionality. The original file remains intact. See Converting a VirtualPC
Virtual Machine on page 113.
CHAPTER 1 Introduction and System Requirements
23
Host System Requirements
What do you need to get the most out of VMware Workstation 5? Take the following
list of requirements as a starting point. Like physical computers, the virtual machines
running under VMware Workstation generally perform better if they have faster
processors and more memory.
PC Hardware
•Standard x86-compatible personal computer
•400 MHz or faster CPU minimum (500 MHz recommended)
Compatible processors include
•Intel®: Celeron®, Pentium® II, Pentium III, Pentium 4, Pentium M (including
computers with Centrino™ mobile technology), Xeon™ (including “Prestonia”)
•AMD™: Athlon™, Athlon MP, Athlon XP, Duron™, Opteron™
•Experimental support for AMD Sempron™
For additional information, including notes on processors that are not
compatible, see the VMware knowledge base at www.vmware.com/support/kb/
enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=967.
•Multiprocessor systems supported
•64-bit processor support for AMD64 Opteron, Athlon 64 and Intel IA-32e CPU
(including “Nocona”)
Memory
•128 MB minimum (256 MB recommended)
You must have enough memory to run the host operating system, plus the memory
required for each guest operating system and for applications on the host and guest.
See your guest operating system and application documentation for their memory
requirements.
Display
•16-bit or 32-bit display adapter recommended
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Disk Drives
Guest operating systems can reside on physical disk partitions or in virtual disk files.
Hard DIsk
•IDE and SCSI hard drives supported, up to 950GB capacity
•At least 1GB free disk space recommended for each guest operating system and
the application software used with it; if you use a default setup, the actual disk
space needs are approximately the same as those for installing and running the
guest operating system and applications on a physical computer.
•For Installation — 80MB (Linux) or 150MB (Windows) free disk space required
for basic installation. You can delete the installer afterwards to reclaim 56 – 60MB.
Optical CD-ROM/DVD-ROM Drive
•IDE and SCSI optical drives supported
•CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives supported
•ISO disk image files supported
Local Area Networking (Optional)
•Any Ethernet controller supported by the host operating system
•Non-Ethernet networks supported using built-in network address translation
(NAT) or using a combination of host-only networking plus routing software on
the host operating system
Host Operating System
VMware Workstation is available for both Windows and Linux host operating systems.
Windows Host Operating Systems (32-bit)
•Windows Server 2003 Web Edition, Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition,
Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition, Service Pack 1 (listed versions also
supported with no service pack)
•Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 1 or 2
(listed versions also supported with no service pack)
•Windows 2000 Professional Service Pack 3 or 4, Windows 2000 Server Service
Pack 3 or 4, Windows 2000 Advanced Server Service Pack 3 or 4 (listed versions
also supported with no service pack)
CHAPTER 1 Introduction and System Requirements
25
Windows Host Operating Systems (64-bit)
•Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 64-bit edition
•Experimental support for prerelease Windows XP 64-bit edition
Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher is required for the Windows online help system.
Linux Host Operating Systems
Supported distributions and kernels are listed below. VMware Workstation may not
run on systems that do not meet these requirements.
Note: As newer Linux kernels and distributions are released, VMware modifies and
tests its products for stability and reliability on those host platforms. We make every
effort to add support for new kernels and distributions in a timely manner, but until a
kernel or distribution is added to the list below, its use with our products is not
supported. Look for newer prebuilt modules in the download area of our Web site. Go
to www.vmware.com/download/.
•Mandrake Linux 10 — stock 2.6.3-7
•Mandrake Linux 9.0 — stock 2.4.19
•Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS/ES/WS 4.0 — stock 2.6.9-5, 64-bit
•Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS/ES/WS 3.0 — stock 2.4.21, update 2.4.21-15.EL, 64-
bit
•Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1 — stock 2.4.9-e3
•Red Hat Linux Advanced Server 2.1 — stock 2.4.9-e3
•Red Hat Linux 9.0 — stock 2.4.20-8, upgrade 2.4.20-20.9
•Red Hat Linux 8.0 — stock 2.4.18
•Red Hat Linux 7.3 — stock 2.4.18
•Red Hat Linux 7.2 — stock 2.4.7-10, upgrade 2.4.9-7, upgrade 2.4.9-13, upgrade
2.4.9-21, upgrade 2.4.9-31
•SUSE Linux 9.2 — stock 9.2-2.6.8-24.11
•SUSE Linux 9.1 — stock 2.6.4-52
•SUSE Linux 9.0 — stock 2.4.21-99
•SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9.0 — 32-bit, 64-bit, SP1(listed versions also
supported with no service pack)
•SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 — stock 2.4.19, 64-bit
•SUSE Linux 8.2 — stock 2.4.20
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•SUSE Linux 8.1 — stock 2.4.19
•SUSE Linux 8.0 — stock 2.4.18
•SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 7 — stock 2.4.7 and patch 2
•SUSE Linux 7.3 — stock 2.4.10
Platforms not listed above are not supported.
A Web browser is required for the Help system.
CHAPTER 1 Introduction and System Requirements
27
Virtual Machine Specifications
Each virtual machine created with VMware Workstation 5 provides a platform that
includes the following devices that your guest operating system can see.
Processor
•Same processor as that on host computer
Note: A 64-bit processor runs in 32-bit legacy mode inside the virtual machine.
•Single processor per virtual machine on symmetric multiprocessor systems
Chip Set
•Intel 440BX-based motherboard
•NS338 SIO
•82093AA IOAPIC
BIOS
•PhoenixBIOS™ 4.0 Release 6 with VESA BIOS
Memory
•Up to 3.6GB, depending on host memory
•Maximum of 4GB total available for all virtual machines
Graphics
•VGA and SVGA support
IDE Drives
•Up to four devices — disks, CD-ROM or DVD-ROM (DVD drives can be used to
read data DVD-ROM discs; DVD video is not supported)
•Hard disks can be virtual disks or physical disks
•IDE virtual disks up to 950GB
•CD-ROM can be a physical device or an ISO image file
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SCSI Devices
•Up to seven devices
•SCSI virtual disks up to 950GB
•Hard disks can be virtual disks or physical disks
•Generic SCSI support allows devices to be used without need for drivers in the
host operating system. Works with scanners, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, tape drives
and other SCSI devices
•LSI Logic® LSI53C10xx Ultra320 SCSI I/O controller
•Mylex® (BusLogic) BT-958 compatible host bus adapter (requires add-on driver
from VMware for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003)
Floppy Drives
•Up to two 1.44MB floppy devices
•Physical drives or floppy image files
Serial (COM) Ports
•Up to four serial (COM) ports
•Output to serial ports, Windows or Linux files, or named pipes
Parallel (LPT) Ports
•Up to two bidirectional parallel (LPT) ports
•Output to parallel ports or host operating system files
USB ports
•Two-port USB 1.1 UHCI controller
•Supports most devices including USB printers, scanners, PDAs, hard disk drives,
memory card readers and digital cameras, as well as streaming devices such as
webcams, speakers, and microphones.
Keyboard
•104-key Windows 95/98 enhanced
Mouse and Drawing Tablets
•PS/2 mouse
•Serial tablets supported
CHAPTER 1 Introduction and System Requirements
29
Ethernet Card
•Up to three virtual Ethernet cards
•AMD PCnet-PCI II compatible
Sound
•Sound output and input
•Emulates Creative Labs Sound Blaster AudioPCI (MIDI input, game controllers
and joysticks are not supported, except for USB devices)
Virtual Networking
•Support for nine or more virtual Ethernet switches, depending on the host
operating system. Three switches are configured by default for bridged, host-
only, and NAT networking.
•Support for most Ethernet-based protocols, including TCP/IP, NetBEUI, Microsoft
Networking, Samba, Novell Netware, and Network File System.
•Built-in NAT supports client software using TCP/IP, FTP, DNS, HTTP, and Telnet,
including VPN support for PPTP over NAT.
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Supported Guest Operating Systems
The operating systems listed here have been tested in VMware Workstation 5 virtual
machines and are officially supported. For notes on installing the most common guest
operating systems, see the VMware Guest Operating System Installation Guide, available
from the VMware Web site or from the Help menu.
Operating systems that are not listed are not supported for use in a VMware
Workstation virtual machine. For the most recent list of supported guest operating
systems, see the following page from the online Workstation 5 documentation on the
VMware Web site, www.vmware.com/support/ws/doc/intro_supguest_ws.html.
Microsoft Windows 32-bit
•Experimental support for Windows, code-named Longhorn, beta
•Windows Server 2003 Web Edition, Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition, Small
Business Server 2003; Service Pack 1 (listed versions also supported with no
service pack)
•Windows XP Professional and Home Edition Service Pack 1 or 2 (listed versions
also supported with no service pack)
•Windows 2000 Professional and Server Service Pack 1, 2, 3 or 4 (listed versions
also supported with no service pack), Windows 2000 Advanced Server Service
Pack 3 or 4
•Windows NT® Workstation and Server 4.0 Service Pack 6a required, Windows NT
4.0 Terminal Server Edition Service Pack 6 required
•Windows Me
•Windows 98 (including all Customer Service Packs) and Windows 98 SE
•Windows 95 (including Service Pack 1 and all OSR releases)
•Windows for Workgroups 3.11
•Windows 3.1
Microsoft MS-DOS
•MS-DOS 6.x
CHAPTER 1 Introduction and System Requirements
31
Linux
•Mandrake Linux 8.2, 9.0, 9.2, 10
•Red Hat Linux 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 8.0, 9.0
•Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS/ES/WS 4.0 (32-bit)
•Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS/ES/WS 2.1, 3.0
•Red Hat Enterprise Linux Advanced Server 2.1
•SUSE Linux 7.3, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2.
•SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 7, 7 patch 2, 8, 9, 9 SP1
•Turbolinux 7.0, Enterprise Server 8, Workstation 8
•Novell Linux Desktop 9
•Sun Java Desktop System (JDS) 2
Novell Netware
•Netware Server 5.1 SP8, 6.0 SP4, 6.5 SP3
FreeBSD
•FreeBSD 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6.2, 4.8, 5.0
Note: If you use SCSI virtual disks larger than 2GB with FreeBSD 4.0–4.3, there
are known problems, and the guest operating system does not boot. To work
around this issue, see the VMware Guest Operating System Installation Guide,
available from the VMware Web site or from the Help menu.
Sun Solaris
•Experimental support for Solaris x86 Platform Edition 9, 10 beta
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Technical Support Resources
Documentation on the Web
You can find full documentation for VMware Workstation, including the latest updates
to the manual, on the VMware Web site, at www.vmware.com/support/pubs/
ws_pubs.htm
VMware Knowledge Base
You can find troubleshooting notes and tips for advanced users in the knowledge
base on the VMware Web site at www.vmware.com/kb.
VMware User Community
The VMware user community includes VMware-sponsored discussion forums and
newsgroups.
Community Discussion Forums
The VMware Community is a set of moderated discussion forums hosted on the
VMware Web site, open to all VMware users. In the forums, you can share your
experiences in using VMware products, raise technical questions or issues, and benefit
from the expertise and advice of other VMware users. The VMware community forum
is at www.vmware.com/community.
Newsgroups
The VMware newsgroups are primarily forums for users to help each other. You are
encouraged to read and post issues, work-arounds, and fixes. While VMware
personnel may read and post to the newsgroups, they are not a channel for official
support. The VMware NNTP news server is at news.vmware.com.
For more information on the forums and newsgroups, see www.vmware.com/
vcommunity/newsgroups.html.
Reporting Problems
If you have problems while running VMware Workstation, please report them to the
VMware support team.
These guidelines describe the information we need from you to diagnose problems.
If a virtual machine exits abnormally or crashes, please run the support script to
collect the appropriate log files and system information. Follow the steps below that
apply to your host computer.
CHAPTER 1 Introduction and System Requirements
33
Windows Host
1. Open a command prompt.
2. Change to the VMware Workstation program directory.
C:
cd \Program Files\VMware\VMware Workstation
If you did not install the program in the default directory, use the appropriate
drive letter and path in the cd command above.
3. Run the support script.
cscript vm-support.vbs
4. After the script runs, it displays the name of the directory where it has stored its
output. Use a file compression utility such as WinZip or PKZIP to zip that
directory, and include the zip file with your support request.
Linux Host
1. Open a terminal.
2. Run the support script as the user who is running the virtual machine.
vm-support
If you are not running the script as root, the script displays messages indicating
that it cannot collect some information. This is normal. If the VMware support
team needs that information, a support representative will ask you to run the
script again as root.
3. The script creates a compressed .tgz file in the current directory. Include that
output file with your support request.
If you are reporting a problem you encountered while installing VMware Workstation,
it is also helpful to have your installation log file.
On a Windows host, the file is VMInst.log. It is saved in your temp folder. On a
Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 host, the default location is
C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Temp.
You can use the command cd %temp% to locate the Local Settings folder,
which is hidden by default. To see its contents, open My Computer, go to Tools >
Folder Options, click the View tab and select Show Hidden Files and Folders.
Be sure to register your serial number. You may then report your problems by
submitting a support request at www.vmware.com/requestsupport.
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Where to Go Next
•Installing VMware Workstation on page 35
•Upgrading VMware Workstation on page 51
CHAPTER 2
35
Installing VMware Workstation
This chapter discusses how to install VMware Workstation on your Linux or Windows
host system:
•Selecting Your Host System on page 36
•Upgrading from Previous Versions on page 36
•Installing VMware Workstation 5 on a Windows Host on page 37
•Installing Workstation on a Windows Host on page 38
•Installing VMware Workstation Silently on page 41
•Uninstalling VMware Workstation 5 on a Windows Host on page 43
•Installing VMware Workstation 5 on a Linux Host on page 44
•Before Installing on a Linux Host on page 45
•Installing Workstation on a Linux Host on page 45
•Configuring with vmware-config.pl on page 48
•Web Browser Required on page 48
•Uninstalling VMware Workstation 5 on a Linux Host on page 49
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Selecting Your Host System
VMware Workstation is available for both Windows and Linux host computers. The
installation files for both host platforms are included on the same CD-ROM.
Your serial number allows you to use VMware Workstation only on the host operating
system for which you licensed the software. If you have a serial number for a Windows
host, you cannot run the software on a Linux host, and vice versa.
To use VMware Workstation on a different host operating system — for example, to
use it on a Linux host if you have licensed the software for a Windows host —
purchase a license on the VMware Web site. You may also get an evaluation license at
no charge for a 30-day evaluation of the software. For more information, see
www.vmware.com/download/.
•To install on a supported Windows host computer, see Installing VMware
Workstation 5 on a Windows Host on page 37.
•To install on a Linux host computer, see Installing VMware Workstation 5 on a
Linux Host on page 44.
Upgrading from Previous Versions
If you are upgrading from a previous version of VMware Workstation, read Upgrading
VMware Workstation on page 51 before you begin.
Workstation Cannot Share a Host with Other VMware Products
You cannot have VMware Workstation installed on the same host machine with
another VMware product, such as VMware GSX Server, VMware ACE, or the VMware
Virtual Machine Console. The only VMware product that can share a host machine
with Workstation is the VMware VirtualCenter client software. If you plan to install
VMware Workstation on a host machine that already contains another VMware
product, you must uninstall that product first.
CHAPTER 2 Installing VMware Workstation
37
Installing VMware Workstation 5
on a Windows Host
Getting started with VMware Workstation is simple. The key steps are
1. Install the VMware Workstation software as described in Installing Workstation
on a Windows Host on page 38.
2. Start VMware Workstation and enter your serial number.
You need to do this only once — during the installation process when prompted
or through Help > Enter Serial Number.
If you don't already have a serial number from a previous installation, the installer
prompts you for the serial number during installation. If you choose not to enter
the serial number during installation, you can enter it later by going to
Help > Enter Serial Number.
3. Create a virtual machine using the New Virtual Machine Wizard. See Creating a
New Virtual Machine on page 101.
4. Install a guest operating system in the new virtual machine. You need the
installation media (CD-ROM or floppy disks) for your guest operating system. See
Installing a Guest Operating System and VMware Tools on page 117.
5. Install the VMware Tools package in your virtual machine for enhanced
performance. See Installing VMware Tools on page 120.
6. Start using your virtual machine.
Before you begin, be sure you have
•A computer and host operating system that meet the system requirements for
running VMware Workstation. See Host System Requirements on page 23.
•The VMware Workstation installation software. If you bought the packaged
distribution of VMware Workstation, the installation software is on the CD in your
package. If you bought the electronic distribution, the installation software is in
the file you downloaded.
•Your VMware Workstation serial number. The serial number is included in the
VMware Workstation package or in the email message confirming your
electronic distribution order.
•The installation CD or disks for your guest operating system.
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Installing Workstation on a Windows Host
1. Log on to your Microsoft Windows host as the Administrator user or as a user
who is a member of the Windows Administrators group.
Note: To install Workstation on a Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 host
computer, you must log on as local administrator (that is, not be logged on to
the domain, unless your domain account is also a local administrator).
Although an administrator must install Workstation on Windows XP or Windows
Server 2003, a normal user — without administrative privileges — can run the
program after it is installed.
Note: Keep in mind that you need one license for each user.
2. If you are installing from a CD, from the Start menu, choose Run and enter
D:\setup.exe, where D: is the drive letter for your CD-ROM drive.
If you are installing from a downloaded file, from the Start menu, choose Run,
browse to the directory where you saved the downloaded installer file and run
the installer. (The filename is similar to VMwareWorkstation-
<xxxx>.exe, where <xxxx> is a series of numbers representing the version
and build numbers.)
3. Click Next to dismiss the Welcome dialog box.
CHAPTER 2 Installing VMware Workstation
39
4. Acknowledge the end user license agreement (EULA).
Select the Yes, I accept the terms in the license agreement option, then click
Next.
5. Choose the directory in which to install VMware Workstation.
To install it in a directory other than the default, click Change and browse to your
directory of choice. If the directory does not exist, the installer creates it for you.
Click Next.
Caution: Do not install VMware Workstation on a network drive.
Note: Windows and the Microsoft Installer limit the length of a path to a folder
on a local drive to 255 characters. For a path to a folder on a mapped or shared
drive, the limit is 240 characters. If the path to the VMware Workstation program
folder exceeds this limit, an error message appears. You must select or enter a
shorter path.
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6. Select the shortcuts that you want the installer to create.
Choices include Desktop, Start menu, and Quick Launch toolbar. Deselect any
shortcuts you do not want the installer to create.
7. If the installer detects that the Windows CD-ROM autorun feature is enabled, you
see a message that gives you the option to disable this feature. Disabling
autorun prevents undesirable interactions with the virtual machines you install
on this system.
8. The installer has gathered the necessary information and is ready to begin
installing the software.
If you want to change any settings or information you provided, now is the time
to make those changes. Click Back until you reach the dialog box containing the
information you want to change.
If you do not need to make any changes, click Install. The installer begins
copying files to your computer.
CHAPTER 2 Installing VMware Workstation
41
9. (Optional) Enter your name, company name and serial number, then click Next.
Your serial number is on the registration card in your package. The user and
company information you enter here is then made available in the About box
(Help > About VMware Workstation).
Note: If you skip this step, you must enter your serial number later, before you
can power on a virtual machine.
10. Click Finish. The VMware Workstation software is installed.
11. Some installations may require that you reboot your PC. Reboot now to allow
VMware Workstation to complete the installation correctly.
Installing VMware Workstation Silently
If you are installing VMware Workstation on a number of Windows host computers —
in a corporate environment, for example — you may want to use the silent installation
features of the Microsoft Windows Installer.
Before installing VMware Workstation silently, you must ensure that the host
computer has version 2.0 or higher of the MSI runtime engine. This version of the
installer is available in versions of Windows beginning with Windows XP and is
available separately from Microsoft.
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The following steps outline the procedures for a silent install. For additional details on
using the Microsoft Windows Installer, see the Microsoft Web site.
1. Silently extract the administrative installation image from the VMware
Workstation installer:
setup.exe /a /s /v"/qn TARGETDIR=<InstallTempPath>"
setup.exe is the name of the installer on the CD distribution. If you are using
a downloaded installer, the filename is similar to VMwareWorkstation-
<xxxx>.exe, where <xxxx> is a series of numbers representing the version
and build numbers.
<InstallTempPath> is the full path to the folder where you want to store
the administrative installation image.
2. Run a silent installation using msiexec and the administrative installation
image you extracted in the previous step:
msiexec -i "<InstallTempPath>\VMware Workstation.msi"
[INSTALLDIR="<PathToProgramDirectory>"] ADDLOCAL=ALL
[REMOVE=<featurename,featurename>] /qn
Enter the command on one line. If you want to install VMware Workstation in a
location other than the default, change the path that follows INSTALLDIR= to
specify the desired location.
You may use the optional REMOVE= property to skip installation of certain
features. The REMOVE= property can take one or more of the following values:
If you specify more than one value, use a comma to separate the values. For
example, REMOVE=Authd,NAT.
Note: If you specify REMOVE=Network, the installer skips installation of
certain networking components, including NAT and DHCP. There is no need to
specify DHCP or NAT separately.
Value Description
Authd The VMware authorization service
Network Networking components including the virtual bridge and the host adapters for
host only networking and NAT networking; do not remove if you want to use
NAT or DHCP
DHCP The virtual DHCP server
NAT The virtual NAT device
CHAPTER 2 Installing VMware Workstation
43
You may customize the installation further by adding any of the following
installation properties to the command using the format
PROPERTY="value". A value of 1 means true; a value of 0 means false. If you
use the serial number property, enter the serial number, complete with hyphens
(xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx).
Uninstalling VMware Workstation 5 on a Windows Host
To uninstall VMware Workstation 5, use the Add/Remove Programs control panel.
Select the entry for VMware Workstation, then click Remove. Follow the on-screen
instructions.
Property Effect of the Property Default
DESKTOP_SHORTCUT Installs a shortcut on the desktop 1
DISABLE_AUTORUN Disables CD autorun on the host 1
REMOVE_LICENSE (Uninstall only) Removes all stored licenses at uninstall 0
SERIALNUMBER Automatically enters the serial number
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Installing VMware Workstation 5
on a Linux Host
Getting started with VMware Workstation is simple. The key steps are
1. Install the VMware Workstation software as described in Installing Workstation
on a Linux Host on page 45.
2. Start VMware Workstation
3. Enter your serial number.
You need to do this only once. If you don't already have a serial number
configured from a previous installation, you are prompted for the serial number
when you start Workstation. To enter the serial number choose
Help > Enter Serial Number.
Note: You can install Workstation without a serial number. However you cannot
power on a virtual machine without entering a serial number.
4. Create a virtual machine using the New Virtual Machine Wizard. See Creating a
New Virtual Machine on page 101.
5. Install a guest operating system in the new virtual machine. You need the
installation media (CD-ROM or floppy disks) for your guest operating system. See
Installing a Guest Operating System and VMware Tools on page 117.
6. Install the VMware Tools package in your virtual machine for enhanced
performance. See Installing VMware Tools on page 120.
7. Start using your virtual machine.
CHAPTER 2 Installing VMware Workstation
45
Before Installing on a Linux Host
Before you begin, be sure you have
•A computer and host operating system that meet the system requirements for
running VMware Workstation. See Host System Requirements on page 23.
•The VMware Workstation installation software. If you bought the packaged
distribution of VMware Workstation, the installation software is on the CD in your
package. If you bought the electronic distribution, the installation software is in
the file you downloaded.
•Your VMware Workstation serial number. The serial number is included in the
VMware Workstation package or in the email message confirming your
electronic distribution order.
•The installation CD or disks for your guest operating system.
Check the following notes and make any necessary adjustments to the configuration
of your host operating system.
•vmware-distrib — If you have a previous tar installation, delete the previous
vmware-distrib directory before installing from a tar file again. The default
location of this directory is /tmp/vmware-distrib
•Clock — The real-time clock function must be compiled into your Linux kernel.
•Parallel port — VMware Workstation for Linux requires that the parallel port PC-
style hardware option (CONFIG_PARPORT_PC) be built and loaded as a kernel
module (that is, it must be set to m when the kernel is compiled).
Installing Workstation on a Linux Host
Note: The steps below describe an installation from a CD-ROM disc. If you
downloaded the software, the steps are the same except that you start from the
directory where you saved the installer file you downloaded, not from the Linux
directory on the CD.
1. Log on to your Linux host with the user name you plan to use when running
VMware Workstation.
2. In a terminal window, become root so you can perform the initial installation
steps.
su -
3. Mount the VMware Workstation CD-ROM.
4. Change to the Linux directory on the CD.
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5. Continue installation with the appropriate section for your desired installer:
•Using the tar Installer
•Using the RPM Installer
Using the tar Installer
Note: You may skip the steps for copying and unpacking the archive and
install directly from the vmware-distrib directory on the CD.
a. Copy the tar archive to a temporary directory on your hard drive — for
example, /tmp.
cp VMware-<xxxx>.tar.gz /tmp
b. Change to the directory to which you copied the file.
cd /tmp
c. Unpack the archive.
tar zxf VMware-<xxxx>.tar.gz
d. Change to the installation directory.
cd vmware-distrib
e. Run the installation program.
./vmware-install.pl
f. Accept the default directories for the binary files, library files, manual files,
documentation files and init script.
g. Answer Yes when prompted to run vmware-config.pl.
This completes the tar archive installation instructions. Skip the RPM installer
instructions and continue with step 6.
Using the RPM Installer
a. Run RPM specifying the installation file.
rpm -Uhv VMware-<xxxx>.rpm
VMware-<xxxx>.rpm is the installation file on the CDROM. In place of
<xxxx> the filename contains numbers that correspond to the version and
build.
b. Run the configuration program from the command line.
vmware-config.pl
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6. Press Enter to read the end user license agreement (EULA). You may page
through it faster by pressing the space bar. If the Do you accept prompt
doesn’t appear, press Q to get to the next prompt.
7. The remaining prompts are worded in such a way that, in most cases, the default
response is appropriate.
Note: If you do not enable host-only networking when you install Workstation,
you cannot allow a virtual machine to use both bridged and host-only
networking.
8. The configuration program displays a message saying the configuration
completed successfully. If it does not display this message, run the configuration
program again.
9. When done, exit from the root account.
exit
Install VMware Tools after you install a guest operating system. See Installing VMware
Tools on page 120.
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Configuring with vmware-config.pl
Use vmware-config.pl to configure your installation of VMware Workstation.
Note: If you run the RPM installer, you need to run this program separately from the
command line. If you install from the tar archive, the installer offers to launch the
configuration program for you. Answer Yes when you see the prompt.
Required Configuration Changes
Configuration with vmware-config.pl is required in the following
circumstances:
•When you install VMware Workstation the first time.
•When you upgrade your version of Workstation.
•When you upgrade your host operating system kernel. (It is not necessary to
reinstall VMware Workstation after you upgrade your kernel.)
•To reconfigure the networking options for VMware Workstation — for example,
to add or remove host-only networking.
Location of vmware-config.pl
The installer places vmware-config.pl in /usr/bin. If /usr/bin is not in
your default path, run the program with the following command:
/usr/bin/vmware-config.pl
Web Browser Required
To use the VMware Workstation Help system, you must have a Web browser installed
on your host computer.
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Uninstalling VMware Workstation 5 on a Linux Host
Uninstalling an RPM Installation of Workstation
If you used the RPM installer to install VMware Workstation, remove the software from
your system by running
rpm -e VMwareWorkstation*
Note: The asterisk symbol * is a wildcard for the build number.
Uninstalling a tar Installation of Workstation
If you used the tar installer to install VMware Workstation, remove the software from
your system by running
vmware-uninstall.pl
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Where to Go Next
•Learning VMware Workstation Basics on page 61
•Creating a New Virtual Machine on page 101
•Running VMware Workstation on page 139
CHAPTER 3
51
Upgrading VMware Workstation
This chapter discusses how to upgrade VMware Workstation 3 or 4 on your Linux or
Windows host system, and how to use existing virtual machines under VMware
Workstation 5:
•Preparing for the Upgrade on page 52
•Upgrading on a Windows Host on page 55
•Upgrading on a Linux Host on page 56
•Using Workstation 4 Virtual Machines in Workstation 5 on page 57
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Preparing for the Upgrade
Before You Install VMware Workstation 5
There are a few steps you should take — while your previous version of VMware
Workstation is still on your computer and before you install VMware Workstation 5 —
to ensure the best possible upgrade experience.
Resume and Shut Down Suspended Virtual Machines
If you plan to use virtual machines created in an earlier version of VMware Workstation
5, be sure they have been shut down completely before you remove the release you
used to create them.
If the virtual machine is suspended, resume it in the earlier release, shut down the
guest operating system, then power off the virtual machine.
Note: If you attempt to resume a virtual machine that was suspended under a
different VMware product or a different version of VMware Workstation, a dialog box
gives you the choice of discarding or keeping the file that stores the suspended state.
To recover the suspended state, you must click Keep, then resume the virtual machine
under the correct VMware product. If you click Discard, you can power on normally,
but the suspended state is lost.
Remove Snapshots
If the virtual machine you are upgrading has a snapshot, remove the snapshot before
upgrading.
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Make Sure All Disks Are in the Same Mode (Workstation 3 Only)
For upgrades from VMware Workstation 3 to Workstation 5:
•If you have an existing virtual machine with one or more virtual disks and all the
disks use persistent or undoable mode, upgrading is straightforward.
•If you have an existing virtual machine with one or more virtual disks and all the
disks use nonpersistent mode, you need to take a few special steps when you
upgrade VMware Tools. See www.vmware.com/info?id=44
•If you plan to use an existing virtual machine that has disks in undoable mode,
you must commit or discard any changes to the virtual disks before you remove
the Workstation 3 software that you used to create them.
•Resume or power on the virtual machine in the earlier release, shut down the
guest operating system, power off the virtual machine and either commit or
discard changes to the disk in undoable mode when prompted.
•If the disks are in persistent or nonpersistent mode, be sure the virtual machine is
completely shut down. If it is suspended, resume it, shut down the guest
operating system and power off the virtual machine.
•If you have an existing virtual machine that has multiple virtual disks and the
disks are in multiple modes, the simplest approach to upgrading is to convert all
the disks to persistent mode. Resume or power on the virtual machine in the
earlier release, shut down the guest operating system, power off the virtual
machine and either commit or discard changes to any undoable mode disks
when prompted. Then open the configuration editor and change all disks to
persistent mode.
If you need to preserve special functionality that requires disks in multiple modes,
review the information atwww.vmware.com/info?id=40 before you upgrade.
Back Up Virtual Machines
As a precaution, back up all the files in your virtual machine directories — including
the .vmdk or .dsk, .vmx or .cfg and nvram files — for any existing
virtual machines you plan to migrate to VMware Workstation 5. Depending on your
upgrade path, you may not be able to run your virtual machines under both VMware
Workstation 5 and your previous version of VMware Workstation.
Workstation 2 to 5 — Upgrading Workstation 2 virtual machines requires that you
first upgrade to Workstation 3 or 4. Direct upgrades from a Workstation 2 virtual
machine are not supported in Workstation 5.
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Workstation 3 to 5 — Virtual machines created under Workstation 3 must be
upgraded before they can run under Workstation 5. Once they are upgraded, they
cannot be run under Workstation 3.
Workstation 4 to 5 — Virtual machines created under Workstation 4 — or updated
to Workstation 4 — offer two options.
•You may update the virtual machine for full compatibility with Workstation 5.
However, a virtual machine upgraded to Workstation 5 can no longer be used
under Workstation 4.
•You may choose not to update the virtual machine. In that case, you can run the
virtual machine under both Workstation 4 and Workstation 5, but you do not
enable new features provided by Workstation 5. For example, you cannot take
multiple snapshots.
Removing Version 3 or 4 to Install Version 5
There is a key precaution you should take when you remove VMware Workstation 3 or
4 — or an earlier version of VMware Workstation 5 — to install VMware Workstation 5.
•Leave the existing license in place.
VMware Workstation installation procedures for your host may require that you run an
uninstaller to remove a previous version.
•On a Windows host, the uninstaller may ask if it should remove licenses from
your registry. Do not allow the uninstaller to remove the licenses. You can safely
keep licenses for multiple VMware products on the computer at the same time.
•On a Linux host, the license remains in place. You do not need to take any special
action. You may safely leave the license where it is.
The actual upgrade installation depends on your host operating system:
•Upgrading on a Windows Host on page 55
•Upgrading on a Linux Host on page 56
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Upgrading on a Windows Host
•You may upgrade from Workstation 4 to version 5 using the VMware Workstation
5 upgrade product.
•To upgrade from version 3 to version 5, you must have the full VMware
Workstation 5 product.
Upgrading from Version 4 or an Earlier Version 5 Release
1. Launch the Workstation 5 installer from your download directory or CDROM.
2. Reboot your computer if you are prompted to do so.
3. Allow the installer to complete the installation.
Upgrading from Version 3 to Version 5
1. Uninstall the Workstation version now installed on your computer. For details,
see Removing Version 3 on page 55.
Note: The uninstaller may offer to remove licenses from your registry. Do not
remove the licenses.
2. Reboot your computer.
3. Install version 5.
Note: When you are upgrading with an upgrade serial number, the installer
checks for the presence of a version 4 license on the computer. If it finds no
version 4 license, it prompts you to enter your version 4 serial number.
4. Reboot your computer.
Removing Version 3
1. Launch the VMware Workstation uninstaller.
Start > Programs > VMware > VMware Workstation Uninstallation
2. Click Yes.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions. You need to keep your existing license in the
Windows registry.
After you reboot, follow the instructions in Installing VMware Workstation 5 on a
Windows Host on page 37.
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Upgrading on a Linux Host
You may upgrade from version 4 to version 5 using the upgrade version of VMware
Workstation 5. To upgrade from version 3 to version 5, you must have the full version
of VMware Workstation 5. Upgrades from earlier versions of VMware Workstation are
not supported.
Note: When you are upgrading with the upgrade product, the installer checks for
the presence of a license on the computer. If it finds no license, it prompts you to
enter your previous version serial number.
Note: Starting with Workstation 5, Samba is no longer automatically configured
when you run vmware-config.pl.
The tar Upgrade Process
If you used the tar installer to install version 3 or 4 — or an earlier release of version 5
— and you plan to use the tar installer for version 5, you do not need to take any
special steps to uninstall the older version. Just follow the installation instructions
Installing VMware Workstation 5 on a Linux Host on page 44.
The RPM Upgrade Process
Take the following steps to upgrade to version 5 if you used the RPM installer to install
Workstation 3 or 4 — or an earlier release of version 5.
If you are currently using version 3.0, you need to uninstall the RPM package of
prebuilt modules that was installed with 3.0 before you uninstall the 3.0 software. You
do not need to take this step if you are currently using version 3.1.
1. Uninstall any previous version as root:
If you are running version 3.0, uninstall the prebuilt modules as root, then
uninstall VMware Workstation by running
rpm -e VMwareWorkstationKernelModules
rpm -e VMwareWorkstation
If you are running version 3.1, 3.2 or 4, or an earlier release of version 5, uninstall it
as root by running
rpm -e VMwareWorkstation*
Note: The asterisk symbol * is a wild card to account for the version number of
Workstation that was previously installed.
2. Install version 5 following the instructions in Installing VMware Workstation 5 on
a Linux Host on page 44.
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Using Workstation 4 Virtual
Machines in Workstation 5
There are, broadly speaking, three approaches you can take when you set up virtual
machines. Choose one of these approaches.
•Create Everything New from the Start on page 57
•Use a Legacy Virtual Machine without Upgrading on page 57
•Use a Legacy Virtual Machine with Upgrade on page 58
Only the latter two apply to virtual machines created under previous versions of
VMware Workstation.
Create Everything New from the Start
Use the New Virtual Machine Wizard to set up a new virtual machine and install a
guest operating system in the virtual machine as described in Creating a New Virtual
Machine on page 101. If you set up your virtual machines in this way, you are using
the latest technology and enjoy the performance benefits of the newest features.
Use a Legacy Virtual Machine without Upgrading
A legacy virtual machine is a virtual machine created in Workstation 4.x, GSX Server 3.x
and ESX Server 2.x. You can use such a virtual machine in Workstation 5.
•Upgrade VMware Tools to the new version following the instructions for your
guest operating system in Installing VMware Tools on page 120. You should not
remove the older version of VMware Tools before installing the new version.
•A VMware Workstation 4 virtual machine set up in this way should run without
problems. However, you will not have the benefits of certain new features,
including multiple snapshots, streaming USB devices, and performance
improvements.
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Use a Legacy Virtual Machine with Upgrade
If you upgrade an existing virtual machine from Workstation 4.x, GSX Server 3.x or ESX
Server 2.x, you gain access to new features and enjoy the performance benefits of the
new virtual machine, including:
•Multiple snapshots
•Streaming USB input devices
•Increased network bandwidth, optimized disk and memory cache
Notes on Upgrading a Virtual Machine
•If you previously installed the version of VMware Tools included in Workstation 5,
you must reinstall after the virtual machine upgrade and choose the “Repair”
option.
•If you are upgrading a virtual machine that runs from a physical disk, rather than
a virtual disk, you may see the following error message while VMware
Workstation is upgrading the virtual machine: “Unable to upgrade <drivename>.
One of the supplied parameters is invalid.” You may safely click OK to continue
the upgrade process.
•When you update a Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 virtual machine, the
Microsoft product activation feature requires you to reactivate the guest
operating system.
•The virtual machine upgrade is irreversible: Virtual machines upgraded to
Workstation 5 are incompatible with VMware Workstation 3, Workstation 4.x, GSX
Server 3.x and ESX Server 2.x. Make backup copies of your virtual disks before
starting the upgrade.
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Procedure to Upgrade Virtual Machines
1. Shut down the guest operating system and power off the virtual machine,
2. Choose VM > Upgrade Virtual Machine.
A dialog box appears, warning that the upgrade process cannot be reversed.
3. Click Yes to continue, then follow the on-screen directions.
4. Power on the virtual machine in Workstation 5.
5. Upgrade VMware Tools to the new version
Refer to Installing VMware Tools on page 120. Do not remove the older version
of VMware Tools before installing the new version.
Note: If you are upgrading a virtual machine that runs from a physical disk,
rather than a virtual disk, you may safely ignore the message: “Unable to upgrade
<drivename>. One of the supplied parameters is invalid.” Click OK to continue
the upgrade.
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Where to Go Next
•Learning VMware Workstation Basics on page 61
•Creating a New Virtual Machine on page 101
•Running VMware Workstation on page 139
CHAPTER 4
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Learning VMware Workstation
Basics
This chapter discusses launching the VMware Workstation program, and introduces
the VMware Workstation window.
•Launching VMware Workstation on page 62
•Overview of the VMware Workstation Window on page 64
•Checking for Product Updates on page 75
•Setting Preferences for VMware Workstation on page 76
•Virtual Machine Settings on page 83
•Command Line Reference on page 91
•Keyboard Shortcuts on page 95
•What Files Make Up a Virtual Machine? on page 96
The illustrations in these sections show a Windows XP guest operating system. Some
commands used in the illustrations are different from those used in other guest
operating systems.
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Launching VMware Workstation
The method of starting the VMware Workstation application depends on your host
operating system.
•Launching VMware Workstation on a Windows Host
•Launching VMware Workstation on a Linux Host
Launching VMware Workstation on a Windows Host
Launch VMware Workstation by double-clicking the shortcut on your desktop or
launch the program from the Start menu (Start > Programs > VMware > VMware
Workstation).
The VMware Workstation window opens.
The Workstation window: Windows host
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Launching VMware Workstation on a Linux Host
1. Open a terminal window.
2. Type vmware & and press Enter.
The VMware Workstation window opens.
The Workstation window: Linux host
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Overview of the VMware Workstation
Window
A VMware Workstation virtual machine is like a separate computer that runs in a
window on your physical computer. However, VMware Workstation displays more
than the screen of a physical computer. From the Workstation window, you can access
and run your virtual machines and teams, and switch easily from one to another.
This section shows you how to navigate and use the VMware Workstation window,
and how to set up a list of favorites — virtual machines and teams that you use often
and want to access quickly
•The Home Page, Summary View, and Console View on page 66
•The Toolbar on page 69
•The Favorites List on page 71
To open the Workstation application, see Launching VMware Workstation on page 62.
To create a new virtual machine and install a guest operating system, see Creating a
New Virtual Machine on page 101.
One Window or Many — Your Choice
In VMware Workstation 5, you can open multiple virtual machines in the same
Workstation window. Or you can launch multiple instances of VMware Workstation.
You can even run multiple instances of VMware Workstation and have more than one
virtual machine in each window. Just be sure you have enough memory and
processor power to handle the number of virtual machines you want to run.
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The VMware Workstation window is divided into three main sections.
Workstation window sections: toolbar, favorites list, and home page/summary/console
•The Home Page, Summary View, and Console View — Appearing on the right,
this main part of the window is the display screen where your virtual machines
display information.
•The Toolbar — These buttons along the top allow you to act on your virtual
machines, offering one-click options for power, suspend, snapshot, screen and
summary/console display.
•The Favorites List — Appearing on the left, this area lets you bookmark your
virtual machines and teams of virtual machines for quick access.
Home Page/Summary/Console
Favorites
List
Toolbar
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The Home Page, Summary View, and Console View
VMware Workstation displays three views in the main part of the window:
•Displaying the Home Page
•Displaying the Summary View
•Displaying the Console View
Displaying the Home Page
In the Workstation window, select the Home tab to display the Workstation home
page. Use the icons on the home page to start creating a new virtual machine or open
an existing virtual machine.
To close the home page, click the X to the right of the tabs on a Windows host or the
X on the tab on a Linux host. To display the home page again, choose View > Go to
Home Tab.
Displaying the Summary View
When you select a tab for a powered-off virtual machine or team, Workstation displays
a summary of the configuration information about that item. Workstation also
displays a summary for a suspended virtual machine or team.
Summary view for a virtual machine (Windows host)
You can examine settings in the Summary view at any time by clicking the Summary
toolbar button. However, some settings can be changed only when the virtual
Summary Toolbar Button
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machine or team is powered off (not running or suspended). See Adding, Configuring,
and Removing Devices in a Virtual Machine on page 164 or Editing Team Settings on
page 298 for information about editing settings.
Note: Summary tabs are displayed only for virtual machines that are currently open.
To open a virtual machine that is not displayed, choose File > Open >
Virtual Machine, navigate to the virtual machine’s .vmx file, and select Open. The
summary/console tab remains visible as long as the virtual machine remains open.
The Status Bar — In the Summary view, messages from VMware Workstation
appear in the status bar, at the bottom left of the summary window.
The status bar
For example, the status bar displays an alert if the version of VMware Tools in a virtual
machine does not match your version of Workstation.
The status bar displays an icon for each removable device. On a Windows host, you
can right-click an icon to disconnect it or edit its configuration.
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Displaying the Console View
The console view for an active virtual machine is like the monitor screen of a hardware
PC.
Windows host console window
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Linux host console window
When a virtual machine is active, the name of the virtual machine — or the name of
the team it is on, if any — is always displayed in a tab at the top of the console. To
switch from the active virtual machine or team, click the tab of another virtual
machine or team. You can use the console tabs in the windowed view, and also in the
quick switch view.
Tabs make it easy to switch among active virtual machines (Windows host)
Displaying Multiple Virtual Machines at the Same Time
If you want to view more than one virtual machine when they are not all on the same
team, you can open multiple Workstation windows and launch one or more virtual
machines in each Workstation window. Alternately you can use a team to coordinate
and use multiple virtual machines within a single console window. See Displaying
Teams on page 296 for a complete description of the console view for teams.
The Toolbar
The toolbar, at the top of the Workstation window, contains buttons you can click to
power your virtual machines on and off, change the Workstation display, and manage
snapshots. The following sections describe the toolbar buttons.
Toolbar for virtual machine (Windows host)
Caution: When a team is active, clicking the power on, power off, suspend, resume, or
reset button affects all the virtual machines on that team.
Power Off
This button turns off the active virtual machine or team like the power button on a
hardware PC. You can configure Workstation for a soft power off (called shut down) or
a hard power off, (called power off ). See Shutting Down a Virtual Machine on
page 144, or Starting and Stopping Teams on page 289 for a description of this
feature.
Suspend
This button stops a virtual machine or team in a manner that allows you to resume
your work later, as if you never left. You may be familiar with the concept of
suspending your work on a laptop. See Using Suspend and Resume on page 250 for a
description of this feature.
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Power On or Resume
This button powers on a selected virtual machine or team that is powered off, or
resumes a virtual machine or team that is suspended.
•Power on — See Starting a Virtual Machine on page 141, or Starting and
Stopping Teams on page 289 for a description.
•Resume — See Using Suspend and Resume on page 250 for a description.
Reset
This button resets a virtual machine or team, like the reset button on a physical PC.
Snapshot
This button allows you to save the state of a virtual machine in the same manner you
might save a word-processing document. You can come back later to that state if you
make a mistake with the Revert button. See Using Snapshots on page 251 for a
description of this feature.
Revert
This button allows you to return a virtual machine to the parent state, a state
previously preserved by taking a snapshot. See Using Snapshots on page 251 for a
description of this feature.
Manage Snapshots
This button opens the Snapshot Manager, where you can view the virtual machine’s
existing snapshots, revert to a snapshot, take a new snapshot, and make a clone from
a snapshot. For more on the Snapshot Manager, see The Snapshot Manager Window
on page 260.
Full Screen
This button enlarges the virtual machine display to cover the entire host monitor. The
virtual machine no longer appears in a window.
Note: Workstation menus and toolbar are not visible in full screen mode. Press Ctrl-
Alt to restore the Workstation window.
Note: If you are unable to enter fullscreen mode when the guest's display mode is
smaller than the host's display mode, try adding the following line to the virtual
machine’s configuration (.vmx) file:
mks.maxRefreshRate=1000
See What Files Make Up a Virtual Machine? for a description of this file.
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Quick Switch
This button enlarges the Workstation console to cover the entire host monitor.
Console tabs are visible, allowing you to switch between your virtual machines and
teams with a single click.
Note: Workstation menus and toolbar are not visible in quick switch mode. Move
your cursor to the top of the screen to show the menu and toolbar momentarily.
Summary
This button displays the summary view. See Displaying the Summary View on page 66
for a description of this view.
Console
This button displays the console view. See Displaying the Console View on page 68 for
a description of this view.
The Favorites List
This section describes the following topics:
•Overview of the Favorites List on page 72
•Adding an Item to the Favorites List on page 72
•Adding the Active Virtual Machine to the Favorites List on page 73
•Removing an Item from the Favorites List on page 73
•Removing the Active Virtual Machine from the Favorites List on page 73
•Changing the Name of a Favorite List Item on page 73
•Organizing Favorites into Folders on page 73
•Hiding and Displaying the Favorites List on page 74
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Overview of the Favorites List
The Favorites list gives you a convenient way to organize and access frequently-used
items.
The Favorites list
•Fast access — Like bookmarks in a web browser, the Favorites list helps you
quickly access frequently-used items. With your virtual machines and teams on
the Favorites list, you can open them without browsing the host file system. Also
like browser bookmarks, Favorites list icons can be organized in folders, added,
rearranged, or deleted — without affecting the items they open.
•Status — The Favorites list displays the status of virtual machines and teams by
using different icons. A Favorites list icon indicates whether the team or virtual
machine is powered off, powered on, or suspended. The icon also indicates
whether the virtual machine is a legacy virtual machine that needs to be
upgraded to use all the features of the current Workstation version.
•Right-click commands — You can right-click on a Favorites icon to display a
menu of commands you can use for that virtual machine or team.
Adding an Item to the Favorites List
To add a virtual machine or team entry to the Favorites list
1. Open the virtual machine or team that you want to add.
Choose (File > Open) and browse to the location of the virtual machine (.vmx
file) or team (.vmtm file) you want as a favorite.
2. Choose File > Add to Favorites.
The virtual machine or team name appears in the Favorites list.
Suspended icon
Powered on icon
Legacy virtual
machine icon
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Adding the Active Virtual Machine to the Favorites List
To add the currently open virtual machine, Choose File > Add to Favorites.
The virtual machine name appears in the Favorites list.
Removing an Item from the Favorites List
You can remove the name of a virtual machine from the Favorites list at any time.
Removing the name from the list does not affect the virtual machine’s files or
operation. You can add the virtual machine to the list again at any time.
To remove a name from the Favorites list, take these steps.
1. Click a name in the list to select it.
2. Choose File > Remove from Favorites.
The virtual machine name is removed from the Favorites list.
Removing the Active Virtual Machine from the Favorites List
To remove the currently open virtual machine from the Favorites list:
Choose File > Remove from Favorites.
The virtual machine is removed from the Favorites list.
Changing the Name of a Favorite List Item
You can rename the Favorites list entry for a virtual machine or team.
To rename a Favorite list entry:
1. Right-click the Favorite you want to rename.
2. Select Rename from the pop-up menu.
3. Type the new name for the Favorite and press Enter.
Note: This change is for display only, and does not rename the virtual machine files
on the host.
Organizing Favorites into Folders
You can arrange your virtual machines and teams in folders.
To create a folder:
1. Right-click in the Favorites list.
2. Select New >Folder from the pop-up menu.
3. Type a name for the folder and press enter.
4. Drag and drop your virtual machine or team favorites into the new folder as
desired.
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Hiding and Displaying the Favorites List
To toggle the display of the Favorites list on or off:
1. Choose View > Favorites.
If the Favorites list was visible, it becomes hidden. If it was hidden, now it is visible.
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Checking for Product Updates
VMware Workstation checks automatically to see if updates for the product are
available. By default, it checks once a week, at the time you launch Workstation. You
can change the interval for the automatic checks, and you can check manually at any
time by choosing Help > Check for Updates on the Web.
To have VMware Workstation check for updates automatically.
1. Choose Edit > Preferences > Workspace.
2. On the Check for software Updates drop-down menu, set the interval.
The choices are: Never, Daily, Weekly, or Monthly.
Note: This check works only if the host computer is connected to the Internet.
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Setting Preferences for VMware
Workstation
The Preferences dialog box allows you to change a number of settings that apply to
VMware Workstation itself, no matter what virtual machine you are running.
Note: On a Linux host, you must be logged in as root to save global preference
changes.
The settings on the Workspace, Input and Hot Keys tabs apply to the user currently
logged on to the host computer. They do not affect settings made by any other user
on the computer. The settings on the Display, Memory and Lockout tabs apply no
matter what virtual machine is running or who is logged on to the host computer. The
settings on the Priority tab apply to all virtual machines for the user currently logged
on to the host computer. They do not affect settings made by any other user on the
computer.
To make changes to these settings, choose Edit > Preferences.
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Workspace
The Workspace tab lets you change the directory in which newly created virtual
machines are stored. The directory Workstation uses by default is displayed under
Default location for teams and virtual machines. To set a different directory, type in
the path or click Browse to navigate to the directory you want to use. Workstation
creates a directory for each new virtual machine under the directory you specify here.
If you select Remember opened tabs between sessions, you see a tab for each
opened virtual machine or team in the console window the next time you start
Workstation. A virtual machine or team is considered opened if both of the following
conditions are true:
•The virtual machine or team was left open.
•The virtual machine or team was powered on and off or powered on and
suspended.
Use the Check for software updates drop-down menu to determine how often
VMware Workstation checks to see if new versions of the product are available. You
can choose daily, weekly or monthly automatic checks or choose Never to turn off
automatic checking. You can check manually at any time by choosing Help > Check
for Updates on the Web.
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Input
.
The Input tab lets you adjust the way that the virtual machine captures control of
keyboard and mouse.
Note: The option Grab when cursor enters window allows you to move the mouse
pointer back into the virtual machine window easily if you have been working in the
virtual machine, then temporarily moved the mouse pointer outside the virtual
machine window. The mouse pointer is grabbed only when VMware Workstation has
focus (is the active application). Also, if you release the mouse pointer by pressing a
hot-key combination — Ctrl-Alt by default — you must click inside the virtual
machine window to make VMware Workstation grab the mouse pointer again.
Hot Keys
The Hot Key tab lets you change the key combination that determines whether
certain combinations of keys are passed to the guest operating system or intercepted
by VMware Workstation.
Note: Because Ctrl-Alt is the key combination used to tell VMware Workstation to
release (ungrab) mouse and keyboard input, combinations that include Ctrl-Alt are
not passed to the guest operating system. If you need to use such a combination —
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for example, use Ctrl-Alt-<Fkey> to switch between Linux workspaces in a virtual
machine — press Ctrl-Alt-Space, release Space without releasing Ctrl and Alt, then
press the third key of the key combination you want to send to the guest.
Using this dialog box, you can also construct your own custom hot-key combination.
Display
The Display tab lets you adjust the manner in which the console and the host display
accommodate a different guest operating system display resolution.
Autofit
Use Autofit preferences to control how the console window behaves when Autofit is
active.
•Select Autofit window to have Workstation change the console window size to
match the guest operating system screen resolution. This is the same as
choosing View >Autofit Window.
•Select Autofit guest to have Workstation change the guest operating system
display resolution to match the console window size. This is the same as
choosing View >Autofit Guest.
Note: Selecting Autofit guest also activates Autofit window.
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Full Screen
Use Full Screen preferences to configure how the host and guest display settings
interact when you enter full screen mode on the host.
•Select Resize host to change the host display settings to match the display
settings of the guest while the guest is in full screen mode.
•Select Resize guest to change the guest’s display settings to match the host
display settings while the guest is in full screen mode.
•Select Don’t resize to have both host and guest retain their own display settings
while the guest is in full screen mode.
Memory
The Memory tab lets you adjust the amount of physical RAM that can be used by all
running virtual machines. It also lets you adjust how much virtual machine memory
may be swapped to disk, allowing you to run more or larger virtual machines if you are
willing to accept slower performance.
For details on adjusting memory settings in VMware Workstation, see Memory Usage
Notes on page 418.
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Priority
Process Priority (Windows Hosts Only)
Process priority determines the precedence that the Windows process scheduler
gives to your virtual machines when mouse and keyboard input are going to a
particular virtual machine and when input is not going to that virtual machine.
You can adjust these settings to improve overall system performance based on the
relative priority of work you are doing in various virtual machines and on the host
computer.
To change the settings for a particular virtual machine, and override the global
settings, open the virtual machine you want to adjust, choose VM > Settings, click the
Options tab, select Advanced, then use the drop-down lists under Process priorities
to make the setting you want for that virtual machine.
There is no corresponding setting on a Linux host.
Snapshots
If you select Take and restore snapshots in the background, you can continue using
your virtual machine even when Workstation is taking or restoring a snapshot.
Enabling background snapshots for a host with slow hard disks may affect
performance. If you experience significant performance problems when taking or
restoring snapshots, turn off this option.
Workstation supports only one background snapshot process at a time for a virtual
machine. If you take or restore a second snapshot before a previous snapshot
operation completes for the same virtual machine, Workstation displays a progress
bar until the previous snapshot operation completes. Then the second snapshot
operation continues in the background.
A virtual machine that is powered on does not recognize any change to this check
box until you restart that virtual machine.
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Lockout (Windows Hosts Only)
The Lockout tab lets you restrict who can create new virtual machines, edit virtual
machine configurations and change networking settings. For details, see Locking Out
Interface Features on page 433.
There are no corresponding settings on a Linux host.
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Virtual Machine Settings
VMware Workstation configures a newly created virtual machine based on the guest
operating system you select in the New Virtual Machine Wizard (File > New >
Virtual Machine). Use the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings) if you want
to change any configuration options from the wizard defaults.
Hardware
Use the Hardware tab to add, remove, and configure virtual devices for the virtual
machine.
•Memory — See Memory Usage Notes on page 418.
•Virtual Disk — See Adding a New Virtual Disk to a Virtual Machine on page 197.
•CD-ROM — See Adding DVD or CD Drives to a Virtual Machine on page 204.
•Floppy — See Adding Floppy Drives to a Virtual Machine on page 206.
•Ethernet — See Adding and Modifying Virtual Network Adapters on page 316.
•Serial Port — See Using Serial Ports on page 377.
•Parallel Port — See Using Parallel Ports on page 372.
•USB Controller — See Using USB Devices in a Virtual Machine on page 397.
•Sound Adapter — See Configuring Sound on page 369.
•Generic SCSI Device — See Steps to a New Virtual Machine on page 102.
•Mouse (Linux host only) — See Human Interface Devices on page 401.
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Options
The Options tab lets you adjust characteristics of the selected virtual machine.
General
Virtual Machine Name — Use this setting to change the virtual machine name. Type
a new name in the field and click OK.
This field affects the virtual machine name only as it appears in the console tab and
Favorites list. Changing the virtual machine name here does not change the names of
the virtual machine files.
Virtual Machine Configuration File (Windows only) — This read-only field displays
the path to the file that contains configuration information for the selected virtual
machine.
Guest Operating System — Workstation optimizes the virtual machine for the
operating system you choose in this field.
Version — Use this field to change the setting for the guest operating system version
in the virtual machine's configuration file. This setting does not actually change the
guest operating system itself.
When you set the guest operating system type in the New Virtual Machine Wizard,
Workstation chooses configuration defaults based on the guest type you choose.
Changing the guest type in this field simply changes the guest type setting in the
configuration file.
The Version field is useful when you are upgrading the guest operating system
installed in the virtual machine, and you want to change the guest operating system
version.
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Working Directory — The working directory is where Workstation stores suspended
state (.vmss), snapshot (.vmsn) and redo log files. By default, this is the same
directory the virtual machine files are stored in.
Power
Power options
•Power on after opening this virtual machine — Select this option to power on
the selected virtual machine automatically when Workstation launches. With this
option selected, you do not have an opportunity to change the virtual
machine's configuration before it starts, since the virtual machine powers on
immediately.
•Enter full screen mode after powering on — Select this option to enter full
screen mode automatically after powering on the selected virtual machine.
•Close after powering off or suspending — Select this option to close the
selected virtual machine automatically after you power it off or suspend it.
Closing a virtual machine removes the tab for that machine from the main
window in quick switch mode.
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Power Controls
Note: Settings in Power Controls apply only to the active virtual machine.
•You can configure this button to turn off a virtual machine or team in two
ways. Select Power Off if you want this button to work the way a power switch
works on a power supply. The virtual machine is abruptly powered off, with no
consideration for work in progress. Select Shut Down Guest if you want this
button to send a shut down signal to the guest operating system. An operating
system that recognizes this signal shuts down gracefully.
Note: Not all guest operating systems respond to a shut down signal from this
button. If your operating system does not respond to a shut down signal, shut
down from within the operating system, as you would with a physical machine.
•The suspend button is not configurable.
•The power on or resume button is not configurable.
•You can configure this button to reset a virtual machine or restart a guest
operating system. Select Reset if you want this button to work as a reset switch.
The virtual machine is abruptly reset, with no consideration for work in progress.
Select Restart Guest if you want this button to send a restart signal to the guest
operating system. An operating system that recognizes this signal shuts down
gracefully and restarts.
Note: Not all guest operating systems respond to a restart signal from this
button. If your operating system does not respond to a restart signal, restart from
within the operating system, as you would with a physical machine.
Run VMware Tools Scripts — This option allows you to run scripts when you power
on a virtual machine. See Command Line Reference on page 91 for help with
scripting.
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Shared Folders
Shared Folders — This option allows a virtual machine to share a folder with the host
file system for convenient file transfers. See Using Shared Folders on page 157 for help
configuring this option.
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Snapshots
General — You can disable snapshots for the virtual machine. The virtual machine
must not have any snapshots if you want to disable snapshots.
To disable snapshots for this virtual machine, select Disable snapshots.
When powering off — You can specify the way Workstation handles snapshots when
you power off the virtual machine. Options when powering off include:
•Just power off — powers off without making any changes to snapshots.
•Revert to the snapshot — reverts to the parent snapshot of the virtual
machine’s current state (that is, the parent snapshot of the You Are Here position
in the Snapshot Manager window) so the virtual machine always starts in the
state it was in when the parent snapshot was taken.
•Take a new snapshot — takes a new snapshot of the virtual machine state after
it is powered off.
•Ask me — always asks what you want to do with snapshots when you power off.
See Using Snapshots on page 251 for more information on setting these options.
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Guest Isolation (Windows only)
Drag and Drop — By default, you can drag and drop files between your host
computer and a virtual machine. If you wish to disable this feature, select Disable drag
and drop to and from the virtual machine.
One reason to disable the drag and drop feature is to prevent files from accidentally
being transferred between the virtual machine and the host.
Advanced
Process priorities (Windows only) — VMware Workstation sets the default priority for
virtual machine processing as Normal for both Input grabbed and Input ungrabbed.
This means that the processes within virtual machines contend equally for resources
with all other processes running on the host.
To change the default priority for the selected virtual machine, overriding the global
priorities, choose the priority you want, then click OK.
You can also set the global priorities directly from a Workstation window by choosing
Edit > Preferences and clicking the Priority tab.
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•Settings
•Run with debugging information — You can run a virtual machine so it
collects additional debugging information that is helpful to VMware technical
support in resolving issues.
To turn debugging mode on, select Run with debugging information, then
click OK to apply your changes
•Disable acceleration — In rare instances, you may find that when you install
or run software inside a virtual machine, Workstation appears to hang.
Generally, the problem occurs early in the program's execution. In many cases,
you can get past the problem by temporarily disabling acceleration in the
virtual machine.
To disable acceleration, select Disable acceleration, then click OK.
This setting slows down virtual machine performance, so it is recommended
only for getting past the problem with running the program. After you pass
the point where the program was encountering problems, try returning to the
virtual machine settings editor and removing the check beside Disable
acceleration. You may then be able to run the program with acceleration.
•Log virtual machine progress periodically — This special configuration
option increases logging information for debugging and troubleshooting
purposes. When you select this option, you do not have to edit a
configuration file or restart the virtual machine to extract more detailed
logging for technical support.
•Enable Template mode (to be used for cloning) — See Linked Clones and
Access to the Parent Virtual Machine on page 274 for help configuring this
option.
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Command Line Reference
The following sections describe command line options that are available when you
launch VMware Workstation and keyboard shortcuts you can use while VMware
Workstation is running.
Startup Options on a Linux Host
The following list describes various options available when you run VMware
Workstation from the command line on a Linux host operating system.
VMware [-x] [-X] [-q] [-s <variablename>=<value>]
[-m] [-v] [/<path_to_config>/<config>.virtual machinex ]
[X toolkit options ]
You can type these commands manually in a terminal window, or create scripts to run
multiple commands.
Option Description
-x Automatically powers on the virtual machine
when VMware Workstation starts. This is
equivalent to clicking the Power On button in
the VMware Workstation toolbar.
-X Automatically powers on the virtual machine,
then switches the VMware Workstation window
to full screen mode.
-q Closes the virtual machine’s tab when the virtual
machine powers off. If no other virtual machine is
open, it also exits VMware Workstation. This is
particularly useful when the guest operating
system is capable of powering off the virtual
machine.
-s Sets the specified variable to the specified value.
Any variable names and values that are valid in
the configuration file may be specified on the
command line with the -s switch.
-m Starts the program in quick switch mode on a
Linux host.
-v Displays the product name, version and build
number.
/<path_to_config>/<config>.vmx Launches a virtual machine using the specified
configuration file.
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X toolkit options can be passed as arguments, although some of them (most notably
the size and title of the VMware Workstation window) cannot be overridden.
X toolkit options are not relevant on a Windows host.
Startup Options on a Windows Host
Most of the switches described in Startup Options on a Linux Host can also be used
on a Windows host. The -m switch is for Linux hosts only. The most convenient way to
use the switches is to incorporate them into the command generated by a Windows
shortcut.
Create the shortcut, right-click the shortcut, then click Properties. In the Target field,
add any switches you want to use after the VMware.exe filename. For example, the
following command launches the Windows Me virtual machine specified, powers it
on automatically and switches to full screen mode.
"C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Workstation\Programs\VMware.exe -X
C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\My Virtual
Machines\Windows Me\Windows Me.vmx"
Be sure to enclose the entire command string in quotation marks.
Note: The configuration file has a .vmx extension by default.
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Command Line Application
VMware Workstation includes a separate application, vmrun, for operating teams or
virtual machines from the command line.
To launch the vmrun application, from the command prompt, enter:
vmrun COMMAND [OPTION]
Valid vmrun commands and options are described in the following table:
Command Description Option
list Lists all running virtual machines. None
start Start a virtual machine Path to .vmx file
stop Stop a virtual machine or team. Path to .vmx file (virtual
machine)
or
Path to .vmtm file (team)
reset Reset a virtual machine or team. Path to .vmx file (virtual
machine)
or
Path to .vmtm file (team)
suspend Suspend a virtual machine or team. Path to .vmx file (virtual
machine)
or
Path to .vmtm file (team)
upgradevm Upgrade a virtual machine to the current
Workstation version.
Path to .vmx file
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Note: Before running this command on a Windows host, you must do one of the
following:
•Change your working directory to the VMware Workstation directory. The
default location is:
c:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Workstation
•Add the VMware Workstation directory to the system path. On Windows 2000
and XP, this setting is changed from
Control Panels > System > Advanced > Environment Variables > System
variables > Path
Examples for vmrun
For example, to start a virtual machine:
•In a Linux terminal, enter
vmrun start /usr/local/VMs/<virtual_machine_name>.vmx
•On the Windows command line, enter:
vmrun start c:\My Virtual Machines\<virtual_machine_name>.vmx
With virtual machines that require input through a VMware Workstation dialog box,
vmrun may time out and fail. To disable Workstation dialog boxes, insert the following
line into the .vmx configuration file for a virtual machine:
msg.autoAnswer = TRUE
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Keyboard Shortcuts
If you prefer to work from the keyboard as much as possible, you may find the
following keyboard shortcuts handy. If you have changed the Preferences setting for
the hot-key combination, substitute your new setting for Ctrl-Alt as needed in the
shortcuts listed here.
Shortcut Action
Ctrl-B Power on.
Ctrl-E Power off.
Ctrl-R Reset the power.
Ctrl-Z Suspend.
Ctrl-N Create a new virtual machine.
Ctrl-O Open a virtual machine.
Ctrl-F4 Close the summary/console view for the selected virtual machine.
A confirmation dialog appears only if the virtual machine is powered on.
Ctrl-D Edit the virtual machine’s configuration.
Ctrl-G Grab input from keyboard and mouse.
Ctrl-P Edit preferences.
Ctrl-Alt-Enter Go to full screen mode.
Ctrl-Alt Return to normal (windowed) mode.
Ctrl-Alt-Tab Switch among open virtual machines while mouse and keyboard input are
grabbed.
Ctrl-Tab Switch among open virtual machines while mouse and keyboard input are not
grabbed. VMware Workstation must be the active application.
Ctrl-Shift-Tab Switch among open virtual machines while mouse and keyboard input are not
grabbed. VMware Workstation must be the active application.
Ctrl-Alt-Fx Linux hosts: Switch among open virtual machines while using full screen mode. Fx
is a function key corresponding to the virtual machine you want to use. The key
combination to use for a virtual machine is shown in the VMware Workstation title
bar when that virtual machine is active and in normal (windowed) mode.
Windows hosts: For an additional similar functionality, see Using Full Screen Switch
Mode on page 438.
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What Files Make Up a Virtual Machine?
You may never need to know the file names or locations for your virtual machine files.
Virtual machine file management is performed by VMware Workstation. If the behind
the scenes file structure is not interesting to you, skip this section.
A virtual machine typically is stored on the host computer in a set of files, usually in a
directory created by Workstation for that specific virtual machine.
The key files are listed here by extension. In these examples, <vmname> is the name
of your virtual machine
Extension File Name Description
.log <vmname>.log
or
vmware.log
This is the file that keeps a log of key VMware
Workstation activity. This file can be useful in
troubleshooting if you encounter problems. This
file is stored in the directory that holds the
configuration (.vmx) file of the virtual machine.
.nvram <vmname>.nvram
or
nvram
This is the file that stores the state of the virtual
machine’s BIOS.
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.vmdk <vmname>.vmdk This is a virtual disk file, which stores the contents
of the virtual machine’s hard disk drive.
A virtual disk is made up of one or more .vmdk
files. If you have specified that the virtual disk
should be split into 2GB chunks, the number of
.vmdk files depends on the size of the virtual
disk. As data is added to a virtual disk, the .vmdk
files grow in size, to a maximum of 2GB each. (If
you specify that all space should be allocated
when you create the disk, these files start at the
maximum size and do not grow.) Almost all of a
.vmdk file’s content is the virtual machine’s data,
with a small portion allotted to virtual machine
overhead.
If the virtual machine is connected directly to a
physical disk, rather than to a virtual disk, the
.vmdk file stores information about the
partitions the virtual machine is allowed to
access.
Earlier VMware products used the extension
.dsk for virtual disk files.
<diskname>-<###>.vmdk This is a redo-log file, created automatically when
a virtual machine has one or more snapshots.
This file stores changes made to a virtual disk
while the virtual machine is running. There may
be more than one such file. The ### indicates a
unique suffix added automatically by VMware
Workstation to avoid duplicate file names.
.vmsd <vmname>.vmsd This is a centralized file for storing information
and metadata about snapshots.
.vmsn <vmname>-Snapshot.vmsn This is the snapshot state file, which stores the
running state of a virtual machine at the time
you take that snapshot
<vmname>-Snapshot<###>.vmsn This is the file which stores the state of a
snapshot
.vmss <vmname>.vmss This is the suspended state file, which stores the
state of a suspended virtual machine
.Some earlier VMware products used the
extension .std for suspended state files
Extension File Name Description
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There can be other files in the directory, some of which are present only while a virtual
machine is running.
.vmtm <vmname>.vmtm This is the configuration file containing team
data.
.vmx <vmname>.vmx This is the primary configuration file, which
stores settings chosen in the New Virtual
Machine Wizard or virtual machine settings
editor. If you created the virtual machine under
an earlier version of VMware Workstation on a
Linux host, this file may have a .cfg extension
.vmxf <vmname>.vmxf This is a supplemental configuration file for
virtual machines that are in a team. Note that the
.vmxf file remains if a virtual machine is
removed from the team.
Extension File Name Description
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Where to Go Next
•Creating a New Virtual Machine on page 101
•Running VMware Workstation on page 139
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CHAPTER 5
101
Creating a New Virtual Machine
This chapter discusses how to create a new virtual machine and install VMware Tools:
•Setting Up a New Virtual Machine on page 102
•Converting a VirtualPC Virtual Machine on page 113
•Installing a Guest Operating System and VMware Tools on page 117
•Example: Installing Windows XP as a Guest Operating System on page 117
•Installing VMware Tools on page 120
•VMware Tools for Windows Guests on page 120
•VMware Tools for Linux Guests on page 122
•VMware Tools for FreeBSD Guests on page 127
•Installing VMware Tools in a NetWare Virtual Machine on page 129
•VMware Tools Configuration Options on page 130
•Using the System Console to Configure VMware Tools in a NetWare Guest
Operating System on page 135
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Setting Up a New Virtual Machine
The New Virtual Machine Wizard guides you through the key steps for setting up a
new virtual machine, helping you set various options and parameters. You can then
use the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings) if you need to make any
changes to your virtual machine’s setup.
Steps to a New Virtual Machine
By default, the new virtual machine uses an IDE disk for Windows 95, Windows 98,
Windows Me, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, NetWare and FreeBSD guests. The
default for other guest operating systems is a SCSI disk.
Follow these steps to create a virtual machine using a virtual disk.
1. Start VMware Workstation.
Windows hosts: Double-click the VMware Workstation icon on your desktop or
use the Start menu (Start > Programs > VMware > VMware Workstation).
Linux hosts: In a terminal window, enter the command
vmware &
Note: On Linux hosts, the Workstation installer adds an entry to the Start menu
for VMware Workstation. However, this menu entry is located in different
submenus, depending on your Linux distribution. For example:
•SUSE Linux 9.1 — Start > System > More Programs > VMware Workstation
•Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS/WS Release 3 — Start > System Tools > More
System Tools > VMware Workstation
2. If this is the first time you have launched VMware Workstation and you did not
enter the serial number when you installed the product (an option available on a
Windows host), you are prompted to enter it. The serial number is on the
registration card in your package or in the email message confirming your
electronic distribution order. Enter your serial number and click OK.
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The serial number you enter is saved and VMware Workstation does not ask you
for it again. For your convenience, VMware Workstation automatically sends the
serial number to the VMware Web site when you use certain Web links built into
the product (for example, Help > VMware on the Web > Register Now! and
Help > VMware on the Web > Request Support). This allows us to direct you to
the correct Web page to register and get support for your product.
3. Start the New Virtual Machine Wizard.
When you start VMware Workstation, you can open an existing virtual machine
or create a new one. Choose File > New > Virtual Machine to begin creating
your virtual machine.
4. The New Virtual Machine Wizard presents you with a series of screens that you
navigate using the Next and Prev buttons at the bottom of each screen. At each
screen, follow the instructions, then click Next to proceed to the next screen.
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5. Select the method you want to use for configuring your virtual machine.
If you select Typical, the wizard prompts you to specify or accept defaults for the
following choices:
•The guest operating system
•The virtual machine name and the location of the virtual machine’s files
•The network connection type
•Whether to allocate all the space for a virtual disk at the time you create it
•Whether to split a virtual disk into 2GB files
If you select Custom, you also can specify how to set up your disk — create a
new virtual disk, use an existing virtual disk or use a physical disk — and specify
the settings needed for the type of disk you select. There is also an option to
create a legacy virtual disk for use in environments with other VMware products.
Select Custom if you want to
•Make a legacy virtual machine that is compatible with Workstation 4.x, GSX
Server 3.x, ESX Server 2.x and ACE 1.x.
•Make a virtual disk larger or smaller than 4GB
•Store your virtual disk’s files in a particular location
•Use an IDE virtual disk for a guest operating system that would otherwise have
a SCSI virtual disk created by default
•Use a physical disk rather than a virtual disk (for expert users)
•Set memory options that are different from the defaults
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6. If you selected Typical as your configuration path, skip to step 7.
If you selected Custom as your configuration path, you may create a virtual
machine that fully supports all Workstation 5 features or a legacy virtual machine
compatible with specific VMware products.
This screen asks whether you want to create a Workstation 5 virtual machine or a
legacy virtual machine. See Legacy Virtual Disks on page 246 for more
information.
7. Select a guest operating system.
This screen asks which operating system you plan to install in the virtual
machine. Select both an operating system and a version. The New Virtual
Machine Wizard uses this information to
•Select appropriate default values, such as the amount of memory needed
•Name files associated with the virtual machine
•Adjust settings for optimal performance
•Work around special behaviors and bugs within a guest operating system
If the operating system you plan to use is not listed, select Other for both guest
operating system and version.
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The remaining steps assume you plan to install a Windows XP Professional guest
operating system. You can find detailed installation notes for this and other
guest operating systems in the VMware Guest Operating System Installation Guide,
available from the VMware Web site or from the Help menu.
8. Select a name and folder for the virtual machine.
The name specified here is used if you add this virtual machine to the VMware
Workstation Favorites list. This name is also used as the name of the folder where
the files associated with this virtual machine are stored.
Each virtual machine should have its own folder. All associated files, such as the
configuration file and the disk file, are placed in this folder.
Windows hosts: On Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, the
default folder for this Windows XP Professional virtual machine is
C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\My
Virtual Machines\Windows XP Professional. On Windows NT,
the default folder is C:\WINNT\Profiles\<username>\Personal\My
Virtual Machines\Windows XP Professional.
Linux hosts: The default location for this Windows XP Professional virtual
machine is <homedir>/vmware/winXPPro, where <homedir> is the
home directory of the user who is currently logged on.
Virtual machine performance may be slower if your virtual hard disk is on a
network drive. For best performance, be sure the virtual machine’s folder is on a
local drive. However, if other users need to access this virtual machine, you
should consider placing the virtual machine files in a location that is accessible
to them. For more information, see Sharing Virtual Machines with Other Users on
page 184.
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9. If you selected Typical as your configuration path, skip to step 10.
If you selected Custom as your configuration path, you may adjust the memory
settings or accept the defaults, then click Next to continue.
In most cases, it is best to keep the default memory setting. If you plan to use the
virtual machine to run many applications or applications that need high
amounts of memory, you may want to use a higher memory setting. For more
information, see Virtual Machine Memory Size on page 418.
Note: You cannot allocate more than 2GB of memory to a virtual machine if the
virtual machine’s files are stored on a file system such as FAT32 that does not
support files greater than 2GB.
10. Configure the networking capabilities of the virtual machine.
If your host computer is on a network and you have a separate IP address for
your virtual machine (or can get one automatically from a DHCP server), select
Use bridged networking.
If you do not have a separate IP address for your virtual machine but you want to
be able to connect to the Internet, select Use network address translation
(NAT). NAT allows you to share files between the virtual machine and the host
operating system.
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For more details about VMware Workstation networking options, see
Configuring a Virtual Network on page 305.
11. If you selected Typical as your configuration path, click Finish and the wizard
sets up the files needed for your virtual machine.
If you selected Custom as your configuration path, continue with the steps
below to configure a disk for your virtual machine.
12. Select the type of SCSI adapter you want to use with the virtual machine.
An IDE and a SCSI adapter are installed in the virtual machine. The IDE adapter is
always ATAPI. You can choose a BusLogic or an LSI Logic SCSI adapter. The
default for your guest operating system is already selected. All guests except for
Windows Server 2003, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 and NetWare default to the
BusLogic adapter.
The LSI Logic adapter has improved performance and works better with generic
SCSI devices. The LSI Logic adapter is also supported by ESX Server 2.0 and
higher. Keep this in mind if you plan to migrate the virtual machine to another
VMware product.
Your choice of SCSI adapter does not affect your decision to make your virtual
disk an IDE or SCSI disk. However, some guest operating systems — such as
Windows XP — do not include a driver for the Buslogic or LSI Logic adapter. You
must download the driver from the LSI Logic Web site.
Note: Drivers for a Mylex (BusLogic) compatible host bus adapter are not
obvious on the LSI Logic Web site. Search the support area for the numeric string
in the model number. For example, search for “958” for BT/KT-958 drivers.
See the VMware Guest Operating System Installation Guide for details about the
driver and the guest operating system you plan to install in this virtual machine.
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13. Select the disk you want to use with the virtual machine.
Select Create a new virtual disk.
Virtual disks are the best choice for most virtual machines. They are quick and
easy to set up and can be moved to new locations on the same host computer
or to different host computers. By default, virtual disks start as small files on the
host computer’s hard drive, then expand as needed — up to the size you specify
in the next step. The next step also allows you to allocate all the disk space when
the virtual disk is created, if you wish.
To use an existing operating system on a physical hard disk (a “raw” disk), read
Configuring a Dual-Boot Computer for Use with a Virtual Machine on page 215.
To install your guest operating system directly on an existing IDE disk partition,
read the reference note Installing an Operating System onto a Physical Partition
from a Virtual Machine on page 241.
Note: Raw disk configurations are recommended only for expert users.
Caution: If you are using a Windows Server 2003, Windows XP or Windows 2000
host, see Do Not Use Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003
Dynamic Disks as Raw Disks on page 234.
To install the guest operating system on a raw IDE disk, select Existing IDE Disk
Partition. To use a raw SCSI disk, add it to the virtual machine later with the
virtual machine settings editor. Booting from a raw SCSI disk is not supported.
For a discussion of some of the issues involved in using a raw SCSI disk, see
Configuring Dual- or Multiple-Boot SCSI Systems to Run with VMware
Workstation on a Linux Host on page 235.
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14. Select whether to create an IDE or SCSI disk.
The wizard recommends the best choice based on the guest operating system
you selected. All Linux distributions you can select in the wizard use SCSI virtual
disks by default, as do Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Longhorn. All Windows
operating systems except Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Longhorn use IDE
virtual disks by default; NetWare, FreeBSD, MS-DOS and other guests default to
IDE virtual disks.
15. Specify the capacity of the virtual disk.
Enter the size of the virtual disk that you wish to create.
You can set a size between 0.1GB and 950 GB for a SCSI virtual disk . The default is
4GB.
The option Allocate all disk space now gives somewhat better performance for
your virtual machine. If you do not select Allocate all disk space now, the virtual
disk’s files start small and grow as needed, but they can never grow larger than
the size you set here.
Note: Allocate all disk space now is a time-consuming operation that cannot
be cancelled, and requires as much physical disk space as you specify for the
virtual disk.
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Select the option Split disk into 2GB files if your virtual disk is stored on a file
system that does not support files larger than 2GB.
16. Specify the location of the virtual disk’s files.
If you want to specify which device node should be used by your SCSI or IDE
virtual disk, click Advanced.
On the advanced settings panel, you can also specify a disk mode. This is useful
in certain special-purpose configurations in which you want to exclude disks
from snapshots. For more information on the snapshot feature, see Using
Snapshots on page 251.
Normal disks are included in snapshots. In most cases, you should use normal
disks, leaving Independent unchecked.
Independent disks are not included in snapshots.
Caution: The independent disk option should be used only by advanced users
who need it for special-purpose configurations.
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You have the following options for an independent disk:
•Persistent — changes are immediately and permanently written to the disk.
•Nonpersistent — changes to the disk are discarded when you power off the
virtual machine.
17. Click Finish.
The wizard sets up the files needed for your virtual machine.
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Converting a VirtualPC Virtual Machine
VMware Virtual Machine Importer is a separate downloadable application that creates
a new VMware virtual machine from a Microsoft VirtualPC virtual machine in a few
simple steps.
You must install Virtual Machine Importer to use this procedure. The most up-to-date
instructions appear the Virtual Machine Importer User’s Manual. See
www.vmware.com/pdf/vm_importer_manual.pdf
To migrate a VirtualPC virtual machine:
1. Ensure the VirtualPC virtual machine is powered off.
Note: You cannot migrate a virtual machine while it is operating.
2. Launch Virtual Machine Importer to start the wizard.
Start > Programs > VMware > Virtual Machine Importer
3. From the opening panel, click Next.
4. Select the configuration and click Next.
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5. Browse (or type the path) to the source VirtualPC virtual machine. Click Next.
Virtual Machine Importer inspects the file momentarily.
6. Browse or type the path to the location you want to create a VMware virtual
machine and click Next.
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7. If you did not select Custom in step 4, skip to step 9.
Select the format of the virtual machine.
•Select New if you want to use the virtual machine only with Workstation 5.0.
•Select Legacy if you want to use the virtual machine with Workstation 4, ESX
2.x, GSX Server 3.x or ACE 1.x.
Click Next.
8. Select the import options for the new virtual machine
•Make a complete copy of the source virtual machine — This creates a
VMware virtual machine with no dependencies on the original VirtualPC
virtual machine.
•Link to the existing virtual machine — This creates a VMware virtual
machine that shares the virtual disk of the source VirtualPC virtual machine.
This option is disabled if you chose to create a legacy virtual machine in step
7.
Caution: Linking to the disk file is faster than making a complete copy, but
selecting this option means your VMware virtual machine can stop functioning if
you ever use the source virtual machine in VirtualPC again.
Click Next.
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9. Review the description of the migration settings. To make changes, click Back.
When you are satisfied with the settings, click Next.
Virtual Machine Importer creates a VMware virtual machine from the source
VirtualPC.
A progress bar appears. To stop the migration, click Cancel.
The migration process can often take more than a minute per gigabyte of disk
space of the migrated virtual machine. When the migration is complete, Virtual
Machine Importer displays a completion dialog box.
10. To use the virtual machine immediately, select Start my virtual machine now.
Virtual Machine Importer then launches VMware Workstation when it closes.
11. Click Finish.
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Installing a Guest Operating System
and VMware Tools
A new virtual machine is like a physical computer with a blank hard disk. Before you
can use it, you need to partition and format the virtual disk and install an operating
system. The operating system’s installation program may handle the partitioning and
formatting steps for you.
Installing a guest operating system inside your VMware Workstation virtual machine is
essentially the same as installing it on a physical computer. The basic steps for a typical
operating system are:
1. Start VMware Workstation.
2. Insert the installation CD-ROM or floppy disk for your guest operating system.
Note: In some host configurations, the virtual machine is not able to boot from
the installation CD-ROM. You can work around that problem by creating an ISO
image file from the installation CD-ROM. Use the virtual machine settings editor
to connect the virtual machine’s CD drive to the ISO image file, then power on
the virtual machine.
3. Power on your virtual machine by clicking the Power On button.
4. Follow the instructions provided by the operating system vendor.
The next section provides notes on installing a Windows XP guest operating system.
The screen shots illustrate the process on a Windows host. The steps are the same on
a Linux host.
For information on installing other guest operating systems, see the VMware Guest
Operating System Installation Guide, available from the VMware Web site or from the
Help menu.
Example: Installing Windows XP as a Guest Operating System
You can install Windows XP Home Edition or Windows XP Professional in a virtual
machine using the full installation CD.
Before installing the operating system, be sure that you have already created a new
virtual machine and configured it using the New Virtual Machine Wizard. See Setting
Up a New Virtual Machine on page 102.
Note: To use SCSI disks in a Windows XP virtual machine, you need a special SCSI
driver available from the download section of the VMware Web site. Follow the
instructions on the Web site to use the driver with a fresh installation of Windows XP.
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Installation Steps
1. If you prefer, you can insert the Windows XP CD in the CD-ROM drive
You can alternately connect to an ISO image of an installation disk. See
Connecting a CD-ROM or Floppy Drive to an Image File on page 207.
Note: If you plan to use a PXE server to install the guest operating system over a
network connection, you do not need the operating system installation media.
When you power on the virtual machine in the next step, the virtual machine
detects the PXE server.
VMware Workstation detects a PXE server on boot
2. Power on the virtual machine to start installing Windows XP.
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3. Follow the Windows XP installation steps as you would for a physical computer.
4. When the installer is finished, you have a virtual machine running Windows XP.
Don’t forget to install VMware Tools, as described in the next section.
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Installing VMware Tools
Don’t Forget VMware Tools
It is very important that you install VMware Tools in the guest operating system.
With the VMware Tools SVGA driver installed, Workstation supports significantly faster
graphics performance.
The VMware Tools package provides support required for shared folders and for drag
and drop operations.
Other tools in the package support synchronization of time in the guest operating
system with time on the host, automatic grabbing and releasing of the mouse cursor,
copying and pasting between guest and host, and improved mouse performance in
some guest operating systems.
The installers for VMware Tools for Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, and NetWare guest
operating systems are built into VMware Workstation as ISO image files. (An ISO image
file looks like a CD-ROM to your guest operating system and even appears as a CD-
ROM in Windows Explorer. You do not use an actual CD-ROM to install VMware Tools,
nor do you need to download the CD-ROM image or burn a physical CD-ROM of this
image file.)
When you choose VM > Install VMware Tools from the VMware Workstation menu,
VMware Workstation temporarily connects the virtual machine’s first virtual CD-ROM
drive to the ISO image file that contains the VMware Tools installer for your guest
operating system and you are ready to begin the installation process.
Upgrading VMware Tools
Now you can upgrade VMware Tools without uninstalling the previous version.
However, it is a good idea to upgrade the virtual machine first. See Procedure to
Upgrade Virtual Machines on page 59
To upgrade VMware Tools, follow the installation procedure for your guest operating
system in the next sections.
VMware Tools for Windows Guests
VMware Tools for Windows supports Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me,
Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 guest
operating systems.
The detailed steps for installing VMware Tools depend on the version of Windows you
are running. The steps that follow show how to install VMware Tools in a Windows XP
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guest. Some steps that are automated in newer versions of Windows must be
performed manually in Windows 9x and Windows NT.
Note: If you are running VMware Workstation on a Windows host and your virtual
machine has only one CD-ROM drive, the CD-ROM drive must be configured as an IDE
or SCSI CD-ROM drive. It cannot be configured as a generic SCSI device.
To add an IDE or SCSI CD-ROM drive, see Adding, Configuring, and Removing Devices
in a Virtual Machine on page 164. For information about generic SCSI, see Connecting
to a Generic SCSI Device on page 402.
Installing VMware Tools in a Windows Guest Operating System
1. Power on the virtual machine.
2. When the guest operating system starts, select VM > Install VMware Tools.
The remaining steps take place inside the virtual machine.
Note: You must log on to a Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows
Server 2003 or Longhorn guest operating system as an administrator in order to
install VMware Tools. Any user can install VMware Tools in a Windows 95,
Windows 98 or Windows Me guest operating system.
3. If you have autorun enabled in your guest operating system (the default setting
for Windows operating systems), a dialog box appears after a few seconds. It asks
if you want to install VMware Tools. Click Yes to launch the InstallShield wizard.
If autorun is not enabled, the dialog box does not appear automatically. If it
doesn’t appear, run the VMware Tools installer. Click Start > Run and enter
D:\setup\setup.exe where D: is your first virtual CD-ROM drive.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions.
•On Windows Server 2003, Windows Me, Windows 98 SE and Windows 98
guests, the SVGA driver is installed automatically and the guest operating
system uses it after it reboots.
•With Windows 2000 and Windows XP guests, you do not have to reboot to
use the new driver.
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VMware Tools for Linux Guests
On a Linux guest, you can install VMware Tools within X or from the command line
•Installing VMware Tools within X on page 122
•Installing VMware Tools from the Command Line with the Tar Installer on
page 123
•Installing VMware Tools from the Command Line with the RPM Installer on
page 124
Installing VMware Tools within X
You can install VMware Tools within X using the .tar installer in a terminal window. See
Installing VMware Tools from the Command Line with the Tar Installer on page 123.
To install VMware Tools from X with the RPM installer:
1. Choose VM > Install VMware Tools.
The guest operating system mounts the VMware Tools installation virtual CD.
2. Double-click the VMware Tools CD icon on the desktop.
Note: In some Linux distributions, the VMware Tools CD icon may fail to appear
when you install VMware Tools within an X windows session on a guest. In this
case, you should continue installing VMware Tools as described in Installing
VMware Tools from the Command Line with the Tar Installer on page 123,
beginning with step 3.
3. Double-click the RPM installer in the root of the CD-ROM.
4. Enter the root password.
5. Click Continue.
The installer prepares the packages.
6. Click Continue when the installer presents a dialog box saying Completed
System Preparation.
A dialog appears for Updating system, with a progress bar. When the installer is
done, VMware Tools are installed. There is no confirmation or finish button.
7. In an X terminal, as root (su -), configure VMware Tools.
vmware-config-tools.pl
Respond to the questions the installer displays on the screen. Press Enter to
accept the default value.
Note: Be sure to respond yes when the installer offers to run the configuration
program.
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8. Launch the VMware Tools background application:
vmware-toolbox &
Note: Some guest operating systems require a reboot for full functionality.
Installing VMware Tools from the Command Line with the Tar Installer
The first steps are performed on the host, within Workstation menus:
1. Power on the virtual machine.
2. After the guest operating system has started, prepare your virtual machine to
install VMware Tools.
Choose VM > Install VMware Tools.
The remaining steps take place inside the virtual machine.
3. As root (su -), mount the VMware Tools virtual CD-ROM image, change to a
working directory (for example, /tmp), uncompress the installer, then unmount
the CD-ROM image.
Note: Some Linux distributions automatically mount CD-ROMs. If your
distribution uses automounting, do not use the mount and umount commands
below. You still must untar the VMware Tools installer to /tmp.
Some Linux distributions use different device names or organize the /dev
directory differently. If your CD-ROM drive is not /dev/cdrom or if the mount
point for a CD-ROM is not /mnt/cdrom, you must modify the following
commands to reflect the conventions used by your distribution.
mount /dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom
cd /tmp
Note: If you have a previous installation, delete the previous vmware-distrib
directory before installing. The default location of this directory is
/tmp/vmware-tools-distrib.
4. Untar the VMware Tools tar file:
tar zxf /mnt/cdrom/VMwareTools-5.0.0-<xxxx>.tar.gz
umount /dev/cdrom
Where <xxxx> is the build/revision number of the VMware Workstation
release.
Note: If you attempt to install a tar installation over an rpm installation —
or the reverse — the installer detects the previous installation and must convert
the installer database format before continuing.
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5. Run the .tar VMware Tools installer:
cd vmware-tools-distrib
./vmware-install.pl
Respond to the configuration questions on the screen. Press Enter to accept
the default value.
6. Log off of the root account.
exit
7. Start X and your graphical environment.
8. In an X terminal, launch the VMware Tools background application.
vmware-toolbox &
Note: You may run VMware Tools as root or as a normal user. To shrink virtual
disks, you must run VMware Tools as root (su -).
Installing VMware Tools from the Command Line with the RPM Installer
The first steps are performed on the host, within Workstation menus:
1. Power on the virtual machine.
2. After the guest operating system has started, prepare your virtual machine to
install VMware Tools.
Choose VM > Install VMware Tools.
The remaining steps take place inside the virtual machine.
3. As root (su -), mount the VMware Tools virtual CD-ROM image, change to a
working directory (for example, /tmp), uncompress the installer, then unmount
the CD-ROM image.
Note: Some Linux distributions automatically mount CD-ROMs. If your
distribution uses automounting, do not use the mount and umount commands
below. You still must untar the VMware Tools installer to /tmp.
Some Linux distributions use different device names or organize the /dev
directory differently. If your CD-ROM drive is not /dev/cdrom or if the mount
point for a CD-ROM is not /mnt/cdrom, you must modify the following
commands to reflect the conventions used by your distribution.
mount /dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom
cd /tmp
Note: If you have a previous installation, delete the previous vmware-distrib
directory before installing. The default location of this directory is
/tmp/vmware-tools-distrib.
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4. At the command prompt, enter:
rpm -Uhv /mnt/cdrom/VMwareTools-5.0.0-
<xxxx>.i386.rpm
umount /dev/cdrom
Where <xxxx> is the build/revision number of the VMware Workstation
release.
Note: If you attempt to install an rpm installation over a tar installation —
or the reverse — the installer detects the previous installation and must convert
the installer database format before continuing.
5. Configure VMware Tools:
vmware-config-tools.pl
Respond to the questions the installer displays on the screen. Press Enter to
accept the default value.
6. Log off of the root account.
exit
7. Start X and your graphical environment.
8. In an X terminal, launch the VMware Tools background application.
vmware-toolbox &
Note: You may run VMware Tools as root or as a normal user. To shrink virtual
disks, you must run VMware Tools as root (su -).
Starting VMware Tools Automatically
You may find it helpful to configure your guest operating system so VMware Tools
starts when you start your X server. The steps for doing so vary depending on your
Linux distribution and your desktop environment. Check your operating system
documentation for the appropriate steps to take.
For example, in a Red Hat Linux 7.1 guest using GNOME, follow these steps.
1. Open the Startup Programs panel in the GNOME Control Center.
Main Menu (click the foot icon in the lower left corner of the screen) > Programs
> Settings > Session > Startup Programs
2. Click Add.
3. In the Startup Command field, enter vmware-toolbox.
4. Click OK, click OK again, then close the GNOME Control Center.
The next time you start X, VMware Tools starts automatically.
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Uninstalling VMware Tools
To remove VMware Tools from your Linux guest operating system, log on as root
(su -) and enter the following command:
•From a tar install
vmware-uninstall-tools.pl
•From an RPM install
rpm -e VMwareTools
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VMware Tools for FreeBSD Guests
1. Power on the virtual machine.
2. Select VM > Install VMware Tools.
The remaining steps take place inside the virtual machine, not on the host computer.
3. Be sure the guest operating system is running in text mode. You cannot install
VMware Tools while X is running.
4. As root (su -), mount the VMware Tools virtual CD-ROM image, change to a
working directory (for example, /tmp), uncompress the installer, then unmount
the CD-ROM image.
Note: You do not use an actual CD-ROM to install VMware Tools, nor do you
need to download the CD-ROM image or burn a physical CD-ROM of this image
file. The VMware Workstation software contains an ISO image that looks like a
CD-ROM to your guest operating system. This image contains all the files needed
to install VMware Tools in your guest operating system.
Note: Some FreeBSD distributions automatically mount CD-ROMs. If your
distribution uses automounting, do not use the mount and umount commands
below. You still must untar the VMware Tools installer to /tmp.
mount /cdrom
cd /tmp
Untar the VMware Tools tar file:
tar zxf /cdrom/vmware-freebsd-tools.tar.gz
umount /cdrom
5. Run the VMware Tools installer.
Using the tar installer
cd vmware-tools-distrib
./vmware-install.pl
6. Log out of the root account.
exit
7. Start X and your graphical environment
8. In an X terminal, launch the VMware Tools background application.
vmware-toolbox &
Note: You may run VMware Tools as root or as a normal user. To shrink virtual
disks, you must run VMware Tools as root (su -).
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Note: In a FreeBSD 4.5 guest operating system, sometimes VMware Tools does not
start after you install VMware Tools, reboot the guest operating system or start
VMware Tools on the command line in the guest. An error message appears:
Shared object 'libc.so.3' not found.
The required library was not installed. This does not happen with full installations of
FreeBSD 4.5, but does occur for minimal installations. To fix the problem of the missing
library, take the following steps:
1. Insert and mount the FreeBSD 4.5 installation CD or access the ISO image file.
2. Change directories and run the installation script.
cd /cdrom/compat3x
./install.sh
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Installing VMware Tools in a NetWare Virtual Machine
1. Power on the virtual machine.
2. Select VM > Install VMware Tools.
The remaining steps take place inside the virtual machine.
3. Load the CD-ROM driver so the CD-ROM device mounts the ISO image as a
volume. Do one of the following.
•In the system console for a NetWare 6.5 virtual machine, type
LOAD CDDVD
•In the system console for a NetWare 6.0 or NetWare 5.1 virtual machine, type
LOAD CD9660.NSS
4. When the driver finishes loading, you can begin installing VMware Tools. In the
system console, type
vmwtools:\setup.ncf
When the installation finishes, the message VMware Tools for NetWare
are now running appears in the Logger Screen (NetWare 6.5 and NetWare
6.0 guests) or the Console Screen (NetWare 5.1 guests).
5. Restart the guest operating system. In the system console, type
restart server
After you install VMware Tools, make sure the VMware Tools virtual CD-ROM image
(netware.iso) is not attached to the virtual machine. If it is, disconnect it. Right-
click the CD-ROM icon in the status bar of the console window and select Disconnect.
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VMware Tools Configuration Options
This section discusses VMware Tools configuration options in the following topics.
•Using the Control Panel to Configure VMware Tools on page 130
•Using the System Console to Configure VMware Tools in a NetWare Guest
Operating System on page 135
Using the Control Panel to Configure VMware Tools
This section shows the options available in a Windows XP guest operating system.
Similar configuration options are available in VMware Tools for other guest operating
systems.
When VMware Tools is running, an icon with the VMware boxes logo appears in the
guest operating system’s system tray.
To open the VMware Tools control panel, double-click the VMware Tools icon in the
system tray.
If the VMware Tools icon does not appear in the system tray, go to Start > Control
Panel. Locate the VMware Tools icon and double-click it.
Tabs in the VMware Tools control panel are described in the following sections.
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The Options Tab
The Options tab shows the Miscellaneous Options.
•Time synchronization between the virtual machine and the host operating
system
Note: You can synchronize the time in the guest operating system with the
time on the host operating system only when you set the clock in the guest
operating system to a time earlier than the time set on the host.
Under some circumstances, the virtual machine may synchronize time with the
host even though this item is not selected. If you want to disable time
synchronization completely, open the virtual machine's configuration file
(.vmx) in a text editor and set the following options to FALSE.
tools.syncTime
tools.synchronize.restore
time.synchronize.resume.disk
time.synchronize.continue
time.synchronize.shrink
•Show VMware Tools in the taskbar
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The Devices Tab
The Devices tab allows you to enable or disable removable devices. (You can also
enable or disable removable devices in VM >Removable Devices.)
The Scripts Tab
Use the Scripts tab to enable, disable and run scripts for the Suspend, Resume, Power
On, and Power Off buttons.
Windows hosts: If the virtual machine is configured to use DHCP, the script executed
when suspending a virtual machine releases the IP address of the virtual machine. The
script executed when resuming a virtual machine renews the IP address of the virtual
machine.
Linux hosts: The script executed when suspending a virtual machine stops
networking for the virtual machine. The script executed when resuming a virtual
machine starts networking for the virtual machine.
To run one of these scripts at some other time, select the script you want from the
drop-down menu, then click Run Now.
To disable all scripts, deselect Use Scripts.
Note: Scripts cannot be run in Windows 95, NetWare, and FreeBSD guest operating
systems.
Note: Scripts in Windows NT and Windows Me guest operating systems do not
release and renew the IP address.
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The Shared Folders Tab
The Shared Folders tab provides information on where to find your shared folders.
For more information on shared folders, see Using Shared Folders on page 157.
The Shrink Tab
Shrink disk enabled: supported partitions
The Shrink tab gives you access to controls that reclaim unused space in a virtual disk.
However, some configurations do not allow you to shrink a virtual disk. For more
information, see Shrinking Virtual Disks on page 193.
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The About Tab
The About tab displays version and copyright information. In Windows guests, this tab
also shows the status of the VMware Tools Service.
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Using the System Console to Configure VMware Tools in a
NetWare Guest Operating System
You can configure certain virtual machine options such as time synchronization, CPU
idling and device configuration with VMware Tools in a NetWare virtual machine
using the system console. The VMware Tools command line program is called
vmwtool. To see the options associated with this command, at the system console,
type
vmwtool help
Summary of VMware Tools Commands for a NetWare Guest
Each command in the following table must be entered into the system console after
the VMware Tools command vmwtool. Use the following format:
vmwtool <command>
vmwtool Command Definition
help Displays a summary of VMware Tools commands and options in
a NetWare guest.
partitonlist Displays a list of all disk partitions in the virtual disk and whether
or not a partition can be shrunk.
shrink <partition> Shrinks the listed partitions. If no partitions are specified, then all
partitions in the virtual disk are shrunk.
The status of the shrink process appears at the bottom of the
system console.
devicelist Lists each removable device in the virtual machine, its device ID
and whether the device is enabled or disabled. Removable
devices include the virtual network adapter, CD-ROM and
floppy drives.
disabledevice <device
name>
Disables the specified device or devices in the virtual machine.
If no device is specified, then all removable devices in the virtual
machine are disabled.
enabledevice <device
name>
Enables the specified device or devices in the virtual machine. If
no device is specified, then all removable devices in the virtual
machine are enabled.
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synctime [on|off] Lets you turn on or off synchronization of time in the guest
operating system with time on the host operating system. By
default, time synchronization is turned off.
Use this command without any options to view the current
time synchronization status.
You can synchronize the time in the guest operating system
with time on the host operating system only when the time in
the guest operating system is earlier than the time set in the
host.
idle [on|off] Lets you turn the CPU idler on or off. By default, the idler is
turned on. The CPU idler program is included in VMware Tools
for NetWare guests.
The idler program is needed because NetWare servers do not
idle the CPU when the operating system is idle. As a result, a
virtual machine takes CPU time from the host regardless of
whether the NetWare server software is idle or busy.
vmwtool Command Definition
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Where to Go Next
•Running VMware Workstation on page 139
•Using Disks on page 187
•Moving and Sharing Virtual Machines on page 169
•Preserving the State of a Virtual Machine on page 249
•Cloning a Virtual Machine on page 267
•Configuring Teams on page 277
•Configuring a Virtual Network on page 305
•Configuring Video and Sound on page 359
•Connecting Devices on page 371
•Performance Tuning on page 407
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Running VMware Workstation
This chapter discusses launching the VMware Workstation program and various tasks
you may want to perform in daily use, after you have installed VMware Workstation, a
guest operating system and VMware Tools.
•Starting a Virtual Machine on page 141
•Checking the Status of VMware Tools on page 142
•Suspending and Resuming Virtual Machines on page 143
•Shutting Down a Virtual Machine on page 144
•Resetting a Virtual Machine on page 145
•Taking and Reverting to a Snapshot on page 146
•Cloning a Virtual Machine on page 147
•Deleting a Virtual Machine on page 148
•Using Virtual Machine Teams on page 149
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•Controlling the Display on page 150
•Installing New Software on page 155
•Cutting, Copying and Pasting Text on page 156
•Using Shared Folders on page 157
•Using Drag and Drop on page 163
•Using Devices in a Virtual Machine on page 164
•Creating a Screen Shot or a Movie of a Virtual Machine on page 165
The illustrations in these sections show a Windows XP guest operating system. Some
commands used in the illustrations are different from those used in other guest
operating systems.
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Starting a Virtual Machine
To start a virtual machine
1. Start Workstation. For instructions, see Launching VMware Workstation on
page 62.
1. Select the name of the virtual machine you want to use in the Favorites list at the
left of the Workstation window.
If the virtual machine you want to use is not shown there, choose File > Open
and browse to the configuration (.vmx) file for the virtual machine you want to
use.
Refer to Virtual Machine Location on page 141 for help finding virtual machines
on your host operating system.
2. Click the Power On button to start the virtual machine.
3. Click anywhere inside the virtual machine window to give the virtual machine
control of your mouse and keyboard.
4. If you need to log on, type your name and password just as you would on a
physical computer.
Note: If your Windows guest operating system asks you to press Ctrl-Alt-Del
before logging in, press Ctrl-Alt-Ins, instead.
Virtual Machine Location
On Windows hosts VMware Workstation stores virtual machines in the
My Documents folder of the user who is logged on when the virtual machine is
created.
On Windows Server 2003, Windows XP and Windows 2000, the default folder is
C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\My
Virtual Machines\<guestOSname>.
On Linux hosts VMware Workstation stores virtual machines in <homedir>/
VMware/<guestOSname>, where <homedir> is the home directory of the user
who is logged on when the virtual machine is created.
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Checking the Status of VMware Tools
For best performance, it is important to have VMware Tools installed and running in
your virtual machine.
After you install VMware Tools in a Windows virtual machine, the VMware Tools
services start automatically when you start the guest operating system.
When VMware Tools is running in a Windows virtual machine, the VMware Tools icon appears in the system
tray unless you disable the icon.
If the VMware Tools icon is not displayed in the system tray, you can use the VMware
Tools control panel in the guest operating system. Go to Start > Settings > Control
Panel or Start > Control Panel, depending on the version of Windows you are using,
locate the VMware Tools icon and double-click it to change settings for VMware Tools.
You can also reactivate the system tray icon. On the Options tab, select Show
VMware Tools in the taskbar.
In a Linux or FreeBSD virtual machine, boot the guest operating system, start X and
launch your graphical environment. Then you can launch the VMware Tools
background application with this command:
vmware-toolbox &
You may run VMware Tools as root or as a normal user. To shrink virtual disks, you must
run VMware Tools as root (su -).
With some window managers, you can place the command to start VMware Tools in a
startup configuration so VMware Tools starts automatically when you start your
graphical environment. Consult your window manager’s documentation for details.
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Suspending and Resuming Virtual
Machines
You can save the current state of your virtual machine by suspending it. Later, you can
resume the virtual machine to pick up work quickly, right where you stopped — with
all documents you were working on open and all applications in the same state as
they were at the time you suspended the virtual machine.
To suspend a virtual machine
1. If your virtual machine is running in full screen mode, return to window mode by
pressing the Ctrl-Alt key combination.
2. Click Suspend on the VMware Workstation toolbar.
3. When VMware Workstation has completed the suspend operation, it is safe to
exit VMware Workstation.
File > Exit (Windows)
or
File > Quit (Linux)
To resume a virtual machine that you have suspended:
1. Start VMware Workstation and choose a virtual machine you have suspended.
The process is the same as that described in Starting a Virtual Machine on
page 141.
2. Click Resume on the VMware Workstation toolbar.
Note that any applications you were running at the time you suspended the
virtual machine are running and the content is the same as it was when you
suspended the virtual machine.
For more information, see Using Suspend and Resume on page 250.
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Shutting Down a Virtual Machine
As with physical computers, you need to shut down your guest operating system
before you power off your virtual machine or team. For example, in a Windows guest
operating system, take these steps:
1. Choose Shut Down from the Start menu of the guest operating system (inside
the virtual machine).
2. Choose Shut Down, then click OK.
3. After the guest operating system shuts down, you can turn off the virtual
machine. Click Power Off.
Now it is safe to exit VMware Workstation or power off a team.
If you are using a different guest operating system, the procedure is similar. Follow the
usual steps to shut down the guest operating system inside your virtual machine,
then turn off the virtual machine with the Power Off button.
Power Off vs. Shut Down
You can configure the Power Off button to turn off a virtual machine or team in two
ways:
•You can set the Power Off button to work as a power switch works on a power
supply. The virtual machine is abruptly powered off, with no consideration for
work in progress.
Caution: If a virtual machine is writing to disk when it receives a Power Off
command, data corruption may occur.
•You can also set the Power Off button to send a shut down signal to the guest
operating system. An operating system that recognizes this signal shuts down
gracefully.
Note: Not all guest operating systems respond to a shut down signal from this
button. If your operating system does not respond to a shut down signal, shut
down from within the operating system, as you would with a physical machine.
For instructions on configuring the Power Off button, see Power Controls in the
section Power on page 85.
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Resetting a Virtual Machine
As with physical computers, you may need to reset a guest operating system that has
become unresponsive. This is generally not recommended: If you reset a virtual
machine while the virtual disk is being written to, data may be lost or corrupted.
To reset a virtual machine, click the Reset button on the toolbar.
Reset vs. Restart
You can configure the Reset button to reset or restart a virtual machine or team.
•You can set the Reset button to work as a reset switch, so that it resets the virtual
machine abruptly, with no consideration for work in progress.
•You can also set the Reset button to send a restart signal to the guest operating
system. An operating system that recognizes this signal shuts down gracefully
and restarts.
Note: Not all guest operating systems respond to a restart signal from this button. If
your operating system does not respond to a restart signal, restart from within the
operating system, as you would with a physical machine.
For instructions on configuring the Reset button, see Power Controls in the section
Power on page 85.
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Taking and Reverting to a Snapshot
VMware Workstation lets you take snapshots of a virtual machine at any time. A
snapshot preserves the state of all virtual machine disks and the virtual machine’s
power state: powered on, powered off, or suspended.
You can take a new snapshot or revert to any previous snapshot at any time. When
you revert to a snapshot, you discard all changes made to the virtual machine since
the most recent snapshot. Multiple snapshots allow you to preserve different states of
the same virtual machine.
Use the Take Snapshot and Revert buttons on the Workstation toolbar to take a
snapshot and revert to it later. For more information, including examples of ways you
can use snapshots, see Using Snapshots on page 251.
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Cloning a Virtual Machine
A clone is a copy of a virtual machine. You can do anything with a clone that you
could with the original virtual machine.
Installing a guest operating system and applications can be time consuming. By
cloning a virtual machine, you can easily deploy many copies of a fully configured
virtual machine, without the need to install the same operating system and
applications in each copy.
Clones may be linked or full:
•A full clone is an independent copy of a virtual machine that shares nothing with
the parent virtual machine after the cloning operation. Ongoing operation of a
full clone is entirely separate from the parent virtual machine.
•A linked clone is a copy of a virtual machine that shares virtual disks with the
parent virtual machine in an ongoing manner. This conserves disk space, and
allows multiple virtual machines to use the same software installation.
The Clone Virtual Machine Wizard automatically copies everything required for a
duplicate virtual machine. You don’t have to locate the original virtual machine files,
identify the files needed, and copy them manually. The Clone Virtual Machine Wizard
automatically creates a new MAC address and other unique identifiers for the
duplicate virtual machine.
Refer to Cloning a Virtual Machine on page 267 for more information regarding
clones.
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Deleting a Virtual Machine
Workstation 5 includes commands to remove a virtual machine from the Favorites list
or completely delete the virtual machine. You do not need to manipulate files in the
host file system to delete a virtual machine.
•To remove a virtual machine or team name from the Favorites list, right-click the
name and choose Remove from Favorites. This choice does not affect the
virtual machine itself; all virtual machine and team files remain intact on the host
computer file system.
•To delete a virtual machine from the host computer, right-click the name of the
virtual machine in the Favorites list and select Delete from Disk; or, select the
virtual machine and choose VM > Delete from disk.
VMware Workstation allows you to delete a virtual machine even if it is a member of a
team. To delete a team itself, see Closing a Team on page 284.
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Using Virtual Machine Teams
A team is a group of networked virtual machines that act together. Power operations
are applied to an entire team, with startup order and delay time before startup fully
configurable for each virtual machine on the team.
Teams are useful for multitier application development, testing, demonstration, and
deployment. LAN segments allow you to create private virtual networks for
performance testing and security.
The New Team Wizard guides you through creation of a new team. Add virtual
machines and LAN segments to deploy a completely private testing environment or
one that interacts with your network as usual.
Refer to the Configuring Teams on page 277 for a complete description of teams.
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Controlling the Display
You can control the VMware Workstation display in a variety of ways to suit the way
you prefer to work with your virtual machines.
•Using Full Screen Mode on page 150
•Using Quick Switch Mode on page 151
•Taking Advantage of Multiple Monitors on page 151
•Fitting the Workstation Console to the Virtual Machine Display on page 152
•Nonstandard Resolutions on page 153
•Simplifying the Screen Display on page 153
Using Full Screen Mode
In full screen mode, the VMware Workstation virtual machine display fills the screen,
so you no longer see the borders of the VMware Workstation window. To enter full
screen mode, click the Full Screen button on the toolbar, or press Ctrl-Alt-Enter.
To switch from full screen mode back to normal mode, which shows your virtual
machine inside a VMware Workstation window again, press Ctrl-Alt.
Virtual machines run faster in full screen mode.
Linux hosts: You can switch between virtual machines without leaving full screen
mode by using a Ctrl-Alt-Fn key combination, where Fn is a function key
corresponding to the virtual machine you want to see. To find out what function key
to use for a particular virtual machine, check the title bar of the virtual machine while
it is running in a window.
Windows hosts: For similar functionality, see Using Full Screen Switch Mode on
page 438.
Note: VMware Workstation does not support running virtual machines in full screen
mode on dual-monitor systems.
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Using Quick Switch Mode
Quick switch mode is similar to full screen mode with the addition of tabs at the top of
the screen for switching from one active virtual machine to another. The virtual
machine’s screen is resized to fill the screen completely, except for the space occupied
by the tabs.
To enter quick switch mode, choose View > Quick Switch.
To view the VMware Workstation menu and toolbar while you are using quick switch
mode, move the mouse pointer to the top of the screen.
To resize a Windows guest operating system’s display so it fills as much of the screen
as possible in quick switch mode, choose View > Fit Guest Now. The Fit Guest Now
option works only if you have the current version of VMware Tools installed in the
guest operating system.
Note: When you choose Fit Guest Now, VMware Workstation adjusts the display
settings of your Windows guest operating system as needed. If you subsequently run
the virtual machine in normal mode, you may want to change the display settings
back to their previous values.
To get out of quick switch mode, move the mouse pointer to the top of the screen to
activate the menu, then choose View > Quick Switch.
Taking Advantage of Multiple Monitors
If your host has a standard multiple monitor display, you can run separate sets of
virtual machines on each of the monitors. To use two monitors, launch two instances
of VMware Workstation. Start one or more virtual machines in each VMware
Workstation window, then drag each VMware Workstation window to the monitor on
which you want to use it. For the largest possible screen display, switch each of the
windows to quick switch mode (View > Quick Switch).
To switch mouse and keyboard input from the virtual machine on the first screen to
the virtual machine on the second screen, move the mouse pointer from one to the
other. You do not need to take any special steps if VMware Tools is running in both
guest operating systems and if you are using the default settings for grabbing input. If
you have changed the defaults, you may need to press Ctrl-Alt to release the mouse
pointer from the first virtual machine, move it to the second virtual machine, then
click in the second virtual machine so it will grab control of mouse and keyboard
input.
Note: Multiple monitor support is experimental in this release of VMware
Workstation. It does not work properly with some third-party desktop management
software or display drivers.
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Note: If you switch to full screen mode, VMware Workstation always uses the primary
display. To use multiple monitors, you must use either the normal (windowed) mode
or quick switch mode.
Fitting the Workstation Console to the Virtual Machine Display
The View menu autofit and fit commands allow you to match the VMware
Workstation console with the guest operating system display size.
With both autofit commands toggled off, VMware Workstation does not automatically
match window sizes as you work. Scroll bars appear in the console when the
Workstation console is smaller than the guest operating system display. A black
border appears in the console when the console is larger than the guest operating
system display.
View Menu Command Description
Autofit Window†This command causes the Workstation console to maintain the size of the
virtual machine’s display resolution. If the guest operating system
changes its resolution, the Workstation console automatically resizes to
match the new resolution.
Autofit Guest†This command causes the virtual machine to resize the guest display
resolution to match the size of the Workstation console.
Fit Window Now‡This command causes the Workstation console to match the current
display size of the guest operating system.
Fit Guest Now‡This command causes the guest operating system display size to match
the current Workstation console.
† An autofit command is toggled on or off each time you select it. If both Autofit commands are
toggled on, then you can manually resize the Workstation console, but the guest operating system
can also resize the Workstation console
‡ This command is redundant when one of the autofit options is active, because the console and the
guest operating system display are the same size.
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Nonstandard Resolutions
A guest operating system — and its applications — may react unexpectedly when
the Workstation console size is not a standard VESA resolution (e.g. 640×480, 800×600,
1024×768, etc.).
For example, the Autofit Guest and Fit Guest commands allow your guest operating
system screen resolution to be set smaller 640×480, and some installers do not run at
resolutions smaller than 640×480. Programs may refuse to run. Error messages may
include such phrases as “VGA Required To Install” or “You must have VGA to install.”
There are two ways to work around this problem with nonstandard resolutions.
•If your host computer's screen resolution is high enough, you can enlarge the
window, then choose Fit Guest.
•If your host computer's screen resolution does not allow you to enlarge the
Workstation console sufficiently, you can manually set the guest operating
system's screen resolution to 640×480 or larger.
Simplifying the Screen Display
If you prefer, you can turn off display of many of the controls visible in the VMware
Workstation window.
Use the View menu to toggle the following controls on or off:
•Favorites
•Toolbar
•Status bar
•Virtual machine tabs
On a Windows host, you can also hide the menu bar. To do so, click the title bar icon,
then choose Hide Controls.
Hiding the menu bar on a Windows host
Choosing Hide Controls hides the menu bar, the toolbar, the status bar and the
Favorites list.
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For the simplest possible VMware Workstation window on a Windows host, first
choose View > Tabs to turn off the tabs. Then, from the title bar icon shortcut menu,
choose Hide Controls.
With controls hidden, a virtual machine appears as a host
Using the View menu and the title bar icon shortcut menu, you can remove all visible
controls from the VMware Workstation window.
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Installing New Software
Installing new software in a VMware Workstation virtual machine is just like installing it
on a physical computer. For example, to install software in a Windows virtual machine,
take the following steps:
1. Be sure you have started the virtual machine and, if necessary, logged on. On the
Workstation menus, choose VM > Removable Devices to be sure the virtual
machine has access to the CD-ROM drive and, if needed, the floppy drive.
2. Insert the installation CD-ROM or floppy disk into the proper drive. If you are
installing from a CD-ROM, the installation program may start automatically.
3. If the installation program does not start automatically, click the Windows Start
button, go to Settings > Control Panel, then double-click Add/Remove
Programs and click the Install button. Follow the instructions on screen and in
the user manual for your new software.
Note: Some applications use a product activation feature that creates a key, based
on the virtual hardware in the virtual machine where it is installed. Changes in the
configuration of the virtual machine may require you to reactivate the software. To
minimize the number of significant changes, set the final memory size for your virtual
machine and install VMware Tools before you activate the software.
Note: When you try to run a few programs — including the installer for the
Japanese-language version of Trend Micro Virus Buster — Workstation may appear to
hang. For the workaround to this problem, see the following knowledge base article
on the VMware Web site at www.vmware.com/info?id=30.
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Cutting, Copying and Pasting Text
When VMware Tools is running, you can cut (or copy) and paste text between
applications in the virtual machine and the host computer or between two virtual
machines. Use the normal hot keys or menu choices to cut, copy and paste.
To turn off this feature — to prevent accidental copying and pasting from one
environment to another — change your preferences.
Choose Edit > Preferences. On the Input tab, clear the check box beside Enable copy
and paste to and from virtual machine.
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Using Shared Folders
With shared folders, you can easily share files among virtual machines and the host
computer. To use shared folders, you must have the current version of VMware Tools
installed in the guest operating system and you must configure your virtual machine
settings to specify which directories are to be shared.
VMware Workstation 5 includes new performance enhancements for shared folders.
You can use shared folders with virtual machines running the following guest
operating systems:
•Windows Server 2003
•Windows XP
•Windows 2000
•Windows NT 4.0
•Linux with a kernel version of 2.4 or higher
To set up one or more shared folders for a virtual machine, be sure the virtual machine
is open in Workstation and click its tab to make it the active virtual machine. Choose
VM > Settings > Options and click Shared folders.
You can add one or more directories to the list. Those directories may be on the host
computer or they may be network directories accessible from the host computer.
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Adding a Shared Folder on a Windows Host
(To add a shared folder on a Linux host, see Adding a Shared Folder on a Linux Host on
page 160.)
1. Choose VM > Settings
2. Select Options
3. Click Shared Folders
4. Click Add to open the Add Shared Folder Wizard and click Next
5. Enter a name and location for the shared folder and click Next
•Name — This is the name that appears inside the virtual machine.
•Host folder — The path on the host to the directory you want to share. Type
in the full path or browse to the directory.
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6. Enter attributes for the shared folder.
•Enable this share — Select this option to enable the shared folder. Deselect
this option to disable the shared folder without deleting it from the virtual
machine configuration. You may want to add a folder to the list without
enabling it immediately. You can then enable the folder at any time by
clicking its name in this list, clicking Properties and enabling the folder in the
Properties dialog box.
•Read-only — Select this option to prevent the virtual machine from changing
the contents of the shared folder in the host file system. Access to files in the
shared folder is also governed by permission settings on the host computer.
•Disable after this session — Select this option to disable the virtual machine’s
connection to the folder when the virtual machine is powered off or
suspended. Leave this box unchecked to specify that the folder is always
enabled.
7. Click Finish.
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Adding a Shared Folder on a Linux Host
(To add a shared folder on a Windows host, seeAdding a Shared Folder on a Windows
Host on page 158.)
1. Choose VM > Settings
2. Select Options
3. Click Shared Folders
4. Click Add to open the Shared Folder Properties dialog box.
5. Enter the following information for the shared folder.
•Name — This is the name that appears inside the virtual machine.
•Host folder — The path on the host to the directory you want to share. Type in
the full path or browse to the directory.
•Enable this share — Select this option to enable the shared folder. Deselect
this option to disable the shared folder without deleting it from the virtual
machine configuration. You may want to add a folder to the list without
enabling it immediately. You can then enable the folder at any time by
clicking its name in this list, clicking Properties and enabling the folder in the
Properties dialog box.
•Read-only — Select this option to prevent the virtual machine from changing
the contents of the shared folder in the host file system. Access to files in the
shared folder is also governed by permission settings on the host computer.
•Disable after this session — Select this option to disable the virtual machine’s
connection to the folder when the virtual machine is powered off or
suspended. Deselect this option to specify that the folder is always enabled.
6. Click OK.
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Viewing a Shared Folder
Shared folders appear differently, depending on the guest operating system. The
following sections describe viewing shared folders in Windows and Linux guests.
Note: You can use shared folders to share any type of file. However, Windows
shortcuts and Linux symbolic links do not work correctly if you try to use them via
shared folders.
Caution: Do not open a file in a shared folder from more than one application at a
time. For example, you should not open the same file using an application on the host
operating system and another application in the guest operating system. In some
circumstances, doing so could cause data corruption in the file.
Viewing Shared Folders in a Windows Guest
In a Windows guest operating system, you can view shared folders using Windows
Explorer. Look in My Network Places (Network Neighborhood for a Windows NT guest)
under VMware Shared Folders.
Note: If you have trouble finding a shared folder when using the desktop icon for My
Network Places (or Network Neighborhood in Windows NT), instead open Windows
Explorer and look in My Network Places (Network Neighborhood). The Windows
desktop icon does not display an option for Entire Network.
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For example, if you specify the name Test files for one of your shared folders,
you can navigate to it by opening My Network Places > VMware Shared Folders >
.host > Shared Folders > Test files.
You can also go directly to the folder using the UNC path
\\.host\Shared Folders\Test files.
You can map a shared folder to a drive letter just as you would with a network share.
Note: If your guest operating system has VMware Tools from Workstation 4.0, shared
folders appear as folders on a designated drive letter.
Viewing Shared Folders in a Linux Guest
In a Linux virtual machine, shared folders appear under /mnt/hgfs.
To change the settings for a shared folder on the list, click the folder’s name to
highlight it, then click Properties. The Properties dialog box appears.
Change any settings you wish, then click OK.
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Using Drag and Drop
With the drag and drop features of VMware Workstation 5, you can move files easily
between a Windows host and a Windows virtual machine. You can drag and drop
individual files or entire directories.
You can drag and drop files or folders from a file manager, such as Windows Explorer,
on the host to a file manager in the virtual machine or vice versa. You can also drag
files from a file manager to an application that supports drag and drop — or from
applications such as zip file managers that support drag-and-drop extraction of
individual files.
When you drag a file or folder from host to virtual machine or from virtual machine to
host, Workstation copies the file or folder to the location where you drop it. This
means, for example, that if you drop a file on the desktop icon of a word processor, the
word processor opens with a copy of the original file. The original file does not reflect
any changes you make to the copy.
Initially, the application opens using a copy of the file that is stored in your temp
directory (as specified in the %TEMP% environment variable). To protect any changes
you make, choose File > Save As from the application’s menu and save the file in a
different directory. Otherwise it may be overwritten or deleted by mistake.
To disable or enable drag and drop for a virtual machine
1. Open the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings), click the Options tab
and select Guest isolation.
2. Select Disable drag and drop to and from this virtual machine to disable the
feature. Deselect it to enable the feature.
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Using Devices in a Virtual Machine
Follow the guidelines in this section to add, remove, configure, connect, and
disconnect your virtual machine’s devices.
Adding, Configuring, and Removing Devices in a Virtual
Machine
In the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings), you can add and remove
devices for a virtual machine, and change device settings.
To add a new device to a virtual machine, open the virtual machine settings editor,
click Add, and follow the instructions in the Add New Hardware Wizard. Click OK to
save your changes and close the virtual machine settings editor.
To change settings for a device, open the virtual machine settings editor, select the
device, and make your changes. Click OK to save your changes and close the virtual
machine settings editor.
To remove a device, open the virtual machine settings editor, click the name of the
device, and click Remove. Click OK to close the virtual machine settings editor.
Connecting and Disconnecting Removable Devices
Choose VM > Removable Devices to connect and disconnect removable devices that
you have configured for your virtual machine — including floppy drives, DVD/CD-
ROM drives, USB devices, and Ethernet adapters — while the virtual machine is
running.
When you choose VM > Removable Devices, a submenu appears. Choose a device
from that menu to connect or disconnect it and to edit device settings. If you choose
Edit, a dialog box appears. Make all the changes you want to make, then click OK.
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Creating a Screen Shot or a Movie of a
Virtual Machine
This section describes how to capture a visual record of a virtual machine, in a screen
shot or movie.
Creating a Screen Shot of a Virtual Machine
You can capture a screen shot of a virtual machine. Choose VM > Capture Screen. You
can save this image as a bitmap (.bmp) file on a Windows host or as a portable
network graphics (.png) file on a Linux host.
Creating a Movie of a Virtual Machine
You can capture a movie of your activity within a virtual machine. Workstation saves
this image as an .avi file on the host.
To capture a movie of virtual machine activity
1. Choose VM > Capture Movie.
A save file dialog box appears.
2. Enter information for your movie and click Save.
•Type the filename of the movie file you want to save. The default name is
based on the active virtual machine.
•Select the directory location where you want the movie to be stored.
•Select High, Medium, or Low quality from the drop-down menu. This choice
determines the compression and therefore the file size of the resulting movie.
•If you select Omit frames in which nothing occurs, the movie will only
include those periods of time when something is actually happening in the
virtual machine. This reduces the file size and length of the movie.
While movie capture is active, a red circle — a virtual LED — appears in the
status bar at the lower right.
An indicator appears on the status bar during movie capture
3. Within the virtual machine, perform the actions you want to appear in the move.
4. Choose VM > Stop Movie Capture.
The red circle disappears from the status bar, and your movie is saved.
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Playing a Movie Requires VMware CODEC
You can play back your movie in any compatible media player. However, a VMware
CODEC (coder-decoder) must be installed. This CODEC is automatically installed on a
machine with VMware Workstation. A separately downloadable installer is also
available for playback of movies on machines without VMware Workstation.
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Where to Go Next
•Using Disks on page 187
•Moving and Sharing Virtual Machines on page 169
•Preserving the State of a Virtual Machine on page 249
•Cloning a Virtual Machine on page 267
•Configuring Teams on page 277
•Configuring a Virtual Network on page 305
•Configuring Video and Sound on page 359
•Connecting Devices on page 371
•Performance Tuning on page 407
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CHAPTER 7
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Moving and Sharing Virtual
Machines
The following sections provide information on how to move your virtual machines
from one host to another, or elsewhere on the same host, plus recommendations on
how to share virtual machines with other users:
•Virtual Machine Identifier — UUID on page 170
•Moving a VMware Workstation 5 Virtual Machine on page 173
•Moving a VMware Workstation 4 Virtual Machine on page 176
•Moving an Older Virtual Machine on page 179
•Sharing Virtual Machines with Other Users on page 184
•Moving Linked Clones on page 185
Note: When you move a virtual machine to a new host computer or to a different
directory on the same host computer — or when you rename a directory in the path
to the virtual machine’s configuration file — VMware Workstation generates a
different MAC address for the virtual Ethernet adapter. For additional information, see
Maintaining and Changing the MAC Address of a Virtual Machine on page 332.
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Virtual Machine Identifier — UUID
To ensure all virtual machines are identified properly, each virtual machine is
automatically assigned a universal unique identifier (UUID).
If you move or copy a virtual machine, Workstation offers the choice of creating a new
UUID the first time you power on the virtual machine. This new UUID is based on the
physical computer's identifier and the path to the virtual machine's configuration file
in its new location.
This section discusses the following topics:
•The UUID Location and Format on page 170
•The UUID and Moving Virtual Machines on page 171
•Specifying a UUID for a Virtual Machine on page 172
•Setting the UUID for a Virtual Machine that Is Being Moved on page 172
The UUID Location and Format
The UUID is stored in the SMBIOS system information descriptor. It can be accessed by
standard SMBIOS scanning software — for example SiSoftware Sandra or the IBM
utility smbios2 — and used for system management in the same way you use the
UUID of a physical computer.
The UUID is a 128-bit integer. The 16 bytes of this value are separated by spaces,
except for a dash between the eighth and ninth hexadecimal pairs. An example UUID
looks like this:
00 11 22 33 44 55 66 77-88 99 aa bb cc dd ee ff
The UUID is based on the physical computer's identifier and the path to the virtual
machine's configuration file. This UUID is generated when you power on or reset the
virtual machine. As long as you do not move or copy the virtual machine to another
location, the UUID remains constant.
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The UUID and Moving Virtual Machines
When you power on a virtual machine that was moved or copied to a new location,
the following message appears:
The virtual machine's configuration file has changed its location since its last
poweron. Do you want to create a new unique identifier (UUID) for the virtual
machine, or keep the old one?
You have four options: Create, Keep, Always Create, Always Keep. The proper selection
depends on the cause for the changed UUID.
•If you moved this virtual machine, you can choose to keep the UUID. Select
Keep, then click OK to continue powering on the virtual machine.
•If you copied this virtual machine to a new location, you should create a new
UUID, since the copy of the virtual machine is using the same UUID as the
original virtual machine. Select Create, then click OK to continue powering on
the virtual machine.
•If the original virtual machine is being used as a master copy for more virtual
machines, you can choose to create a new UUID the first time you power on
each copy. After you configure the virtual machine and are ready to make it a
master copy, move it to a new location and power it on. When the message
appears after you power on, select Always Create, then click OK to continue
powering on the virtual machine. The virtual machine is set up to create a new
UUID every time it is moved. Power off the virtual machine and begin using it as
a master copy by copying the virtual machine files to other locations.
•If you intend to move the virtual machine numerous times and want to keep the
same UUID each time the virtual machine moves, select Always Keep and click
OK to continue powering on the virtual machine.
Note: If you want to change the Always Keep or Always Create setting, power off the
virtual machine and edit its configuration file (.vmx). Delete the line that contains
uuid.action = "create"
or
uuid.action = "keep"
Suspending and resuming a virtual machine does not trigger the process that
generates a UUID. Thus, the UUID in use at the time the virtual machine was
suspended remains in use when the virtual machine is resumed, even if it has been
copied or moved. However, the next time the virtual machine is rebooted, the
message appears, so you can choose to create a new UUID or keep the existing one.
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Specifying a UUID for a Virtual Machine
In some circumstances you may want to assign a specific UUID to the virtual machine.
To do this, you need to override the automatically generated UUID value. Power off
the virtual machine and edit its configuration file (.vmx) to set the value of the UUID
parameter. Use a text editor to edit the configuration file. The format for the line is:
uuid.bios = <uuidvalue>
The UUID value must be surrounded by quotation marks. A sample configuration line
looks like:
uuid.bios = "00 11 22 33 44 55 66 77-88 99 aa bb cc dd ee ff"
After adding this line to the configuration file, power on the virtual machine. The new
UUID is used when the virtual machine boots.
Setting the UUID for a Virtual Machine that Is Being Moved
If you plan to move a virtual machine and want it to have the same UUID it did before
the move, you must note the UUID being used before the move and add that UUID to
the configuration file after the move. Follow these steps:
1. Before moving the virtual machine, examine its configuration file. You need to
use a text editor. The configuration file is located in your virtual machine's
directory; the file has a .vmx extension.
2. If the virtual machine's UUID has been set to a specific value, the configuration
file has a line that begins with uuid.bios. Note the 128-bit hexadecimal value
that follows. This is the value you should use in the new location.
3. If there is no line beginning with uuid.bios, look for the line that begins with
uuid.location and note the 128-bit hexadecimal value that follows it.
4. Move the virtual machine's files to the new location.
5. Start the virtual machine, then shut it down.
6. Edit the virtual machine's configuration file to add a uuid.bios line, as
described in Specifying a UUID for a Virtual Machine on page 172. Set the value
of uuid.bios to the value you recorded in step 2.
7. Start the virtual machine. It should now have the same UUID as it did before the
move.
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Moving a VMware Workstation 5
Virtual Machine
What do you do if you have created a virtual machine using VMware Workstation and
you want to move it to a different computer? Or even somewhere else on the same
computer? The process is not difficult, and in most cases you can even move your
virtual machine from a Windows host to a Linux host — or vice versa. If the virtual
machine was created under VMware Workstation 5, follow the directions in this
section.
These instructions assume that you are using a virtual disk — stored in a set of .vmdk
files on your host computer.
Caution: It’s always safest to make backup copies of all the files in your virtual
machine’s directory before you start a process like this.
This section discusses the following topics:
•Hosts with Different Hardware on page 173
•Virtual Machines Use Relative Paths on page 174
•Preparing a Workstation 5 Virtual Machine for a Move on page 174
•Moving a Workstation 5 Virtual Machine to a New Host on page 175
Hosts with Different Hardware
If you move a virtual machine to a host with significant hardware differences, the
guest operating system may no longer work correctly.
Moving Between 64-bit and 32-bit Hosts
Moving a virtual machine from a 64-bit host to a 32-bit host can require that you
recompile the kernel in your Linux guest operating system.
Moving from a Multiprocessor Host to a Uniprocessor Host
If you move a virtual machine created in VMware ESX Server on a multiprocessor host
to a uniprocessor host, the guest operating system consumes 100% of the host CPU’s
processing capacity, even when the guest operating system is essentially idle. To
prevent this, change the setting for numvcpus from 2 to 1 in the virtual machine
configuration .vmx file.
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Virtual Machines Use Relative Paths
The path names for all files associated with a VMware Workstation 5 virtual machine
are relative, meaning the path to each file is relative to the currently active directory.
For example, if you are in the virtual machine’s directory, the relative path to the virtual
disk file is <machine name>.vmdk.
Preparing a Workstation 5 Virtual Machine for a Move
1. Shut down the guest operating system and power off the virtual machine. If the
virtual machine is suspended, resume it, then shut down the guest operating
system.
2. Do one of the following:
•If you are moving the virtual machine to a new host and have a network
connection between the original host machine and the new host, you are
finished with the preparations on the original host.
Otherwise, you need to have a way of moving the virtual disk (.vmdk) files
from the virtual machine’s directory to the new host. You could move them to
a shared network directory, for example, or burn them to CD-ROMs if they are
not too large.
Once you know how you are going to move the virtual machine, go to
Moving a Workstation 5 Virtual Machine to a New Host on page 175.
•If you are moving this virtual machine to another directory on this host, then
you are ready to make the move. Copy all the files in the virtual machine’s
original directory to the new location.
If you stored any files in directories other than the virtual machine directory,
be sure to move them into a directory of the same name and same position
relative to the location of the virtual machine.
Start VMware Workstation and open the new virtual machine you just created.
Choose File > Open, then browse to the virtual machine’s configuration
(.vmx) file.
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Moving a Workstation 5 Virtual Machine to a New Host
1. Make sure VMware Workstation is installed and working correctly on the new
host computer.
2. Create a directory for the virtual machine you are moving. Locate the virtual disk
files you are moving and copy them into the new directory. Be sure to copy all
the files in the virtual machine’s original directory. If you stored any files in
directories other than the virtual machine directory, be sure to move them into a
directory of the same name and same position relative to the location of the
virtual machine.
If, for some reason, you are not moving a file, make sure you do not have any
paths pointing to that file. Use the virtual machine settings editor and check to
see if your virtual machine is pointing to the correct location for files you do not
move. In the virtual machine settings editor, select each device and be sure that
any devices with associated files are pointed to the correct files. Also, check the
Options tab to be sure the location for the redo-log file is correct.
Note: If you have taken a snapshot of the virtual machine, be sure to move all
files in the virtual machine’s directory.
3. Start VMware Workstation and open the virtual machine you just moved. Choose
File > Open, then browse to the virtual machine’s configuration (.vmx) file.
See What Files Make Up a Virtual Machine? on page 96 for a description of the files
that you are moving.
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Moving a VMware Workstation 4 Virtual
Machine
Note: This section discusses virtual machines created with Workstation 4. However,
the discussion applies equally to virtual machines created with all these VMware
products:
•Workstation 4.x
•GSX Server 3.x
•ESX Server 2.x
•VMware ACE 1.x, 1.0.x
See Legacy Virtual Disks on page 246 for more information on virtual machine formats
from older VMware products.
If you want to move a virtual machine created with Workstation 4, you may prefer to
upgrade it for full compatibility with VMware Workstation 5 before moving it. To do so,
power on the virtual machine under VMware Workstation 5 and choose
VM >Upgrade Virtual Machine. You can then follow the instructions in Moving a
VMware Workstation 5 Virtual Machine on page 173.
If you upgrade the virtual machine, you can no longer run it under VMware
Workstation 4. If you need to run the virtual machine under both VMware
Workstation 4 and VMware Workstation 5, do not upgrade the virtual machine. Follow
the instructions in this section.
These instructions assume that you are using a virtual disk — stored in a set of .vmdk
files on your host computer.
Caution: It’s always safest to make backup copies of all the files in your virtual
machine’s directory before you start a process like this.
This section discusses the following topics regarding moving a Workstation 4 virtual
machine:
•Preparing Your Workstation 4 Virtual Machine for the Move on page 177
•Moving a Workstation 4 Virtual Machine to a New Host Machine on page 178
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Preparing Your Workstation 4 Virtual Machine for the Move
1. Use VMware Workstation 4 to open the virtual machine.
2. Be sure the guest operating system is completely shut down. If the virtual
machine is suspended, resume it, then shut down the guest operating system.
3. Do one of the following:
•If you are moving the virtual machine to a new host and have a network
connection between the original host machine and the new host, you are
finished with the preparations on the original host. Otherwise, you need to
have a way of moving the virtual disk (.vmdk) files from the virtual machine’s
directory to the new host. You could move them to a shared network
directory, for example, or burn them to CD-ROMs if they are not too large.
Once you know how you are going to move the virtual machine, go to
Moving a Workstation 4 Virtual Machine to a New Host Machine on page 178.
•If you are moving this virtual machine to another directory on the same host,
you are ready to make the move. Copy all the files in the virtual machine’s
original directory to the new location. If you stored any files in directories
other than the virtual machine directory, be sure to move them into a
directory of the same name and same position relative to the location of the
virtual machine.
4. Start VMware Workstation 5 and open the virtual machine you just moved.
Choose File > Open, then browse to the virtual machine’s configuration (.vmx)
file.
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Moving a Workstation 4 Virtual Machine to a New Host
Machine
1. Make sure VMware Workstation 5 is installed and working correctly on the new
host computer.
2. Locate the virtual disk files you are moving and copy them into the new virtual
machine directory. Be sure to copy all the files in the virtual machine’s original
directory. If you stored any files in directories other than the virtual machine
directory, be sure to move them into a directory of the same name and same
position relative to the location of the virtual machine.
If, for some reason, you are not moving a file, make sure you do not have any
relative or absolute paths pointing to that file. Use the virtual machine settings
editor and check to see if your virtual machine is pointing to the correct location
for files you do not move. In the virtual machine settings editor, select each
device and be sure that any devices with associated files are pointed to the
correct files. Also, check the Options tab to be sure the location for the redo-log
file is correct.
In addition, if you have any absolute paths pointing to any files you are moving,
change them to relative paths.
3. Start VMware Workstation 5 and open the virtual machine you just moved.
Choose File > Open, then browse to the virtual machine’s configuration (.vmx)
file.
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Moving an Older Virtual Machine
This section describes the following topics
•Moving VMware Workstation 3.0 Virtual Machines on page 179
•Moving VMware Workstation 2.x Virtual Machines on page 181
•Considerations for Moving Workstation Disks in Undoable Mode on page 182
Moving VMware Workstation 3.0 Virtual Machines
If you have created a virtual machine using VMware Workstation 3.0, or another
VMware product, and you want to move it to a different computer or to another
directory on your host, you need to perform the tasks outlined in this section.
These instructions assume that you are using a virtual disk — stored in a set of .vmdk
files on your host computer.
Caution: It’s always safest to make backup copies of all the files in your virtual
machine’s directory before you start a process like this.
This section discusses the following topics regarding moving a Workstation 3 virtual
machine:
•Preparing Your Workstation 3 Virtual Machine for the Move on page 180
•Preparing the Workstation 5 Host Machine for a Workstation 3 Virtual Machine
on page 181
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Preparing Your Workstation 3 Virtual Machine for the Move
1. Use VMware Workstation 3 to open the virtual machine. If the virtual machine
has more than one virtual disk and if the virtual disks use different disk modes,
you must use the Virtual Machine Control Panel to change one or more of the
virtual disks so they all use the same mode.
2. Be sure you know whether the virtual disk is set up as an IDE disk or a SCSI disk.
You can check this in the Virtual Machine Control Panel.
Also, note the size of the virtual disk you are moving. You need this information
when you prepare the new host machine, as described in the next section.
3. Be sure the guest operating system is completely shut down. If the virtual
machine is suspended, resume it using the VMware product with which you
created the virtual machine, then shut down the guest operating system.
Note: Do not move a suspended virtual machine from one host to another.
4. If your virtual machine is using disks in undoable mode, it is best to commit or
discard the changes when the guest operating system shuts down. If you cannot
commit or discard the changes to your disk, read Considerations for Moving
Workstation Disks in Undoable Mode on page 182.
5. If you have a network connection between the original host machine and the
new host, you are finished with the preparations on the original host. Otherwise,
you need to have a way of moving the virtual disk (.vmdk) files from the virtual
machine’s directory to the new host. You could move them to a shared network
directory, for example, or burn them to CD-ROMs if they are not too large.
Note: If your disks are using undoable mode and you have not committed or
discarded your changes, you must also move the redo-log (.REDO) files to the
new host computer.
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Preparing the Workstation 5 Host Machine for a Workstation 3 Virtual Machine
1. Make sure VMware Workstation 5 is installed and working correctly on the new
host computer.
2. Run the New Virtual Machine Wizard and select the appropriate guest operating
system for the virtual machine you are moving.
•Choose a virtual disk for your hard drive and use a drive size and type (IDE or
SCSI) that matches the size and type of the virtual disk you plan to move.
•Select all appropriate network, floppy and CD-ROM settings. Do not make any
changes in the virtual machine settings editor at this point.
•Save your settings and close VMware Workstation.
3. In the directory just created for the new virtual machine, delete the brand new
.vmdk files that were just created.
4. Locate the virtual disk files you are moving and copy them into the new virtual
machine directory.
Note: If your virtual machine is using disks in undoable mode and you did not
commit or discard your changes before the move, you must also move the redo-
log (.REDO) files to the new host computer.
5. Start VMware Workstation 5 again and open the new virtual machine you just
created. Choose VM > Settings.
6. Be sure the virtual machine is configured to use the virtual disk files you moved
from the original host. You need to confirm that the new disk’s settings — IDE or
SCSI and the file name for the first .vmdk file — match those that were used on
the original host machine.
The device listing for the hard drive shows whether it is SCSI or IDE. If that setting
does not match the virtual disk you are moving, select the hard disk and click
Remove. Then click Add and use the Add Hardware Wizard to add an IDE or SCSI
disk as appropriate. To specify IDE or SCSI, when you reach the Disk File screen in
the wizard, click the Advanced button.
Be sure the filename and path for the virtual disk match the actual filename and
location for the first .vmdk file used by the virtual machine you are moving.
Moving VMware Workstation 2.x Virtual Machines
If you have created a virtual machine using VMware Workstation 2.x, you must
upgrade it under VMware Workstation 3 or 4. VMware Workstation 5 does not support
VMware Workstation 2 virtual machines.
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Considerations for Moving Workstation Disks in Undoable
Mode
Once you commit or discard changes made to a disk in undoable mode, you can
move your disk between Linux and Windows host operating systems. You can also
move your disk to different locations on your computer and to other computers with
the same host operating system.
However, if you cannot or do not want to commit or discard the changes made to
your undoable disk, note the following:
•You can always move a disk in undoable mode between host operating systems
of the same general type (for example, between two Microsoft Windows
systems, or between two Linux systems). Depending upon how the disk was first
set up, you may have to place the disk and its redo log in a directory that has a
path name identical to that of the current directory.
•You may be able to move the disk in undoable mode between Windows and
Linux host systems, or move the disk to a different directory on your current
system, if there is no path name information in the virtual machine’s
configuration file. This is true for virtual machines created under VMware
Workstation 3.1 or higher; however, virtual machines created with older versions
of Workstation contain full path names.
Follow these steps to check the configuration and see whether or not you can move
your undoable disk without committing or discarding changes:
1. Start VMware Workstation 3.
If you are moving a disk in undoable mode from one computer to another
computer, start VMware Workstation 3 on the computer that currently has your
disk.
2. Open the configuration file for the virtual machine that uses the undoable mode
disk you wish to move.
In the VMware Workstation window, select File > Open and choose the
configuration file of the virtual machine with the disk you want to move.
3. Open the Virtual Machine Control Panel.
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4. Examine the entry for your virtual disk to see whether it includes a full path to
the first virtual disk file. For example, on a Windows host, you might see a disk file
listing like this:
My Documents\My Virtual Machines\Windows Me\Windows Me.vmdk
Entries for SCSI disks are similar.
If your disk file information resembles the example above (with a full path to the
first disk file) and you have not committed or discarded changes to the undoable
disk, the following rules apply:
•You can move the disk to another computer of the same type (Windows to
Windows or Linux to Linux).
•You must place the virtual machine’s other files (including .vmx and .REDO
on Windows, .vmx or .cfg and .REDO on Linux) in the same relative
location on the new computer. In other words, if the virtual machine’s files
reside in
My Documents\My Virtual Machines\Windows Me\
on the original host computer, you must place them in that same location on
the new host computer.
•You cannot move the disk to a computer of a different type (Windows to
Linux or vice versa).
•You cannot move the disk to another directory on the current system.
If your disk file information does not contain a path, it looks like this:
Windows Me.vmdk
If your disk entry resembles the one above (just a filename with a .vmdk
extension), you can move the disk and redo log anywhere you wish.
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Sharing Virtual Machines
with Other Users
If other users access your virtual machines, you should consider the following points:
•On Windows hosts, the virtual machine files should be relocated to a directory
that is accessible to all appropriate users. The default location for a Windows host
is not typically accessible to other users:
C:\Documents and Settings\<user name>\My Documents\My Virtual
Machines
When you configure the virtual machine in the New Virtual Machine Wizard, you
can specify a location for the virtual machine elsewhere on your system or on a
network volume.
•On Linux hosts, permissions for the virtual machine files — especially the
configuration file (.vmx) and virtual disks (.vmdk) — should be set for other
users according to how you want them to use the virtual machine.
For example, if you want users to run a virtual machine but not be able to modify
its configuration, do not make the configuration file writable.
Other users can also share a virtual machine by making a linked clone of it— a copy
that uses the same virtual disks as the parent virtual machine it was copied from. See
Cloning a Virtual Machine on page 267
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Moving Linked Clones
You can move a linked clone as you would an ordinary Workstation 5 virtual machine.
However, if you move a linked clone (or if you move its parent virtual machine), make
certain the clone can access the parent virtual machine, for example using a shared
directory or networked file server.
When you power on a linked clone that has been moved, be prepared to update the
file system path to the parent virtual machine location.
Caution: You cannot power on a linked clone if Workstation cannot locate the
original virtual machine.
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CHAPTER 8
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Using Disks
The following sections provide information on configuring your virtual machine’s hard
disk storage so it best meets your needs:
•Configuring Hard Disk Storage in a Virtual Machine on page 188
•Adding Drives to a Virtual Machine on page 197
•Using VMware Virtual Disk Manager on page 208
•Configuring a Dual-Boot Computer for Use with a Virtual Machine on page 215
•Installing an Operating System onto a Physical Partition from a Virtual Machine
on page 241
•Legacy Virtual Disks on page 246
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Configuring Hard Disk Storage
in a Virtual Machine
Like a physical computer, a VMware Workstation virtual machine stores its operating
system, programs and data files on one or more hard disks. Unlike a physical
computer, VMware Workstation gives you options for undoing changes to the virtual
machine’s hard disk.
The New Virtual Machine Wizard creates a virtual machine with one disk drive. You can
use the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings) to add more disk drives to
your virtual machine, to remove disk drives from your virtual machine or to change
certain settings for the existing disk drives.
This section describes the choices you can make in setting up hard disk storage for
your virtual machine.
•Disk Types: Virtual and Physical on page 188
•Adding a New Virtual Disk to a Virtual Machine on page 197
•Defragmenting Virtual Disks on page 193
•Shrinking Virtual Disks on page 193
Disk Types: Virtual and Physical
In the most common configurations, VMware Workstation creates virtual hard disks,
which are made up of files that are typically stored on your host computer’s hard disk.
In some circumstances, you may need to give your virtual machine direct access to a
physical hard drive on your host computer.
•Virtual Disk on page 188
•Physical Disk on page 190
Virtual Disk
A virtual disk is a file or set of files that appears as a physical disk drive to a guest
operating system. The files can be on the host machine or on a remote computer.
When you configure a virtual machine with a virtual disk, you can install a new
operating system onto the virtual disk without repartitioning a physical disk or
rebooting the host.
Virtual disks can be as large as 950GB (IDE or SCSI). Depending on the size of the
virtual disk and the host operating system, VMware Workstation creates one or more
files to hold each virtual disk.
By default, the actual files used by the virtual disk start out small and grow to their
maximum size as needed. The main advantage of this approach is the smaller file size.
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Smaller files require less storage space and are easier to move if you want to move the
virtual machine to a new location. However, it takes longer to write data to a disk
configured in this way.
You may also configure virtual disks so all the disk space is allocated at the time the
virtual disk is created. This approach provides enhanced performance and is useful if
you are running performance-sensitive applications in the virtual machine.
Virtual disks can be set up as IDE disks for any guest operating system. They can be set
up as SCSI disks for any guest operating system that has a driver for the LSI Logic or
BusLogic SCSI adapter available in a VMware Workstation virtual machine. You
determine which SCSI adapter to use at the time you create the virtual machine.
Note: To use SCSI disks in a Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 virtual machine,
you need a special SCSI driver available from the download section of the VMware
Web site at www.vmware.com/download. Follow the instructions on the Web site to
use the driver with a fresh installation of Windows XP or Windows Server 2003.
A virtual disk of either type can be stored on either type of physical hard disk. That is,
the files that make up an IDE virtual disk can be stored on either an IDE hard disk or a
SCSI hard disk. So can the files that make up a SCSI virtual disk. They can also be stored
on other types of fast-access storage media, such as DVD or CD-ROM discs.
A key advantage of virtual disks is their portability. Because the virtual disks are stored
as files on the host machine or a remote computer, you can move them easily to a
new location on the same computer or to a different computer. You can also use
VMware Workstation on a Windows host to create virtual disks, then move them to a
Linux computer and use them under VMware Workstation for Linux — or vice versa.
For information about moving virtual disks, see Moving and Sharing Virtual Machines
on page 169.
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Physical Disk
A physical disk directly accesses an existing local disk or partition. You can use physical
disks if you want VMware Workstation to run one or more guest operating systems
from existing disk partitions. While virtual disks are limited to 950GB, physical disks
may be set up on both IDE and SCSI devices of up to 2TB capacity. At this time,
however, booting from an operating system already set up on an existing SCSI disk or
partition is not supported.
Caution: If you run an operating system natively on the host computer, then switch
to running it inside a virtual machine, the change is like pulling the hard drive out of
one computer and installing it in a second computer with a different motherboard
and other hardware. You need to prepare carefully for such a switch. The specific steps
you need to take depend on the operating system you want to use inside the virtual
machine. For details, see Configuring a Dual-Boot Computer for Use with a Virtual
Machine on page 215.
You can also create a new virtual machine using a physical disk. For details, see
Installing an Operating System onto a Physical Partition from a Virtual Machine on
page 241. In most cases, however, it is better to use a virtual disk.
Only expert users should attempt physical disk configurations.
Note: You should not use a physical disk to share files between host and guest
operating systems. It is not safe to make the same partition visible to both host and
guest. You can cause data corruption if you do this. To share files between host and
guest operating systems, use shared folders. For details, see Using Shared Folders on
page 157.
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Disk Files
In the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings), you can choose the disk files for
a virtual machine. See What Files Make Up a Virtual Machine? on page 96 for a
comprehensive list of the other files.
You may want to choose a file other than the one created by the New Virtual Machine
Wizard if you are using a virtual disk that you created in a different location or if you are
moving the automatically created disk files to a new location.
The disk files for a virtual disk store the information that you write to a virtual
machine’s hard disk — the operating system, the program files and the data files. The
virtual disk files have a .vmdk extension.
A virtual disk is made up of one or more .vmdk files.
On Windows hosts, each virtual disk is contained in one file by default. You may, as an
option, configure the virtual disk to use a set of files limited to 2GB per file. Use this
option if you plan to move the virtual disk to a file system that does not support files
larger than 2GB.
You must set this option at the time the virtual disk is created.
If you are setting up a new virtual machine, in the New Virtual Machine Wizard, follow
the Custom path. In the screen that allows you to specify the virtual disk’s capacity,
select Split disk into 2GB files.
If you are adding a virtual disk to an existing virtual machine, follow the steps in the
Add Hardware Wizard. In the screen that allows you to specify the virtual disk’s
capacity, select Split disk into 2GB files.
When a disk is split into multiple files, larger virtual disks have more .vmdk files.
The first .vmdk file for each disk is small and contains pointers to the other files that
make up the virtual disk. The other .vmdk files contain data stored by your virtual
machine and use a small amount of space for virtual machine overhead.
If you chose to allocate space for the virtual disk in advance, the file sizes are fixed, and
most of the files are 2GB. As mentioned above, the first file is small. The last file in the
series may also be smaller than 2GB.
If you did not allocate the space in advance, the .vmdk files grow as data is added, to
a maximum of 2GB each — except for the first file in the set, which remains small.
The virtual machine settings editor shows the name of the first file in the set — the
one that contains pointers to the other files in the set. The other files used for that disk
are automatically given names based on the first file’s name.
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For example, a Windows XP Professional virtual machine using the default
configuration, with files that grow as needed, stores the disk in files named Windows
XP Professional.vmdk, Windows XP Professional-s001.vmdk,
Windows XP Professional-s002.vmdk and so on.
If the disk space is allocated in advance, the names are similar, except that they
include an f instead of an s — for example, Windows XP Professional-
f001.vmdk.
If you are using a physical disk, the .vmdk file stores information about the physical
disk or partition used by the virtual machine.
Lock Files
A running virtual machine creates lock files to prevent consistency problems on
virtual disks. If the virtual machine did not use locks, multiple virtual machines might
read and write to the disk, causing data corruption.
Lock files are always created in the same directory as the .vmdk files.
The locking methods used by VMware Workstation on Windows and Linux hosts are
different, so files shared between them are not fully protected. If you use a common
file repository that provides files to users on both Windows and Linux hosts, be sure
that each virtual machine is run by only one user at a time.
When a virtual machine is powered off, it removes the lock files it created. If it cannot
remove the lock, a stale lock file is left protecting the .vmdk file. For example, if the
host machine crashes before the virtual machine has a chance to remove its lock file, a
stale lock remains.
If a stale lock file remains when the virtual machine is started again, the virtual
machine tries to remove the stale lock. To make sure that no virtual machine could be
using the lock file, the virtual machine checks the lock file to see if
1. The lock was created on the same host where the virtual machine is running.
2. The process that created the lock is not running.
If those two conditions are true, the virtual machine can safely remove the stale lock. If
either of those conditions is not true, a dialog box appears, warning you that the
virtual machine cannot be powered on. If you are sure it is safe to do so, you may
delete the lock files manually. On Windows hosts, the filenames of the lock files end in
.lck. On Linux hosts, the filenames of the lock files end in .WRITELOCK.
Physical disk partitions are also protected by locks. However, the host operating
system is not aware of this locking convention and thus does not respect it. For this
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reason, VMware strongly recommends that the physical disk for a virtual machine not
be installed on the same physical disk as the host operating system.
Defragmenting Virtual Disks
Like physical disk drives, virtual disks can become fragmented. Defragmenting disks
rearranges files, programs, and unused space on the virtual disk so that programs run
faster and files open more quickly. Defragmenting does not reclaim unused space on
a virtual disk; to reclaim unused space, shrink the disk.
For best disk performance, follow these steps:
1. Run a disk defragmentation utility inside the virtual machine.
2. Power off the virtual machine, then defragment its virtual disks from the virtual
machine settings editor (VM > Settings). Select the virtual disk you want to
defragment, then click Defragment.
Note: This capability works only with virtual disks, not physical or plain disks.
3. Run a disk defragmentation utility on the host computer
Defragmenting disks may take considerable time.
Note: The defragmentation process requires free working space on the host
computer’s disk. If your virtual disk is contained in a single file, for example, you need
free space equal to the size of the virtual disk file. Other virtual disk configurations
require less free space.
Shrinking Virtual Disks
If you have a virtual disk that grows as data is added, you can shrink it as described in
this section. If you allocated all the space for your virtual disk at the time you created it,
you cannot shrink it.
Note: The maximum benefit occurs when you defragment a virtual disk before you
shrink it. See Defragmenting Virtual Disks on page 193.
Shrinking a virtual disk reclaims unused space in the virtual disk. If there is empty
space in the disk, this process reduces the amount of space the virtual disk occupies
on the host drive.
Shrinking a virtual disk is a convenient way to convert a virtual disk to the format
supported by Workstation. Virtual disks created in the new format can be recognized
only by VMware Workstation 3.0 and higher.
This section describes the following topics:
•Restrictions and Requirements on page 194
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•The Shrinking Process on page 194
•Unsupported and Disabled Partitions on page 196
Restrictions and Requirements
Shrinking requires free disk space on the host equal to the size of the virtual disk you
are shrinking.
Shrinking applies only to virtual disks. You cannot shrink physical disks or CD-ROMs.
The shrink feature is not enabled if the virtual machine
•Contains a snapshot
•Is a parent of a linked clone
•Is a linked clone
The shrink feature is not enabled for a virtual machine if any of its virtual disks are
•Preallocated when created
•Not used in independent-persistent mode
•Legacy disks that are not in persistent mode
•Booted as independent disks
Note: You can change the mode of a virtual disk before the virtual machine is
powered on. See Excluding Disks from Snapshots on page 256 for a discussion of
independent disks.
The Shrinking Process
Shrinking a disk is a two-step process:
•In the first step, called wiping, VMware Tools reclaims all unused portions of disk
partitions (such as deleted files) and prepares them for shrinking. Wiping takes
place in the guest operating system.
•The second step is the shrinking process itself, which takes place on the host.
Workstation reduces the size of the disk’s files by the amount of disk space
reclaimed in the wipe process.
When a virtual machine is powered on, you shrink its virtual disks from the VMware
Tools control panel. You cannot shrink virtual disks if a snapshot exists. To remove the
snapshot if one exists, choose VM > Snapshot > Snapshot Manager > Delete. See
Unsupported and Disabled Partitions on page 196.
In a Linux or FreeBSD guest operating system, to prepare virtual disks for shrinking,
you should run VMware Tools as the root user. This way, you ensure the whole virtual
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disk is shrunk. Otherwise, if you shrink disks as a nonroot user you cannot wipe the
parts of the virtual disk that require root-level permissions.
To shrink a virtual disk:
1. Launch the control panel.
•Windows guest — double-click the VMware Tools icon in the system tray, or
choose Start > Settings > Control Panel, then double-click VMware Tools.
•Linux or FreeBSD guest — become root (su -), then run vmware-
toolbox.
2. Click the Shrink tab.
3. Select the virtual disks you want to shrink, then click Prepare to Shrink.
A dialog box tracks the progress of the wiping process.
Note: If you deselect some partitions, the whole disk is still shrunk. However,
those partitions are not wiped for shrinking, and the shrink process does not
reduce the size of the virtual disk as much as it could with all partitions selected.
4. Click Yes when VMware Tools finishes wiping the selected disk partitions.
A dialog box tracks the progress of the shrinking process. Shrinking disks may
take considerable time.
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5. Click OK to finish.
Unsupported and Disabled Partitions
In some configurations, it is not possible to shrink virtual disks. If your virtual machine
uses such a configuration, the Shrink tab displays information explaining why you
cannot shrink your virtual disks.
For example, you cannot shrink a virtual disk if
•You preallocated disk space when you created the disk. Preallocating disk space
is the default option for both typical and custom virtual machine creation paths.
•The virtual machine has any snapshots. To delete a snapshot, choose VM >
Snapshot > Snapshot Manager > Delete.
•The virtual machine contains physical disks.
•The virtual disk is not an independent disk in persistent mode.
•The virtual disk is stored on a CD-ROM.
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Adding Drives to a Virtual Machine
VMware Workstation virtual machines can use up to four IDE devices and up to seven
SCSI devices. Any of these devices can be a virtual hard disk or DVD or CD-ROM drive.
A virtual machine can read data from a DVD disc. VMware Workstation does not
support playing DVD movies in a virtual machine.
Many other SCSI devices can be connected to a virtual machine using the host
operating system’s generic SCSI driver. For details on connecting these devices, see
Connecting to a Generic SCSI Device on page 402.
This section discusses the following topics:
•Adding a New Virtual Disk to a Virtual Machine on page 197
•Removing a Virtual Disk from a Virtual Machine on page 200
•Adding Physical Disks to a Virtual Machine on page 201
•Adding DVD or CD Drives to a Virtual Machine on page 204
•Adding Floppy Drives to a Virtual Machine on page 206
•Connecting a CD-ROM or Floppy Drive to an Image File on page 207
Adding a New Virtual Disk to a Virtual Machine
Virtual disks are stored as files on the host computer or on a network file server. It does
not matter whether the physical disk that holds the files is IDE or SCSI. A virtual IDE
drive can be stored on an IDE drive or on a SCSI drive. So can a virtual SCSI drive.
Use the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings) to add a new virtual disk to
your virtual machine. To add an existing virtual disk to the virtual machine, see Adding
an Existing Virtual Disk to a Virtual Machine on page 199. The virtual machine must be
powered off before you begin. If it is not, shut down the guest operating system
normally, then click Power Off on the VMware Workstation toolbar.
Note: If you have a Windows NT 4.0 guest with a SCSI virtual disk, you cannot add
both an additional SCSI disk and an IDE disk to the configuration.
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1. Open the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings) and click Add. The Add
Hardware Wizard guides you through the steps to create your virtual disk.
2. Click Hard Disk, then click Next.
3. Select Create a new virtual disk, then click Next.
4. Choose whether you want the virtual disk to be an IDE disk or a SCSI disk.
5. Set the capacity for the new virtual disk.
If you wish, select Allocate all disk space now.
Allocating all the space at the time you create the virtual disk gives somewhat
better performance, but it requires as much disk space as the size you specify for
the virtual disk.
If you do not select this option, the virtual disk’s files start small and grow as
needed, but they can never grow larger than the size you set here.
You can set a size between 0.1GB and 950GB for a virtual disk. The default is 4GB.
You may also specify whether you want the virtual disk created as one large file
or split into a set of 2GB files. You should split your virtual disk if it is stored on a
file system that does not support files larger than 2GB.
6. Accept the default filename and location for the virtual disk file or change it, if
you want to use a different name or location. To find a different folder, click
Browse.
If you want to specify a device node for your virtual disk, click Advanced.
On the advanced settings screen, you can also specify a disk mode. This is useful
in certain special-purpose configurations in which you want to exclude disks
from snapshots. For more information on the snapshot feature, see Using
Snapshots on page 251.
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Normal disks are included in snapshots. In most cases, this is the setting you
want — with Independent deselected.
Independent disks are not included in snapshots. If you select Independent, you
have the following options:
•Persistent — changes are immediately and permanently written to the disk.
•Nonpersistent — changes to the disk are discarded when you power off or
revert to a snapshot.
When you have set the filename and location you want to use and have made
any selections you want to make on the advanced settings screen, click Finish.
7. The wizard creates the new virtual disk. It appears to your guest operating
system as a new, blank hard disk. Use the guest operating system’s tools to
partition and format the new drive for use.
Adding an Existing Virtual Disk to a Virtual Machine
You can reconnect an existing virtual disk that has been removed from a virtual
machine (see Removing a Virtual Disk from a Virtual Machine on page 200). The virtual
machine must be powered off before you begin.
1. Open the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings) and click Add. The Add
Hardware Wizard guides you through the steps to create your virtual disk.
2. Click Hard Disk, then click Next.
3. Select Use an existing virtual disk, then click Next.
4. Enter the path and filename for the existing disk file, or click Browse to navigate
to the file.
5. Click OK.
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Removing a Virtual Disk from a Virtual Machine
Use the virtual machine settings editor to disconnect a virtual disk from a virtual
machine.
To remove a virtual disk from a virtual machine:
1. Select a virtual machine and choose VM > Settings.
Note: A virtual machine must be powered off before you can remove a virtual
disk. You cannot remove a virtual disk if the virtual machine is suspended.
2. Select the virtual disk you want to remove.
3. Click Remove.
The virtual disk is disconnected from virtual machine.
Note: The Remove command does not delete files from the host file system. You can
delete virtual disk files manually. You can also retain the virtual disk files and reconnect
the virtual disk to the virtual machine later. See Adding an Existing Virtual Disk to a
Virtual Machine on page 199.
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Adding Physical Disks to a Virtual Machine
Use the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings) to add a new raw disk to your
virtual machine. The virtual machine should be powered off before you begin. If it is
not, shut down the guest operating system normally, then click Power Off on the
VMware Workstation toolbar.
Caution: Physical disks are an advanced feature and should be configured only by
expert users.
1. Open the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings) and click Add. The Add
Hardware Wizard guides you through the steps to create your virtual disk.
2. Click Hard Disk, then click Next.
3. Select Use a physical disk, then click Next.
A warning appears. Click OK.
4. Select the physical disk characteristics and click Next.
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•Choose the physical hard disk to use from the drop-down list. VMware
Workstation supports physical disks up to 2TB.
•Select whether you want to use the entire disk or use only individual partitions
on the disk. If you select Use entire disk, continue with step 6.
5. If you selected Use entire disk in step 4, this step does not appear.
If you selected Use individual partitions in step 4, now select which partitions
you want to use in the virtual machine.
Only the partitions you select in this step are visible to the virtual machine. All
other partitions are hidden from it.
Click Next.
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6. Accept the default filename and location for the file that stores access
information for this raw disk — or change it, if you want to use a different name
or location. To find a different directory, click Browse.
Click Advanced if you want to specify the virtual machine SCSI or IDE device
node to which this disk is connected.
On the advanced settings screen, you can also specify a disk mode. This is useful
in certain special-purpose configurations in which you want to exclude disks
from a snapshot. For more information on the snapshot feature, see Using
Snapshots on page 251.
Normal disks are included in snapshots. In most cases, this is the setting you
want — with Independent deselected.
Independent disks are not included in snapshots. If you select Independent, you
have the following options:
•Persistent — changes are immediately and permanently written to the disk.
•Nonpersistent — changes to the disk are discarded when you power off or
revert to a snapshot.
When you have set the filename and location you want to use and have made
any selections you want to make on the advanced settings screen, click Finish.
7. The wizard configures the new physical disk. If the partitions used on the
physical disk are not formatted for your guest operating system, use the guest
operating system’s tools to format them.
Caution: After you create a physical disk using one or more partitions on a physical
disk, you should never modify the partition tables by running fdisk or a similar
utility in the guest operating system.
Note: If you use fdisk or a similar utility on the host operating system to modify
the partition table of the physical disk, you must recreate the virtual machine’s
physical disk.
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Adding DVD or CD Drives to a Virtual Machine
You can add one or more DVD or CD drives to your virtual machine. You can connect
the virtual machine’s drive to a physical drive on the host machine or to an ISO image
file.
You can configure the virtual DVD or CD drive as either IDE or SCSI, no matter what
kind of physical drive you connect it to. In other words, if your host computer has an
IDE CD drive, you can set up the virtual machine’s drive as either SCSI or IDE and
connect it to the host’s drive. The same is true if the host’s physical drive is a SCSI drive.
Adding a DVD or CD Drive
1. Open the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings) and click Add to start
the Add Hardware Wizard.
2. Click DVD/CD-ROM Drive, then click Next.
3. Select Use physical drive if you want to connect the virtual machine’s drive to a
physical drive on the host computer. Select Use ISO Image if you want to
connect the virtual machine’s drive to an ISO image file.
4. Do one of the following:
•If you selected Use physical drive, choose the drive you want to use from the
drop-down list or choose Auto detect.
If you do not want the CD drive connected when the virtual machine starts,
deselect Connect at power on.
Click Advanced if you want to specify the device node the drive should use in
the virtual machine.
On the advanced settings screen you may also select Legacy emulation. This
is necessary only if you have had problems using normal mode. The legacy
emulation mode does not support all the capabilities of normal mode. For
example, if you are using legacy emulation mode, you cannot record CDs, you
cannot read multisession CDs, you cannot extract digital audio from a CD and
you cannot read or write DVDs. For details, see Legacy Emulation for DVD and
CD Drives on page 205.
After you have made any desired changes in these settings, click Finish.
•If you selected Use ISO Image, enter the path and filename for the image file
or click Browse to navigate to the file.
If you do not want the CD drive connected when the virtual machine starts,
deselect Connect at power on.
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Click Advanced if you want to specify the device node the drive should use in
the virtual machine.
After you have made any desired changes in these settings, click Finish.
5. The drive is set up initially so it appears to the guest operating system as an IDE
drive. If you want it to appear to the guest operating system as a SCSI drive, click
the drive’s entry in the virtual machine settings editor and make that change in
the settings panel on the right.
Legacy Emulation for DVD and CD Drives
The virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings) provides a Legacy emulation
option for DVD and CD drives attached to the virtual machine.
On Windows hosts, this option is deselected by default.
On Linux hosts with IDE drives, the default setting for this option depends on whether
the ide-scsi module is loaded in your kernel. The ide-scsi module must be loaded —
or you must be using a physical SCSI drive — if you want to connect to the DVD or CD
drive in raw mode.
If you encounter problems using your DVD or CD drive, try selecting Legacy
emulation.
Note that in legacy emulation mode, you can read from data discs in the DVD or CD
drive, but some other functions are not available.
When Legacy emulation is deselected, the guest operating system communicates
directly with the drive. This direct communication enables capabilities that are not
possible in legacy emulation mode, such as using CD and DVD writers to burn discs,
reading multisession CDs, performing digital audio extraction and viewing video.
However, in some cases, the DVD or CD drive may not work correctly when the guest
operating system is communicating directly with the drive. In addition, certain drives
and their drivers do not work correctly in raw mode. Selecting Legacy emulation is a
way to work around these problems.
If you run more than one virtual machine at a time, and if their CD drives are in legacy
emulation mode, you may prefer to start the virtual machines with their CD drives
disconnected. This ensures that you do not have multiple virtual machines connected
to the CD drive at the same time.
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Adding Floppy Drives to a Virtual Machine
You can add floppy drives to your virtual machine, to a total of two floppy drives. A
virtual floppy drive can connect to a physical floppy drive on the host computer, to an
existing floppy image file or to a blank floppy image file.
Adding a Floppy Drive
1. Open the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings) and click Add to start
the Add Hardware Wizard.
2. Click Floppy Drive, then click Next.
3. Select what you want to connect to — a physical floppy drive on the host
computer, an existing floppy image file or a new floppy image file. Click Next.
4. If you selected Use a physical floppy drive, choose the drive’s letter (on a
Windows host) or device name (on a Linux host) from the drop-down list, then
click Finish.
If you selected Use a floppy image, type the path and filename for the floppy
image file you want to use or click Browse to navigate to the file. Click Finish.
If you selected Create a blank floppy image, use the default path and filename
or type in a new one. To navigate to a location, click Browse. When the field
contains the path and filename you want to use for the new floppy image file,
click Finish.
Note: By default, only one floppy drive is enabled in the virtual machine’s BIOS. If you
are adding a second floppy drive to the virtual machine, click inside the virtual
machine window and press F2 as the virtual machine boots to enter the BIOS setup
utility. On the main screen, choose Legacy Diskette B: and use the plus (+) and minus
(-) keys on the numerical keypad to select the type of floppy drive you want to use.
Then press F10 to save your changes and close the BIOS setup utility.
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Connecting a CD-ROM or Floppy Drive to an Image File
You can use the virtual machine settings editor to connect an existing virtual CD-ROM
or floppy drive to an image file.
You can connect a virtual CD-ROM drive to an ISO image file.
Connecting to an ISO Image File
1. Open the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings) and select the DVD/
CD-ROM drive you want to connect to the image file.
2. Select Use ISO Image and enter the path and filename for the image file or click
Browse to navigate to the file.
3. Click OK to save the configuration and close the virtual machine settings editor.
Connecting to a Floppy Image File
1. Open the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings) and select the floppy
drive you want to connect to an image file.
2. Type the path and filename for the floppy image file you want to use or click
Browse to navigate to the file.
If you want to create a new image file, click Create. Use the default filename and
folder or change them as you wish.
3. Click Finish.
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Using VMware Virtual Disk Manager
VMware Virtual Disk Manager is a utility in VMware Workstation that allows you to
create, manage and modify virtual disk files from the command line or within scripts.
One key feature is the ability to enlarge a virtual disk so its maximum capacity is larger
than it was when you created it. This way, if you find you need more disk space in a
given virtual machine, but you do not want to add another virtual disk or use ghosting
software to transfer the data on a virtual disk to a larger virtual disk, you can instead
change the maximum size of the virtual disk. This is something you cannot do with
physical hard drives.
Another feature allows you to change disk types. When you create a virtual machine,
you specify how disk space is allocated. You select one of the following:
•All space for the virtual disk is allocated in advance. This corresponds to what the
virtual disk manager calls the preallocated disk type.
•Space allocated for the virtual disk begins small and grows as needed. This
corresponds to what the virtual disk manager calls the growable disk type.
With virtual disk manager you can change whether the virtual disk type is
preallocated or growable and whether the virtual disk is stored in a single file or split
into 2GB files. For example, you may have allocated all the disk space for a virtual disk,
then find that you need to reclaim some hard disk space on the host. You can convert
the preallocated virtual disk into a growable disk, then remove the original virtual disk
file. The new virtual disk is large enough to contain all the data in the original virtual
disk. The virtual disk grows in size as you add data to it.
These features and the ability to use scripting to automate management of virtual
disks were added to VMware Workstation in version 5.0.
You can use the virtual disk manager for the following tasks:
•Automate the management of virtual disks with scripts.
•Create virtual disks that are not associated with a particular virtual machine, for
example to be used as templates.
•Switch the virtual disk type from preallocated to growable, or vice versa. When
you change the disk type to growable, you reclaim some disk space. You can
shrink the virtual disk to reclaim even more disk space.
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•Expand the size of a virtual disk so it is larger than the size specified when you
created it.
•Defragment virtual disks.
•Prepare and shrink virtual disks without powering on the virtual machine
(Windows hosts only).
You can use the virtual disk manager with virtual disks created under VMware GSX
Server, VMware Workstation and VMware VirtualCenter (provided the virtual disk was
created on a GSX Server host managed by VirtualCenter).
Note: You cannot use the virtual disk manager to create physical disks. Physical disks
cannot be shrunk by the virtual disk manager or by Workstation.
For more information about using the virtual disk manager, read the following
sections:
•Running the VMware Virtual Disk Manager Utility on page 209
•Shrinking Virtual Disks with VMware Virtual Disk Manager on page 212
•Examples Using the VMware Virtual Disk Manager on page 213
Running the VMware Virtual Disk Manager Utility
To run the VMware Virtual Disk Manager utility, open a command prompt or terminal
on the host operating system. On a Windows host, change to the directory where you
installed your Workstation software. By default, this directory is
C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Workstation.
The command syntax is:
vmware-vdiskmanager [options]
The options you can or must use include the following:
Options and Parameters Description
<diskname> The name of the virtual disk file. The virtual disk file must have a .vmdk
extension.
You can specify a path to the folder where you want to store the disk
files. If you mapped a network share on your host operating system, you
can create the virtual disk on that share by providing the correct path
information with the disk file name.
-c Creates the virtual disk. You must use the -a, -s and -t options, and
you must specify the name of the virtual disk (<diskname>).
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-r
<sourcediskname>
Converts the specified virtual disk, creating a new virtual disk as a result.
You must use the -t option to specify the disk type to which the virtual
disk is converted and you must specify the name of the target virtual
disk (<targetdiskname>).
Once the conversion is completed and you have tested the converted
virtual disk to make sure it works as expected, you can delete the
original virtual disk file.
In order for the virtual machine to recognize the converted virtual disk,
you should use the virtual machine settings editor to remove the
existing virtual disk from the virtual machine, then add the converted
disk to the virtual machine. For information on adding virtual disks to a
virtual machine, see Adding Drives to a Virtual Machine on page 197.
-x <n>[GB|MB]
<diskname>
Expands the virtual disk to the specified capacity. You must specify the
new, larger size of the virtual disk in gigabytes or megabytes. You
cannot change the size of a physical disk.
Caution: Before running the virtual disk manager utility, you should
back up your virtual disk files.
-d <diskname> Defragments the specified virtual disk. You can defragment only
growable virtual disks. You cannot defragment preallocated virtual
disks.
-p <mountpoint> Prepares a virtual disk for shrinking. If the virtual disk is partitioned into
volumes, each volume must be prepared separately. The volume (C: or
D:, for example) must be mounted by VMware DiskMount at
<mountpoint>. For information on mounting and unmounting
virtual disk volumes with DiskMount, see the VMware DiskMount user’s
manual, available from the VMware Web site at www.vmware.com/pdf/
VMwareDiskMount.pdf. The VMware DiskMount Utility is available as a
free download at www.vmware.com/download/diskmount.html.
After you prepare the volume, unmount it with VMware DiskMount.
Continue mounting each volume of the virtual disk and preparing it for
shrinking until you complete this process for all the volumes of the
virtual disk.
You can mount only one volume of a virtual disk at a time with VMware
DiskMount. You can prepare volumes of virtual disks for shrinking on
Windows hosts only.
Options and Parameters Description
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-k <diskname> Shrinks the specified virtual disk. You can shrink only growable virtual
disks. You can shrink virtual disks on Windows hosts only.
You cannot shrink a virtual disk if the virtual machine has a snapshot. To
keep the virtual disk in its current state, use the snapshot manager to
delete all snapshots. To discard changes made since you took the
snapshot, revert to the snapshot.
-a [ide|buslogic|
lsilogic]
Specifies the disk adapter type. You must specify an adapter type when
creating a new virtual disk. Choose one of the following types:
•ide — for an IDE adapter.
•buslogic — for a BusLogic SCSI adapter.
•lsilogic — for an LSI Logic SCSI adapter.
-s <n>[GB|MB] Specifies the size of the virtual disk. Specify whether the size <n> is in
GB (gigabytes) or MB (megabytes). You must specify the size of a virtual
disk when you create it.
Even though you must specify the size of a virtual disk when you
expand it, you do not use the -s option.
-t [0|1|2|3] You must specify the type of virtual disk when you create a new one or
reconfigure an existing one. Specify one of the following disk types:
0 — to create a growable virtual disk contained in a single virtual disk
file
1 — to create a growable virtual disk split into 2GB files
2 — to create a preallocated virtual disk contained in a single virtual
disk file
3 — to create a preallocated virtual disk split into 2GB files
-q Disables virtual disk manager logging.
If you keep logging enabled, messages generated by the virtual disk
manager are stored in a log file. The name and location of the log file
appear in the command prompt or terminal window after the virtual
disk manager command is run.
Options and Parameters Description
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Shrinking Virtual Disks with VMware Virtual Disk Manager
On a Windows host, you can use the virtual disk manager to prepare and shrink virtual
disks. You cannot use the virtual disk manager to prepare or shrink virtual disks located
on a Linux host. You cannot use the virtual disk manager to shrink physical disks.
Shrinking a virtual disk does not reduce the maximum capacity of the virtual disk itself.
For more information about shrinking, see Shrinking Virtual Disks on page 193.
Caution: You cannot shrink a virtual disk if the virtual machine has snapshots. To keep
the virtual disk in its current state, use the snapshot manager to delete all snapshots.
To discard changes made since you took a snapshot, revert to the snapshot.
You must prepare each volume of the virtual disk (drive C: or D:, for example) for
shrinking before you can shrink the disk. To prepare a volume for shrinking, you must
first mount it. To mount the volume, use the VMware DiskMount Utility, available as a
free download from the VMware Web site. Go to www.vmware.com/download/
diskmount.html.
The VMware DiskMount user’s manual is available from the VMware Web site at
www.vmware.com/pdf/VMwareDiskMount.pdf. It contains instructions on mounting
and unmounting virtual disk volumes with DiskMount.
VMware DiskMount mounts individual volumes of a virtual disk. For the best results
when you shrink a virtual disk, you should mount all the volumes and prepare them
for shrinking.
After you mount a virtual disk volume, use the virtual disk manager to prepare the
volume for shrinking. Once you prepare a volume, unmount it, then repeat the
process for each volume of the virtual disk. After you prepare all the volumes of the
virtual disk, you can shrink the virtual disk. For examples, see Preparing a Virtual Disk
for Shrinking on page 214 and Shrinking a Virtual Disk on page 214.
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Examples Using the VMware Virtual Disk Manager
The following examples illustrate how to use the virtual disk manager. You run the
virtual disk manager from a command prompt.
Creating a Virtual Disk
To create a new virtual disk, use a command like the following:
vmware-vdiskmanager -c -t 0 -s 40GB -a ide myDisk.vmdk
This creates a 40GB IDE virtual disk named myDisk.vmdk. The virtual disk is
contained in a single .vmdk file. The disk space is not preallocated.
Converting a Virtual Disk
To convert a virtual disk from preallocated to growable, use a command like the
following:
vmware-vdiskmanager -r sourceDisk.vmdk -t 0 targetDisk.vmdk
This converts the disk from its original preallocated type to a growable virtual disk
consisting of a single virtual disk file. The virtual disk space is no longer preallocated,
and the virtual disk manager reclaims some disk space in the virtual disk so it is only as
large as the data contained within it.
Expand the Size of an Existing Virtual Disk
To expand the size of a virtual disk, use a command like the following:
vmware-vdiskmanager -x 40GB myDisk.vmdk
This increases the maximum capacity of the virtual disk to 40GB.
Renaming a Virtual Disk
To rename a virtual disk, first remove it from any virtual machine that contains the disk
(choose VM > Settings > <virtualdisk>, then click Remove).
Then use the following:
vmware-vdiskmanager -n myDisk.vmdk myNewDisk.vmdk
To rename the disk and locate it in a different directory, use:
vmware-vdiskmanager -n myDisk.vmdk ..\<new-path>\myNewDisk.vmdk
Note: The paths used in these examples assume a Windows host.
To locate the disk in a different directory but keep the same name, use:
vmware-vdiskmanager -n myDisk.vmdk ..\<new-path>\myDisk.vmdk
After you rename or relocate the virtual disk, add it back to any virtual machines that
use it. Choose VM > Settings, click Add, then follow the wizard to add this existing
virtual disk.
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Defragmenting a Virtual Disk
To defragment a virtual disk, use a command like the following:
vmware-vdiskmanager -d myDisk.vmdk
Remember, you cannot defragment a virtual disk if you allocated all the disk space
when you created the virtual disk. You cannot defragment a physical disk.
See Defragmentation of Disk Drives on page 408 for a discussion of the performance
impact of defragmenting drives.
Preparing a Virtual Disk for Shrinking
Before you can shrink a virtual disk, you must prepare each volume on the disk (C: or
D:, for example) for shrinking. To prepare a volume, it must be located on a Windows
host. First you must mount the volume. To mount the volume, use the VMware
DiskMount Utility, available as a free download from the VMware Web site. For
information about downloading and using VMware DiskMount, see the VMware
DiskMount user’s manual, available from the VMware Web site at www.vmware.com/
pdf/VMwareDiskMount.pdf. The VMware DiskMount Utility is available as a free
download at www.vmware.com/download/diskmount.html.
VMware DiskMount mounts individual volumes of a virtual disk. For the best results
when you shrink a virtual disk, you should mount all the volumes and shrink them.
After you mount a virtual disk volume, use the virtual disk manager to prepare the disk
for shrinking. To prepare the volume mounted as the M: drive for shrinking, use the
following command:
vmware-vdiskmanager -p M:
Once the preparations are complete, unmount the volume. Repeat this process for
each volume of the virtual disk. After you prepare all the volumes for shrinking, you
can shrink the virtual disk.
Shrinking a Virtual Disk
To shrink a virtual disk, it must be located on a Windows host. Before you can shrink
the virtual disk, make sure you prepare all the volumes of the virtual disk for shrinking.
Then use a command like the following:
vmware-vdiskmanager -k myDisk.vmdk
Remember, you cannot shrink a virtual disk if you allocated all the disk space when
you created the virtual disk. You cannot shrink a physical disk.
If the virtual disk has any snapshots, you cannot shrink the virtual disk. You must
delete all snapshots before you shrink the virtual disk.
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Configuring a Dual-Boot Computer
for Use with a Virtual Machine
Many users install VMware Workstation on a dual-boot or multiple-boot computer so
they can run one or more of the existing operating systems in a virtual machine. If you
are doing this, you may want to use the existing installation of an operating system
rather than reinstall it in a virtual machine.
To support such installations, VMware Workstation makes it possible for you to use a
physical IDE disk or partition, also known as a raw disk, inside a virtual machine.
Note: VMware Workstation supports booting from raw disk partitions only on IDE
drives. Booting guest operating systems from raw SCSI drives is not supported. For a
discussion of the issues on a Linux host, see Configuring Dual- or Multiple-Boot SCSI
Systems to Run with VMware Workstation on a Linux Host on page 235.
Setting up a raw disk configuration for a virtual machine is more complicated than
using a virtual disk. Virtual disks are recommended unless you have a specific need to
run directly from a physical disk or partition.
Caution: Raw disks are an advanced feature and should be configured only by expert
users.
This section describes the following topics
•Using the Same Operating System in a Virtual Machine and on the Host
Computer on page 216
•Before You Begin on page 217
•Configuring Dual- or Multiple-Boot Systems to Run with VMware Workstation on
page 219
•Setting Up Hardware Profiles in Virtual Machines on page 225
•Running a Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 Virtual Machine
from an Existing Multiple-Boot Installation on page 230
•Setting Up the SVGA Video Driver for a Windows 95 Guest Operating System
Booted from a Raw Disk on page 230
•Setting Up the SVGA Video Driver for Use with a Windows 98 Guest Operating
System Booted from a Raw Disk on page 232
•Do Not Use Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Dynamic
Disks as Raw Disks on page 234
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•Configuring Dual- or Multiple-Boot SCSI Systems to Run with VMware
Workstation on a Linux Host on page 235
•Known Issues and Background Information on Using SCSI Raw Disks on
page 238
Using the Same Operating System in a Virtual Machine and on
the Host Computer
You may sometimes want to run an operating system inside a virtual machine and at
other times want to run that same installation of the operating system by booting the
host computer directly into that operating system. If you want to use this approach,
you must be aware of some special considerations
The issues arise because the virtual hardware that the operating system sees when it
is running in a virtual machine is different from the physical hardware it sees when it is
running directly on the host computer. It is as if you were removing the boot drive
from one physical computer and running the operating system installed there in a
second computer with a different motherboard, video card and other peripherals —
then moving it back and forth between the two systems.
The general approach for resolving these issues is to set up profiles for each of the two
operating environments — the virtual machine and the physical computer. You can
then choose the appropriate profile when you start the operating system. On some
hardware, however, booting a previously installed operating system within a virtual
machine may not work.
Technical notes in this section document the issues most commonly encountered
with various guest operating systems. Read the notes that apply to your guest
operating system before you begin to set up your virtual machine.
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Before You Begin
Before you begin, be sure to read all the sections listed under the name of the
operating system you intend to run as a guest in a virtual machine.
Windows Server 2003
Caution: Running a Windows Server 2003 guest from a raw disk is not supported. You
should not test a Windows Server 2003 raw disk configuration in a production
environment.
•Configuring Dual- or Multiple-Boot Systems to Run with VMware Workstation on
page 219
•Running a Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 Virtual Machine
from an Existing Multiple-Boot Installation on page 230
•Do Not Use Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Dynamic
Disks as Raw Disks on page 234
Windows XP
Caution: Running a Windows XP guest from a raw disk is not supported. You should
not test a Windows XP raw disk configuration in a production environment.
•Configuring Dual- or Multiple-Boot Systems to Run with VMware Workstation on
page 219
•Running a Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 Virtual Machine
from an Existing Multiple-Boot Installation on page 230
•Do Not Use Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Dynamic
Disks as Raw Disks on page 234
Windows 2000
•Configuring Dual- or Multiple-Boot Systems to Run with VMware Workstation on
page 219
•Running a Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 Virtual Machine
from an Existing Multiple-Boot Installation on page 230
•Do Not Use Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Dynamic
Disks as Raw Disks on page 234
Windows NT
•Configuring Dual- or Multiple-Boot Systems to Run with VMware Workstation on
page 219
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Windows 98
•Configuring Dual- or Multiple-Boot Systems to Run with VMware Workstation on
page 219
•Setting Up the SVGA Video Driver for Use with a Windows 98 Guest Operating
System Booted from a Raw Disk on page 232
Windows 95
•Configuring Dual- or Multiple-Boot Systems to Run with VMware Workstation on
page 219
•Setting Up the SVGA Video Driver for a Windows 95 Guest Operating System
Booted from a Raw Disk on page 230
SCSI Systems Using a Linux Host
•Configuring Dual- or Multiple-Boot SCSI Systems to Run with VMware
Workstation on a Linux Host on page 235
Other Uses of Raw Disks
It is also possible to install a guest operating system on a raw disk when you plan to
use that disk only within a virtual machine. For details on setting up a such a
configuration, see Installing an Operating System onto a Physical Partition from a
Virtual Machine on page 241.
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Configuring Dual- or Multiple-Boot Systems to Run
with VMware Workstation
VMware Workstation uses description files to control access to each raw IDE device on
the system. These description files contain access privilege information that controls a
virtual machine's access to certain partitions on the disks. This mechanism prevents
users from accidentally running the host operating system again as a guest or running
a guest operating system that the virtual machine was not configured to use. The
description file also prevents accidental corruption of raw disk partitions by badly
behaved operating systems or applications.
Use the New Virtual Machine Wizard to configure VMware Workstation to use existing
raw disk partitions. The wizard guides you though creating a configuration for a new
virtual machine including configuring the raw disk description files. Typically, you
rerun the wizard to create a separate configuration for each guest operating system
installed on a raw partition.
If a boot manager is installed on the computer system, the boot manager runs inside
the virtual machine and presents you with the choice of guest operating systems to
run. You must manually choose the guest operating system that this configuration
was intended to run.
This section continues with the following topics:
•Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Dynamic Disks on
page 219
•Using the LILO Boot Loader on page 220
•Configuring a Windows Host on page 220
•Configuring a Linux Host on page 222
Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Dynamic Disks
If your host is running Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 and is
using dynamic disks, see Do Not Use Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows
Server 2003 Dynamic Disks as Raw Disks on page 234.
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Using the LILO Boot Loader
If you are using the LILO boot loader and try to boot a virtual machine from an existing
raw partition, you may see L 01 01 01 01 01 01 … instead of a LILO:
prompt. This can happen regardless of the host operating system. As part of booting a
physical PC or a virtual machine, the BIOS passes control to code located in the master
boot record (MBR) of the boot device. LILO begins running from the MBR, and in order
to finish running correctly, it needs access to the native Linux partition where the rest
of LILO is located — usually the partition with the /boot directory. If LILO can't
access the rest of itself, an error message like the one above appears.
To avoid the problem, follow the configuration steps below and be sure to select the
native Linux partition where the rest of LILO is located. The next time the virtual
machine tries to boot, the LILO code in the MBR should be able to access the rest of
LILO and display the normal LILO: prompt.
Configuring a Windows Host
Use the following steps to run a guest operating system from a raw disk.
Note: If you use a Windows host’s IDE disk in a raw disk configuration, you must not
configure it as the slave on the secondary IDE channel if the master on that channel is
a CD-ROM drive.
1. If you are running a Windows guest operating system, read Setting Up Hardware
Profiles in Virtual Machines on page 225. You should boot the guest operating
system natively on the computer and create a hardware profile for the virtual
machine before proceeding.
2. Create a separate configuration for each guest operating system.
To configure a virtual machine to run from a raw disk or disk partition, start the
New Virtual Machine Wizard (File > New > Virtual Machine) and select Custom.
3. When you reach the Select a Disk step, select Use a physical disk.
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4. Complete the wizard steps, specifying the appropriate disk or partition to use for
this virtual machine.
Note: The maximum size of an IDE disk in a virtual machine is 950 GB.
5. To run multiple guest operating systems from different raw disk partitions,
unmap these partitions on the host.
On a Windows NT host, use the Disk Administrator (Start > Programs >
Administrative Tools). First highlight the partition that contains the guest
operating system, then select Assign Drive Letter from the Tools menu. In this
form, choose Do not assign a drive letter for the partition and click OK. The
unmapping happens immediately.
On a Windows Server 2003, Windows XP or Windows 2000 host, use Disk
Management (Start > Settings > Control Panel > Administrative Tools >
Computer Management > Storage > Disk Management). Select the partition
you want to unmap, then from the Action menu select All Tasks > Change
Drive Letter and Path. Click the Remove button.
6. Use the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings) if you want to change
any configuration options from the wizard defaults — for example, to change
the amount of memory allocated to the guest operating system.
7. If you have multiple IDE drives configured on a system, the VMware BIOS
normally attempts to boot them in this sequence:
a. Primary master
b. Primary slave
c. Secondary master
d. Secondary slave
If you have multiple SCSI drives configured on a system, the VMware BIOS
normally attempts to boot them in the order of the SCSI device number.
If you have both SCSI and IDE drives configured, the VMware BIOS normally
attempts to boot SCSI drives followed by IDE drives, in the order described
above.
The boot sequence can be changed in the Boot menu of the virtual machine's
Phoenix BIOS. After powering on the virtual machine, press F2 during the BIOS
boot in the virtual machine to enter the BIOS setup menu.
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8. Power on the virtual machine. Click the Power On button. The virtual machine
starts, runs the Phoenix BIOS, then boots from the master boot record (MBR).
Choose the target operating system from the list of options offered by the boot
manager.
9. Remember that your virtual machine hardware environment, which the guest
operating system is about to run in for the first time, probably differs significantly
from the physical hardware of your host computer.
For Windows guest operating systems, Plug and Play reconfigures Windows. Set
up your virtual hardware profile with the devices found and configured by Plug
and Play. See Setting Up Hardware Profiles in Virtual Machines on page 225 for
more information.
10. Install VMware Tools in your guest operating system.
Warning: If you take snapshots while using your raw disk, before you reboot your
guest operating system natively you must either:
•Revert to a snapshot and delete all other snapshots.
•Delete all snapshots.
This is necessary because any changes to sectors on the physical disk that have been
modified on the disk invalidate all snapshots for the disk.
Configuring a Linux Host
1. If you are running a Windows guest operating system, read Setting Up Hardware
Profiles in Virtual Machines on page 225. You should boot the guest operating
system natively on the computer and create a hardware profile for the virtual
machine before proceeding.
2. Create a separate configuration for each guest operating system.
3. Check operating system partition mounts. Be sure the existing disk partitions
that you plan to configure the virtual machine to use are not mounted by Linux.
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4. Set the device group membership or device ownership.
The master raw disk device or devices need to be readable and writable by the
user who runs VMware Workstation. On most distributions, the raw devices, such
as /dev/hda (IDE raw disk) and /dev/sda (SCSI raw disk) belong to group-id
disk. If this is the case, you can add VMware Workstation users to the disk
group. Another option is to change the owner of the device. Please think
carefully about security issues when exploring different options here.
Often, the most convenient approach is to grant VMware Workstation users
access to all /dev/hd[abcd] raw devices that contain operating systems or
boot managers and then rely on VMware Workstation’s raw disk configuration
files to guard access. This provides boot managers access to configuration files
and other files they may need to boot the operating systems. For example, LILO
needs to read /boot on a Linux partition to boot a non-Linux operating system
that may be on another drive. As noted above, you should consider the security
implications of the configuration you choose.
5. If you plan to run a second Linux installation from an existing partition as a guest
operating system and your physical computer’s /etc/lilo.conf has a
memory register statement such as Append= "mem…", you may want to
adjust the append memory parameter or create a new entry in LILO for running
Linux in a virtual machine.
If the amount of memory configured in lilo.conf exceeds the amount of
memory assigned to the virtual machine, then when the virtual machine tries to
boot the second Linux installation, the guest operating system will most likely
panic.
You can create another entry in lilo.conf for running Linux in a virtual
machine by specifying a different amount of memory than what would normally
be recognized when Linux boots directly on the physical machine.
6. To configure a virtual machine to run from a raw disk partition, start the New
Virtual Machine Wizard (File > New > Virtual Machine) and select Custom.
7. When you reach the Select a Disk step, select Use a physical disk.
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8. Complete the wizard steps, specifying the appropriate disk or partition to use for
this virtual machine.
Caution: Corruption is possible if you allow the virtual machine to modify a
partition that is simultaneously mounted under Linux. Since the virtual machine
and guest operating system access an existing partition while the host
continues to run Linux, it is critical that the virtual machine not be allowed to
modify any partition mounted under Linux or in use by another virtual machine.
To safeguard against this problem, be sure the partition you use in the virtual
machine is not mounted under the Linux host.
9. Complete the remaining steps in the wizard.
10. If you have multiple IDE drives configured on a system, the VMware BIOS
normally attempts to boot them in this sequence:
a. Primary master
b. Primary slave
c. Secondary master
d. Secondary slave
If you have multiple SCSI drives configured on a system, the VMware BIOS
normally attempts to boot them in the order of the SCSI device number.
If you have both SCSI and IDE drives configured, the VMware BIOS normally
attempts to boot SCSI drives followed by IDE drives, in the order described
above.
You can change the boot sequence using the Boot menu of the virtual
machine’s Phoenix BIOS. To enter the BIOS setup utility, power on the virtual
machine and press F2 as the virtual machine begins to boot.
11. Power on the virtual machine. Click the Power On button. The virtual machine
starts, runs the Phoenix BIOS, then boots from the master boot record (MBR).
Choose the target operating system from the list of options offered by the boot
manager.
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12. Remember that your virtual machine hardware environment, which the guest
operating system is about to run in for the first time, probably differs significantly
from the physical hardware of your machine.
For Windows guest operating systems, Plug and Play reconfigures Windows. Set
up your virtual hardware profile with the devices found and configured by Plug
and Play. See Setting Up Hardware Profiles in Virtual Machines on page 225 for
more information.
13. Install VMware Tools in your guest operating system.
Warning: If you take snapshots while using your raw disk, before you reboot your
guest operating system natively you must either:
•Revert to a snapshot and delete all other snapshots.
•Delete all snapshots.
This is necessary because any changes to sectors on the physical disk that have been
modified on the disk invalidate all snapshots for the disk.
Setting Up Hardware Profiles in Virtual Machines
Certain operating systems use hardware profiles to load the appropriate drivers for a
given set of hardware devices. If you have a dual-boot system and want to use a
virtual machine to boot a previously installed operating system from an existing
partition, you must set up “physical” and “virtual” hardware profiles.
Only users who are familiar with VMware Workstation virtual machines and the
Windows hardware profiles concept should attempt this.
If you haven't already done so, review Configuring Dual- or Multiple-Boot Systems to
Run with VMware Workstation on page 219 before proceeding.
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Each virtual machine provides a platform that consists of the following set of virtual
devices:
•Virtual DVD/CD-ROM
•Virtual IDE and SCSI hard disk drives
•Standard PCI graphics adapter
•Standard floppy disk drive
•Intel 82371 PCI Bus Master IDE controller
(includes primary and secondary IDE controllers)
•BusLogic BT-958 compatible SCSI host adapter
•Standard 101/102-key keyboard
•PS/2-compatible mouse
•AMD PCnet-PCI II compatible Ethernet adapter
•Serial ports (COM1-COM4)
•Parallel ports (LPT1-LPT2)
•Two-port USB hub
•Sound card compatible with the Sound Blaster AudioPCI
•82093AA IOAPIC
This set of virtual devices is different from the set of physical hardware devices on the
host computer and is independent of the underlying hardware with a few exceptions
(the processor itself is such an exception). This feature provides a stable platform and
allows operating system images installed within a virtual machine to be migrated to
other physical machines, regardless of the configuration of the physical machine.
If an operating system is installed directly into a VMware Workstation virtual machine,
the operating system properly detects all the virtual devices by scanning the
hardware. However, if an operating system is already installed on the physical
computer (for example, in a dual-boot configuration), the operating system already is
configured to use the physical hardware devices. In order to boot such a preinstalled
operating system in a virtual machine, you need to create separate hardware profiles
in order to simplify the boot process.
Microsoft Windows operating systems, beginning with Windows 95 and Windows NT
4.0, allow you to create hardware profiles. Each hardware profile is associated with a
set of known devices. If more than one hardware profile exists, the system prompts
the user to choose between different hardware profiles at boot time.
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Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows
Server 2003 use Plug and Play at boot time to confirm that the actual devices match
the chosen hardware profile. Mismatches lead to the automatic detection of new
devices. Although this operation succeeds, it can be fairly slow.
Windows NT does not have Plug and Play support and uses the hardware profiles to
initialize its devices. Mismatches lead to errors reported by the device drivers and the
devices are disabled.
In order to set up hardware profiles for your physical and virtual machines, follow
these steps:
1. Before running VMware Workstation to boot an operating system previously
installed on a disk partition, boot the operating system natively and create two
hardware profiles, which you can call Physical Machine and Virtual Machine. To
do this, open Control Panel > System, then click the Hardware Profiles tab — or
click the Hardware tab, then click Hardware Profiles, depending on the
operating system. Click the Copy button and name the copies appropriately.
2. Windows NT only: While still running the operating system natively, use the
Device Manager to disable some devices from the Virtual Machine hardware
profile. To do this, open Control Panel > Devices, then select the individual
devices to disable. Devices to disable in the Virtual Machine hardware profile
include audio, MIDI and joystick devices, Ethernet and other network devices
and USB devices. Remember to disable them in the Virtual Machine hardware
profile only.
Skip this step if you are running Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me,
Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003. The initial Plug and Play
phase detects device mismatches.
3. Reboot the computer into your intended host operating system — for example,
into Linux if you are running VMware Workstation on a Linux host.
4. Use the New Virtual Machine Wizard to configure your virtual machine as
described in Configuring Dual- or Multiple-Boot Systems to Run with VMware
Workstation on page 219.
5. Boot the virtual machine and use your existing boot manager to select the guest
operating system. Choose Virtual Machine at the hardware profile menu prompt.
You encounter device failure messages and delays during this initial boot.
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6. Windows Server 2003, Windows XP and Windows 2000 guests: After you log
on to Windows Server 2003, Windows XP or Windows 2000 (now running as a
guest operating system) you should see a Found New Hardware dialog box for
the video controller as Plug and Play runs and discovers the virtual hardware. Do
not install drivers at this time. Click Cancel to close the Found New Hardware
dialog box.
Do not reboot the virtual machine. Click No in the System Settings Change/
Reboot dialog box.
Windows Server 2003, Windows XP or Windows 2000 automatically detects and
loads the driver for the AMD PCnet PCI Ethernet card. At this point, you should
install VMware Tools inside the virtual machine. Allow the virtual machine to
reboot after VMware Tools has been installed. Once Windows Server 2003,
Windows XP or Windows 2000 reboots inside the virtual machine, select a new
SVGA resolution from the Settings tab of the Display Properties dialog box to
increase the size of the virtual machine’s display window.
Windows 95 and Windows 98 guests: You should see New Hardware
Detected dialog boxes as Plug and Play runs and discovers the virtual hardware.
Windows prompts you for locations to search for device drivers. Most of the
device drivers are available in the existing operating system installation, but you
may need the installation CD-ROM for some networking device drivers.
Windows also asks you to reboot your system several times as it installs the
device drivers.
In some instances, Windows may not recognize the CD-ROM drive when it
prompts you to insert the CD-ROM to look for device drivers during the initial
hardware detection. In such cases, you can cancel the installation of the
particular device or try pointing to C:\windows\system\ to search for
device drivers on the hard disk. Any failed device installations may be performed
at a later time after the CD-ROM drive is recognized.
After Windows has installed the virtual hardware and its drivers, you can remove
the failed devices corresponding to the physical hardware using the Device
Manager (Control Panel > System > Device Manager).
Select the device, then click the Remove button. If a device appears in multiple
hardware profiles, you can select the hardware profile or profiles from which to
remove the device.
If you want to enable the virtual machine’s sound adapter to work inside the
Windows 9x guest operating system, finish the remaining steps in this section,
then refer to Configuring Sound on page 369.
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Windows NT guests only: After the operating system has finished booting in
the virtual machine, view the event log to see which physical devices have failed
to start properly. You can disable them from the Virtual Hardware profile using
the Device Manager (Control Panel > Devices).
If you want to enable the virtual machine’s sound adapter to work inside the
Windows NT guest operating system, finish the remaining steps in this section,
then refer to Configuring Sound on page 369.
7. Confirm that your virtual devices — specifically, the network adapter — are
working properly.
Windows 95 and Windows 98 guests: If any virtual device is missing, you can
detect it by running Control Panel > Add New Hardware.
8. Install VMware Tools. VMware Tools appears and runs in both hardware
configurations but affects only the virtual machine.
Note: The next time you reboot Windows natively using the Physical Machine
hardware profile, some virtual devices may appear in the device list. You can
disable or remove these virtual devices from the Physical Machine hardware
profile in the same way that you removed physical devices from the virtual
machine hardware profile in step 6, above.
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Running a Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server
2003 Virtual Machine from an Existing Multiple-Boot
Installation
If you have installed Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 on a
computer, then try to run that same installation of the operating system as a VMware
Workstation virtual machine running from a raw disk, the virtual machine may fail with
an error message reporting an inaccessible boot device.
The problem occurs because the physical computer and the virtual machine require
different IDE drivers. The Windows plug and play feature, which handles drivers for
many hardware devices, does not install new IDE drivers.
If you encounter this problem, VMware recommends that you install your Windows
2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 guest operating system in a virtual disk,
rather than running it from a raw disk.
If you encounter this problem but it is important for you to run the virtual machine
from the existing raw disk configuration, you can set up separate hardware profiles
(described in Setting Up Hardware Profiles in Virtual Machines on page 225) and
manually update the IDE driver in the profile for the virtual machine. For a detailed
description of the workaround, see the VMware knowledge base (www.vmware.com/
info?id=41).
Setting Up the SVGA Video Driver for a Windows 95 Guest
Operating System Booted from a Raw Disk
This section explains how to configure the video driver in a Windows 95 raw disk
installation using VMware Workstation. The steps below assume you are using
Windows 95 as one of the operating systems in a dual-boot or multiple-boot
configuration. Following these steps, you create separate hardware profiles for your
virtual machine and your physical machine. For more details on hardware profiles, see
Setting Up Hardware Profiles in Virtual Machines on page 225.
1. Boot Windows 95 natively (not in a virtual machine).
2. Right-click the My Computer icon on the desktop, then select Properties.
3. Click the Hardware Profiles tab.
4. Highlight the Original Configuration profile, then click Copy.
5. Name the profile Virtual Machine, then click OK.
You may also want to rename the Original Configuration profile to Physical
Machine.
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6. Click OK to close the System Properties dialog box.
7. Shut down Windows 95 and reboot the system.
8. Boot into your host operating system (Linux, Windows NT, Windows 2000,
Windows XP or Windows Server 2003).
9. Start the Windows 95 virtual machine.
10. Select Virtual Machine from the list of profiles when prompted.
11. If you are prompted to select the CPU Bridge, accept the default, then click OK.
12. Restart Windows 95 when prompted.
13. Again, select Virtual Machine from the list of profiles when prompted.
14. When the video card is detected, you are prompted to select which driver you
want to install for your new hardware. Click the Select from a list of alternate
drivers radio button, then click OK.
15. Select Display Adapters from the Select Hardware Type dialog box.
16. Select Standard Display Adapter (VGA) from the device list, then click OK.
17. Restart Windows 95 when prompted.
18. Install VMware Tools as outlined in Installing a Guest Operating System and
VMware Tools on page 117, then restart the virtual machine.
19. Start the Device Manager and expand the Display adapters tree.
20. Highlight VMware SVGA. Click Properties.
21. Uncheck Physical Machine, then click OK. Click Close.
22. Shut down Windows 95 and power off the virtual machine.
23. Shut down your host operating system (Linux, Windows NT, Windows 2000,
Windows XP or Windows Server 2003) and reboot into Windows 95.
24. Select the Physical Machine profile when prompted.
25. Repeat steps 19 through 21 and uncheck Virtual Machine, leaving Physical
Machine checked.
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Setting Up the SVGA Video Driver for Use with a Windows 98
Guest Operating System Booted from a Raw Disk
This section explains how to configure the video driver in a Windows 98 raw disk
installation using VMware Workstation. The steps below assume you are using
Windows 98 as one of the operating systems in a dual-boot or multiple-boot
configuration. Following these steps, you create separate hardware profiles for your
virtual machine and your physical machine. For more details on hardware profiles, see
Setting Up Hardware Profiles in Virtual Machines on page 225.
1. Boot Windows 98 natively (not in a virtual machine).
2. Right-click the My Computer icon on the desktop, then select Properties.
3. Click the Hardware Profiles tab.
4. Highlight the Original Configuration profile, then click Copy.
5. Name the profile Virtual Machine, then click OK.
You may also want to rename the Original Configuration profile to Physical
Machine.
6. Click OK to close the System Properties dialog box.
7. Shut down Windows 98 and reboot the system.
8. Boot into your host operating system (Linux, Windows NT, Windows 2000,
Windows XP or Windows Server 2003).
9. Select Virtual Machine from the list of profiles when prompted.
10. Windows 98 auto-detects the virtual machine’s devices and installs the device
drivers.
11. When Windows detects the video card driver, select Search for the best driver.
12. When prompted to reboot, click No. The AMD PCNET driver is installed, followed
by the IDE controller drivers.
13. When prompted to reboot, click Yes.
14. Select the Virtual Machine hardware profile.
15. After Windows 98 has completed booting, start the Add New Hardware wizard
from the Control Panel.
16. Click Next, then Next again.
17. Select No, the device isn't in the list.
18. Click Yes, then click Next.
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19. After all devices have been detected, click the Details button to list the detected
non-Plug and Play devices.
20. Click Finish, then reboot the virtual machine when prompted.
21. Select the VMware Workstation configuration profile. Notice that an unknown
monitor is detected and installed.
22. Install VMware Tools as outlined in Installing a Guest Operating System and
VMware Tools on page 117.
23. Open the Device Manager. It should show that you have
•Standard PCI Graphics Adapter
•VMware SVGA Display Adapter
24. Shut down the Windows 98 virtual machine and your host operating system.
25. Boot natively into Windows 98, then start the Device Manager.
26. Select the VMware SVGA device if listed, then click Remove.
27. Select the Remove from Specific Configuration radio button, then select
Physical Machine from the configuration list.
28. Click OK, then reboot Windows 98 when prompted.
29. Boot into Windows 98 natively and verify the display settings. You should be able
to use the display driver that you installed natively before starting this procedure.
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Do Not Use Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server
2003 Dynamic Disks as Raw Disks
Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 support a disk type called a
dynamic disk. Dynamic disks use a proprietary Microsoft format for recording partition
information. This format is not publicly documented and thus is not supported for use
in raw disk configurations under VMware Workstation.
Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 also support the older type of
partition table. Disks that use this type of partition table are called basic disks.
You can use the disk management tool to check the type of disk used on your
Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 host and, if it is a dynamic disk,
change it to basic.
Caution: If you change a dynamic disk to a basic disk, you lose all data on the disk.
Use this procedure to convert a dynamic disk to a basic disk.
1. Open the disk management tool.
Start > Settings > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer
Management > Disk Management
2. Delete all logical volumes on the disk. This destroys all data on the disk.
3. Right-click the disk icon and select Revert to Basic Disk.
4. Create the partitions you want on the disk.
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Configuring Dual- or Multiple-Boot SCSI Systems to Run
with VMware Workstation on a Linux Host
It may be possible to configure VMware Workstation so that you can use an operating
system already installed and configured on a SCSI disk as a guest operating system
inside a VMware Workstation virtual machine.
Using an existing SCSI disk — or SCSI raw disk — inside a virtual machine is supported
only if the host has an LSI Logic or BusLogic SCSI adapter. LSI Logic is the preferred
choice because it is easier to find drivers for LSI Logic adapters. It may be possible to
configure a host with a different SCSI adapter so the same operating system can be
booted both natively and inside a virtual machine, but this approach is not supported
by VMware. For details on some of the key issues involved, see Known Issues and
Background Information on Using SCSI Raw Disks on page 238.
Before You Create the Virtual Machine Configuration
You must create a separate configuration for each guest operating system. Allow read
and write access to the partitions used by that operating system only.
1. Before starting, if you are running a Windows guest operating system you should
read Setting Up Hardware Profiles in Virtual Machines on page 225. You should
boot the guest operating system natively on the computer and create a
hardware profile for the virtual machine before proceeding.
2. Check to see what SCSI ID is set for the drive you plan to use in the virtual
machine.
3. Make certain that in addition to any SCSI drivers you have configured for the
host, you have also installed the driver for the LSI Logic or BusLogic virtual
adapter you plan to use in the virtual machine.
Drivers for LSI Logic controllers are available from the LSI Logic Web site —
www.lsilogic.com. In the download area of the site, find a driver for any of the
adapters in the LSI53C10xx Ultra320 SCSI I/O controller series — for example, the
LSI53C1000.
Note: Drivers for a Mylex (BusLogic) compatible host bus adapter are not
obvious on the LSI Logic Web site. Search the support area for the numeric string
in the model number. For example, search for “958” for BT/KT-958 drivers.
The LSI Logic or BusLogic driver needs to be installed in the profile for the guest
operating system.
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Note: To use the virtual BusLogic SCSI adapter in a Windows XP or Windows
Server 2003 virtual machine, you need a special SCSI driver available from the
download section of the VMware Web site www.vmware.com/download.
4. Check operating system partition mounts. Be sure the existing raw disk
partitions that you plan to configure the virtual machine to use are not mounted
by the Linux host.
Caution: A raw disk partition should not be used (mounted) simultaneously by
the host and the guest operating system. Because each operating system is
unaware of the other, data corruption may occur if both operating systems read
or write to the same partition. It is critical that the virtual machine not be allowed
to modify any partition mounted under the Linux host or in use by another
virtual machine. To safeguard against this problem, be sure the partition you use
for the virtual machine is not mounted under the Linux host.
5. Set the device group membership or device ownership. The master raw disk
devices must be readable and writable by the user who runs VMware
Workstation. On most distributions, the raw devices (such as /dev/hda and
/dev/hdb) belong to group-id disk. If this is the case, you can add VMware
Workstation users to the disk group. Another option is to change the owner of
the device. Please think carefully about security issues when you explore
different options here.
It is typically a good idea to grant VMware Workstation users access to all
/dev/hd[abcd] raw devices that contain operating systems or boot
managers and then rely on VMware Workstation’s raw disk configuration files to
guard access. This provides boot managers access to configuration and other
files they may need to boot the operating systems. For example, LILO needs to
read /boot on a Linux partition to boot a non-Linux operating system that may
be on another drive.
6. If you plan to run a second Linux installation from an existing partition as a guest
operating system, and your physical machine’s /etc/lilo.conf has a
memory register statement such as Append= "mem…", you may want to
adjust the append memory parameter or create a new entry in LILO for running
Linux in a virtual machine.
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Many newer Linux distributions recognize all physical memory in the physical
machine, whereas many older Linux distributions see only the first 64MB of
memory by default. Machines with more than 64MB of memory that run the
older distributions may have the Append= "mem=…" parameter added under
the Image=… section of lilo.conf to tell Linux to look for more memory
than seen by default.
If the amount of memory configured in lilo.conf exceeds the amount of
memory assigned to the virtual machine, the guest operating system is likely to
panic when the virtual machine tries to boot the second Linux installation.
You can create another entry in lilo.conf for running Linux in a virtual
machine by specifying a different amount of memory than what should
normally be recognized when Linux boots directly on the physical machine.
Setting Up the Virtual Machine Configuration
1. Start VMware Workstation.
2. Start the New Virtual Machine Wizard (File > New > Virtual Machine) and select
Custom.
3. When you reach the Select I/O Adapter Types step, select the SCSI adapter type
that matches the driver you installed in the virtual machine profile.
4. When you reach the Select a Disk step, select Use a physical disk.
5. In the Device list, select the physical drive.
Under Usage, select whether to use the entire disk or individual partitions.
If you selected Use entire disk, click Next then go to step 6.
If you selected Use individual partitions, the Select Physical Disk Partitions panel
appears.
Select the partitions you want the virtual machine to use, then click Next.
6. In the entry field, enter a name of your choice for the physical disk.
Caution: If you browse to place the disk file in another directory, do not select
an existing virtual disk file.
To specify a device ID for the physical disk, click Advanced. In the Virtual device
node list, select the SCSI ID that corresponds to the one used by your SCSI drive.
For example, if your SCSI drive has SCSI ID 2, select SCSI 0:2. If you do not know
the SCSI ID set on your physical SCSI drive, try using SCSI 0:0.
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On the advanced settings screen, you can also specify a disk mode. This is useful
in certain special-purpose configurations in which you want to exclude disks
from snapshots. For more information on the snapshot feature, see Using
Snapshots on page 251.
Normal disks are included in snapshots. In most cases, this is the setting you
want.
Independent disks are not included in snapshots. You have the following options
for an independent disk:
•Persistent — changes are immediately and permanently written to the disk.
•Nonpersistent — changes to the disk are discarded when you power off or
revert to a snapshot.
When you have set the filename and location you want to use and have made
any selections you want to make on the advanced settings screen, click Finish.
7. Begin using your virtual machine.
Known Issues and Background Information on Using SCSI Raw
Disks
Size
VMware Workstation supports raw disk sizes up to 2.0TB. Reported size is not accurate
with larger raw disks.
Geometry
In some cases, it is not possible to boot a raw SCSI drive inside a virtual machine
because the SCSI adapter in the physical computer and the BusLogic adapter in the
virtual machine describe the drive in different ways. The virtual machine might hang
during the boot, VMware Workstation might crash or VMware Workstation might fail
with an ASSERT or other error message.
This problem is most likely to affect smaller drives — less than 2GB.
In order to share the same BIOS interface used by IDE disks (which is required in order
to boot), all SCSI disks need to have a geometry, which is a fabricated value for the
number of cylinders, sectors and heads on the disk.
In fact, a SCSI disk appears to a computer as a single flat entity from sector 1 up to the
highest sector on the disk. As a result, every SCSI vendor has its own approach to
taking the capacity of a SCSI disk and generating a geometry to use for booting.
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The conversion from a given geometry to an absolute sector number depends on the
geometry. If you have a disk with a boot sector written by a program running on the
host and you try to boot that disk inside a virtual machine, the boot program can fail if
the host geometry does not match the geometry used by the BusLogic virtual SCSI
adapter. The symptoms are that you see the first part of the boot loader — possibly an
LI from LILO, for example — but then the boot either stops or crashes.
BusLogic uses the following rules for generating disk geometries:
In each case the number of cylinders is calculated by taking the total capacity of the
disk and dividing by (heads*sectors). Fortunately, for sufficiently big disks, practically
all vendors use 255 heads and 63 sectors.
Drivers
In contrast to IDE adapters, SCSI adapters are not interchangeable and cannot all use
the same drivers. That is, if you have an Adaptec SCSI host adapter in your machine
and you remove it and replace it with a BusLogic SCSI host adapter, your operating
system will most likely fail to boot unless you install a BusLogic driver.
Dual booting from a disk that is also used as a virtual disk is no different. To your
operating system, it appears that the SCSI card in the machine suddenly changed
from whatever you own to an LSI Logic or BusLogic card, and your operating system
needs to have a corresponding driver installed. If that driver is not installed, you get a
panic, a blue screen or some similar fatal error as soon as the boot process tries to
switch from the BIOS bootstrap to the disk driver installed in the operating system.
Operating System Configuration
Many operating systems have configuration information that is different for SCSI and
IDE drives. For example, Linux uses /dev/hd[x] as the device name for IDE disks
and /dev/sd[x] for SCSI disks. References to these names appear in
/etc/fstab and other configuration files.
This is one reason that booting a raw IDE disk as a SCSI disk or vice versa does not work
well (if at all).
Disk size Heads Sectors
<= 1GB 64 32
> 1GB and <= 2GB 128 32
> 2GB 255 63
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However, even when you are dealing only with SCSI devices, it is possible for an
operating system to encode information in a way that causes problems when you are
dual booting. For example, Solaris names its SCSI disks /dev/c[x]t[y]d[z]s0,
where the y represents the SCSI ID. So if you had a raw disk configured as SCSI ID 3 on
the host and as SCSI ID 0 in your VMware Workstation configuration file, it would
move if you were running Solaris, and most likely Solaris would not boot.
The precise dependencies in various operating systems can be complex. That is why it
is safest to configure SCSI raw disks in a virtual machine using the same SCSI ID as they
use on the host.
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Installing an Operating System onto a
Physical Partition from a Virtual Machine
In some situations, you may want to install a guest operating system directly on a
physical disk or partition even if you do not need to boot that disk on the host, outside
of the virtual machine.
It is possible to use either an unused partition or a completely unused disk on the host
as a disk in the virtual machine. However, it is important to be aware that an operating
system installed in this setting probably cannot boot outside of the virtual machine,
even though the data is available to the host.
If you have a dual-boot system and want to configure a virtual machine to boot from
an existing partition, see Configuring a Dual-Boot Computer for Use with a Virtual
Machine on page 215. The instructions in this section do not apply to a disk with a
previously installed operating system.
Caution: Physical disks are an advanced feature and should be configured only by
expert users.
VMware Workstation uses description files to control access to each physical disk on
the system. These description files contain access privilege information that controls a
virtual machine’s access to certain partitions on the disks. This mechanism prevents
users from accidentally running the host operating system again as a guest or running
a guest operating system that the virtual machine is not configured to use. The
description file also prevents accidental writes to physical disk partitions from badly
behaved operating systems or applications.
Use the New Virtual Machine Wizard to configure VMware Workstation to use existing
physical disk partitions. The wizard guides you though creating a new virtual machine
including configuring the physical disk description files. Rerun the wizard to create a
separate configuration for each guest operating system installed on a physical
partition.
•Configuring a Windows Host on page 242
•Configuring a Linux Host on page 244
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Configuring a Windows Host
Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Dynamic Disks
If your host is running Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 and is
using dynamic disks, see Do Not Use Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows
Server 2003 Dynamic Disks as Raw Disks on page 234.
Configuring the Virtual Machine to Use a Physical Disk
Use the following steps to run a guest operating system from a physical disk.
Note: If you use a Windows host’s IDE disk in a physical disk configuration, it cannot
be configured as the slave on the secondary IDE channel if the master on that channel
is a CD-ROM drive.
1. Identify the raw partition on which you plan to install the guest operating
system.
Check the guest operating system documentation regarding the type of
partition on which the operating system can be installed. For example, operating
systems like DOS, Windows 95 and Windows 98 must be installed on the first
primary partition while others, like Linux, can be installed on a primary or
extended partition on any part of the drive.
Identify an appropriate physical partition or disk for the guest operating system
to use. Be sure that the physical partition is not mounted by the Windows host
and not in use by others. Also, be sure the physical partition or disk does not
have data you will need in the future; if it does, back up that data now.
2. Start the New Virtual Machine Wizard (File > New > Virtual Machine) and select
Custom.
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3. When you reach the Select a Disk step, select Use a physical disk.
4. Choose the physical hard disk to use from the drop-down list. Select whether
you want to use the entire disk or use only individual partitions on the disk. Click
Next.
5. If you selected Use individual partitions in the previous step, select which
partitions you want to use in the virtual machine. If you selected Use entire disk,
this step does not appear.
Click Next.
6. The partition on which you are installing the guest operating system should be
unmapped in the host.
Caution: Corruption is possible if you allow the virtual machine to modify a
partition that is simultaneously mounted under Windows. Since the virtual
machine and guest operating system access a physical disk partition while the
host continues to run Windows, it is critical that you not allow the virtual
machine to modify any partition mounted by the host or in use by another
virtual machine. To safeguard against this problem, be sure the physical disk
partition you use for the virtual machine is not in use by the host.
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Windows Server 2003, Windows XP or Windows 2000 host: Use Disk
Management (Start > Settings > Control Panel > Administrative Tools >
Computer Management > Storage > Disk Management). Select the partition
you want to unmap, then choose Action > All Tasks > Change Drive Letter and
Path. Click the Remove button.
7. Use the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings) if you want to change
any configuration options from the wizard defaults — for example, to change
the amount of memory allocated to the guest operating system.
8. At this point you are ready to begin installing the guest operating system onto
the physical disk you configured for the virtual machine. For more details, read
the installation notes for various guest operating systems in the VMware Guest
Operating System Installation Guide, available from the VMware Web site or from
the Help menu.
Configuring a Linux Host
1. Identify the physical partition on which the guest operating system will be
installed.
Check the guest operating system documentation regarding the type of
partition on which the operating system can be installed. For example, operating
systems like DOS, Windows 95 and Windows 98 must be installed on the first
primary partition while others, like Linux, can be installed on a primary or
extended partition on any part of the drive.
Identify an appropriate physical partition or disk for the guest operating system
to use. Check that the physical partition is not mounted by the Linux host and
not in use by others. Also, be sure the physical partition or disk does not have
data you will need in the future; if it does, back up that data now.
2. Check the operating system partition mounts. Be sure the existing disk partitions
that you plan to use in the virtual machine are not mounted by Linux.
3. Set the device group membership or device ownership.
The master physical disk device or devices need to be readable and writable by
the user who runs VMware Workstation. On most distributions, the physical
devices, such as /dev/hda (IDE physical disk) and /dev/sdb (SCSI physical
disk) belong to group-id disk. If this is the case, you can add VMware
Workstation users to the disk group. Another option is to change the owner of
the device. Please think carefully about security issues when you explore
different options here.
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It is a good idea to grant VMware Workstation users access to all
/dev/hd[abcd] physical devices that contain operating systems or boot
managers, then rely on VMware Workstation’s physical disk configuration files to
guard access. This provides boot managers access to configuration and other
files they may need to boot the operating systems. For example, LILO needs to
read /boot on a Linux partition to boot a non-Linux operating system that may
be on another drive.
4. Start the New Virtual Machine Wizard (File > New > Virtual Machine) and select
Custom.
5. When you reach the Select a Disk step, select Use a physical disk.
6. If the physical disk you plan to use has multiple partitions on it already, be aware
that certain operating systems (DOS, Windows 95, Windows 98) must be
installed on the first primary partition.
Caution: Corruption is possible if you allow the virtual machine to modify a
partition that is simultaneously mounted under the Linux host operating system.
Since the virtual machine and guest operating system access an existing
partition while the host continues to run Linux, it is critical that the virtual
machine not be allowed to modify any partition mounted by the host or in use
by another virtual machine.
To safeguard against this problem, be sure the partition you use for the virtual
machine is not mounted under the Linux host.
7. At this point you are ready to begin installing the guest operating system on the
physical disk you configured for the virtual machine. For more details, read the
installation notes for various guest operating systems in the VMware Guest
Operating System Installation Guide, available from the VMware Web site or from
the Help menu.
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Legacy Virtual Disks
VMware Workstation 5 introduces features that were not available in previously
released VMware products. See What’s New in Version 5 on page 19 for a list of these
features.
Workstation 5 achieves its new functionality by using a new virtual machine format, a
format that is not compatible with the legacy disk format used by these VMware
applications:
•Workstation 4.x
•GSX Server 3.x
•ESX Server 2.x
•VMware ACE 1.x
VMware Workstation 5 does work with legacy virtual disks, allowing easy integration
into environments using these other VMware products.
The following sections discuss your options for using Workstation 5 in a mixed
environment with legacy virtual machines created in Workstation 4.x, GSX Server 3.x,
ESX Server 2.x or VMware ACE 1.x.
•Upgrading a Legacy Virtual Machine for New Features of Workstation 5 on
page 247
•Using a Legacy Virtual Machine without Upgrading on page 247
•Creating a Legacy Virtual Machine with Workstation 5 on page 247
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Upgrading a Legacy Virtual Machine for New Features of
Workstation 5
In order to use features of Workstation 5 with legacy virtual machines, you must
upgrade the virtual machine hardware, as described in Use a Legacy Virtual Machine
with Upgrade on page 58.
Note: After the upgrade, the virtual machine is fully compatible with virtual
machines created in Workstation 5. You cannot use the upgraded virtual machine in
Workstation 4.x, GSX Server 3.x, ESX Server 2.x or VMware ACE 1.x.
Using a Legacy Virtual Machine without Upgrading
Workstation 5 can power on an unmodified legacy virtual machine, allowing you to
share a virtual machine with users of Workstation 4.x, GSX Server 3.x, ESX Server 2.x
and ACE 1.x. However, Workstation 5 features are not available in this legacy virtual
machine.
Note: When you are running a legacy virtual machine, Workstation 5 indicates that
VMware Tools is out of date. Do not upgrade your VMware Tools if you want to
continue using the virtual machine on Workstation 4.x, GSX Server 3.x, ESX Server 2.x
and VMware ACE 1.x.
Creating a Legacy Virtual Machine with Workstation 5
Workstation 5 can create a new virtual machine to use in Workstation 4.x, GSX Server
3.x, ESX Server 2.x and VMware ACE 1.x. However, the new features of Workstation 5
are not available in this legacy virtual machine.
See Steps to a New Virtual Machine on page 102 for a discussion of creating a new
virtual machine using Workstation 5.
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Preserving the State of a Virtual
Machine
VMware Workstation 5 provides two ways to preserve the state of a virtual machine:
you can Suspend the virtual machine, or take a Snapshot of it. This chapter describes
the Suspend and Snapshot features and helps you understand when to use them.
•Using Suspend and Resume on page 250
•Using Snapshots on page 251
•Examples of Using Snapshots on page 254
•What Is Captured by a Snapshot? on page 255
•Taking a Snapshot on page 256
•The Snapshot Manager on page 258
•Restoring a Snapshot: Revert or Go To? on page 263
•Deleting a Snapshot on page 264
•Making a Clone from a Snapshot on page 264
•Virtual Machine Settings for Snapshots on page 265
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Using Suspend and Resume
The suspend and resume feature is useful when you want to save the current state of
your virtual machine, and continue work later from the same state.
Once you resume and do additional work in the virtual machine, there is no way to
return to the state the virtual machine was in at the time you suspended. To preserve
the state of the virtual machine so you can return to the same state repeatedly, take a
snapshot. For details, see Using Snapshots on page 251.
The speed of the suspend and resume operations depends on how much data has
changed while the virtual machine has been running. In general, the first suspend
operation takes a bit longer than later suspend operations do.
When you suspend a virtual machine, a file with a .vmss extension is created. This
file contains the entire state of the virtual machine. When you resume the virtual
machine, its state is restored from the .vmss file.
To suspend a virtual machine:
1. If your virtual machine is running in full screen mode, return to window mode by
pressing the Ctrl-Alt key combination.
2. Click Suspend on the VMware Workstation toolbar.
3. When VMware Workstation has completed the suspend operation, it is safe to
exit VMware Workstation.
File > Exit (Windows)
or
File > Quit (Linux)
To resume a virtual machine that you have suspended:
1. Start VMware Workstation and choose a virtual machine you have suspended.
2. Click Resume on the VMware Workstation toolbar.
Note that any applications you were running at the time you suspended the
virtual machine are running and the content is the same as it was when you
suspended the virtual machine.
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Using Snapshots
VMware Workstation snapshots allow you to preserve the state of the virtual machine
so you can return to the same state repeatedly. Version 5 introduces multiple
snapshots and the snapshot manager.
This section discusses snapshots in the following topics:
•Understanding Snapshots on page 252
•Examples of Using Snapshots on page 254
•What Is Captured by a Snapshot? on page 255
•Taking a Snapshot on page 256
•The Snapshot Manager on page 258
•Restoring a Snapshot: Revert or Go To? on page 263
•Virtual Machine Settings for Snapshots on page 265
•Deleting a Snapshot on page 264
•Making a Clone from a Snapshot on page 264
•Snapshots and Legacy Virtual Machines on page 266
•Snapshots and Other Activity in the Virtual Machine on page 255
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Understanding Snapshots
Taking a snapshot saves the current state of the virtual machine, so you can return to it
at any time. Snapshots are useful when you need to revert a virtual machine
repeatedly to the same state, but you don’t want to create multiple virtual machines.
If you simply want to save the current state of your virtual machine temporarily, so you
can continue work later from the same state, see Using Suspend and Resume on
page 250.
You can take multiple snapshots of a virtual machine, to save any state you might
want to return to.
Note: To take snapshots of multiple virtual machines — for example, taking
snapshots for all members of a team — requires that you take a separate a snapshot of
each team member.
Snapshots in a Linear Process
One common use of snapshots is in a development process, as a way to save each
step in a linear process. That way, as you add new, untested code to a project, you can
always revert to a prior known working state of the project when newly added code
does not work as expected.
Another example of using snapshots is a linear process is a computerized training
course. You can take snapshots of each lesson starting point, so you can instantly
revert to the appropriate place for each student — skipping lengthy computer
preparation time.
Snapshots as restore points in a linear process
VMware Workstation supports over 100 snapshots per linear process.
Snapshots in a Process Tree
Another way to use snapshots is shown in the following figure. Here, instead of saving
each step of a process in a single long sequence, you are saving a number of
sequences, as branches from a single baseline. This strategy is often used in testing
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software, for example. You can take a snapshot before installing different versions of a
program to ensure each different installation begins from an identical baseline.
Snapshots as restore points in a process tree
VMware Workstation supports over 100 snapshots per branch in a process tree.
Relationship Between Snapshots
The relationship between snapshots is like parent to child.
•In a linear process, each snapshot has one parent and one child, except for the
last snapshot, which has no children.
•In a process tree, each snapshot has one parent, but one snapshot may have
more than one child. Many snapshots have no children.
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Examples of Using Snapshots
Using Snapshots as Protection from Risky Changes
If you plan to make risky changes in a virtual machine (for example, testing new
software or examining a virus), take a snapshot before you begin. If you encounter a
problem, you can restore the virtual machine to the state preserved in that snapshot.
If your risky actions cause no problems you can take another snapshot of the virtual
machine in its new state. Snapshots can minimize lost work if something goes wrong.
With multiple snapshots of saved positions, you can return at any time to any
important position when you discover a problem.
Starting a Virtual Machine Repeatedly in the Same State
You can configure the virtual machine to revert to a snapshot any time it is powered
off. You might use this feature, for example, in setting up student virtual machines to
power on for each new class at the beginning of the lesson, discarding previous
student work. See Reverting at Power Off on page 263 for the procedure.
Automatically Recording Milestone Status
You can configure a virtual machine to take a snapshot any time it is powered off,
preserving a virtual audit trail as work progresses. See Virtual Machine Settings for
Snapshots on page 265 for configuring automatic snapshots at power off.
Disabling Snapshots for Better Performance
VMware Workstation operates more efficiently with snapshots disabled. If you do not
need to use snapshot functionality, you should disable it for better performance. See
Virtual Machine Settings for Snapshots on page 265.
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What Is Captured by a Snapshot?
A snapshot captures the entire state of the virtual machine at the time you take the
snapshot. This includes:
•Memory state — The contents of the virtual machine’s memory
•Settings state — The virtual machine settings
•Disk state — The state of all the virtual machine’s virtual disks
Snapshots operate on individual virtual machines. In a team of virtual machines,
taking a snapshot preserves only the active virtual machine’s state. See The Active
Virtual Machine on page 297.
When you revert to a snapshot, you return the virtual machine’s memory, settings, and
virtual disks, to the state they were in when you took the snapshot. If you want the
virtual machine to be suspended, powered on, or powered off when you launch it, be
sure it is in the desired state when you take the snapshot.
Note: The state of a physical disk or independent disk is not preserved when you
take a snapshot.
Snapshots and Other Activity in the Virtual Machine
When you take a snapshot, be aware of other activity going on in the virtual machine
and the likely impact of reverting to that snapshot. In general, it is best to take a
snapshot when no applications in the virtual machine are communicating with other
computers. The potential for problems is greatest if the virtual machine is
communicating with another computer, especially in a production environment.
Consider a case in which you take a snapshot while the virtual machine is
downloading a file from a server on the network. After you take the snapshot, the
virtual machine continues downloading the file, communicating its progress to the
server. If you revert to the snapshot, communications between the virtual machine
and the server are confused and the file transfer fails.
Or consider a case in which you take a snapshot while an application in the virtual
machine is sending a transaction to a database on a separate machine. If you revert to
that snapshot — especially if you revert after the transaction starts but before it has
been committed — the database is likely to be confused.
See Snapshot Actions as Background Activity on page 256.
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Excluding Disks from Snapshots
In certain configurations, you may want to have some disks revert to a snapshot while
other disks retain all changes. You can exclude virtual disks from a snapshot by
changing the disk mode.
For example, you may want a snapshot to preserve a disk with your operating system
and applications, while always keeping the changes to a disk with your documents.
For the procedure, see Changing Disk Mode to Exclude Virtual Disks from Snapshots
on page 257.
Taking a Snapshot
Use the Snapshot menu on the Workstation toolbar to take a snapshot.
1. Choose VM > Snapshot > Take Snapshot
2. Type a name for your snapshot.
Every snapshot must have a unique name. If you type the name of an existing
snapshot, a warning appears and you must enter a different name.
3. If you wish, you may type a description for your snapshot.
Descriptions are useful to identify differences between similarly-named
snapshots. Descriptions appear in the snapshot manager.
4. Click OK.
Snapshot Actions as Background Activity
Taking a snapshot is not instantaneous. When you take a snapshot, you can continue
working while VMware Workstation preserves the snapshot in the background. To
enable background snapshots in the Priority tab of the Preferences window. See
Snapshots on page 81. Enabling background snapshots for a host with slow hard disks
may affect performance. If you experience significant performance problems when
taking or restoring snapshots, turn off this option.
If you take another snapshot or revert to one before Workstation completes a pending
snapshot operation, a progress dialog box appears. When this occurs, you must wait
for the pending snapshot operation to finish before the next snapshot or resume
operation begins.
Note: If you select a snapshot in the snapshot manager before that snapshot is
complete, Workstation displays an error message: The screen shot of the snapshot
does not yet exist. This message does not indicate a permanent problem. When the
snapshot is complete, a screen shot for the snapshot becomes visible in the snapshot
manager, and no warning appears when you select that snapshot.
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When Can I Take a Snapshot?
You can take a snapshot while a virtual machine is powered on, powered off, or
suspended. If you are suspending a virtual machine, wait until the suspend operation
has finished before taking a snapshot.
For legacy virtual machines and multiple disks in different modes, the following
exceptions apply.
•Snapshots and legacy virtual machines — you must upgrade a legacy virtual
machine to Workstation 5 before taking a snapshot. For information on
upgrading the virtual machine, see Upgrading VMware Workstation on page 51.
For more information about using Workstation 5 with virtual machines and
snapshots created under Workstation versions 3 and 4, see Snapshots and
Legacy Virtual Machines on page 266.
•Snapshots and multiple disks in different modes — You must power off the
virtual machine before taking a snapshot if the virtual machine has multiple
disks in different disk modes. For example, if you have a special purpose
configuration that requires you to use an independent disk, you must power off
the virtual machine before taking a snapshot.
Changing Disk Mode to Exclude Virtual Disks from Snapshots
Before you attempt to change the disk mode, you must power off the virtual machine
and delete any existing snapshots.
To exclude a disk from all snapshots.
1. Choose VM > Settings.
2. Select the drive you want to exclude.
3. Click Advanced.
4. Select Independent on the advanced settings panel. You have the following
options for an independent disk:
•Persistent — changes are immediately and permanently written to the disk.
All changes to an independent disk in persistent mode remain, even when
you revert to a snapshot.
•Nonpersistent — current changes to the disk are discarded when you power
off or revert to a snapshot.
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The Snapshot Manager
In the snapshot manager (VM > Snapshot > Snapshot Manager), you can review all
snapshots for the active virtual machine and act on them directly.
The snapshot manager: Windows host (left) and Linux host (right)
Selecting a Snapshot
In the snapshot manager, select a snapshot by clicking it.
Double-clicking a snapshot is the same as selecting that snapshot and clicking Go To
Snapshot.
Going to a Snapshot
Use the Go To button to restore the virtual machine to the currently selected
snapshot.
1. Choose VM > Snapshot > Snapshot Manager
2. Select the desired snapshot.
3. Click Go to.
4. Click Yes in the confirmation dialog box.
Making a Clone from a Snapshot
In the snapshot manager, you can clone a virtual machine from any snapshot taken
while the virtual machine is powered off. See Making a Clone from a Snapshot on
page 264.
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Deleting a Snapshot
Use the Delete button to permanently remove a snapshot from Workstation use.
1. Choose VM > Snapshot > Snapshot Manager.
2. Select the desired snapshot.
3. Click Delete.
4. Click OK in the confirmation dialog box.
Editing Snapshot Name and Description
You can edit the name and description of a snapshot by typing in the appropriate
field.
1. Choose VM > Snapshot > Snapshot Manager.
2. Select the desired snapshot.
3. Click within the Name or Description field to change that field.
Type your changes. When your cursor leaves the field, Workstation verifies your
entry for length, duplicate names, and invalid characters.
Note: Pressing Esc accepts any edit in progress and closes the snapshot manager
without confirmation.
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The Snapshot Manager Window
The following figures show the elements of the snapshot manager window. These
elements are described in the following sections.
•Snapshot Tree on page 261
•Details Region on page 261
•Command Buttons on page 261
•Navigation Region on page 262
•You Are Here Icon on page 262
The snapshot manager: Windows host
The snapshot manager: Linux host
Snapshot tree
Command buttons
Navigation region
Details region
You Are Here icon
You Are Here icon Command buttons
Details region
Navigation Region
Snapshot tree
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Snapshot Tree — The snapshot tree shows all snapshots for the active virtual
machine.
Linux hosts have a zoom feature to change the magnification of the tree.
•Click Zoom In to increase magnification for the snapshot tree display.
•Click Zoom out to decrease magnification for the snapshot tree display. If you
have many snapshots, this feature allows you to view the whole snapshot tree.
You can act directly on snapshots in the snapshot tree.
Details Region — This area displays information about the selected snapshot:
name, description, and thumbnail screenshot. If you have not selected a snapshot,
these fields are blank.
Command Buttons — The snapshot manager has three command buttons: Take
Snapshot, Delete, and Clone.
Action Description
Click a snapshot Selects that snapshot. To act on the selected snapshots, click one of the
command buttons: Take Snapshot, Delete, and Clone. See Command
Buttons on page 261
Double-click a
snapshot
Reverts to that snapshot and restores the power state of the virtual machine
at the time the snapshot was taken.
Right-click a snapshot Displays a pop-up menu with commands available to that snapshot.
•Go to Snapshot — This command opens the selected snapshot as if you
clicked the Go To Snapshot button.
•Clone This snapshot — This command creates a stand-alone virtual
machine called a clone. Refer to Cloning a Virtual Machine on page 267 for
a description of clones.
•Delete Snapshot — This command deletes the selected snapshot as if you
clicked the Delete button. Snapshots that are children of the selected
snapshot are not affected.
•Delete Snapshot and Children — This command deletes the selected
snapshot and all snapshots based from the selected snapshot.
Move the cursor over
a snapshot (without
clicking)
Displays the complete name of that snapshot. This is useful when a long
name is truncated in the snapshot tree display.
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Note: In the Linux snapshot manager, command buttons are displayed at the top. In
the Windows snapshot manager, command buttons are on the right side.
Navigation Region — This area contains buttons to navigate out of the dialog box.
•Go To — opens the selected snapshot and powers on the virtual machine,
discarding the current state.
•Close — closes the snapshot manager.
•Help — opens the Workstation help system.
You Are Here Icon — The You Are Here icon always represents the current and
active state of the virtual machine. The You Are Here icon is always selected and
visible when you open the snapshot manager.
You cannot go to or select the You Are Here state. The You Are Here icon does not
represent a snapshot, but rather the virtual machine state after the parent snapshot
(see The Parent Snapshot on page 263). A snapshot is always a static record of a virtual
machine state. The You Are Here state can be operational and changing.
Button Description
Delete Removes the selected snapshot. The state of the virtual machine
represented by that snapshot is no longer available.
Clone Creates a completely independent copy of the virtual machine from the
selected snapshot. See Cloning a Virtual Machine on page 267.
Take Snapshot Creates a snapshot. See Taking a Snapshot on page 256.
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Restoring a Snapshot: Revert or Go To?
You can restore a snapshot in VMware Workstation by using the Revert and Go to
commands. The following sections explain how these commands work.
The Parent Snapshot
The parent snapshot of a virtual machine is the snapshot on which the current state
(the You Are Here position) is based. After you take a snapshot, that stored state — the
parent snapshot of the current state — is the parent snapshot of the virtual machine.
If you revert or go to an earlier snapshot, the earlier snapshot becomes the parent
snapshot of the virtual machine.
Revert to Snapshot
Revert is essentially a shortcut for Go to the parent snapshot of the virtual machine —
that is, the parent snapshot of the You Are Here position. Revert immediately activates
the parent snapshot of the current state of the virtual machine. The current disk and
memory states are discarded, and the virtual machine reverts to the disk and memory
states of the parent snapshot.
To Revert to the parent snapshot, choose VM > Snapshot > Revert to Snapshot, or
click the revert button on the toolbar.
Go to Snapshot
This command activates the snapshot currently selected in the snapshot manager.
Unlike Revert, the Go To command is not limited to the parent snapshot of the current
state. You can choose any snapshot.
To go to a snapshot, choose VM > Snapshot and select the snapshot by name; or, in
the snapshot manager, select a snapshot and click Go To.
Reverting at Power Off
This setting causes the virtual machine to revert automatically to the parent snapshot
any time it is powered off. The parent snapshot of a virtual machine is the snapshot on
which the current state (the You Are Here position) is based (see The Parent Snapshot
on page 263).
1. Choose VM > Settings > Options > Snapshots.
2. In the section When powering off, select Revert to snapshot.
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Deleting a Snapshot
You can delete a snapshot any time. Deleting snapshots does not affect other
snapshots or the current state of the virtual machine.
To delete a snapshot
1. Choose VM > Snapshot > Snapshot Manager.
2. Select the snapshot to delete.
3. Click Delete.
A confirmation dialog box appears.
4. Click OK.
Note: You cannot delete the snapshot if the associated virtual machine is designated
as a template for cloning. See Linked Clones and Access to the Parent Virtual Machine
on page 274 for a description of template settings for linked clones.
Making a Clone from a Snapshot
VMware Workstation 5 snapshots are stored as changes from the parent state. To
create a fully independent copy of a virtual machine from a snapshot, you can make a
clone.
1. Choose VM > Snapshot > Snapshot Manager.
2. Select the snapshot to clone.
Note: The snapshot must be powered off before you can make a clone from it.
3. Click Clone.
4. Click OK in the confirmation dialog box.
See Cloning a Virtual Machine on page 267.
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Virtual Machine Settings for Snapshots
In the virtual machine settings editor, you can disable snapshots and set the virtual
machine to revert to a snapshot when you power off. The following sections describe
these options.
Disabling Snapshots
VMware Workstation speed and response times are improved when snapshots are
disabled. However, all changes made to a virtual machine are permanent and you
cannot restore an earlier state.
To disable snapshots, go to VM > Settings > Options > Snapshots.
•If no snapshots exist for the selected virtual machine, you can disable snapshot
functionality by selecting Disable snapshots.
•If one or more snapshots exist for the selected virtual machine, the Disable
snapshots option is disabled. If you want to disable snapshot functionality, you
must first delete all snapshots for the current virtual machine. Refer to Deleting a
Snapshot on page 264.
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Revert to a Snapshot When Powering Off
To set the virtual machine to revert to a snapshot when you power off, go to VM >
Settings > Options > Snapshots. You have the following options when you power off
a virtual machine that has a snapshot:
•Just power off — powers off the virtual machine without any change to its
snapshots. This is the default setting.
•Revert to snapshot — reverts to the virtual machine’s parent snapshot, that is,
the parent snapshot of the current You Are Here position. With this setting, a
virtual machine always starts in the same state. Reverting to the snapshot
discards changes. For example, an instructor may need to discard student
answers for a computer lesson when a virtual machine is powered off at the end
of class.
•Take a new snapshot — takes a new snapshot of the virtual machine state after
it is powered off. This is useful to preserve milestones automatically. The
snapshot is displayed in the snapshot manager. The name of this snapshot is the
date and time the virtual machine was powered off. The description is
“Automatic snapshot created when powering off.”
•Ask me — asks what you want to do with a snapshot each time you power off.
Snapshots and Legacy Virtual Machines
When you power on a virtual machine created in Workstation 3 or 4, a dialog box
gives you the choice to upgrade the virtual machine or to leave the virtual machine
unchanged. For full Workstation 5 functionality, you must upgrade. If you do not
upgrade, whenever you power on the legacy virtual machine, Workstation 5 offers
you the choice to upgrade.
Upgrading Legacy Virtual Machines to Workstation 5
You can upgrade a legacy virtual machine from Workstation 3 or Workstation 4 to
VMware Workstation 5. Any snapshot of the upgraded virtual machine is upgraded,
and commands for multiple snapshots become available.
Note: An upgraded snapshot retains disk contents, but discards memory contents.
When you power on that snapshot, it appears as if the virtual machine has crashed.
Using Legacy Virtual Machines without Upgrading
If you choose not to upgrade, you preserve the ability to use the virtual machine in
older Workstation 3 or 4, but in Workstation 5 there is no snapshot functionality
allowed. When you open a legacy virtual machine in Workstation 5, you see a warning
message to this effect.
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Cloning a Virtual Machine
The following sections describe clones and configuring a clone:
•Understanding Clones on page 268
•Why Make a Clone? on page 268
•Full and Linked Clones on page 269
•Full Clones and Snapshots of the Parent on page 269
•Creating Clones on page 270
•The Clone Virtual Machine Wizard on page 270
•Making a Linked Clone of a Linked Clone on page 273
•Making a Full Clone of a Linked Clone on page 273
•Working with Clones on page 273
•Network Identity for a Clone on page 273
•The Linked Clone Snapshot on page 274
•Linked Clones and Access to the Parent Virtual Machine on page 274
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Understanding Clones
A clone is a copy of an existing virtual machine. The existing virtual machine is called
the parent of the clone. When the cloning operation is complete, the clone is a
separate virtual machine — though it may share virtual disks with the parent virtual
machine: see Full and Linked Clones on page 269).
•Changes made to a clone do not affect the parent virtual machine. Changes
made to the parent virtual machine do not appear in a clone.
•A clone’s MAC address and UUID are different from those of the parent virtual
machine.
If you want to save the current state of the virtual machine, so you can revert to that
state in case you make a mistake, take a snapshot. If you want to make a copy of a
virtual machine for separate use, create a clone.
Why Make a Clone?
Installing a guest operating system and applications can be time consuming. With
clones, you can make many copies of a virtual machine from a single installation and
configuration process.
Clones are useful when you must deploy many identical virtual machines to a group.
For example:
•An MIS department can clone a virtual machine for each employee, with a suite
of preconfigured office applications.
•A virtual machine can be configured with a complete development
environment and then cloned repeatedly as a baseline configuration for
software testing.
•A teacher can clone a virtual machine for each student, with all the lessons and
labs required for the term.
With clones you can conveniently make complete copies of a virtual machine,
without browsing a host file system or worrying if you have located all the
configuration files.
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Full and Linked Clones
There are two types of clone:
•A full clone is an independent copy of a virtual machine that shares nothing with
the parent virtual machine after the cloning operation. Ongoing operation of a
full clone is entirely separate from the parent virtual machine.
•A linked clone is a copy of a virtual machine that shares virtual disks with the
parent virtual machine in an ongoing manner. This conserves disk space, and
allows multiple virtual machines to use the same software installation.
Full Clones
A full clone is an independent virtual machine, with no need to access or maintain an
ongoing connection to the parent virtual machine. Because a full clone does not
share virtual disks with the parent virtual machine, full clones generally perform better
than linked clones. However, full clones take longer to create than linked clones.
Creating a full clone can take several minutes if the files involved are large.
Linked Clones
A linked clone is made from a snapshot of the parent. (See Understanding Snapshots
on page 252.) All files available on the parent at the moment of the snapshot continue
to remain available to the linked clone. Ongoing changes to the virtual disk of the
parent do not affect the linked clone, and changes to the disk of the linked clone do
not affect the parent.
A linked clone must access the parent. Without access to the parent, a linked clone is
disabled. See Linked Clones and Access to the Parent Virtual Machine on page 274
Linked clones are created swiftly, so you can easily create a unique virtual machine for
each task you have. You can also easily share a virtual machine with other users by
storing the virtual machine on your local network, where other users can quickly
make a linked clone. This facilitates collaboration: for example, a support team can
reproduce a bug in a virtual machine, and an engineer can quickly make a linked
clone of that virtual machine to work on the bug.
Full Clones and Snapshots of the Parent
A full clone is a complete and independent copy of a virtual machine. However, the
full clone duplicates only the state of the virtual machine at the instant of the cloning
operation. Thus the full clone does not have access to any snapshots that may exist of
the parent virtual machine.
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Creating Clones
This section discusses how to create a clone.
Note: Legacy virtual machines created under previous versions of Workstation (or
under other VMware products) must be upgraded to Workstation 5 virtual machines
before you can clone them. See Procedure to Upgrade Virtual Machines on page 59.
The Clone Virtual Machine Wizard
The Clone Virtual Machine Wizard guides through the process of making a clone. You
do not need to locate and manually copy the parent virtual machine files. The Clone
Virtual Machine Wizard automatically creates a new MAC address and other unique
identifiers for the clone.
Note: You cannot create a clone from a virtual machine that is powered on or
suspended. You must power off a virtual machine before you can make a clone.
To create a clone using the Clone Virtual Machine Wizard:.
1. Select the virtual machine you want to clone.
Click the name of a virtual machine in the Favorites list or click the tab of a virtual
machine in the summary window.
2. Open the Clone Virtual Machine Wizard (VM > Clone) and click Next.
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3. Select the state of the parent from which you want to create a clone, and click
Next.
You can choose to create a clone from either of two states.
•From the parent’s current state (Workstation creates a snapshot of the virtual
machine before cloning it)
•From any snapshot of the parent: select the snapshot name from a drop-
down menu of existing snapshots.
4. Select the type of clone you want to create and click Next.
You can choose to make a full clone or a linked clone. See Full and Linked Clones
on page 269 for a description of the differences.
5. Type a name and a path for the cloned virtual machine, and click Finish.
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The default name and path are based on the original virtual machine name and
location. You can type a new entry for name and path, or use the Browse button
to locate a directory for the clone files.
After you have verified your entries, click Finish. The Clone Virtual Machine
Wizard then displays a status page.
A full clone can take many minutes to create, depending on the size of the
virtual disk that is being duplicated.
6. Click Done to exit the Clone Virtual Machine Wizard.
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Working with Clones
This section discusses the following topics:
•Making a Linked Clone of a Linked Clone on page 273
•Making a Full Clone of a Linked Clone on page 273
•Network Identity for a Clone on page 273
•The Linked Clone Snapshot on page 274
•Linked Clones and Access to the Parent Virtual Machine on page 274
Making a Linked Clone of a Linked Clone
It is possible to make a linked clone from a linked clone, using the Clone Virtual
Machine Wizard. Keep these cautions in mind:
•Performance degrades when you do this. When possible, make a linked clone of
the parent virtual machine.
•To power on — and to work with — a linked clone of a linked clone, Workstation
must be able to locate all ancestors in the chain. Refer to Linked Clones and
Access to the Parent Virtual Machine on page 274.
Making a Full Clone of a Linked Clone
It is possible to make a full clone from a linked clone, using the Clone Virtual Machine
Wizard.
•The linked clone can be used as before.
•The full clone created with this action is an independent virtual machine that
does not require access to the linked clone or its ancestors.
Note: To make a full clone from a linked clone, Workstation must have access to the
linked clone and all ancestors at the time you run the Clone Virtual Machine Wizard.
Refer to Linked Clones and Access to the Parent Virtual Machine on page 274.
Network Identity for a Clone
The Clone Virtual Machine Wizard creates a new MAC address for the cloned virtual
machine. Other configuration information is identical to that of the parent virtual
machine. For example, a machine’s name and static IP address configuration are not
altered by the Clone Virtual Machine Wizard.
To prevent conflict with static IP addressing, change the clone‘s static IP before the
clone connects to the network. Refer to Selecting IP Addresses on a Host-only
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Network or NAT Configuration on page 327 for a discussion regarding static IP address
configuration.
The Linked Clone Snapshot
When you create a linked clone, Workstation 5 creates a snapshot of the parent virtual
machine. This snapshot preserves the exact state of the virtual machine when you
create the clone.
Caution: You cannot delete this snapshot without destroying the linked clone. It is
safe to delete this snapshot if you have deleted the clone depending on it.
The snapshot manager allows you to rename any snapshot. If you rename a snapshot
for a cloned virtual machine, you may want to use the Description field to aid you in
future identification. Refer to The Snapshot Manager on page 258 for more
information on renaming snapshots.
Linked Clones and Access to the Parent Virtual Machine
You cannot power on — or resume — a linked clone if Workstation fails to locate the
parent virtual machine. This section discusses the following topics:
•Moving a Linked Clone on page 274
•Protecting the Parent of Linked Clones on page 275
Moving a Linked Clone
You can move a linked clone or its parent within a file system or network, but you
must ensure VMware Workstation can continue to access the clone and the parent
virtual machine. For example, place the parent in a shared directory or on a network
file server so Workstation can use the linked clone from any host computer with
network access.
See Moving and Sharing Virtual Machines on page 169 for a discussion of moving
virtual machines.
Example: Using a Linked Clone on a Disconnected Laptop
If you put a linked clone on a laptop, and the parent remains on another machine, the
clone can be used only when the laptop connects to the network or drive where the
parent is stored. If you want to use a cloned virtual machine on a disconnected laptop,
you must use a full clone or you must move the parent virtual machine to the laptop.
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Protecting the Parent of Linked Clones
To prevent anyone from deleting the parent virtual machine for a linked clone, you
can designate the parent as a template. The two parts of the process are discussed in
the following sections:
•Enabling Template Mode for the Parent on page 275
•Creating a Linked Clone From a Template on page 276
Enabling Template Mode for the Parent — You can avoid inadvertently
deleting the parent of linked clones by designating the parent virtual machine as a
template. To designate a virtual machine as a template, enable template mode in the
virtual machine settings editor:
1. Select the virtual machine.
2. Choose VM > Settings
3. Select Options
4. Click Advanced
5. Select Enable Template mode (to be used for cloning).
6. Click OK.
With template mode enabled, a virtual machine cannot be deleted or added to a
team, and the virtual machine’s snapshots cannot be deleted.
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Creating a Linked Clone From a Template — When you create a linked clone of
a template virtual machine, the Clone Virtual Machine Wizard includes several special
options.
To create a linked clone from a template:
1. Select the virtual machine to use as a parent of your linked clone.
2. Verify that the parent has at least one snapshot. Open the snapshot manager
and create a snapshot if none exists.
3. Verify that template mode has been enabled.
See Protecting the Parent of Linked Clones on page 275.
4. With the virtual machine still selected, launch the Clone Virtual Machine Wizard.
5. Click Next to display the Clone Source panel.
6. Select a snapshot from the drop-down menu and click Next.
Note: The wizard does not allow you to clone from the current state when the
virtual machine has template mode enabled.
7. Name the linked clone and click Finish.
Workstation creates the linked clone and displays a status panel.
8. Click Done to exit the wizard.
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Configuring Teams
The following sections describe virtual machine teams:
•Teams Overview on page 278
•Creating and Deleting Teams on page 279
•Adding and Removing Virtual Machines on page 286
•Starting and Stopping Teams on page 289
•Working with Team Networks on page 292
•The Startup Sequence on page 295
•Working with the Team Console View on page 296
•Editing Team Settings on page 298
•Command Line for Teams on page 303
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Teams Overview
VMware Workstation teams allow you to set up a virtual computer lab on one host
computer. You can now power on multiple associated virtual machines with a single
click.
Team virtual machines can use networking just as other virtual machines can. In
addition, team members can communicate in private networks called LAN segments.
LAN segments are completely independent of — and invisible to — the host
computer’s network.
Team settings control the start-up order and timing for team virtual machines. you
can set up specific delays between booting virtual machines so the host CPU load is
spread out. Teams automatically launch virtual machines in the right order, with
delays that you specify to ensure that each virtual machine stabilizes before the next
virtual machine boots.
You can use teams to
•Virtualize multitier environments — Start separate client, server, and database
virtual machines with one click. Configure start-up delay times so clients don’t
submit queries before the server is ready.
•Virtualize multiple-machine testing environments — Set up a software package
for QA on a virtual machine, and configure automation on other virtual
machines to test the first.
•Virtualize network performance and security — LAN segments offer enhanced
performance and security. A team LAN segment is fully contained —
undetectable and inaccessible from any other network, inside or outside the
team. Team networking lets you
•Isolate a team completely from the host network
•Create a virtual DMZ or proxy server to securely bridge the team members to
the outside network
•Allow specific network bandwidth and packet loss to each virtual machine on
the team
•Connect all team members fully to host resources
You control all traffic allowed between the host network and team virtual
machines
•Monitor multiple virtual machines — Use thumbnail views of the virtual
machine displays to review activity on team virtual machines simultaneously.
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Creating and Deleting Teams
This section discusses the following topics:
•Making a New Team on page 279
•Opening a Team on page 284
•Closing a Team on page 284
•Deleting a Team on page 285
Making a New Team
Use the New Team Wizard to create a team, then add virtual machines.
1. Open the New Team Wizard.
Choose File > New > Team.
2. Click Next to confirm the wizard.
3. Type a name and path for the team and click Next.
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The default name and path are based on your default Virtual Machine location.
You can type a new entry for name and path, or use the Browse button to find
the directory where you want to store the team files.
After you have verified your entries, click Next.
4. If you wish, you can add virtual machines to your team.
Click Next.
If you select No, I will add virtual machines later, skip to step 9.
If you select Yes, the wizard continues.
5. Click Add to add virtual machines to your team.
A drop-down menu appears, with three options.
•New Virtual Machine — Select this option to launch the New Virtual Machine
Wizard. See Steps to a New Virtual Machine on page 102.
•Existing Virtual Machine — Select this option to open a file browser from
which you can navigate the host file system to locate an existing .vmx file.
When you add a virtual machine to a team it can no longer be accessed
outside the team. See Adding an Existing Virtual Machine to a Team on
page 286.
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•New Clone of Virtual Machine — Select this option to open a file browser
from which you can navigate the host file system to locate an existing .vmx
file. After you select a virtual machine, Workstation launches the Clone Virtual
Machine Wizard. See The Clone Virtual Machine Wizard on page 270.
Click Next.
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6. If you wish, add LAN segments to your team.
If you select No, I will add LAN segments later, skip to step 9.
If you select Yes, the wizard continues.
For for information about LAN segments, see Working with Team Networks on
page 292
Click Next.
7. Click Add to create a LAN segment.
You can change default names and bandwidth later. See LAN Segments on
page 300 for the procedure.
Click Next.
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8. Select the network connections for each virtual machine on the team.
Select a network connection for each virtual machine Ethernet adapter. Each
virtual machine can have one network connection per virtual Ethernet adapter.
•You can add or remove virtual Ethernet adapters later. See Network Adapter
on page 292 for more information.
•You can change connections later. Connecting to or Changing a LAN
Segment for the procedure.
9. Click Finish to exit the New Team Wizard.
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Opening a Team
To open a team in VMware Workstation:
1. Choose File > Open.
2. Browse to the location of the .vmtm file for the desired team.
3. Select the file and click Open.
The selected team appears as a tabbed item in the summary window. To add the
team to the Favorites list, see Adding an Item to the Favorites List on page 72.
Closing a Team
Closing a team removes its summary window. The team and virtual machine
members can no longer be seen in VMware Workstation, but you can open the team
from the File menu. The team and virtual machine files remain on the host file system.
To delete a team permanently, see Deleting a Team on page 285.
To close a team
1. Make sure the team is powered off.
2. Select the team to close.
Click the summary/console tab for the desired team, or select the team name in
the favorites list.
3. Choose File >Close.
The closed team is removed from the summary window. To remove the team from the
Favorites list, see Removing an Item from the Favorites List on page 73.
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Deleting a Team
When you delete a team, you can choose to delete
•only the team (retaining the virtual machines in the team)
•the team and the virtual machines in the team
Caution: Deleting a team permanently removes the team files from the host file
system and removes associated LAN segments from all virtual machines. Deleting the
team’s virtual machines along with the team removes the virtual machine files
permanently.
To remove a team from the Workstation window without deleting the team, see
Closing a Team on page 284.
To delete a team permanently
1. Make sure the team is powered off.
2. Select the team to delete.
Click the summary or console tab for the desired team, or select the team name
in the Favorites list.
3. Choose Team >Delete from Disk.
4. To delete the team without deleting the virtual machines in it, choose Delete. To
delete the team and the virtual machines in it, choose Delete Team and VMs.
When you delete a team, you also delete all team LAN segments. The virtual
ethernet adapters associated with deleted LAN segments become
disconnected. Bridged, host-only, NAT and custom configurations remain
unchanged.
5. Click OK.
The team is removed permanently from VMware Workstation and the host file system.
If you chose Delete Team and VMs in step 4, the virtual machines in the team are also
removed permanently from VMware Workstation and the host file system.
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Adding and Removing Virtual Machines
•Adding an Existing Virtual Machine to a Team on page 286
•Removing a Virtual Machine from a Team on page 286
Adding an Existing Virtual Machine to a Team
To add an existing virtual machine to a team:
1. Select Team >Add >Existing Virtual Machine.
A file open dialog box appears.
2. Browse to the folder with the .vmx file for the virtual machine you want to
add.
3. Select the .vmx file and click Open.
The virtual machine is added to the team.
There are some issues to consider when you add a virtual machine to a team.
•A virtual machine is not powered on when you add it to a running team. You
must power on the added virtual machine manually to use it during the current
session. However, the added virtual machine is thereafter powered on or off with
the rest of the team.
•When you add a virtual machine to a team, you can no longer operate the virtual
machine outside the team. Adding a virtual machine to a team therefore
removes it from the Favorites list.
Removing a Virtual Machine from a Team
To remove a virtual machine from a team
1. Select the team with the virtual machine you want to remove.
Click the summary or console tab for the desired team, or select the team name
in the Favorites list.
2. Choose Team >Remove ><virtual machine name>.
The selected virtual machine is removed from the team. You can now use it
independently
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Note: When you remove a virtual machine from a team, you also remove it from
team LAN segments. Virtual network adapters associated with LAN segments become
disconnected. Bridged, host-only, NAT and vmnet configurations remain unchanged.
If you want to completely delete a virtual machine and erase its files from the host file
system, see Deleting a Virtual Machine on page 148.
Teams and the Favorites List
When you add a virtual machine to a team, it is automatically deleted from the
Favorites list. However, a virtual machine is not automatically added to the Favorites
list when you remove it from a team. You must manually add a virtual machine to the
Favorites list after removing it from a team. See Adding an Item to the Favorites List.
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Cloning and Taking Snapshots of Team
Members
Cloning a Virtual Machine in a Team
You can clone a virtual machine in a team in the same way you clone any other virtual
machine. See Creating Clones on page 270. When you clone a virtual machine in a
team
•The resulting clone is not part of the team.
•The clone automatically appears on the Favorites list as well as in a summary
window.
•If the parent virtual machine is configured for a LAN segment, the virtual
Ethernet adapter for that LAN segment on the clone is disconnected. To connect
to a network, you must reconfigure the virtual Ethernet adapter manually.
Taking Snapshots of Individual Virtual Machines in a Team
Snapshots operate on virtual machines, not on the whole team. When a team is
active, the Snapshot button on the toolbar takes a snapshot of only the active virtual
machine.
If you want to preserve the state of all virtual machines on a team, power off the team,
then take a snapshot of each virtual machine before you power on the team again.
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Starting and Stopping Teams
Power operations for teams are much the same as those for an individual virtual
machine. However, for a team, you can also configure the sequence in which the
members of a team power on and off. See Changing the Start-Up Sequence for a
Team on page 299.
•Powering On a Team on page 289
•Powering Off a Team on page 289
•Suspending a Team on page 289
•Resuming a Team on page 290
Note: You cannot close VMware Workstation if a team is powered on.
Powering On a Team
To power on a team
1. Select the team to power on: select the team from the Favorites list, or click the
summary tab for the team.
2. Click the Power On button on the toolbar.
The team begins to power on in the sequence specified in Team >Settings. See The
Startup Sequence on page 295 for more information.
Powering Off a Team
To power off a team
1. Select the team to power off: select the team from the Favorites list, or click the
summary tab for the team.
2. Click the Power Off button on the toolbar.
The team begins to power off in the sequence specified in Team >Settings. See The
Startup Sequence on page 295 for more information.
Shutting Down a Virtual Machine When You Power Off a Team
When you power off a team, the default settings for a virtual machine can cause the
guest operating system to terminate abruptly. For information about configuring your
virtual machine to recognize the shut down guest command when you power off a
team, see Shutting Down a Virtual Machine on page 144.
Suspending a Team
When you suspend a team, the virtual machines in the team are suspended.
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To suspend a team of virtual machines
1. Select the team to suspend: select the team from the Favorites list, or click the
summary tab for the team.
2. Click the Suspend button on the toolbar.
All team virtual machines start suspending simultaneously. A progress indicator
appears for each team member. To see the progress of a particular team member,
choose Team >Switch To > <virtual machine name>.
The time to complete the operation varies with the size of the virtual machines.
Resuming a Team
To resume a team of virtual machines
1. Select the team to resume: select the team from the Favorites list, or click the
summary tab for the team.
2. Click the Power On button on the toolbar.
A progress indicator appears. The time to complete the operation varies with the size
of the virtual machines.
The startup sequence determines the order in which virtual machines are suspended
and resumed, and the time Workstation delays after each team member is resumed,
before resuming the next team member. See Changing the Start-Up Sequence for a
Team on page 299.
Note: If you attempt to close VMware Workstation while the team suspend/resume
operation is still in progress, a warning dialog appears.
Power Operations for Individual Members of a Team
To perform power operations for a single virtual machine in a team
1. Select the virtual machine from the teams console.
2. Choose the appropriate command from the VM >Power menu.
•Power On — see Starting a Virtual Machine on page 141 for a description. This
command starts the active virtual machine, just as a power switch starts a
physical PC.
•Power Off — see Shutting Down a Virtual Machine on page 144 for a
description. This command turns off the active virtual machine, just as a
power switch turns off a physical PC.
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Caution: If a virtual machine is writing to disk when it receives a Power Off
command, data may be corrupted. See Shutting Down a Virtual Machine on
page 144 for more information.
•Suspend and Resume — see Suspending and Resuming Virtual Machines on
page 143 for a description.
•Reset — see Resetting a Virtual Machine on page 145 for a description. This
command resets the active virtual machine, just as pressing the hardware
reset button resets a physical PC.
Caution: If a virtual machine is writing to disk when it receives a reset command,
data may be corrupted. See Resetting a Virtual Machine on page 145 for more
information.
•Shut Down Guest — This command sends a shut down signal to the guest
operating system. Some guest operating systems do not respond to this
command.
•Restart Guest — This command sends a restart signal to the guest operating
system. Some guest operating systems do not respond to this command.
•Suspend after running script — This command prompts you for a script to
execute before suspending the guest operating system. See Command Line
Reference on page 91 for information about scripts.
•Resume and run script — This command prompts you for a script to execute
after resuming the guest operating system. See Command Line Reference on
page 91 for information about scripts.
•Power on and run script — This command prompts you for a script to execute
after powering on the guest operating system. See Command Line Reference
on page 91 for information about scripts.
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Working with Team Networks
One of the special advantages of teams is the ability to isolate virtual machines in
private virtual networks, called LAN segments. This can be useful with multitier
testing, network performance analysis, and situations where isolation and packet loss
are important.
LAN Segment Requirements
The following sections describe the requirements for virtual machines connecting to a
LAN segment.
Network Adapter
A physical PC must have a network adapter for each physical network connection.
Similarly, a virtual machine must be configured with a virtual network adapter for each
LAN segment it interacts with. To connect a virtual machine to multiple LAN
segments simultaneously, you must configure that virtual machine with multiple
network adapters.
LAN Segment IP Addresses
Each network client must have an IP address for TCP/IP networking. Unlike host-only
and NAT networking, LAN segments have no DHCP server provided automatically by
VMware Workstation. Therefore you must manually configure IP addressing for team
virtual machines on a LAN segment. There are two choices.
•DHCP — Configure a DHCP server on your LAN segment to allocate IP addresses
to your virtual machines.
•Static IP — Configure a fixed IP address for each virtual machine on the LAN
segment.
Note: When you add an existing virtual machine to a team, the virtual machine may
be configured to expect an IP address from a DHCP server. A DHCP server is not
automatically provided for a virtual LAN segment. You must provide a DHCP server on
the LAN segment, or reconfigure the virtual machine to use a static IP address. See
Configuring a Virtual Network on page 305.
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Creating a Team LAN Segment
To create a virtual network for a team:
1. Choose Team >Add >LAN Segment.
2. Enter a name for the private network.
The LAN segment is added to the team.
Connecting to or Changing a LAN Segment
To connect a virtual machine to a LAN segment
1. Choose Team > Settings
The team settings editor opens to the Connections tab. Each virtual Ethernet
adapter is displayed in a separate row.
2. For each virtual Ethernet adapter, select a LAN segment.
Check one box on each row to set the type of network connection for that
virtual Ethernet adapter.
3. Click OK.
The virtual machine is now connected to the selected LAN segment.
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Renaming a LAN Segment
To rename an existing LAN segment
1. Choose Team >Settings
2. Click LAN Segments.
3. Select the LAN segment you want to rename.
4. Type a new name in the Name field.
5. Click OK.
The LAN segment now has the new name.
Deleting a LAN Segment
To delete a LAN segment from a team:
1. Choose Team > Settings
2. Click the LAN Segments tab.
3. Select the LAN segment you want to delete.
4. Click Remove.
The LAN segment is removed.
Note: Deleting a LAN segment disconnects all virtual Ethernet adapters that are
configured for that LAN segment. When you remove a virtual machine from a team,
you must manually configure its disconnected virtual Ethernet adapter if you want to
reconnect the virtual machine to a network.
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The Startup Sequence
In the start-up sequence, you can specify
•The order in which team virtual machines start and stop — Team virtual
machines start one at a time, in the order you set in the start-up sequence.
Setting the start-up sequence is useful, for example, if you have a virtual machine
that runs an application to be tested and you want it to start before the virtual
machines running an automated testing script.
•The delay between team members in the sequence — You can set the time that
Workstation delays after starting or stopping a virtual machine, before starting or
stopping the next virtual machine in the sequence. This delay can be useful to
reduce the load on the host CPU, and to allow applications on a virtual machine
to launch before another team virtual machine attempts to connect.
The start-up sequence applies to power on, power off, suspend, and resume
operations.
•Power on and resume operations for virtual machines occur in the order of the
sequence shown in the team settings list.
•Power off and suspend operations for virtual machines occur in the reverse of
the order shown in the team settings list.
To set the start-up sequence for a team, see Changing the Start-Up Sequence for a
Team on page 299.
Understanding the Start-Up Sequence Delay
You can set a delay between the sequential start-ups of virtual machines in a team.
This delay is useful to avoid overloading the CPU when multiple team virtual
machines start. You might also use this delay to ensure that a virtual machine
functioning as a server completes its start-up before client virtual machines start.
If your virtual machine team depends on precise start-up timing, you may need to
experiment to determine how much time your host and guest operating
environments and applications need to launch.
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Working with the Team Console View
The team console view shows each virtual machine in the team. From the team
console view, you can select any team virtual machine to work with.
Displaying Teams
VMware Workstation displays teams in a summary view or console view.
•The summary view is available at any time. See Displaying the Summary View on
page 66 for more information about the summary view
•The console view is available only when a team is powered on. The console view
displays the team in two areas. The main part of the display shows the active
virtual machine. The area just below the Workstation summary tabs shows
thumbnail views of all virtual machines in the team. A grab bar allows you to
resize the areas.
Console window for a team (Windows host)
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The Active Virtual Machine
Team Thumbnails
When a team is powered on, the team console displays thumbnail views of all team
members in a row at the top of the console. You may have to scroll the thumbnails to
view all your virtual machines on a large team. The thumbnails are displayed in the
same order as the team’s start-up sequence, starting on the left with the first virtual
machine in the sequence.
Workstation updates thumbnails in real time, to display the actual content of the
virtual machine screens. The active virtual machine — the one appearing in the lower
pane of the console — is represented by the VMware icon.
Workstation menus and commands directly affect only the active virtual machine, and
you can use the mouse and keyboard to interact directly with the active virtual
machine.
Changing the Active Virtual Machine
Click a thumbnail of a virtual machine to make the virtual machine active. The virtual
machine you clicked appears in the lower pane of the console, and its thumbnail
becomes the VMware icon.
Using Full Screen with Teams
In full screen mode, Workstation displays only the active virtual machine. See Using
Full Screen Mode on page 150.
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Editing Team Settings
To review or change team properties, choose Team > Settings. You can configure the
virtual machines in the team, review the team LAN segments, or rename the team
using the following tabs:
•Connections
•Virtual Machines
•LAN Segments
•Options
Connections
To review and configure network connections
1. Choose Team > Settings.
2. Click Connections.
From this tab you can review the virtual machine name, guest operating system, and
network and LAN segment associations for each member of the team. You can also
change network settings from this screen.
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Virtual Machines
To change the start-up sequence and delay
1. Choose Team > Settings.
2. Click Virtual Machines.
From this tab you can add and remove virtual machines, and change the virtual
machine startup sequence.
The list of virtual machines associated with the team is displayed on the left, in the
order of the start-up sequence: the virtual machine at the top of the list is the first in
the start-up sequence; the virtual machine at the bottom of the list is the last in the
sequence.
Changing the Start-Up Sequence for a Team
To set the start-up sequence for members of a team
1. Choose Team > Settings.
2. Click Virtual Machines.
3. Arrange the virtual machine start order.
Select any virtual machine and use the Up or Down buttons to change the
sequence.
4. Set the delay time between virtual machines.
Under Startup details you can set a delay time between each virtual machine
and the next virtual machine in the start-up sequence. This delay is applied to
power on, power off, suspend, and resume operations. The default delay is 10
seconds.
To change the delay, use the up and down arrows or type a number into the
field. See Understanding the Start-Up Sequence Delay on page 295 for a
discussion of this option.
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5. Click OK
Your changes are saved.
Note: The start-up sequence applies to team suspend and resume operations as
well as power on and power off operations:
•Team virtual machines power off and suspend in the reverse order of the start-
up sequence, with the delays you set in Startup details.
•Team virtual machines power on and resume in the order of the sequence, with
the delays you set in Startup details.
LAN Segments
To configure LAN segments
1. Choose Team > Settings.
2. Click LAN Segments.
From this tab you can add, remove, and rename the LAN segments configured for the
team. You can also configure network transmission properties for the LAN segment
from this tab.
The list in the left pane displays LAN segments associated with the team. Click a name
to select the LAN segment you want to configure.
The right pane displays parameters for the physical properties of the emulated LAN
segment link.
•Name — The name of the LAN segment.
To change the name, type a new name in the Name field.
•Bandwidth — A drop-down menu of bandwidths for typical network links.
To change the bandwidth by connection type, choose another connection type
from the drop-down menu.
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•Kbps — In this field you can set a custom bandwidth — one that is different
from the choices in the Bandwidth menu. Changes here are overwritten when
you make a selection from the Bandwidth menu.
To change the bandwidth, type a number into the field.
•Packet Loss — A specification of the efficiency or faultiness of the link, measured
in the percentage of packets lost from the total number of packets transmitted.
To change the packet loss setting, type a number into the field.
Click OK to save your changes. Click Cancel to discard your changes.
Note: LAN settings changes are ignored by virtual machines that are currently
running. Changes to LAN settings become active for a given virtual machine only after
that virtual machine is powered on, reset, or resumed.
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Options
To change the name of a team
1. Choose Team > Settings.
2. Click Options.
3. Type a new name in the Team name field.
4. Click OK.
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Command Line for Teams
VMware Workstation now includes a command line application for scripting certain
operations for teams. See Command Line Application on page 93 for more
information.
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CHAPTER 12
305
Configuring a Virtual Network
The first topics in this section give you a quick look at the virtual networking
components that VMware Workstation provides and show how you can use them
with your virtual machine. The rest of the section provides more detail on some
networking capabilities and specialized configurations.
•Network Basics on page 306
•Components of the Virtual Network on page 307
•Common Networking Configurations on page 309
•Custom Networking Configurations on page 313
•Changing the Networking Configuration on page 316
•Advanced Networking Topics on page 326
•Understanding NAT on page 345
•Using Samba with Workstation on page 358
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Network Basics
VMware Workstation provides several ways you can configure a virtual machine for
virtual networking.
•Bridged networking configures your virtual machine as a unique identity on the
network, separate and unrelated to its host. See Bridged Networking on
page 309.
•Network address translation (NAT) configures your virtual machine to share the
IP and MAC addresses of the host. The virtual machine and the host share a
single network identity that is not visible outside the network. NAT can be useful
when you are allowed a single IP address or MAC address by your network
administrator. You might also use NAT to configure separate virtual machines for
handling http and ftp requests, with both virtual machines running off the same
IP address or domain. See Network Address Translation (NAT) on page 310.
•Host-only networking configures your virtual machine to allow network access
only to the host. This can be useful when you want a secure virtual machine that
is connected to the host network, but available only through the host machine.
See Host-Only Networking on page 312.
•Custom networking lets you configure your virtual machine’s network
connection manually.
If you select the Typical setup path in the New Virtual Machine Wizard when you
create a virtual machine, the wizard sets up bridged networking for the virtual
machine. You can choose any of the common configurations — bridged networking,
network address translation (NAT), and host-only networking — by selecting the
Custom setup path. The wizard then connects the virtual machine to the appropriate
virtual network.
You can set up more specialized configurations by choosing the appropriate settings
in the virtual machine settings editor, in the virtual network editor (on Windows
hosts), and on your host computer.
On a Windows host, the software needed for all networking configurations is installed
when you install VMware Workstation. On a Linux host, when you install Workstation,
you can choose whether to have bridged and host-only networking available to your
virtual machines: you must choose both options during the Workstation installation to
make all networking configurations available for your virtual machines.
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Components of the Virtual Network
The following sections describe the devices that make up a virtual network.
Virtual switch
Like a physical switch, a virtual switch lets you connect other networking components
together. Virtual switches are created as needed by the VMware Workstation software,
up to a total of nine switches. You can connect one or more virtual machines to a
switch.
By default, a few of the switches and the networks associated with them are used for
special named configurations:
•The bridged network uses VMnet0.
•The host-only network uses VMnet1.
•The NAT network uses VMnet8.
The other available networks are simply named VMnet2, VMnet3, VMnet4, and so on.
To connect a virtual machine to a switch: In the virtual machine settings editor, select
the virtual network adapter to connect, and then configure the adapter to use the
desired virtual network.
Bridge
The bridge lets you connect your virtual machine to the LAN used by your host
computer. It connects the virtual network adapter in your virtual machine to the
physical Ethernet adapter in your host computer.
The bridge is installed during VMware Workstation installation (on a Linux host, you
must choose to make bridged networking available to your virtual machines). When
you create a new virtual machine using bridged networking, the bridge is set up
automatically.
You can set up additional virtual bridges for custom configurations that require
connections to more than one physical Ethernet adapter on the host computer.
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Host Virtual Adapter
The host virtual adapter is a virtual Ethernet adapter that appears to your host
operating system as a VMware virtual Ethernet adapter on a Windows host and as a
host-only interface on a Linux host. The host virtual adapter allows you to
communicate between your host computer and the virtual machines on that host
computer. The host virtual adapter is used in host-only and NAT configurations.
The host virtual adapter is not connected to any external network unless you set up
special software on the host computer — a proxy server, for example — to connect
the host-only adapter to the physical network adapter.
The software that creates the host virtual adapter is installed when you install VMware
Workstation (on a Linux host, you must choose to make host-only networking
available to your virtual machines). A host virtual adapter is then created automatically
when you boot the host computer.
You can set up additional host virtual adapters as needed.
NAT Device
The NAT (network address translation) device allows you to connect your virtual
machines to an external network when you have only one IP network address on the
physical network, and that address is used by the host computer. You can, for
example, use NAT to connect your virtual machines to the Internet through a dial-up
connection on the host computer, through the host computer’s Ethernet adapter, or
(for Windows only) through a wireless Ethernet adapter. NAT is also useful when you
need to connect to a non-Ethernet network, such as Token Ring or ATM.
The NAT device is set up automatically when you install VMware Workstation. (On a
Linux host, you must choose to make NAT available to your virtual machines.)
DHCP Server
The DHCP (dynamic host configuration protocol) server provides IP network
addresses to virtual machines in configurations that are not bridged to an external
network — for example, host-only and NAT configurations.
Network Adapter
One virtual network adapter is set up for your virtual machine when you create it with
the New Virtual Machine Wizard using any type of networking. It appears to the guest
operating system as an AMD PCNET PCI adapter.
You can create and configure up to three virtual network adapters in each virtual
machine using the virtual machine settings editor.
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Common Networking Configurations
The following sections illustrate the networking configurations that are set up for you
automatically when you choose the standard networking options in the New Virtual
Machine Wizard or virtual machine settings editor.
Only one virtual machine is shown in each example, but multiple virtual machines can
be connected to the same virtual Ethernet switch. On a Windows host, you can
connect an unlimited number of virtual network devices to a virtual switch. On a
Linux host, you can connect up to 32 devices.
Bridged Networking
Bridged networking connects a virtual machine to a network using the host computer’s Ethernet adapter.
Bridged networking is set up automatically if you select Use bridged networking in
the New Virtual Machine Wizard or if you select the Typical setup path. This selection
is available on a Linux host only if you enable the bridged networking option when
you install VMware Workstation.
If your host computer is on an Ethernet network, this is often the easiest way to give
your virtual machine access to that network. Linux and Windows hosts can use
bridged networking to connect to a wired network. Additionally, wireless network
bridging is supported for Windows hosts.
If you use bridged networking, your virtual machine needs to have its own identity on
the network. For example, on a TCP/IP network, the virtual machine needs its own IP
address. Your network administrator can tell you whether IP addresses are available for
your virtual machine and what networking settings you should use in the guest
operating system. Generally, your guest operating system may acquire an IP address
Host
Ethernet
adapter
Virtual machine
Virtual
Ethernet
adapter
Virtual Ethernet switch
(VMnet0)
Virtual bridge
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and other network details automatically from a DHCP server, or you may need to set
the IP address and other details manually in the guest operating system.
If you use bridged networking, the virtual machine is a full participant in the network.
It has access to other machines on the network and can be contacted by other
machines on the network as if it were a physical computer on the network.
Be aware that if the host computer is set up to boot multiple operating systems and
you run one or more of them in virtual machines, you need to configure each
operating system with a unique network address. People who boot multiple
operating systems often assign all systems the same address, since they assume only
one operating system will be running at a time. If you use one or more of the
operating systems in a virtual machine, this assumption is no longer true.
If you make some other selection in the New Virtual Machine Wizard and later decide
you want to use bridged networking, you can make that change in the virtual
machine settings editor (VM > Settings). For details, see Changing the Networking
Configuration on page 316.
Network Address Translation (NAT)
NAT gives a virtual machine access to network resources using the host computer’s IP address.
A network address translation connection is set up automatically if you follow the
Custom path in the New Virtual Machine Wizard and select Use network address
translation.
If you want to connect to the Internet or other TCP/IP network using the host
computer’s dial-up networking or broadband connection and you are not able to give
your virtual machine an IP address on the external network, NAT is often the easiest
way to give your virtual machine access to that network.
Virtual machine
Virtual
Ethernet
adapter
Virtual Ethernet switch
(VMnet8)
NAT device
DHCP server
Network
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NAT also allows you to connect to a TCP/IP network using a Token Ring adapter on the
host computer.
If you use NAT, your virtual machine does not have its own IP address on the external
network. Instead, a separate private network is set up on the host computer. Your
virtual machine gets an address on that network from the VMware virtual DHCP
server. The VMware NAT device passes network data between one or more virtual
machines and the external network. It identifies incoming data packets intended for
each virtual machine and sends them to the correct destination.
If you select NAT, the virtual machine can use many standard TCP/IP protocols to
connect to other machines on the external network. For example, you can use HTTP
to browse Web sites, FTP to transfer files and Telnet to log on to other computers. In
the default configuration, computers on the external network cannot initiate
connections to the virtual machine. That means, for example, that the default
configuration does not let you use the virtual machine as a Web server to send Web
pages to computers on the external network.
If you make some other selection in the New Virtual Machine Wizard and later decide
you want to use NAT, you can make that change in the virtual machine settings editor
(VM > Settings). For details, see Changing the Networking Configuration on
page 316.
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Host-Only Networking
Host-only networking creates a network that is completely contained within the host computer.
A host-only network is set up automatically if you select Use Host-only Networking in
the New Virtual Machine Wizard. On Linux hosts, this selection is available only if you
enabled the host-only networking option when you installed VMware Workstation.
Host-only networking provides a network connection between the virtual machine
and the host computer, using a virtual Ethernet adapter that is visible to the host
operating system. This approach can be useful if you need to set up an isolated virtual
network.
If you use host-only networking, your virtual machine and the host virtual adapter are
connected to a private Ethernet network. Addresses on this network are provided by
the VMware DHCP server.
If you make some other selection in the New Virtual Machine Wizard and later decide
you want to use host-only networking, you can make that change in the virtual
machine settings editor (VM > Settings). For details, see Changing the Networking
Configuration on page 316.
Routing and Connection Sharing
If you install the proper routing or proxy software on your host computer, you can
establish a connection between the host virtual Ethernet adapter and a physical
network adapter on the host computer. This allows you, for example, to connect the
virtual machine to a Token Ring or other non-Ethernet network.
On a Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 host computer, you can
use host-only networking in combination with the Internet connection sharing
feature in Windows to allow a virtual machine to use the host’s dial-up networking
adapter or other connection to the Internet. See your Windows documentation for
details on configuring Internet connection sharing.
Host virtual
adapter
Virtual machine
Virtual
Ethernet
adapter
Virtual Ethernet switch
(VMnet1)
DHCP server
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Custom Networking Configurations
The virtual networking components provided by VMware Workstation make it
possible for you to create sophisticated virtual networks. The virtual networks can be
connected to one or more external networks, or they may run entirely on the host
computer.
Setting up networking components for your custom virtual network is a
straightforward process. Before attempting to set up complex virtual networks, you
should have a good understanding of how to configure network devices in your host
and guest operating systems.
The sample configuration described in this section illustrates many of the ways you
can combine devices on a virtual network. Other custom configurations are described
in Advanced Networking Topics on page 326 and Understanding NAT on page 345.
.
In this custom configuration, a Web server connects through a firewall to an external network. An administrator’s
computer can connect to the Web server through a second firewall.
Host's
Ethernet
adapter
Virtual machine 4
“Internal” PC
Virtual machine 2
Web server
Virtual
Ethernet
adapter
Virtual
Ethernet
adapter
Virtual
Ethernet
adapter
Virtual
Ethernet
adapter
Virtual
Ethernet
adapter
Virtual
Ethernet
adapter
Virtual machine 3
Firewall
Bridge
Virtual
Ethernet switch
(VMnet0)
Virtual
Ethernet switch
(VMnet2)
Virtual
Ethernet switch
(VMnet3)
Virtual machine 1
Firewall
Virtual bridge
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To set up this configuration, you must create four virtual machines and use the virtual
machine settings editor to adjust the settings for their virtual Ethernet adapters. You
also need to install the appropriate guest operating systems and application software
in each virtual machine and make the appropriate networking settings in each virtual
machine.
1. Set up four virtual machines using the New Virtual Machine Wizard.
Create the first virtual machine with bridged networking so it can connect to an
external network using the host computer’s Ethernet adapter.
Create the other three virtual machines without networking. You will set up their
virtual Ethernet adapters in later steps.
2. Start VMware Workstation and open virtual machine 1. Do not power on the
virtual machine.
Use the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings) to add a second virtual
network adapter, as described in Changing the Networking Configuration on
page 316. Connect the second adapter to Custom (VMnet2).
Click OK to save the configuration and close the virtual machine settings editor.
3. If VMware Workstation is not running, start it. Open virtual machine 2. Do not
power on the virtual machine.
Use the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings) to add a virtual network
adapter. Connect the adapter to Custom (VMnet2).
Click OK to save the configuration and close the virtual machine settings editor.
4. If VMware Workstation is not running, start it. Open virtual machine 3. Do not
power on the virtual machine.
Use the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings) to add a virtual network
adapter. Connect the adapter to Custom (VMnet2).
Use the virtual machine settings editor to add a second virtual network adapter.
Connect the adapter to Custom (VMnet3).
Click OK to save the configuration and close the virtual machine settings editor.
5. If VMware Workstation is not running, start it. Open virtual machine 4. Do not
power on the virtual machine.
Use the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings) to add a virtual network
adapter. Connect the adapter to Custom (VMnet3).
Click OK to save the configuration and close the virtual machine settings editor.
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6. Determine the network addresses used for VMnet2 and VMnet3.
Note: On a Windows host, you may skip the steps for configuring network
addresses manually and, instead, use Workstation’s DHCP server. Go to Edit >
Virtual Network Settings > DHCP and add VMnet2 and VMnet3 to the list of
virtual networks served by the virtual DHCP server. Then skip to step 9.
On a Windows host, open a command prompt on the host computer and run
ipconfig /all. Note the network addresses used by each virtual adapter.
On a Linux host, run ifconfig at the console or in a terminal window on the
host computer. Note the network addresses used by each virtual switch.
7. Start VMware Workstation, open each virtual machine in turn and install the
appropriate guest operating system.
8. Configure the networking in each guest operating system.
For the bridged Ethernet adapter in virtual machine 1, use the networking
settings needed for a connection to the external network. If the virtual machine
gets its IP address from a DHCP server on the external network, the default
settings should work.
For the second Ethernet adapter in virtual machine 1, manually assign an IP
address in the range you are using with VMnet2.
In virtual machine 2, assign an IP address in the range you are using with
VMnet2.
In virtual machine 3, network adapters are connected to VMnet2 and VMnet3.
Assign each adapter an IP address in the range you are using with the virtual
network to which it is connected.
In virtual machine 4, assign an IP address in the range you are using with
VMnet3.
9. Install the necessary application software in each virtual machine.
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Changing the Networking Configuration
Using the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings), you can add virtual
Ethernet adapters to your virtual machine and change the configuration of existing
adapters. This sections contains the following topics:
•Adding and Modifying Virtual Network Adapters on page 316
•Configuring Bridged Networking Options on a Windows Host on page 318
•Enabling, Disabling, Adding and Removing Host Virtual Adapters on page 323
Adding and Modifying Virtual Network Adapters
To add a new virtual Ethernet adapter, follow these steps.
1. Be sure the virtual machine to which you want to add the adapter is powered off.
2. Open the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings).
3. Click Add.
4. The Add Hardware Wizard starts. Select Network Adapter. Click Next.
5. Select the network type you want to use — Bridged, NAT, Host-only or Custom.
6. If you select Custom, choose the VMnet network you want to use from the drop-
down list.
Note: Although VMnet0, VMnet1 and VMnet8 are available in this list, they are
normally used for bridged, host-only and NAT configurations, respectively.
Special steps are required to make them available for use in custom
configurations. You should choose one of the other switches.
7. Click Finish. The new adapter is added.
8. Click OK to save your configuration and close the virtual machine settings editor.
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To change the configuration of an existing virtual network adapter, follow these steps.
1. Open the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings).
2. Select the adapter you want to modify.
3. Select the network type you want to use — Bridged, NAT, Host-only or Custom.
4. If you select Custom, choose the VMnet virtual network you want to use for the
network from the drop-down list.
5. Click OK to save your changes and close the virtual machine settings editor.
6. Be sure the guest operating system is configured to use an appropriate IP
address on the new network. If the guest is using DHCP, release and renew the
lease. If the IP address is set statically, be sure the guest has an address on the
correct virtual network.
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Configuring Bridged Networking Options on a Windows Host
Note: The virtual network editor is not available on a Linux host.
Use the virtual network editor to configure bridged networking. You can
•View and change the settings for bridged networking on your host
•Determine which network adapters on your host to use for bridged networking
•Map specific network adapters to specific virtual networks, called VMnets
Note: The changes you make to bridged networking affect all virtual machines using
bridged networking on the host.
Configuring VMnet0 Bridged Networking
1. Choose Edit > Virtual Network Settings.
The virtual network editor appears, with the Summary tab active.
By default, the VMnet0 virtual network is set up in bridged mode and bridges to
one of the active Ethernet adapters on the host computer.
2. Click the Automatic Bridging tab.
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3. Check the box for Automatically choose an available physical adapter.
On host systems with more than one physical Ethernet adapter installed, the
choice of which adapter Workstation uses is arbitrary. If you want to place
restrictions on the choice, see the following section, Excluding a Host Ethernet
Adapter from VMnet0 Bridged Networking.
4. Click OK to save your changes and close the virtual network editor.
Excluding a Host Ethernet Adapter from VMnet0 Bridged Networking
You can exclude a host Ethernet adapter from the list of adapters Workstation uses for
automatic bridged networking on VMnet0. To exclude one or more physical Ethernet
adapters:
1. Choose Edit > Virtual Network Settings.
2. Click the Automatic Bridging tab.
3. Click Add to put the physical adapter in the list of excluded devices.
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4. In the Add Excluded Adapters dialog box, select the listing for the adapter you
want to exclude, then click OK.
5. Click OK to save your changes and close the virtual network editor.
Removing a Host Ethernet Adapter from the Excluded Adapters List
To remove an adapter from the list of excluded adapters:
1. Choose Edit > Virtual Network Settings.
2. Click the Automatic Bridging tab.
3. Select the name of the adapter you want to remove.
4. Click Remove.
5. Click OK to save your changes and close the virtual network editor.
Choosing a Host Ethernet Adapter for Custom Bridged Networking
You can create a custom bridged network on virtual switches VMnet2 to VMnet7. To
designate a physical Ethernet adapter to bridge to custom virtual switches
1. Choose Edit > Virtual Network Settings.
2. Click the Host Virtual Network Mapping tab.
3. Choose an adapter from the drop-down list beside the name of the virtual
switch you want to use.
Caution: Be careful when you change the bridged adapter mappings. If you re-
assign a physical Ethernet adapter to a different virtual network, any virtual
machine using the original network loses its network connectivity via that
network. You must then change the setting for each affected virtual machine’s
network adapter individually. This can be especially troublesome if your host has
only one physical Ethernet adapter and you reassign it to a VMnet other than
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VMnet0; even though the VMnet still appears to be bridged to an automatically
chosen adapter, the only adapter it can use has been assigned to another VMnet.
4. Click OK to save your changes and close the virtual network editor.
Changing Subnet or DHCP Settings for a Virtual Network
To make changes to the subnet or the DHCP settings for a virtual network
1. Click the button on the right that corresponds to the virtual network you want to
configure.
2. Choose Subnet or DHCP.
•In the Subnet dialog box, you can change the subnet’s IP address and the
subnet mask
The address should specify a valid network address that is suitable for use with
the subnet mask.
The default subnet mask is 255.255.255.0 (a class-C network). Typically, this
means you should modify only the third number in the IP address — for
example, x in 192.168.x.0 or 172.16.x.0. In general, you should not change the
subnet mask. Certain virtual network services may not work as well with a
customized subnet mask.
When you modify the network address or subnet mask, VMware Workstation
automatically updates the IP address settings for other components — such
as DHCP, NAT and host virtual adapter — on that virtual network to reflect the
new settings. The specific settings that are automatically updated include
DHCP lease range, DHCP server address, NAT gateway address and host virtual
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adapter IP address. However, if you have changed any of these settings from
its default value — even if you have later changed the setting back to the
default — VMware Workstation does not update that setting automatically.
Workstation presumes that custom settings are not to be modified.
•In the DHCP settings dialog box, you can change the range of IP addresses
provided by the VMware Workstation DHCP server on a particular virtual
network.
You can also use this dialog box to set the duration of DHCP leases provided
to clients on the virtual network.
3. Click OK to save your changes and close the virtual network editor.
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Enabling, Disabling, Adding and Removing
Host Virtual Adapters
When you install VMware Workstation, two network adapters are added to the
configuration of your host operating system — one that allows the host to connect to
the host-only network and one that allows the host to connect to the NAT network.
If you are not using a virtual network adapter, you may wish to remove it. On a
Windows host, you can also choose to disable an adapter.
The presence of virtual network adapters has a slight performance cost, because
broadcast packets must go to the extra adapters. On Windows networks, browsing
your network may be slower than usual. And in some cases, these adapters interact
with the host computer’s networking configuration in undesirable ways.
Disabling a Host Virtual Adapter on a Windows Host
Use the virtual network editor to disable any unwanted adapters.
1. Choose Edit > Virtual Network Settings
2. Click Host Virtual Adapters.
3. Select the adapter you want to disable.
4. Click Disable.
5. Click OK.
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Enabling a Disabled Host Virtual Adapter on a Windows Host
Follow these steps to enable a host virtual adapter on a Windows host.
1. Go to Edit > Virtual Network Settings > Host Virtual Adapters.
2. Select the disabled adapter you want to enable.
3. Click Enable.
4. Click OK.
Adding a Host Virtual Adapter on a Windows Host
Follow these steps to add a host virtual adapter on a Windows host.
1. Go to Edit > Virtual Network Settings > Host Virtual Adapters.
2. Click Add new adapter.
3. Choose the virtual network on which you want to use the adapter and click OK.
4. Click Apply or OK.
•Click Apply to enable the adapter without closing the window, allowing
further configuration changes.
•Click OK to close the virtual network editor.
Removing a Host Virtual Adapter on a Windows Host
1. Go to Edit > Virtual Network Settings > Host Virtual Adapters.
2. Select the adapter you want to remove, then click Remove adapter.
3. Click OK.
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Removing a Host Virtual Adapter on a Linux Host
1. Become root and run the VMware Workstation configuration program.
su -
vmware-config.pl
2. Watch for the following question
Do you want networking for your Virtual Machines? (yes/
no/help) [yes]
Answer Yes if you still want to use any networking in your virtual machines, then
continue to the next question.
Otherwise, answer No to remove all networking.
3. If you answer Yes, the program prompts you to select the wizard or editor to edit
your network configuration. Select editor. This is the only way to delete virtual
network adapters without removing all of them.
Would you prefer to modify your existing networking
configuration using the wizard or the editor? (wizard/
editor/help) [wizard] editor
4. You see a list of virtual networks that have been configured. Select the network
corresponding to the adapter you wish to disable.
The following virtual networks have been defined:
. vmnet0 is bridged to eth0
. vmnet1 is a host-only network on subnet 172.16.155.0.
. vmnet8 is NAT network on a private subnet 172.16.107.0.
Which virtual network do you wish to configure? (0-99) 1
5. You may be prompted to keep this virtual network. If you are sure you want to
remove it, answer Yes to the question.
The network vmnet1 has been reserved for a host-only
network. You may change it, but it is highly recommended
that you use it as a host-only network. Are you sure you
want to modify it? (yes/no) [no] yes
6. When prompted about the type of virtual network, select None and the virtual
network will be removed.
What type of virtual network do you wish to set vmnet1?
(bridged,hostonly,nat,none) [hostonly] none
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Advanced Networking Topics
The following sections describe advanced networking topics:
•Selecting IP Addresses on a Host-only Network or NAT Configuration on
page 327
•Avoiding IP Packet Leakage in a Host-Only Network on page 330
•Maintaining and Changing the MAC Address of a Virtual Machine on page 332
•Controlling Routing Information for a Host-only Network on a Linux Host on
page 334
•Other Potential Issues with Host-Only Networking on a Linux Host on page 335
•Setting Up a Second Bridged Network Interface on a Linux Host on page 336
•Setting Up Two Separate Host-Only Networks on page 337
•Routing between Two Host-Only Networks on page 340
•Using Virtual Ethernet Adapters in Promiscuous Mode on a Linux Host on
page 344
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Selecting IP Addresses on a Host-only Network or NAT
Configuration
A host-only network uses a private virtual network. The host and all virtual machines
configured for host-only networking are connected to the network through a virtual
switch. Typically, all the parties on this private network use the TCP/IP protocol suite,
although other communication protocols may be used.
A network address translation (NAT) configuration also sets up a private network,
which must be a TCP/IP network. The virtual machines configured for NAT are
connected to that network through a virtual switch. The host computer is also
connected to the private network used for NAT via a host virtual adapter.
Each virtual machine and the host must be assigned addresses on the private
network. This is typically done using the DHCP server that comes with VMware
Workstation. Note that this server does not service virtual (or physical) machines
residing on bridged networks.
Addresses can also be assigned statically from a pool of addresses that are not
assigned by the DHCP server.
When host-only networking is enabled at the time VMware Workstation is installed,
the network number to use for the virtual network is automatically selected as an
unused private IP network number. To find out what network is used on a Windows
host, choose Edit > Virtual Network Settings and check the subnet number
associated with the virtual network. On a Linux host, run ifconfig in a terminal.
A NAT configuration also uses an unused private network automatically selected
when you install VMware Workstation. To find out what network is used on a Windows
host, choose Edit > Virtual Network Settings and check the subnet number
associated with the virtual network. On a Linux host, run ifconfig in a terminal.
Using DHCP to assign IP addresses is simpler and more automatic than statically
assigning them. Most Windows operating systems, for example, come preconfigured
to use DHCP at boot time, so Windows virtual machines can connect to the network
the first time they are booted, without additional configuration. If you want your
virtual machines to communicate with each other using names instead of IP
addresses, however, you must set up a naming convention, a name server on the
private network, or both. In that case it may be simpler to use static IP addresses.
In general, if you have virtual machines you intend to use frequently or for extended
periods of time, it is probably most convenient to assign them static IP addresses or
configure the VMware DHCP server to always assign the same IP address to each of
these virtual machines.
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Configuring the DHCP Server on a Linux Host
On a Linux host, you configure the host-only DHCP server by editing the DHCP
configuration file for VMnet1 (/etc/vmware/vmnet1/dhcp/dhcp.conf ). To
configure the DHCP server for the NAT network, edit the configuration file for VMnet8
(/etc/vmware/vmnet8/dhcp/dhcp.conf).
Editing the DHCP server configuration file requires information that is best obtained
directly from the DHCP server documentation. Consult the manual pages dhcpd(8)
and dhcpd.conf(8).
Configuring the DHCP Server on a Windows Host
On a Windows host, use the virtual network editor to configure the DHCP server (Edit
> Virtual Network Settings > DHCP).
Select the virtual network for which you want to change settings and click Properties.
Make the desired changes, then click OK.
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Choosing the Method for Assigning IP Addresses
For virtual machines that you do not expect to keep for long, use DHCP and let it
allocate an IP address.
For each host-only or NAT network, the available IP addresses are split up using the
conventions shown in the tables below, where <net> is the network number
assigned to your host-only or NAT network. VMware Workstation always uses a Class C
address for host-only and NAT networks.
Address Use on a Host-Only Network
Address Use on a NAT Network
Range Address use Example
<net>.1 Host machine 192.168.0.1
<net>.2–<net>.127 Static addresses 192.168.0.2–192.168.0.127
<net>.128–<net>.253 DHCP-assigned 192.168.0.128–192.168.0.253
<net>.254 DHCP server 192.168.0.254
<net>.255 Broadcasting 192.168.0.255
Range Address use Example
<net>.1 Host machine 192.168.0.1
<net>.2 NAT device 192.168.0.2
<net>.3–<net>.127 Static addresses 192.168.0.3–192.168.0.127
<net>.128–<net>.253 DHCP-assigned 192.168.0.128–192.168.0.253
<net>.254 DHCP server 192.168.0.254
<net>.255 Broadcasting 192.168.0.255
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Avoiding IP Packet Leakage in a Host-Only Network
By design, each host-only network should be confined to the host machine on which
it is set up. That is, no packets sent by virtual machines on this network should leak out
to a physical network attached to the host. Packet leakage can occur only if a machine
actively forwards packets. It is possible for the host machine or any virtual machine
running on the host-only network to be configured in a way that permits packet
leakage.
Windows Hosts
Systems using server versions of Windows 2000 are capable of forwarding IP packets
that are not addressed to them. By default, however, these systems come with IP
packet forwarding disabled. IP forwarding is not an issue on Windows 2000
Professional, Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Home Edition hosts.
If you find packets leaking out of a host-only network on a Windows 2000 host
computer, check to see if forwarding has been enabled on the host machine. If it is
enabled, disable it.
On a Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003 host, go to Start > Programs >
Administrative Tools > Routing and Remote Access. An icon on the left is labeled
with the host name. If a green dot appears over the icon, IP forwarding is turned on. To
turn it off, right-click the icon and disable Routing and Remote Access. A red dot
appears, indicating that IP forwarding is disabled.
Windows 2000 Professional Users: The Windows 2000 Administration Tools are not
installed on a Windows 2000 Professional system. However, you can install these tools
from a Windows 2000 Server or Windows 2000 Advanced Server CD-ROM.
To install Windows 2000 Administration Tools on a local computer:
1. Open the i386 folder on the applicable Windows 2000 Server disc.
2. Double-click the adminpak.msi file. Follow the instructions that appear in
the Windows 2000 Administration Tools Setup wizard.
3. After Windows 2000 Administration Tools are installed, you can access most of
the server administrative tools by choosing Start > Programs > Administrative
Tools.
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Linux Hosts
If you find packets leaking out of a host-only network on a Linux host computer, check
to see if forwarding has mistakenly been enabled on the host machine. If it is enabled,
disable it.
For many Linux systems, disable forwarding by writing a 0 (zero) to the special file
/proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward. As root, enter this command:
echo 0 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward
Other Linux systems have a system configuration option that you can set. The method
depends on your Linux distribution. You may use a control panel, specify a setting at
the time you compile your kernel, or possibly enter a specification when you boot
your system. Consult your operating system documentation for details on the method
to use with your particular distribution.
Using Filtering
If the host computer has multiple network adapters, it may be intentionally
configured to do IP forwarding. If that is the case, you do not want to disable
forwarding. In that case, to avoid packet leakage you must enable a packet filtering
facility and specify that packets from the host-only network should not be sent
outside the host computer. Consult your operating system documentation for details
on how to configure packet filtering.
Leaks from a Virtual Machine
Virtual machines may leak packets, as well. For example, if you use Dial-Up Networking
support in a virtual machine and packet forwarding is enabled, host-only network
traffic may leak out through the dial-up connection.
To prevent the leakage, be sure packet forwarding is disabled in your guest operating
system.
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Maintaining and Changing the MAC Address
of a Virtual Machine
When a virtual machine is powered on, VMware Workstation automatically assigns
each of its virtual network adapters an Ethernet MAC address. MAC stands for media
access control. A MAC address is the unique address assigned to each Ethernet
network device.
The software guarantees that virtual machines are assigned unique MAC addresses
within a given host system. In most cases, the virtual machine is assigned the same
MAC address every time it is powered on, so long as the virtual machine is not moved
(the path and filename for the virtual machine’s configuration file must remain the
same) and no changes are made to certain settings in the configuration file.
In addition, VMware Workstation does its best, but cannot guarantee, to automatically
assign unique MAC addresses for virtual machines running on multiple host systems.
Avoiding MAC Changes
To avoid changes in the MAC address automatically assigned to a virtual machine, you
must not move the virtual machine’s configuration file. Moving it to a different host
computer or even moving it to a different location on the same host computer
changes the MAC address.
You also need to be sure not to change certain settings in the virtual machine’s
configuration files. If you never edit the configuration file by hand and do not remove
the virtual Ethernet adapter, these settings remain untouched. If you do edit the
configuration file by hand, be sure not to remove or change the following options:
ethernet[n].generatedAddress
ethernet[n].addressType
ethernet[n].generatedAddressOffset
uuid.location
uuid.bios
ethernet[n].present
In these options, [n] is the number of the virtual Ethernet adapter, for example
ethernet0.
Note: To preserve a virtual Ethernet adapter’s MAC address, you also must be careful
not to remove the adapter. If you remove the adapter, then recreate it, the adapter
may receive a different MAC address.
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Manually Assigning a MAC Address
If you want to guarantee that the same MAC address is assigned to a given virtual
machine every time, even if the virtual machine is moved, or if you want to guarantee
a unique MAC address for each virtual machine within a networked environment, you
can assign the address manually instead of allowing VMware Workstation to assign it
automatically.
To assign the same, unique MAC address to any virtual machine manually, use a text
editor to remove three lines from the configuration file and add one line. The
configuration file has a.vmx extension at the end of the filename. On a Linux host, a
virtual machine created with an earlier VMware product may have a configuration file
with a .cfg extension.
Remove the three lines that begin with the following from the configuration file:
ethernet[n].generatedAddress
ethernet[n].addressType
ethernet[n].generatedAddressOffset
In these options, [n] is the number of the virtual Ethernet adapter — for example
ethernet0.
Add the following line to the configuration file:
ethernet[n].address = 00:50:56:XX:YY:ZZ
In this line, XX must be a valid hexadecimal number between 00h and 3Fh, and YY
and ZZ must be valid hexadecimal numbers between 00h and FFh. Because
VMware Workstation virtual machines do not support arbitrary MAC addresses, you
must use the above format.
So long as you choose a value for XX:YY:ZZ that is unique among your hard-coded
addresses (where XX is a valid hexadecimal number between 00h and 3Fh, and YY
and ZZ are valid hexadecimal numbers between 00h and FFh), conflicts between
the automatically assigned MAC addresses and the manually assigned addresses
should never occur.
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Controlling Routing Information for a Host-only Network on a
Linux Host
A host-only network is a full-fledged network. It has a network interface associated
with it (VMnet1) that is marked “up” at the time the host operating system is booted.
Consequently, routing server processes that operate on the host operating system,
such as routed and gated, automatically discover it and propagate information on
how to reach it unless you explicitly configure them not to do so.
If either of these programs is being run only to receive routing information, the easiest
solution is to run it with a -q option so that it does not supply routing information,
only receives it.
If, however, they are running because they are to supply routing information, then you
need to configure them so they do not advertise routes to the host-only network.
Unfortunately, the version of routed that comes with many distributions of Linux
has no support for specifying that an interface should not be advertised. Consult the
routed(8) manual page for your system in case you have a more contemporary
version of the software.
For gated, configuration is involved. You need to explicitly exclude the VMnet1
interface from any protocol activity. If you need to run virtual machines on a host-only
network on a multihomed system where gated is used and have problems doing so,
please contact VMware technical support by submitting a support request at
www.vmware.com/requestsupport.
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Other Potential Issues with Host-Only Networking
on a Linux Host
The following are common issues you may encounter when you are configuring a
host-only network.
DHCPD on the Linux Host Does Not Work after VMware Workstation Installation
If you were running the DHCP server program dhcpd on your machine before
installing VMware Workstation, it probably was configured to respond to DHCP
requests from clients on any network interface present on the machine. When host-
only networking is configured, an additional network interface, VMnet1, is marked
“up” and available for use, and dhcpd may notice this.
In such cases, some dhcpd implementations abort if their configuration files do not
include a subnet specification for the interface — even if dhcpd is not supposed to
respond to messages that arrive through the interface.
The best solution to this problem is to add a line in the following format to the dhcpd
configuration file:
subnet <net>.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {}
<net> is the network number assigned to your host-only network — for example,
192.168.0. This line in the configuration file informs dhcpd about the host-only
network and tells it explicitly not to respond to any DHCP requests it sees coming
from it.
An alternative solution is to explicitly state the set of network interfaces that you want
dhcpd to listen to each time you start the program. For example, if your machine has
one Ethernet interface, eth0, then each time you start dhcpd, list it on the
command line:
dhcpd eth0
This keeps dhcpd from probing for all available network interfaces.
If the above solutions do not work for your DHCP server program, then it likely is old.
You can try upgrading to a more current version such as the DHCP software available
from the ISC (www.isc.org).
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DHCP and Dynamic Domain Name Service (DDNS)
DHCP can be used to hand out IP addresses as well as other information, such as the
identity of a host running a name server and the nearest router or gateway. The DHCP
server in VMware Workstation 5 does not provide a means to dynamically establish a
relationship between the IP address it assigns and a client’s name (that is, to update a
DNS server using DDNS).
If you want to use names to communicate with other virtual machines you must
either edit the DHCP configuration file for VMnet1
(/etc/vmware/vmnet1.conf) or use IP addresses that are statically bound to a
host name. Editing the DHCP server configuration file requires information that is best
obtained directly from the DHCP server documentation. Consult the manual pages
dhcpd(8) and dhcpd.conf(8).
Setting Up a Second Bridged Network Interface on a Linux Host
If you have two Ethernet adapters installed on your host computer, connected to two
different networks, you may want your virtual machines on that host computer to
bridge to both Ethernet adapters so the virtual machines can access either or both
physical networks.
When you install VMware Workstation on a host computer with multiple Ethernet
adapters, you have the option of configuring more than one bridged network. You
can also configure additional bridged networks at any time by rerunning
vmware-config.pl.
1. On the host computer, become root (su -) and run the VMware Workstation
configuration program.
vmware-config.pl
2. If you have more than one physical Ethernet adapter, one of the prompts you
see is similar to this:
The following bridged networks have been defined:
. vmnet0 is bridged to eth0
Do you wish to configure another bridged network? (yes/no) [no]
Enter yes.
3. If you have additional physical Ethernet adapters not yet connected to a bridged
network, the prompt is repeated, showing information about all currently
configured bridged networks.
4. When you have set up all the bridged networks you want, enter no.
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Setting Up Two Separate Host-Only Networks
For some configurations, you may need to set up more than one host-only network
on the same host computer.
You may, for example, want to have two virtual machines connected to one host-only
network, and at the same time have other virtual machines connected to another
host-only network so the network traffic on each network is isolated.
Or you may want to test routing between two virtual networks. Or test a virtual
machine with multiple network interface cards — without using any physical
Ethernet adapters.
On Windows hosts, the first host-only network is set up automatically when you install
VMware Workstation.
On Linux hosts, the first host-only network is set up when you run the vmware-
config.pl program after you install VMware Workstation, provided you agree to
install host-only networking. If you did not agree to use host-only networking, you
need to run the program again to set up host-only networking.
To set up the second host-only network, follow the steps outlined below for your host
operating system.
Setting Up the Second Host-Only Interface on a Windows Host
Follow these steps to set up the second host-only interface on a Windows host.
1. Go to Edit > Virtual Network Settings > Host Virtual Adapters.
2. Click Add new adapter.
3. Choose the virtual network on which you want to use the adapter and click OK.
4. Click Apply.
5. Click OK to close the virtual network editor.
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Setting Up the Second Host-Only Interface on a Linux Host
1. As root (su -), run the VMware Workstation configuration program.
/usr/bin/vmware-config.pl
2. Use the wizard to modify your configuration. After asking about a NAT network,
the program asks:
Do you want to be able to use host-only networking in your virtual
machines?
Answer Yes.
The wizard reports on host-only networks that you have already set up on the
host or, if none is present, configures the first host-only network.
3. The wizard asks:
Do you wish to configure another host-only network?
Answer Yes.
Repeat this step until you have as many host-only networks as you want. Then
answer No.
4. Complete the remaining steps in the wizard. When it is finished, it restarts all
services used by VMware Workstation.
5. Run ifconfig. You should see at least four network interfaces — eth0, lo,
vmnet1 and vmnet2. If the VMnet interfaces do not show up immediately,
wait for a minute, then run the command again. These four interfaces should
have different IP address on separate subnets.
Configuring the Virtual Machines
Now you have two host-only interfaces (VMnet1 and VMnet2). You are ready to set up
your virtual machines for one of the following configurations:
1. The virtual machine is configured with one virtual Ethernet adapter, and that
virtual adapter is connected to the default host-only interface (VMnet 1).
2. The virtual machine is configured with one virtual Ethernet adapter, and that
virtual adapter is connected to the newly created host-only interface (VMnet2).
3. The virtual machine is configured with two virtual Ethernet adapters. One virtual
adapter is connected to the default host-only interface (VMnet1) and the other
virtual adapter is connected to the newly created host-only interface (VMnet2).
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Configuration 1 – Connect to the Default Host-Only Interface
1. Create the virtual machine using the New Virtual Machine Wizard or use an
existing virtual machine.
2. Launch VMware Workstation and open the virtual machine.
3. Edit the configuration using the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings).
Select Network Adapter, then choose Host-only (VMnet1) from the drop-down
list on the right.
If no network adapter is shown in the list of devices, click Add, then use the Add
Hardware Wizard to add an adapter.
Configuration 2 – Connect to the Newly Created Host-Only Interface
1. Create the virtual machine using the New Virtual Machine Wizard or use an
existing virtual machine.
2. Launch VMware Workstation and open the virtual machine.
3. Edit the configuration using the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings).
Select Network Adapter, then choose Custom (VMnet2) from the drop-down
list on the right.
If no network adapter is shown in the list of devices, click Add, then use the Add
Hardware Wizard to add an adapter.
Configuration 3 – Connect to Two Host-Only Interfaces
1. Create the virtual machine using the New Virtual Machine Wizard or use an
existing virtual machine.
2. Launch VMware Workstation and open the virtual machine.
3. Edit the configuration using the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings).
Select the first network adapter in the list of devices, then choose Host-only
(VMnet1) from the drop-down list on the right. Select the second network
adapter in the list of devices, then choose Custom (VMnet2) from the drop-
down list on the right.
If you need to add one or more network adapters, click Add, then use the Add
Hardware Wizard to add an adapter.
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At this point you can power on the virtual machine and install your guest operating
system. In configurations 1 and 2 you see one AMD PCNet Family Adapter. In
configuration 3 you see two AMD PCNet Family Adapters within the guest. Configure
the Ethernet adapters as you would physical adapters on a physical computer, giving
each an IP address on the appropriate VMnet subnet.
On Windows hosts, you can open a command prompt and run ipconfig /all to
see what IP addresses each host-only network is using.
On Linux hosts, you can open a terminal and run ifconfig to see what IP addresses
each host-only network is using.
Routing between Two Host-Only Networks
If you are setting up a complex test network using virtual machines, you may want to
have two independent host-only networks with a router between them.
There are two basic approaches. In one, the router software runs on the host
computer. In the other, the router software runs in its own virtual machine. In both
cases, you need two host-only interfaces.
The examples described here outline the simplest case, with one virtual machine on
each of the host-only networks. For more complex configurations, you can add more
virtual machines and host-only networks as appropriate.
Setting Up the First Host-Only Interface
On Windows hosts, the first host-only network is set up automatically when you install
VMware Workstation.
On Linux hosts, the first host-only network was set up when you ran the vmware-
config.pl program after you installed VMware Workstation, provided you agreed
to install host-only networking. If you did not agree to use host-only networking, you
need to run the program again to set up host-only networking.
Setting Up the Second Host-Only Interface — Windows Host
Follow these steps to set up the second host-only interface on a Windows host.
1. Go to Edit > Virtual Network Settings > Host Virtual Adapters.
2. Click Add new adapter.
3. Choose the virtual network on which you want to use the adapter and click OK.
4. Click Apply.
5. Click OK to close the virtual network editor.
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Setting Up the Second Host-Only Interface — Linux Host
1. As root (su -), run the VMware Workstation configuration program.
/usr/bin/vmware-config.pl
2. Use the wizard to modify your configuration. After asking about a NAT network,
the program asks:
Do you want to be able to use host-only networking in your virtual
machines?
Answer Yes.
The wizard reports on host-only networks that you have already set up on the
host or, if none is present, configures the first host-only network.
3. The wizard asks:
Do you wish to configure another host-only network?
Answer Yes.
Repeat this step until you have as many host-only networks as you want. Then
answer No.
4. Complete the wizard. When it is finished, it restarts all services used by VMware
Workstation.
5. Run ifconfig. You should see at least four network interfaces — eth0, lo,
vmnet1 and vmnet2. If the VMnet interfaces do not show up immediately,
wait for a minute, then run the command again. These four interfaces should
have different IP address on separate subnets.
Setting Up the Virtual Machines
Now you have two host-only network adapters on the host computer. Each is
connected to its own virtual switch (VMnet1 and VMnet2). You are ready to create and
configure your virtual machines and connect them to the appropriate virtual
switches.
Virtual Machine 1 – Connected to the Default Host-only Interface
1. Create the virtual machine using the New Virtual Machine Wizard or use an
existing virtual machine.
2. Launch VMware Workstation and open the virtual machine.
3. Edit the configuration using the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings).
Select Network Adapter and choose Host-only (VMnet1) from the drop-down
list on the right.
If no network adapter is shown in the list of devices, click Add, then use the Add
Hardware Wizard to add an adapter.
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Virtual Machine 2 – Connected to the Newly Created Host-Only Interface
1. Create the virtual machine using the New Virtual Machine Wizard or use an
existing virtual machine.
2. Launch VMware Workstation and open the virtual machine.
3. Edit the configuration using the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings).
Select Network Adapter and choose Custom (VMnet2) from the drop-down list
on the right. If no network adapter is shown in the list of devices, click Add, then
use the Add Hardware Wizard to add an adapter.
If you plan to run the router software on your host computer, you can skip the next
section.
Virtual Machine 3 – Connected to Both Host-Only Interfaces
If you plan to run the router software on a virtual machine, set up a third virtual
machine for that purpose.
1. Create the virtual machine using the New Virtual Machine Wizard or use an
existing virtual machine.
2. Launch VMware Workstation and open the virtual machine.
3. Edit the configuration using the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings).
Select the first network adapter in the list of devices and choose Host-only
(VMnet1) from the drop-down list on the right. Select the second network
adapter in the list of devices, then select Custom (VMnet2) from the drop-down
list on the right.
If you need to add one or more network adapters, click Add, then use the Add
Hardware Wizard to add an adapter.
Now you need to configure the networking components on the host and in the
virtual machines. The recommended approach uses static IP addresses for all the
virtual machines.
1. Stop the VMnet DHCP server service.
Windows host: Choose Edit > Virtual Network Settings > DHCP and click Stop
service.
Linux host: Stop the vmnet-dhcpd service.
killall -TERM vmnet-dhcpd
2. Install guest operating systems in each of the virtual machines.
3. Install the router software — on the host computer or in the third virtual
machine, depending on the approach you are using.
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4. Configure networking in the first two virtual machines to use addresses on the
appropriate host-only network.
On Windows hosts, you can open a command prompt and run
ipconfig /all to see what IP addresses each host-only network is using.
On Linux hosts, you can open a terminal and run ifconfig to see what IP
addresses each host-only network is using.
5. If you are running the router on the host computer, assign default router
addresses based on the addresses of the host-only adapters on the host
computer. In the first virtual machine’s networking configuration, the default
router address should be the IP address for the host-only adapter connected to
VMnet1. In the second virtual machine’s networking configuration, the default
router address should be the IP address for the host-only adapter connected to
VMnet2.
If you are running the router software in the third virtual machine, set the default
router addresses in the first two virtual machines based on those used by the
third virtual machine. In the first virtual machine’s networking configuration, the
default router address should be the IP address for the third virtual machine’s
Ethernet adapter connected to VMnet1. In the second virtual machine’s
networking configuration, the default router address should be the IP address for
the third virtual machine’s Ethernet adapter connected to VMnet2.
At this point you should be able to ping the router machine from virtual machines
one and two. And if the router software is set up correctly, you should be able to
communicate between the first and second virtual machines.
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Using Virtual Ethernet Adapters in Promiscuous Mode
on a Linux Host
VMware Workstation does not allow the virtual Ethernet adapter to go into
promiscuous mode unless the user running VMware Workstation has permission to
make that setting. This follows the standard Linux practice that only root can put a
network interface into promiscuous mode.
When you install and configure VMware Workstation, you must run the installation as
root. VMware Workstation creates the VMnet devices with root ownership and root
group ownership, which means that only root has read and write permissions to the
devices.
To set the virtual machine’s Ethernet adapter to promiscuous mode, you must launch
VMware Workstation as root because you must have read and write access to the
VMnet device. For example, if you are using bridged networking, you must have
access to /dev/vmnet0.
To grant selected other users read and write access to the VMnet device, you can
create a new group, add the appropriate users to the group and grant that group read
and write access to the appropriate device. You must make these changes on the host
operating system as root (su -). For example, you can enter the following
commands:
chgrp <newgroup> /dev/vmnet0
chmod g+rw /dev/vmnet0
<newgroup> is the group that should have the ability to set vmnet0 to
promiscuous mode.
If you want all users to be able to set the virtual Ethernet adapter (/dev/vmnet0 in
our example) to promiscuous mode, run the following command on the host
operating system as root:
chmod a+rw /dev/vmnet0
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Understanding NAT
Network address translation — or NAT — provides a simple way for virtual machines
to use most client applications over almost any type of network connection available
to the host. The only requirement is that the network connection must support TCP/
IP.
NAT is useful when you have a limited supply of IP addresses or are connected to the
network through a non-Ethernet network adapter. NAT works by translating addresses
of virtual machines in a private VMnet network to that of the host machine. When a
virtual machine sends a request to access a network resource, it appears to the
network resource as if the request came from the host machine.
NAT uses the host’s own network resources to connect to the external network. Thus,
any TCP/IP network resource to which the host has access should be available
through the NAT connection.
The chief advantage of NAT is that it provides a transparent, easy to configure way for
virtual machines to gain access to network resources.
This section discusses the following topics:
•Using NAT on page 346
•The Host Computer and the NAT Network on page 346
•DHCP on the NAT Network on page 346
•DNS on the NAT Network on page 347
•External Access from the NAT Network on page 347
•Advanced NAT Configuration on page 348
•Custom NAT and DHCP Configuration on a Windows Host on page 352
•Considerations for Using NAT on page 353
•Using NAT with NetLogon on page 353
•Sample Linux vmnetnat.conf File on page 355
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Using NAT
The NAT device is connected to the VMnet8 virtual switch. Virtual machines
connected to the NAT network also use the VMnet8 virtual switch.
The NAT device waits for packets coming from virtual machines on the VMnet8 virtual
network. When a packet arrives, the NAT device translates the address of the virtual
machine to that of the host before forwarding the packet to the external network.
When data arrives from the external network for the virtual machine on the private
network, the NAT device receives the data, replaces the network address with that of
the virtual machine and forwards the data to the virtual machine on the virtual
network. This translation occurs automatically and requires minimal configuration on
the guest and the host.
The Host Computer and the NAT Network
The host computer has a host virtual adapter on the NAT network (identical to the
host virtual adapter on the host-only network). This adapter allows the host and the
virtual machines to communicate with each other for such purposes as file sharing.
The NAT device never forwards traffic from the host virtual adapter.
DHCP on the NAT Network
In order to make networking configuration easy, a DHCP server is automatically
installed when you install VMware Workstation. Virtual machines running on the
network with the NAT device can dynamically obtain their IP addresses by sending
out DHCP requests. The DHCP server on the NAT network, which is also used in host-
only networking configurations, dynamically allocates IP addresses in the range of
<net>.128 through <net>.254, where <net> is the network number assigned to your
NAT network. VMware Workstation always uses a Class C address for NAT networks. IP
addresses <net>.3 through <net>.127 can be used for static IP addresses. IP address
<net>.1 is reserved for the host adapter; <net>.2 is reserved for the NAT device.
In addition to the IP address, the DHCP server on the NAT network also sends out
additional configuration information that enables the virtual machine to operate
automatically. This information includes the default gateway and the DNS server. In
the DHCP response, the NAT device instructs the virtual machine to use the IP address
<net>.2 as the default gateway and DNS server. This causes all IP packets destined for
the external network and DNS requests to be forwarded to the NAT device.
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DNS on the NAT Network
The NAT device acts as a DNS server for the virtual machines on the NAT network.
Actually, the NAT device is a DNS proxy and merely forwards DNS requests from the
virtual machines to a DNS server that is known by the host. Responses come back to
the NAT device, which then forwards them to the virtual machines.
If they get their configuration information from DHCP, the virtual machines on the NAT
network automatically use the NAT device as the DNS server. However, the virtual
machines can be statically configured to use another DNS server.
The virtual machines in the private NAT network are not, themselves, accessible via
DNS. If you want the virtual machines running on the NAT network to access each
other by DNS names, you must set up a private DNS server connected to the NAT
network.
External Access from the NAT Network
In general, any protocol using TCP or UDP can be used automatically by a virtual
machine on the NAT network so long as the virtual machine initiates the network
connection. This is true for most client applications such as Web browsing, Telnet,
passive-mode FTP and downloading streaming video. Additional protocol support
has been built into the NAT device to allow FTP and ICMP echo (ping) to work
completely transparently through the NAT.
On the external network to which the host is connected, any virtual machine on the
NAT network appears to be the host itself, because its network traffic uses the host’s IP
address. It is able to send and receive data using TCP/IP to any machine that is
accessible from the host.
Before any such communication can occur, the NAT device must set up a mapping
between the virtual machine’s address on the private NAT network and the host’s
network address on the external network.
When a virtual machine initiates a network connection with another network
resource, this mapping is created automatically. The operation is perfectly transparent
to the user of the virtual machine on the NAT network. No additional work needs to
be done to let the virtual machine access the external network.
The same cannot be said for network connections that are initiated from the external
network to a virtual machine on the NAT network.
When a machine on the external network attempts to initiate a connection with a
virtual machine on the NAT network, it cannot reach the virtual machine because the
NAT device does not forward the request. Network connections that are initiated from
outside the NAT network are not transparent.
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However, it is possible to configure port forwarding manually on the NAT device so
network traffic destined for a certain port can still be forwarded automatically to a
virtual machine on the NAT network. For details, see Advanced NAT Configuration
below.
File sharing of the type used by Windows operating systems and Samba is possible
among computers on the NAT network — including virtual machines and the host
computer. If you are using WINS servers on your network, a virtual machine using NAT
networking can access shared files and folders on the host that are known by the
WINS server so long as those shared files and folders are in the same workgroup or
domain.
Advanced NAT Configuration
Windows Host
Configure the NAT device using the virtual network editor (Edit > Virtual Network
Settings > NAT).
You can stop and start the virtual NAT device by clicking the appropriate buttons.
To edit NAT settings for a virtual network, choose it from the drop-down menu, then
click Edit.
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Change any NAT settings you wish. Click the appropriate button to set up or change
port forwarding or to specify DNS servers the virtual NAT device should use.
Linux Host
Use the NAT configuration file on the host to configure the NAT device. This file is
/etc/vmware/vmnet8/nat/nat.conf.
The configuration file is divided into sections. Each section configures a part of the
NAT device. Text surrounded by square brackets — such as [host] — marks the
beginning of a section. In each section is a configuration parameter that can be set.
The configuration parameters take the form ip = 192.168.27.1/24.
For an example of a NAT configuration file, see Sample Linux vmnetnat.conf File on
page 355. The configuration file variables are described below.
The [host] Section
ip
The IP address that the NAT device should use. It can optionally be followed by a slash
and the number of bits in the subnet.
netmask
The subnet mask to use for the NAT network. DHCP addresses are allocated from this
range of addresses.
configport
A port that can be used to access status information about the NAT device.
device
The VMnet device to use. Windows devices are of the form VMnet<x> where <x> is
the number of the VMnet. Linux devices are of the form /dev/vmnet<x>.
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activeFTP
Flag to indicate if active FTP is to be allowed. Active FTP allows incoming connections
to be opened by the remote FTP server. Turning this off means that only passive mode
FTP works. Set to 0 to turn it off.
The [udp] Section
timeout
Number of minutes to keep the UDP mapping for the NAT network.
The [dns] Section
This section is for Windows hosts only. Linux does not use this section.
policy
Policy to use for DNS forwarding. Accepted values include order, rotate, and
burst.
•order — send one DNS request at a time in order of the name servers
•rotate — send one DNS request at a time and rotate through the DNS servers
•burst — send to three servers and wait for the first one to respond
timeout
Time in seconds before retrying a DNS request.
retries
Number of retries before the NAT device gives up on a DNS request.
autodetect
Flag to indicate if the NAT device should automatically detect the DNS servers
available to the host.
nameserver1
IP address of a DNS server to use.
nameserver2
IP address of a DNS server to use.
nameserver3
IP address of a DNS server to use.
If autodetect is on and some name servers are specified, the DNS servers specified in
nameserver1, nameserver2 and nameserver3 are added before the list of
detected DNS servers.
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The [netbios] Section
This section applies to Windows hosts only. Linux does not use this section.
nbnsTimeout = 2
Timeout for NBNS queries.
nbnsRetries = 3
Number of retries for each NBNS query.
nbdsTimeout = 3
Timeout for NBDS queries.
The [incomingtcp] Section
This section is used to configure TCP port forwarding for NAT. In this section, you can
assign a port number to an IP address and port number on a virtual machine.
The following line shows the format used in this section.
8887 = 192.168.27.128:21
This example creates a mapping from port 8887 on the host to the IP address
192.168.27.128 and port 21. When this mapping is set and an external machine
connects to the host at port 8887, the network packets are automatically forwarded to
port 21 (the standard port for FTP) on the virtual machine with IP address
192.168.27.128.
The [incomingudp] Section
This section is used to configure UDP port forwarding for NAT. In this section, you can
assign a port number to an IP address and port number on a virtual machine.
The following line shows the format used in this section. It illustrates a way to forward
X server traffic from the host port 6000 to the virtual machine’s port 6001.
6000 = 192.168.27.128:6001
This example creates a mapping from port 6000 on the host to the IP address
192.168.27.128 and port 6001. When this mapping is set and an external machine
connects to the host at port 6000, the network packets are automatically forwarded to
port 6001 on the virtual machine with IP address 192.168.27.128.
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Custom NAT and DHCP Configuration on a Windows Host
If you are an advanced user on a Windows host computer, you may wish to make
custom configuration settings by editing the NAT and DHCP configuration files. If your
host operating system is installed on the C drive, the configuration files for NAT and
DHCP are in the following locations:
•NAT: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application
Data\VMware\vmnetnat.conf
•DHCP: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application
Data\VMware\vmnetdhcp.conf
Note: In VMware Workstation 5, you can change many key NAT and DCHP settings
using the virtual network editor (Edit > Virtual Network Settings). However, if you
have made manual changes to the configuration files, some or all of those changes
may be lost when you use the virtual network editor. If you have made manual
changes, you should make backup copies of the files before changing any settings in
the virtual network editor. After making changes in the virtual network editor, you can
copy your manual changes back into the appropriate configuration files.
Specifying Connections from Ports below 1024
When a client machine makes a TCP or UDP connection to a server, the connection
comes from a particular port on the client (the source port) and connects to a
particular port on the server (the destination port). For security reasons, some servers
accept connections only from source ports below 1024. You may see this
configuration on machines used as NFS file servers, for example.
If a virtual machine using NAT attempts to connect to a server that requires the client
to use a source port below 1024, it is important that the NAT device forward the
request from a port below 1024. You can specify this behavior in the
vmnetnat.conf file.
This behavior is controlled by entries in sections headed [privilegedUDP] and
[privilegedTCP]. You may need to add settings to or modify settings in either or
both of these sections, depending on the kind of connection you need to make.
You can set two parameters, each of which appears on a separate line.
autodetect = <n>
The autodetect setting determines whether the VMware NAT device automatically
attempts to map virtual machine source ports below 1024 to NAT source ports below
1024. A setting of 1 means true. A setting of 0 means false. On a Windows host, the
default is 1 (true). On a Linux host, the default is 0 (false).
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port = <n>
The port setting specifies a destination port (where <n> is the port on the server that
accepts the connection from the client). Whenever a virtual machine connects to the
specified port on any server, the NAT device attempts to make the connection from a
source port below 1024. You may include one or more port settings in the
[privilegedUDP] or [privilegedTCP] section or in both sections, as
required for the connections you need to make. Enter each port setting on a separate
line.
Considerations for Using NAT
Because NAT requires that every packet sent and received from virtual machines is in
the NAT network, there is an unavoidable performance penalty. Our experiments
show that the penalty is minor for dial-up and DSL connections and performance is
adequate for most VMware Workstation uses.
NAT is not perfectly transparent. It does not normally allow connections to be initiated
from outside the network, although you can set up server connections by manually
configuring the NAT device. The practical result is that some TCP and UDP protocols
that require a connection be initiated from the server machine — some peer to peer
applications, for example — do not work automatically, and some may not work at all.
A standard NAT configuration provides basic-level firewall protection because the NAT
device can initiate connections from the private NAT network, but devices on the
external network cannot normally initiate connections to the private NAT network.
Using NAT with NetLogon
When using NAT networking in a virtual machine with a Windows guest operating
system running on a Windows host, you can use NetLogon to log on to a Windows
domain from the virtual machine. You can then access file shares known by the WINS
server in the domain.
To use NetLogon, you need to know how WINS servers and Windows domain
controllers work. This section explains how to set up the virtual machine to use
NetLogon. The setup process is similar to the way you set up a physical computer on
one LAN that is using a domain controller on another LAN.
In order to log on to a Windows domain outside the virtual NAT network, the virtual
machine needs access to a WINS server for that domain. There are two ways you can
connect the virtual machine to a WINS server. You can connect to the WINS server
provided by the DHCP server used on the NAT network, provided that the WINS server
is already set up on the host. If you want to connect from the virtual machine to a
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WINS server not set up on the host, you can manually enter the IP address of the WINS
server.
Using NAT to Connect to an Existing WINS Server Already Set Up on the Host
In order to use this method, a WINS server in the same workgroup or domain must be
set up on the host. These steps use Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server
2003 as a guide. The process is similar for Windows NT, Windows Me and Windows 9x
guests.
1. In the virtual machine, right-click on My Network Places and choose Properties.
2. In the Network Connections window, right-click the virtual network adapter and
choose Properties.
3. In the Properties dialog box, select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), then click
Properties.
4. In the TCP/IP Properties dialog box, click Advanced.
5. Click the WINS tab, then under NetBIOS setting, select Use NetBIOS setting
from DHCP Server.
6. Click OK twice, then click Close.
Manually Entering the IP Address of a WINS Server
Use this method to connect to a WINS server in the same workgroup or domain that is
not already set up on the host.
1. In the virtual machine, right-click on My Network Places and choose Properties.
2. In the Network Connections window, right-click the virtual network adapter and
choose Properties.
3. In the Properties dialog box, select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), then click
Properties.
4. In the TCP/IP Properties dialog box, click Advanced.
5. Click the WINS tab, then click Add.
6. In the TCP/IP WINS Server dialog box, enter the IP address for the WINS server in
the WINS server field, then click OK. The IP address of the WINS server appears in
the WINS addresses list on the WINS tab.
Repeat steps 5 and 6 for each WINS server to which you want to connect from
this virtual machine.
7. Click OK twice, then click Close.
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Now that the virtual machine has an IP address for a WINS server, you use NetLogon in
the virtual machine to log on to a domain and access shares in that domain.
For example, if the WINS server covers a domain with a domain controller it is possible
to access that domain controller from the virtual machine and add the virtual
machine to the domain. You need to know the user ID and password of the
Administrator on the domain controller.
Note: Your access is limited to shares of virtual machines that are on the same NAT
network or are bridged on the same domain.
Sample Linux vmnetnat.conf File
# Linux NAT configuration file
[host]
# NAT gateway address
ip = 192.168.237.2/24
hostMAC = 00:50:56:C0:00:08
# enable configuration; disabled by default for security reasons
#configport = 33445
# VMnet device if not specified on command line
device = VMnet8
# Allow PORT/EPRT FTP commands (they need incoming TCP stream...)
activeFTP = 1
# Allows the source to have any OUI. Turn this one if you change the OUI
# in the MAC address of your virtual machines.
#allowAnyOUI = 1
[udp]
# Timeout in seconds, 0 = no timeout, default = 60; real value might
# be up to 100% longer
timeout = 30
[dns]
# This section applies only to Windows.
#
# Policy to use for DNS forwarding. Accepted values include order,
# rotate, burst.
#
# order: send one DNS request at a time in order of the name servers
# rotate: send one DNS request at a time, rotate through the DNS servers
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# burst: send to three servers and wait for the first one to respond
policy = order;
# Timeout in seconds before retrying DNS request.
timeout = 2
# Retries before giving up on DNS request
retries = 3
# Automatically detect the DNS servers (not supported in Windows NT)
autodetect = 1
# List of DNS servers to use. Up to three may be specified
#nameserver1 = 208.23.14.2
#nameserver2 = 63.93.12.3
#nameserver3 = 208.23.14.4
[netbios]
# This section applies only to Windows.
# Timeout for NBNS queries.
nbnsTimeout = 2
# Number of retries for each NBNS query.
nbnsRetries = 3
# Timeout for NBDS queries.
nbdsTimeout = 3
[incomingtcp]
# Use these with care - anyone can enter into your virtual machine through
# these...
# FTP (both active and passive FTP is always enabled)
# ftp localhost 8887
#8887 = 192.168.27.128:21
# WEB (make sure that if you are using named webhosting, names point to
# your host, not to guest... And if you are forwarding port other
# than 80 make sure that your server copes with mismatched port
# number in Host: header)
# lynx http://localhost:8888
#8888 = 192.168.27.128:80
# SSH
# ssh -p 8889 root@localhost
#8889 = 192.168.27.128:22
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[incomingudp]
# UDP port forwarding example
#6000 = 192.168.27.128:6001
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Using Samba with Workstation
If you have Samba running on your Linux host, there are several things you can do to
configure Samba so that it works with Workstation, as described in this section.
Modifying Your Samba Configuration
Be sure to modify your Samba configuration so it includes the IP subnet used by the
VMware Workstation virtual Ethernet adapter, VMnet1.
To determine what subnet is being used by VMnet1, run
/sbin/ifconfig vmnet1
Make sure the Samba password file includes entries for all users of the virtual machine
who will access the host’s file system. The user names and passwords in the Samba
password file must match those used for logging on to the guest operating system.
You may add user names and passwords to the Samba password file at any time from
a terminal window on your Linux host computer.
1. Log on to the root account.
su
2. Run the Samba password command.
smbpasswd -a <username>
<username> is the user name to add. Follow the instructions on the screen.
3. Log out of the root account.
exit
Using a Samba Server for Both Bridged and Host-Only
Networks
To use your Samba server for both host-only and bridged networking, you must
modify one parameter in the smb.conf file. You can define the interface
parameter so your Samba server serves multiple interfaces. An example of this is:
interface = eth0 vmnet1
This example tells the Samba server to listen to and use both the eth0 and vmnet1
interfaces — the interfaces used by bridged and host-only networking, respectively.
Using Samba without Network Access
To make Samba inaccessible from your physical Ethernet interface, add this line:
interfaces = vmnet*
to /etc/samba/smb.conf and restart Samba.
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Configuring Video and Sound
The following sections provide information on configuring the video display and
sound for VMware Workstation.
•Setting Screen Color Depth on page 360
•Changing Screen Color Depth on the Host on page 360
•Changing Screen Color Depth in the Virtual Machine on page 361
•Using Full Screen Mode on a Linux Host on page 362
•Experimental Support for Direct3D on page 363
•Configuring Sound on page 369
•Installing Sound Drivers in Windows 9x and Windows NT Guest Operating
Systems on page 369
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Setting Screen Color Depth
The number of screen colors available in the guest operating system depends on the
screen color setting of the host operating system.
Virtual machines support
•16-color (VGA) mode
•8-bit pseudocolor
•16 bits per pixel (16 significant bits per pixel)
•32 bits per pixel (24 significant bits per pixel)
If the host is in 15-bit color mode, the guest operating system’s color setting controls
offer 15-bit mode in place of 16-bit mode.
If the host is in 24-bit color mode, the guest operating system’s color setting controls
offer 24-bit mode in place of 32-bit mode.
If you run a guest operating system set for a greater number of colors than your host
operating system is using, you can encounter various problems. In some cases, for
example, the colors in the guest are not correct. In others, the guest operating system
is not able to use a graphical interface.
In such a case, you can either increase the number of colors available on the host or
decrease the number of colors used in the guest.
For best performance, use the same number of colors in the guest and on the host.
Changing Screen Color Depth on the Host
If you choose to change the color settings on your host operating system, you should
first shut down all guest operating systems, power off the virtual machines and close
VMware Workstation.
Follow standard procedures for changing the color settings on your host operating
system, then restart VMware Workstation and the virtual machines.
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Changing Screen Color Depth in the Virtual Machine
If you choose to change the color settings in the guest operating system, the
approach you take depends on the guest operating system.
Follow the normal process for changing screen colors in your guest operating system.
In a Windows guest, the Display Properties control panel offers only those settings
that are supported.
In a Linux or FreeBSD guest, you must change the color depth before you start the X
server or restart the X server after making the changes.
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Using Full Screen Mode
on a Linux Host
When you switch to full screen mode, VMware Workstation changes the full screen
display resolution to better match the resolution set in the guest operating system.
On a Linux host, VMware Workstation uses the VidMode or DGA2 extension from the
XFree86 Project or XiG’s Xfs to match the host resolution to the one requested by the
guest running in the virtual machine.
In a few cases, VMware Workstation may not find the best resolution.
When VMware Workstation switches to full screen mode, it can choose only those
resolutions that are already configured for the host’s X server. If a virtual machine runs
at a resolution that does not match a mode listed in host’s X server configuration, then
VMware Workstation chooses the closest larger mode (and uses black borders) for full
screen mode or else simply does not offer full screen mode at all.
It is possible to have bad modes configured for the X server on your host. If your host’s
X configuration was automatically generated, or if you never tested all modes with
your current monitor and video card, it is possible that some enabled modes do not
work with your monitor. However, the mode-switching code in VMware Workstation
has no way of knowing this and a virtual machine that tries to use a resolution with a
bad mode line can cause your display to fail to display correctly.
If this happens, immediately leave full screen mode by pressing Ctrl-Alt, then fix your X
server configuration and restart X. However, if the only problem is that the image is off
center or is not quite the right size on the monitor, you can usually correct it using the
controls on your monitor. Note that most modern monitors are capable of storing
separate settings for each resolution, so changing the settings for a new mode should
not affect the settings for the host resolution.
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Experimental Support for Direct3D
VMware Workstation includes experimental support for Direct3D video acceleration.
This feature is not fully functional.
Caution: Features with experimental support are not intended to be enabled on
production systems. Enabling 3-D acceleration may cause the host or guest to crash,
causing you to lose data, even if 3-D applications are not active.
Experimental support for Direct3D acceleration is described in the following sections:
•Audience for Direct3D Experimental Support on page 363
•Accelerated 3-D Limitations on page 364
•Enabling Accelerated 3-D on page 364
•Known Issues on page 367
•Helping VMware with Experimental Support on page 368
Audience for Direct3D Experimental Support
Workstation provides this feature for advanced customers who want to explore an in-
progress implementation of 3-D acceleration.
Technical support for accelerated 3-D is not yet provided for Workstation. However,
we encourage you to file a Support Request so we can evaluate problems you might
experience with accelerated 3-D. Please review Helping VMware with Experimental
Support on page 368 before you file a support request.
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Accelerated 3-D Limitations
Experimental support for Direct3D applies only to Windows 2000 and Windows XP
guests, on hosts running Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Linux.
Experimental support has the following limitations:
•Workstation accelerates DirectX 8 applications, and DirectX 9 applications that
use only the subset of DirectX 8.
•Support for 3-D applications is not optimized for performance.
•OpenGL applications run in software emulation mode.
Not all aspects of 3-D acceleration are enabled. The following 3-D features are not
accelerated:
•Pixel and vertex shaders
•Multiple vertex streams
•Hardware bump-mapping, environment mapping
•Projected textures
•Textures with one, three, or four dimensions
Enabling Accelerated 3-D
Caution: Features with experimental support are not intended for production
systems.
By default, Direct3D technology is disabled. You must prepare the host first, the virtual
machine second, and the guest operating system last.
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Enabling Accelerated 3-D for a Host
To enable a host for accelerated 3-D:
Hardware — Use a host video card with support for accelerated OpenGL, such as
NVIDIA TNT, GeForce and Quadro cards, or ATI FireGL and Radeon 8500 (or higher)
video cards. If you are unsure, check with your hardware manufacturer.
Software — Upgrade the video drivers for your host to the latest available.
•NVIDIA drivers are available at
www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
•ATI drivers are available at
www.ati.com/support/driver.html
•(Linux only) — NVIDIA GPUs support the features used in Direct3D acceleration.
Linux open source drivers are not enabled. However, if you have a video card
with an Radeon 8500 (or better) GPU, you can attempt to use the Direct3D
acceleration using the ATI driver available at
www.ati.com/support/drivers/linux/radeon-linux.html
Windows — Perform these steps to prepare a Windows 2000 or Windows XP host.
Make sure hardware acceleration is turned up in the display properties.
1. Right-click the desktop and choose
Properties >Settings >Advanced >Troubleshoot.
2. Move the Hardware Acceleration slider all the way to the Full position.
Linux — Perform these steps to test your Linux host for compatibility:
1. To verify that direct rendering is enabled, run
glxinfo | grep direct
2. To ensure that 3-D applications work on your host, run
glxgears
After your host is configured, configure a virtual machine for accelerated 3-D.
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Enabling Accelerated 3-D for a Virtual Machine
To enable a virtual machine for accelerated 3-D
1. Choose a virtual machine with Windows 2000 or XP guest operating system.
Note: Do not enable Direct3D on a virtual machine that is powered on or
suspended.
2. Add the following to the configuration (.vmx) file for the virtual machine:
mks.enable3d = TRUE
This line enables accelerated 3-D on the host. It is required to support
accelerated 3-D in the guest and also enables the host to accelerate 2-D
portions of the guest display.
3. You may also add one or both of the following optional lines:
svga.vramSize = 67108864
This line increases the amount of VRAM on the virtual display card to 64 MB.
Adding more VRAM helps to reduce thrashing in the guest. The maximum
value is 128 MB.
vmmouse.present = FALSE
This line disables the absolute pointing device in the guest. Applications
which require DirectInput relative mode need to turn off the absolute
pointing device in the guest. In practice, this is only required for a certain class
of full screen 3-D applications (for example, real-time games like first-person
shooters).
Note: If you set the vmmouse.present option, you should also turn off the
preference for motion ungrabbing in the Input tab of the Preferences settings
dialog.
To turn off ungrabbing for vmouse.present:
a. Choose Edit > Preferences.
b. Click Input.
c. Deselect Ungrab when cursor leaves window.
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Enabling Accelerated 3-D for a Guest Operating System
To enable the guest operating system for accelerated 3-D
1. Power on the virtual machine.
2. Install VMware Tools.
Note: It is critical for stability that you install the version of VMware Tools that
matches the version of VMware Workstation you are running.
3. Install DirectX 9.0c End User Runtime
This download is available from Microsoft at
www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.aspx?displaylang=en&categoryid=2
4. Install and run your 3-D applications.
Known Issues
Common problems for Direct3-D experimental support include the following:
•Switching tabs in the VMware Workstation console does not work while 3-D
applications are running.
•Switching between full screen and windowed mode does not work while 3-D
applications are running.
•Running multiple 3-D applications simultaneously may crash the Workstation
application.
•When a 3-D application is running, you cannot suspend or resume the virtual
machine, and you cannot take snapshots.
•Graphical corruption occurs, such as:
•Screenshot or movie capture displays graphical corruption for the 3-D area of
the screen.
•The guest cursor occasionally has a halo of corruption (usually white) when
mousing over 3-D regions in the guest operating system.
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Helping VMware with Experimental Support
VMware offers only experimental support for Direct3D acceleration. VMware may not
respond personally to all support requests regarding Direct3D acceleration.
VMware is interested in
•Catastrophic failures such as bluescreening the guest, or 3-D applications that
crash VMware Workstation
•Testing reports about ATI 8500 (and later) video cards (whether or not they work)
•Testing reports about Linux host operating systems (whether or not they work).
•Testing reports about specific DirectX8 and DX9 applications you are using
(whether or not they work)
•Specific problems you are having when running 3-D
•Specific directions you want to see VMware 3-D technology evolve
Specific and detailed reports can help speed this feature from experimental support
to full functionality. Please include as many details about your configuration, 3-D
applications, and hardware as you can.
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Configuring Sound
VMware Workstation provides a sound device compatible with the Sound Blaster
AudioPCI and supports sound in Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows
NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and Linux guest operating
systems. The VMware Workstation sound device is enabled by default.
Sound support includes PCM (pulse code modulation) output and input. For example,
you can play .wav files, MP3 audio and Real Media audio. MIDI output from Windows
guests is supported through the Windows software synthesizer. MIDI input is not
supported, and no MIDI support is available for Linux guests.
Windows 2000, Windows XP and most recent Linux distributions automatically detect
the sound device and install appropriate drivers for it.
Installing Sound Drivers in Windows 9x and Windows NT Guest
Operating Systems
Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98SE and Windows NT 4.0 do not have drivers for
the Sound Blaster AudioPCI adapter. To use sound in these guest operating systems,
you must download the driver from the Creative Labs Web site (www.creative.com)
and install it in the guest operating system.
Creative Labs has a number of Web sites serving various regions of the world. The
adapter name varies, depending on the region, but usually includes PCI 128.
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Connecting Devices
The following sections describe how to use various devices with a virtual machine:
•Using Parallel Ports on page 372
•Using Serial Ports on page 377
•Keyboard Mapping on a Linux Host on page 389
•Using USB Devices in a Virtual Machine on page 397
•Connecting to a Generic SCSI Device on page 402
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Using Parallel Ports
VMware Workstation supports a partial emulation of bidirectional PS/2-style ports.
On Linux hosts, VMware Workstation requires that the parallel port “PC-style
hardware” option (CONFIG_PARPORT_PC) be built and loaded as a kernel module
(that is, it must be set to “m”). VMware Workstation is unable to use parallel port
devices if CONFIG_PARPORT_PC is built directly (compiled) into the kernel. This
limitation exists because CONFIG_PARPORT_PC does not correctly export its symbols.
Parallel Ports
Parallel ports are used by a variety of devices, including printers, scanners, dongles
and disk drives.
Currently, VMware Workstation provides only partial emulation of PS/2 hardware.
Specifically, interrupts requested by a device connected to the physical port are not
passed to the virtual machine. Also, the guest operating system cannot use DMA
(direct memory access) to move data to or from the port. For this reason, not all
devices that attach to the parallel port are guaranteed to work correctly.
Installation in Guest Operating Systems
If the virtual machine is configured with a parallel port, most guest operating systems
automatically detect it at installation time and install the required drivers. Some
operating systems, including Linux, Windows NT and Windows 2000, automatically
detect the ports at boot time. Others, like Windows 95 and Windows 98, do not.
To add a parallel port to the virtual machine’s configuration, take these steps with the
virtual machine powered off.
1. Open the virtual machine settings editor.
VM > Settings
2. Click Add to start the New Hardware Wizard.
3. Select Parallel Port, then click Next.
4. Make the appropriate selection to use a physical parallel port or connect the
virtual parallel port to a file.
5. If you selected Use physical port, choose the port from the drop-down list.
If you selected Use output file, enter the path and filename or browse to the
location of the file.
Under Device status, the default setting is Connect at power on. Clear the
check box if you want to deselect this setting.
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6. Click Finish.
In a Windows 95 or Windows 98 guest, after you add the port, run the guest operating
system’s Add New Hardware Wizard (Start > Settings > Control Panel > Add New
Hardware) and let Windows detect the new device.
Configuring a Parallel Port on a Linux Host
For the parallel port to work properly in a guest, it must first be configured properly on
the host. Most issues involving parallel port functionality are a result of the host
configuration. Check these areas of concern: the version of your Linux kernel, your
device access permissions and the required modules.
•Parallel Ports and Linux 2.2.x Kernels on page 373
•Parallel Ports and Linux 2.4.x Kernels on page 374
•Parallel Ports and Linux 2.6.x Kernels on page 375
•Device Permissions on page 376
Parallel Ports and Linux 2.2.x Kernels
The 2.2.x kernels that support parallel ports use the parport, parport_pc and
vmppuser modules. Be sure that PC Style Hardware (CONFIG_PARPORT_PC) is
loaded as a module, as mentioned at the beginning of Using Parallel Ports on
page 372. The vmppuser module is supplied by VMware Workstation to give virtual
machines user-level access to the parallel port.
To see if these modules are installed and running on your system, run the lsmod
command as the root user. These three modules should be included in the listing of
running modules. You can also look at the /proc/modules file for the same list.
To load the proper modules, run this command:
insmod –k <modulename>
If none of the listed parallel port modules is running, use this command:
insmod –k parport_pc
This command inserts the three modules needed for a parallel port.
If you continue to see problems, it is possible that the lp module is running. If it is, the
virtual machine cannot use the parallel port correctly. To remove the lp module, run
this command as the root user:
rmmod lp
You should also ensure that the line referring to the lp module in the /etc/
modules.conf or /etc/conf.modules file is removed or commented out by
inserting a hash character (#) at the beginning of the line. The name of the
configuration file depends on the Linux distribution you are using. When you reboot
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the host after removing this line, the configuration file no longer starts the lp
module.
To ensure that the proper modules for the parallel port are loaded at boot time, add
this line to the /etc/modules.conf or /etc/conf.modules file:
alias parport_lowlevel parport_pc
Parallel Ports and Linux 2.4.x Kernels
Be sure that PC Style Hardware (CONFIG_PARPORT_PC) is loaded as a module as
mentioned at the beginning of Using Parallel Ports on page 372. If you are using a
2.4.x kernel, the modules that provide parallel port functionality are parport,
parport_pc and ppdev.
To see if these modules are installed and running on your system, run the lsmod
command as the root user. These three modules should be included in the listing of
running modules. You can also look at the /proc/modules file for the same list.
To load the proper modules, run this command:
insmod –k <modulename>
If none of the listed parallel port modules is running, use this command:
insmod –k parport_pc
This command inserts the three modules needed for a parallel port.
If you continue to see problems, it is possible that the lp module is running. If it is, the
virtual machine cannot use the parallel port correctly. To remove the lp module, run
this command as the root user:
rmmod lp
You should also ensure that the line referring to the lp module in the /etc/
modules.conf or /etc/conf.modules file is removed or commented out by
inserting a hash character (#) at the beginning of the line. The name of the
configuration file depends on the Linux distribution you are using. When you reboot
the host after removing this line, the configuration file no longer starts the lp
module.
To ensure that the proper modules for the parallel port are loaded at boot time, add
this line to the /etc/modules.conf or /etc/conf.modules file:
alias parport_lowlevel parport_pc
Linux kernels in the 2.4.x series also use a special arbitrator that allows access to the
parallel port hardware. If the parallel port is in use by the host, the guest cannot use it.
If a virtual machine is using the parallel port, the host and any users accessing the host
are not given access to the device. VMware Workstation puts a lock on the device, and
this lock restricts access so only the virtual machine can use the port.
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You can choose VM > Removable Devices to disconnect the parallel port from the
virtual machine and reconnect it.
Parallel Ports and Linux 2.6.x Kernels
Be sure that PC Style Hardware (CONFIG_PARPORT_PC) is loaded as a module as
mentioned at the beginning of Using Parallel Ports on page 372. If you are using a
2.6.x kernel, the modules that provide parallel port functionality are modprobe
<modulename> and modprobe parport_pc.
To see if these modules are installed and running on your system, run the lsmod
command as the root user. You can also look at the /proc/modules file for the
same list.
With 2.6.x, loading parport_pc does not load all three modules. If none of the
listed parallel port modules is running, use this command:
modprobe parport_pc && modprobe ppdev
This command inserts the three modules needed for a parallel port.
If you continue to see problems, it is possible that the lp module is running. If it is, the
virtual machine cannot use the parallel port correctly. To remove the lp module, run
this command as the root user:
rmmod lp
You should also ensure that the line referring to the lp module in the /etc/
modules.conf or /etc/conf.modules file is removed or commented out by
inserting a hash character (#) at the beginning of the line. The name of the
configuration file depends on the Linux distribution you are using. When you reboot
the host after removing this line, the configuration file no longer starts the lp
module.
To ensure that the proper modules for the parallel port are loaded at boot time, add
this line to the /etc/modules.conf or /etc/conf.modules file:
alias parport_lowlevel parport_pc
Linux kernels in the 2.6.x series also use a special arbitrator that allows access to the
parallel port hardware. If the parallel port is in use by the host, the guest cannot use it.
If a virtual machine is using the parallel port, the host and any users accessing the host
are not given access to the device. VMware Workstation puts a lock on the device, and
this lock restricts access so only the virtual machine can use the port.
You can choose VM > Removable Devices to disconnect the parallel port from the
virtual machine and reconnect it.
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Device Permissions
Some Linux distributions by default do not grant the virtual machine access to the lp
and parport devices. In most of these cases, the owner of the device is root and
the associated group is lp. To allow the VMware user to access the device, add the
user to the associated group. To view the owner and group of the device, run this
command:
ls –la /dev/parport0
The third and fourth columns of the output show the owner and group, respectively.
To add the user to the device group, edit the /etc/group file. On the line starting
with lp, which defines the lp group, add the VMware Workstation user’s user name.
You must make this change as the root user. The following line provides an example
for a user whose user name is userj.
lp::7:daemon,lp,userj
The next time the user logs on to the host, the changes take effect.
Special Notes for the Iomega Zip Drive
On Windows 95 or Windows 98, use of older drivers for the Iomega Zip drive may
cause the guest operating system to lock up intermittently at boot time or during
installation of the guest operating system. The newest Iomega drivers work reliably in
our tests. They are available at www.iomega.com/software/index.html.
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Using Serial Ports
A VMware Workstation virtual machine can use up to four virtual serial ports. The
virtual serial ports can be configured in several ways.
•You can connect a virtual serial port to a physical serial port on the host
computer.
•You can connect a virtual serial port to a file on the host computer.
•You can make a direct connection between two virtual machines or between a
virtual machine and an application running on the host computer.
You can also select whether to connect the virtual serial port when you power on the
virtual machine.
Using a Serial Port on the Host Computer
You can set up the virtual serial port in a virtual machine to use a physical serial port
on the host computer. This is useful, for example, if you want to use an external
modem or a hand-held device in your virtual machine.
To install a virtual serial port that connects to a physical serial port on the host
computer, take the following steps:
1. Open the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings).
2. Click Add to start the Add Hardware Wizard.
3. Select Serial Port, then click Next.
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4. Select Use physical serial port on the host, then click Next.
5. Choose the port on the host computer that you want to use for this serial
connection. By default, the device status setting is Connect at power on. You
may deselect this setting if you wish.
Click Advanced if you want to configure this serial port to use polled mode. This
option is of interest primarily to developers who are using debugging tools that
communicate over a serial connection. For more information, see Special
Configuration Options for Advanced Users on page 385.
6. Click Finish, then click OK to close the virtual machine settings editor.
7. Power on the virtual machine.
Using a File on the Host Computer
You can set up the virtual serial port in a virtual machine to send its output to a file on
the host computer. This is useful, for example, if you want to capture the data a
program running in the virtual machine sends to the virtual serial port or if you need a
quick way to transfer a file from the guest to the host.
To install a virtual serial port that connects to a file on the host computer, take the
following steps:
1. Open the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings).
2. Click Add to start the Add Hardware Wizard.
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3. Select Serial Port, then click Next.
4. Select Output to file, then click Next.
5. Browse to the file on the host computer that you want to use to store the output
of the virtual serial port. By default, the device status setting is Connect at power
on. You may deselect this setting if you wish.
Click Advanced if you want to configure this serial port to use polled mode. This
option is of interest primarily to developers who are using debugging tools that
communicate over a serial connection. For more information, see Special
Configuration Options for Advanced Users on page 385.
6. Click Finish, then click OK to close the virtual machine settings editor.
7. Power on the virtual machine.
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Connecting an Application on the Host to a Virtual Machine
You can set up the virtual serial port in a virtual machine to connect to an application
on the host computer. This is useful, for example, if you want to use an application on
the host to capture debugging information sent from the virtual machine’s serial port.
To install a direct serial connection between an application on the host and a virtual
machine, take the following steps:
Windows Host
1. Open the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings).
2. Click Add to start the Add Hardware Wizard.
3. Select Serial Port, then click Next.
4. Select Output to named pipe, then click Next.
5. Use the default pipe name, or enter another pipe name of your choice. The pipe
name must follow the form \\.\pipe\<namedpipe> — that is, it must
begin with \\.\pipe\.
6. Select This end is the server or This end is the client. In general, select This end
is the server if you plan to start this end of the connection first.
7. Select The other end is an application.
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8. By default, the device status setting is Connect at power on. You may deselect
this setting if you wish.
Click Advanced if you want to configure this serial port to use polled mode. This
option is of interest primarily to developers who are using debugging tools that
communicate over a serial connection. For more information, see Special
Configuration Options for Advanced Users on page 385.
9. Click Finish, then click OK to close the virtual machine settings editor.
10. On your host computer, configure the application that communicates with the
virtual machine to use the same pipe name.
11. Power on the virtual machine.
Linux Host
1. Open the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings).
2. Click Add to start the Add Hardware Wizard.
3. Select Serial Port, then click Next.
4. Select Output to named pipe, then click Next.
5. In the Path field, enter /tmp/<socket> or another Unix socket name of your
choice.
6. Select This end is the server or This end is the client. In general, select This end
is the server if you plan to start this end of the connection first.
7. Select The other end is an application.
8. By default, the device status setting is Connect at power on. You may deselect
this setting if you wish.
Click Advanced if you want to configure this serial port to use polled mode. This
option is of interest primarily to developers who are using debugging tools that
communicate over a serial connection. For more information, see Special
Configuration Options for Advanced Users on page 385.
9. Click Finish.
10. Click OK to save your configuration and close the virtual machine settings editor.
11. On your host computer, configure the application that communicates with the
virtual machine to use the same Unix socket name.
12. Power on the virtual machine.
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Connecting Two Virtual Machines
You can set up the virtual serial ports in two virtual machines to connect to each
other. This is useful, for example, if you want to use an application in one virtual
machine to capture debugging information sent from the other virtual machine’s
serial port.
To install a direct serial connection between two virtual machines (a server and a
client), take the following steps:
Windows Host
In the server virtual machine
1. Open the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings).
2. Click Add to start the Add Hardware Wizard.
3. Select Serial Port, then click Next.
4. Select Output to named pipe, then click Next.
5. Use the default pipe name, or enter another pipe name of your choice. The pipe
name must follow the form \\.\pipe\<namedpipe> — that is, it must
begin with \\.\pipe\.
6. Select This end is the server.
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7. Select The other end is a virtual machine.
8. By default, the device status setting is Connect at power on. You may deselect
this setting if you wish.
Click Advanced if you want to configure this serial port to use polled mode. This
option is of interest primarily to developers who are using debugging tools that
communicate over a serial connection. For more information, see Special
Configuration Options for Advanced Users on page 385.
9. Click Finish, then click OK to close the virtual machine settings editor.
In the client virtual machine
1. Open the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings).
2. Click Add to start the Add Hardware Wizard.
3. Select Serial Port, then click Next.
4. Select Use named pipe.
5. Use the default name, or enter another pipe name of your choice. The pipe
name must follow the form \\.\pipe\<namedpipe> — that is, it must
begin with \\.\pipe\. The pipe name must be the same on both server and
client.
6. Select This end is the client.
7. Select The other end is a virtual machine.
8. By default, the device status setting is Connect at power on. You may deselect
this setting if you wish.
Click Advanced if you want to configure this serial port to use polled mode. This
option is of interest primarily to developers who are using debugging tools that
communicate over a serial connection. For more information, see Special
Configuration Options for Advanced Users on page 385.
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9. Click Finish, then click OK to close the virtual machine settings editor.
Linux Host
In the server virtual machine
1. Open the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings).
2. Click Add to start the Add Hardware Wizard.
3. Select Serial Port, then click Next.
4. Select Output to named pipe, then click Next.
5. In the Path field, enter /tmp/<socket> or another Unix socket name of your
choice.
6. Select This end is the server.
7. Select The other end is a virtual machine.
8. By default, the device status setting is Connect at power on. You may deselect
this setting if you wish.
Click Advanced if you want to configure this serial port to use polled mode. This
option is of interest primarily to developers who are using debugging tools that
communicate over a serial connection. For more information, see Special
Configuration Options for Advanced Users on page 385.
9. Click Finish, then click OK to save your configuration and close the virtual
machine settings editor.
In the client virtual machine
1. Open the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings).
2. Click Add to start the Add Hardware Wizard.
3. Select Serial Port, then click Next.
4. Select Output to named pipe, then click Next.
5. In the Path field, enter /tmp/<socket> or another Unix socket name of your
choice. The pipe name must be the same on both server and client.
6. Select This end is the client.
7. Select The other end is a virtual machine.
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8. By default, the device status setting is Connect at power on. You may deselect
this setting if you wish.
Click Advanced if you want to configure this serial port to use polled mode. This
option is of interest primarily to developers who are using debugging tools that
communicate over a serial connection. For more information, see Special
Configuration Options for Advanced Users on page 385.
9. Click Finish, then click OK to save your configuration and close the virtual
machine settings editor.
Special Configuration Options for Advanced Users
Two special configuration options are available for serial connections between a
virtual machine and the host or between two virtual machines. These options are of
interest primarily to developers who are using debugging tools that communicate
over a serial connection.
Improving CPU Performance when Debugging
The first option must be set in the virtual machine settings editor. This option is useful
when the serial port is being used by the guest operating system in polled mode as
opposed to interrupt mode. Polled mode causes the virtual machine to consume a
disproportionate share of CPU time. This makes the host and other guests run
sluggishly.
To restore performance for applications on the host, in the virtual machine settings
editor, select the virtual serial port, and check the Yield CPU on poll check box. This
configuration option forces the affected virtual machine to yield processor time if the
only task it is trying to do is poll the virtual serial port.
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Changing the Input Speed of the Serial Connection
To use the second option, power off the virtual machine and close the VMware
Workstation window, then use a text editor to add the following line to your virtual
machine’s configuration file:
serial<n>.pipe.charTimePercent = <x>
This option is useful if you want to squeeze every possible bit of speed from your serial
connection over a pipe to the virtual machine. In principle, there is no limit on the
output speed — the speed at which the virtual machine sends data through the
virtual serial port. In practice, the output speed depends on how fast the application
at the other end of the pipe reads data inbound to it.
<n> is the number of the serial port, starting from 0. So the first serial port is
serial0.
<x> is any positive integer. It specifies the time taken to transmit a character,
expressed as a percentage of the default speed set for the serial port in the guest
operating system. For example, a setting of 200 forces the port to take twice as long
per character, or send data at half the default speed. A setting of 50 forces the port to
take only half as long per character, or send data at twice the default speed.
You should first use the guest operating system to configure the serial port for the
highest setting supported by the application you are running in the virtual machine.
Once the serial port speed is set appropriately in the guest operating system,
experiment with this setting. Start with a value of 100 and gradually decrease it until
you find the highest speed at which your connection works reliably.
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Examples: Debugging over a Virtual Serial Port
You can use Debugging Tools for Windows (WinDbg) or Kernel Debugger (KD) to
debug kernel code in a virtual machine over a virtual serial port. You can download
Debugging Tools for Windows from the Windows DDK Web site at
www.microsoft.com/whdc/devtools/debugging/default.mspx.
The following two examples illustrate how to use a virtual serial port to debug kernel
code in a virtual machine:
•With the debugging application on the VMware Workstation host (Windows
hosts only)
•With the debugging application in another virtual machine on the same
VMware Workstation host (useful on a Linux host and can also be done on a
Windows host)
Using either of these methods lets you debug kernel code on one system, without the
need for two physical computers, a modem or serial cable.
Debugging an Application in a Virtual Machine from the Windows Host
In this example, you have kernel code to debug in a virtual machine (called the target
virtual machine) and are running WinDbg or KD on your Windows host.
To prepare the target virtual machine, follow the steps for a Windows host in
Connecting an Application on the Host to a Virtual Machine on page 380. Make sure
you configure the virtual machine’s virtual serial port as follows:
•Select This end is the server
•Under I/O Mode, select the Yield CPU on poll check box, as the kernel in the
target virtual machine uses the virtual serial port in polled mode, not interrupt
mode
To prepare the host, make sure you have a recent version of Debugging Tools for
Windows — one that supports debugging over a pipe. You need version 5.0.18.0 or
higher.
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When you are ready to begin, complete the following steps:
1. Power on the virtual machine.
2. Check to make sure the serial port is connected. Choose choose VM >
Removable Devices. On that menu, serial<n> should be reported as
\\.\pipe\<namedpipe> (on Windows hosts) or /tmp/<socket> (on Linux hosts).
If the serial port is not connected, choose the virtual serial port, then Connect.
3. On the host, open a Command Prompt window and do one of the following:
•If you are using WinDbg, type the following:
windbg -k com:port=\\.\pipe\<namedpipe>,pipe
•If you are using KD, type the following:
kd -k com:port=\\.\pipe\<namedpipe>,pipe
Then press Enter to start debugging.
Debugging an Application in a Virtual Machine from another Virtual Machine
In this situation, you have kernel code to debug in a virtual machine (called the target
virtual machine) and are running Debugging Tools for Windows (WinDbg) or Kernel
Debugger (KD) in another virtual machine (called the debugger virtual machine) on
the same host.
This is useful if you are running VMware Workstation on a Linux host. The debugger
virtual machine must be running Debugging Tools for Windows (WinDbg) or Kernel
Debugger (KD) in a Windows guest operating system.
To prepare the target virtual machine, follow the steps for the server virtual machine
for the appropriate host in Connecting Two Virtual Machines on page 382. Make sure
when you configure the target virtual machine’s virtual serial port that you select the
Yield CPU on poll check box, as the kernel in the target virtual machine uses the
virtual serial port in polled mode, not interrupt mode.
To prepare the debugger virtual machine, make sure you have downloaded
Debugging Tools for Windows. Then follow the steps for the client virtual machine in
Connecting Two Virtual Machines on page 382.
When you are ready to begin, complete the following steps:
1. Power on both virtual machines.
2. Check to make sure the serial port is connected. Choose choose VM >
Removable Devices. If the serial port is not connected, choose the virtual serial
port, then Connect.
3. In the debugger virtual machine, start debugging with WinDbg or KD normally.
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Keyboard Mapping on a Linux Host
This section addresses the following issues and provides additional details on
keyboard mapping in Linux:
•My (language-specific) keyboard is not supported by VMware Workstation.
•Some of the keys on my keyboard don’t work right in the virtual machine.
•My keyboard works fine when I run a virtual machine locally, but not when I run
the same virtual machine with a remote X server.
Quick Answers
If your keyboard works correctly with a local X server, and you just want the same
behavior with a remote X server (which is also an XFree86 server running on a PC), just
power off the virtual machine and close the VMware Workstation window, then add
the line
xkeymap.usekeycodeMapIfXFree86 = true
to the virtual machine configuration file or to ~/.vmware/config. Make this
change on the host machine, where you run the virtual machine, not on the machine
with the remote X server.
If you are using an XFree86-based server that VMware Workstation does not recognize
as an XFree86 server, use this instead:
xkeymap.usekeycodeMap = true
If you are using an XFree86 server running locally, and the keyboard does not work
correctly, please report the problem to the VMware technical support department.
The Longer Story
Unfortunately, keyboard support for the PC (virtual or otherwise) is a complex affair. To
do it justice, we have to start with some background information — greatly simplified.
Pressing a key on the PC keyboard generates a scan code based roughly on the
position of the key. For example, the Z key on a German keyboard generates the same
code as the Y key on an English keyboard, because they are in the same position on
the keyboard. Most keys have one-byte scan codes, but some keys have two-byte
scan codes with prefix 0xe0.
Internally, VMware Workstation uses a simplified version of the PC scan code that is a
single nine-bit numeric value, called a v-scan code. A v-scan code is written as a three-
digit hexadecimal number. The first digit is 0 or 1. For example, the left-hand Ctrl key
has a one-byte scan code (0x1d); its v-scan code is 0x01d. The right-hand Ctrl key scan
code is two bytes (0xe0, 0x1d); its v-scan code is 0x11d.
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An X server uses a two-level encoding of keys. An X key code is a one-byte value. The
assignment of key codes to keys depends on the X server implementation and the
physical keyboard. As a result, an X application normally cannot use key codes directly.
Instead, the key codes are mapped into keysyms that have names like space, escape, x
and 2. The mapping can be controlled by an X application via the function
XChangeKeyboardMapping() or by the program xmodmap. To explore
keyboard mappings, you can use xev, which shows the key codes and keysyms for
keys typed into its window.
To recap, a key code corresponds roughly to a physical key, while a keysym
corresponds to the symbol on the key top. For example, with an XFree86 server
running on a PC, the Z key on the German keyboard has the same key code as the Y
key on an English keyboard. The German Z keysym, however, is the same as the
English Z keysym, and different from the English Y keysym.
For an XFree86 server on a PC, there is a one-to-one mapping from X key codes to PC
scan codes (or v-scan codes, which is what VMware Workstation really uses). VMware
Workstation takes advantage of this fact. When it is using an XFree86 server on the
local host, it uses the built-in mapping from X key codes to v-scan codes. This
mapping is keyboard independent and should be correct for most, if not all,
languages. In other cases (not an XFree86 server or not a local server), VMware
Workstation must map keysyms to v-scan codes, using a set of keyboard-specific
tables.
Key code mapping is simple, automatic and foolproof. (Keysym mapping is more
complex and described later.) However, because the program cannot tell whether a
remote server is running on a PC or on some other kind of computer, it errs on the safe
side and uses key code mapping only with local X servers. This is often too
conservative and has undesirable effects. Luckily, this and other behavior related to
key code-mapping can be controlled by powering off the virtual machine and closing
the VMware Workstation window, then using a text editor to add configuration
settings to the virtual machine’s configuration file.
•xkeymap.usekeycodeMapIfXFree86 = true
Use key code mapping if you are using an XFree86 server, even if it is remote.
•xkeymap.usekeycodeMap = true
Always use key code mapping regardless of server type.
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•xkeymap.nokeycodeMap = true
Never use key code mapping.
•xkeymap.keycode.<code> = <v-scan code>
If using key code mapping, map key code <code> to <v-scan code>. In
this example, <code> must be a decimal number and <v-scan code>
should be a C-syntax hexadecimal number (for example, 0x001).
The easiest way to find the X key code for a key is to run xev or xmodmap -pk. Most
of the v-scan codes are covered in V-Scan Code Table on page 393. The keysym
mapping tables described in this section are also helpful.
Use this feature to make small modifications to the mapping. For example, to swap
left Ctrl and Caps Lock, use the following lines:
xkeymap.keycode.64 = 0x01d # X Caps_Lock -> VM left ctrl
xkeymap.keycode.37 = 0x03a # X Control_L -> VM caps lock
These configuration lines can be added to the individual virtual machine
configuration, to your personal VMware Workstation configuration (~/.vmware/
config), or even to the host-wide (/etc/vmware/config) or installation-wide
(usually /usr/local/lib/vmware/config) configuration.
When key code mapping cannot be used (or is disabled), VMware Workstation maps
keysyms to v-scan codes. It does this using one of the tables in the xkeymap
directory in the VMware Workstation installation (usually /usr/local/lib/
vmware).
Which table you should use depends on the keyboard layout. The normal distribution
includes tables for PC keyboards for the United States and a number of European
countries and languages. And for most of these, there are both the 101-key (or 102-
key) and the 104-key (or 105-key) variants.
VMware Workstation automatically determines which table to use by examining the
current X keymap. However, its decision-making process may sometimes fail. In
addition, each mapping is fixed and may not be completely right for any given
keyboard and X key code-to-keysym mapping. For example, a user may have
swapped Ctrl and Caps Lock using xmodmap. This means the keys are swapped in the
virtual machine when using a remote server (keysym mapping) but unswapped when
using a local server (key code mapping).
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Therefore, keysym mapping is necessarily imperfect. To make up for this defect, you
can change most of the behavior using configuration settings:
•xkeymap.language = <keyboard-type>
Use this if VMware Workstation has a table in xkeymap for your keyboard but
can’t detect it. <keyboard-type> must be one of the tables in the xkeymap
directory. (See above for location.) However, the failure to detect the keyboard
probably means the table isn’t completely correct for you.
•xkeymap.keysym.<sym> = <v-scan code>
If you use keysym mapping, map keysym <sym> to <v-scan code>. When
you do, <sym> must be an X keysym name and <v-scan code> should be a
C-syntax hexadecimal number (for example, 0x001).
The easiest way to find the keysym name for a key is to run xev or
xmodmap -pk.
The X header file /usr/X11R6/include/X11/keysymdef.h has a
complete list of keysyms. (The name of a keysym is the same as its C constant
without the XK_ prefix.) Most v-scan codes are in V-Scan Code Table on
page 393.
The xkeymap tables themselves are also helpful. Use them to fix small errors in
an existing mapping.
•xkeymap.fileName = <file-path>
Use the keysym mapping table in <file-path>. A table is a sequence of
configuration lines of the form
<sym> = <v-scan code>
where <sym> is an X keysym name, and <v-scan code> is a C-syntax
hexadecimal number (for example, 0x001). (See the explanation of
xkeymap.keysym above for tips on finding the keysyms and v-scan codes for
your keyboard.)
Compiling a complete keysym mapping is difficult. It is best to start with an
existing table and make small changes.
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V-Scan Code Table
These are the v-scan codes for the 104-key U.S. keyboard:
Symbol Shifted symbol Location V-scan code
Esc 0x001
1 ! 0x002
2 @ 0x003
3 # 0x004
4 $ 0x005
5 % 0x006
6 ^ 0x007
7 & 0x008
8 * 0x009
9 ( 0x00a
0 ) 0x00b
- _ 0x00c
= + 0x00d
Backspace 0x00e
Tab 0x00f
Q 0x010
W 0x011
E 0x012
R 0x013
T 0x014
Y 0x015
U 0x016
I 0x017
O 0x018
P 0x019
[ { 0x01a
] } 0x01b
Enter 0x01c
Ctrl left 0x01d
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A 0x01e
S 0x01f
D 0x020
F 0x021
G 0x022
H 0x023
J 0x024
K 0x025
L 0x026
; 0x027
' 0x028
` 0x029
Shift left 0x02a
\ | 0x02b
Z 0x02c
X 0x02d
C 0x02e
V 0x02f
B 0x030
N 0x031
M 0x032
, < 0x033
. > 0x034
/ ? 0x035
Shift right 0x036
* numeric pad 0x037
Alt left 0x038
Space bar 0x039
Caps Lock 0x03a
F1 0x03b
F2 0x03c
Symbol Shifted symbol Location V-scan code
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F3 0x03d
F4 0x03e
F5 0x03f
F6 0x040
F7 0x041
F8 0x042
F9 0x043
F10 0x044
Num Lock numeric pad 0x045
Scroll Lock 0x046
Home 7 numeric pad 0x047
Up arrow 8 numeric pad 0x048
PgUp 9 numeric pad 0x049
- numeric pad 0x04a
Left arrow 4 numeric pad 0x04b
5 numeric pad 0x04c
Right arrow 6 numeric pad 0x04d
+ numeric pad 0x04e
End 1 numeric pad 0x04f
Down arrow 2 numeric pad 0x050
PgDn 3 numeric pad 0x051
Ins 0 numeric pad 0x052
Del numeric pad 0x053
F11 0x057
F12 0x058
Break Pause 0x100
Enter numeric pad 0x11c
Ctrl right 0x11d
/ numeric pad 0x135
SysRq Print Scrn 0x137
Alt right 0x138
Symbol Shifted symbol Location V-scan code
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The 84-key keyboard has a Sys Req key on the numeric pad:
Keyboards outside the U.S. usually have an extra key (often < > or < > | ) next to the
left shift key:
Home function pad 0x147
Up arrow function pad 0x148
Page Up function pad 0x149
Left arrow function pad 0x14b
Right arrow function pad 0x14d
End function pad 0x14f
Down arrow function pad 0x150
Page Down function pad 0x151
Insert function pad 0x152
Delete function pad 0x153
Windows left 0x15b
Windows right 0x15c
Menu 0x15d
Symbol Shifted symbol Location V-scan code
Sys Req numeric pad 0x054
Symbol Shifted symbol Location V-scan code
< > 0x056
Symbol Shifted symbol Location V-scan code
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Using USB Devices in a Virtual Machine
VMware Workstation 5 provides a two-port USB 1.1 controller. You can use up to two
USB devices in your virtual machine if both your host operating system and your
guest operating system support USB. If your host computer supports USB 2.0 devices,
you can use those devices in the virtual machine.
Experimental support is provided for isochronous USB devices, such as webcams,
speakers, and microphones.
Note: Windows NT and Linux kernels older than 2.2.17 do not support USB.
Although your host operating system must support USB, you do not need to install
device-specific drivers for your USB devices in the host operating system if you want
to use those devices only in the virtual machine.
On a Windows 2000 host computer with USB 2.0 support, be sure you are using the
Microsoft USB 2.0 driver for the USB controller. Third-party USB 2.0 drivers, such as
those provided by some motherboard manufacturers, are not supported. For notes on
replacing the third-party drivers, see Replacing USB 2.0 Drivers on a Windows 2000
Host on page 399.
Notes on USB Support in Version 5
We have tested a variety of USB devices with this release. In general, if the guest
operating system has appropriate drivers, you should be able to use PDAs, printers,
storage (disk) devices, scanners, MP3 players, digital cameras and memory card
readers.
Modems and certain streaming data devices, such as speakers and Web cams, do not
work properly.
Enabling and Disabling the USB Controller
The virtual machine’s USB ports are enabled by default. If you will not be using USB
devices in a virtual machine, you can disable its USB controller using the virtual
machine settings editor.
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Connecting USB Devices
When a virtual machine is running, its window is the active window and a USB device
is plugged into the host computer, the device automatically connects to the guest
instead of the host. This autoconnect feature can be disabled in the USB Controller
panel of the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings). If all of the virtual
machine’s USB ports are already occupied when it is trying to connect automatically
to a new device, a dialog box gives you a choice: you can either disconnect one of the
existing USB devices to free its port or ignore the new device, allowing the device to
connect to the host.
Choose VM > Removable Devices to connect specific USB devices to your virtual
machine. You can connect up to two USB devices at a time. If the physical USB devices
are connected to the host computer through a hub, the virtual machine sees only the
USB devices, not the hub.
There is a menu item for each of the USB ports. Move the mouse over one of these
items to see a cascading menu of devices that are plugged into your host computer
and available for use. To connect a device to the virtual machine, click its name.
If a device is already connected to that port, click the name of a new device to release
the first device and connect the new one.
To release a connected device, click None on the cascading menu for the port to
which it is connected.
If you physically plug a new device into the host computer and the autoconnect
feature does not connect it to a virtual machine, the device is initially connected to
the host. Its name is also added to the VM > Removable Devices menu so you can
connect it to the virtual machine manually.
Using USB with a Windows Host
Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 hosts: When a particular
USB device is connected to a virtual machine for the first time, the host detects it as a
new device named VMware USB Device and installs the appropriate VMware driver.
Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 hosts: User confirmation is required in the
Found New Hardware Wizard. Select the default action — Install the software
automatically. Once the software is installed, the guest operating system detects the
USB device and searches for a suitable driver.
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When you are synchronizing a PDA, such as a Palm handheld or Handspring Visor, to a
virtual machine for the first time, the total time required to load the VMware USB
device driver in the host and the PDA driver in the guest may exceed the device’s
connection timeout value. This causes the device to disconnect itself from the
computer before the guest can synchronize with it. If this occurs, let the guest finish
installing the PDA driver, dismiss any connection error warnings, then try
synchronizing the PDA again. The second attempt should succeed.
Replacing USB 2.0 Drivers on a Windows 2000 Host
To use VMware Workstation 5 on a Windows 2000 host that has USB 2.0 ports, you
must use the Microsoft USB 2.0 drivers for the USB controller in the host operating
system. If your host operating system is using a third-party driver — a driver supplied
by your motherboard vendor, for example — you must replace it.
Take the following steps to check the provider of your driver:
1. Go to the Device Manager. Right-click My Computer, choose Properties, click
the Hardware tab, then click Device Manager.
2. Expand the listing for Universal Serial Bus controllers.
3. Right-click the listing for the controller and choose Properties.
4. Click the Driver tab. If the driver provider shown on that page is Microsoft, you
have the correct driver already.
If the driver provider is not Microsoft, download the latest USB driver for your host
operating system from the Microsoft Web site and follow the Microsoft instructions to
install it. Details are available in Microsoft knowledge base article 319973.
Using USB with a Linux Host
On Linux hosts, VMware Workstation uses the USB device file system to connect to
USB devices. In most Linux systems that support USB, the USB device file system is at
/proc/bus/usb.
If your host operating system uses a different path to the USB device file system, you
can change it in the virtual machine configuration .vmx file. Add the following line
to change the default usb device file system path:
usb.generic.devfsPath = "<your_path_to_usbdevfs>"
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What Has Control over a USB Device?
Only one computer — host or guest — can have control of a USB device at any one
time.
Device Control on a Windows Host
When you connect a device to a virtual machine, it is “unplugged” from the host or
from the virtual machine that previously had control of the device. When you
disconnect a device from a virtual machine, it is “plugged in” to the host.
Caution: On Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 hosts, you need
to take a special step to disconnect USB network and storage devices from the host.
There is a system tray icon called Eject Hardware on Windows 2000 and Safely Remove
Hardware on Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. Use this icon to disconnect the
device from the host before connecting it to a virtual machine.
Device Control on a Linux Host
On Linux hosts, guest operating systems can use devices that are not already in use by
the host — that is, devices that are not claimed by a host operating system driver.
If your device is in use by the host and you try to connect it to the guest using the VM
> Removable Devices menu, a dialog box appears, informing you that there is a
problem connecting to the device.
To disconnect the device from the host, you must unload the device driver. You can
unload the driver manually as root (su) using the rmmod command. Or, if the driver
was automatically loaded by hotplug, you can disable it in the hotplug
configuration files in the /etc/hotplug directory. See your Linux distribution’s
documentation for details on editing these configuration files.
A related issue sometimes affects devices that rely on automatic connection (as PDAs
often do).
If you have successfully used autoconnection to connect the device to your virtual
machine, then experience problems with the connection to the device, take the
following steps:
1. Disconnect and reconnect the device. You can either unplug it physically, then
plug it back in or use the VM > Removable Devices menu to disconnect it and
reconnect it.
2. If you see a dialog box warning that the device is in use, disable it in the
hotplug configuration files in the /etc/hotplug directory.
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Disconnecting USB Devices from a Virtual Machine
Before unplugging a USB device or using the VM > Removable Devices menu to
disconnect it from a virtual machine, be sure it is in a safe state.
You should follow the procedures the device manufacturer specifies for unplugging
the device from a physical computer. This is true whether you are physically
unplugging it, moving it from host to virtual machine, moving it between virtual
machines or moving it from virtual machine to host.
This is particularly important with data storage devices (a Zip drive, for example). If you
move a data storage device too soon after saving a file and the operating system has
not actually written the data to the disk, you can lose data.
Human Interface Devices
USB human interface devices, such as the keyboard and mouse, are not handled
though the virtual machine’s USB controller. Instead, they appear in the virtual
machine as a standard PS/2 keyboard and mouse, even though they are plugged into
USB ports on the host.
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Connecting to a Generic SCSI Device
Generic SCSI lets a virtual machine run any SCSI device that is supported by the guest
operating system in the virtual machine. Generic SCSI gives the guest operating
system direct access to SCSI devices connected to the host, such as scanners and tape
drives.
Generic SCSI on a Windows Host Operating System
Using the SCSI Generic driver in Windows, VMware Workstation allows your guest
operating system to operate generic SCSI devices — including scanners, tape drives
and other data storage devices — in a virtual machine.
Note: In order to access host SCSI devices as Generic SCSI devices from within a
virtual machine, you must run VMware Workstation as a user with administrator
access.
Device Support
In theory, generic SCSI is completely device independent, but VMware has discovered
it is sensitive to the guest operating system, device class and specific SCSI hardware.
We encourage you to try any SCSI hardware you want to use and report problems to
VMware technical support.
Note: If you are using generic SCSI devices in a Windows 95, Windows 98 or
Windows Me guest operating system and are experiencing problems with the
devices, download the latest Mylex® (BusLogic) BT/KT-958 compatible host bus
adapter from www.lsilogic.com. This driver overrides what Windows chooses as the
best driver, but it corrects known problems.
Preparing a Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 Guest Operating System to
Use SCSI Devices
To use SCSI devices in a Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 virtual machine, you
need a special SCSI driver available from the download section of the VMware Web
site www.vmware.com/download.Follow the instructions on the Web site to install the
driver.
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Preparing a Windows NT 4.0 Guest Operating System to Use SCSI Devices
Generic SCSI devices use the virtual Mylex (BusLogic) BT/KT-958 compatible host bus
adapter provided by the virtual machine. Some guest operating systems guide you
through installing the drivers after you install the first SCSI device in the virtual
machine. On Windows NT 4.0, however, you may need to install the driver manually, if
it is not already installed for a virtual SCSI disk. You should do so before you add a
generic SCSI device.
To install the BusLogic driver in a Windows NT 4.0 guest, have your Windows NT
installation CD available and follow these steps.
1. Open the SCSI Adapters control panel.
Start > Settings > Control Panel > SCSI Adapters
2. Click the Drivers tab.
3. Click Add.
4. In the list of vendors on the left, select BusLogic.
5. In the list of drivers on the right, select BusLogic MultiMaster PCI SCSI Host
Adapters.
6. Click OK.
7. Insert the Windows NT CD when you are prompted. Click OK.
8. Reboot when you are prompted.
Adding a Generic SCSI Device to a Virtual Machine
You can add generic SCSI devices to your virtual machine in the virtual machine
settings editor. When you set up a generic SCSI device, the virtual machine must be
powered off.
1. If it is not already running, launch VMware Workstation.
Start > Programs > VMware > VMware Workstation
2. Open the virtual machine in which you want to use the generic SCSI device.
Make sure the virtual machine is powered off.
3. From the VMware Workstation window, choose VM > Settings. The virtual
machine settings editor opens.
4. Click Add to start the Add Hardware Wizard. Click Next.
5. Select Generic SCSI Device, then click Next.
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6. Choose the name of the physical device you want to use.
Then choose the virtual device node where you want this device to appear in
the virtual machine.
A check box under Device status allows you to specify whether the device
should be connected each time the virtual machine is powered on.
7. Click Finish to install the new device.
8. Click OK to save the configuration and close the virtual machine settings editor.
To remove this device, launch the virtual machine settings editor, select the generic
SCSI device, then click Remove.
Generic SCSI on a Linux Host Operating System
Using the SCSI Generic driver in Linux, VMware Workstation allows your guest
operating system to operate generic SCSI devices within a virtual machine. The SCSI
Generic driver sets up a mapping for each SCSI device in /dev. Each entry starts with
sg (for the SCSI Generic driver) followed by a letter. For example, /dev/sga is the
first generic SCSI device.
Each entry corresponds to a SCSI device, in the order specified in
/proc/scsi/scsi, from the lowest device ID on the lowest adapter to the
highest device ID on the lowest adapter, and so on to the highest device ID on the
highest adapter. Do not enter /dev/st0 or /dev/scd0.
Note: When setting up a generic SCSI device in the virtual machine settings editor,
as described later in this section, you specify the device you wish to install in the
virtual machine by typing its /dev/sg entry in the Connection field. You must be
logged on as a user who has permissions to use the device.
Requirements
Generic SCSI requires version 2.1.36 of the SCSI Generic (sg.o) driver, which comes
with kernel 2.2.14 and higher.
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Avoiding Concurrent Access to a Generic SCSI Device
Under Linux some devices — specifically tape drives, disk drives and CD-ROM drives
— already have a designated /dev entry (traditionally, st, sd and scd, respectively).
When the SCSI Generic driver is installed, Linux also identifies these devices with
corresponding sg entries in /dev — in addition to their traditional entries. VMware
Workstation ensures that multiple programs are not using the same /dev/sg entry
at the same time but cannot always ensure that multiple programs are not using the
/dev/sg and the traditional /dev entry at the same time. It is important that you
do not attempt to use the same device in both host and guest. This can cause
unexpected behavior and may cause loss or corruption of data.
Permissions on a Generic SCSI Device
You must have read and write permissions on a given generic SCSI device in order to
use the device within a virtual machine, even if the device is a read-only device such
as a CD-ROM drive. These devices typically default to root-only permissions. Your
administrator should create a group with access to read and write to these devices,
then add the appropriate users to that group.
Device Support
In theory, generic SCSI is completely device independent, but VMware has discovered
it is sensitive to the guest operating system, device class and specific SCSI hardware.
We encourage you to try any SCSI hardware you want to use and report problems to
VMware technical support.
Note: If you are using generic SCSI devices in a Windows 95, Windows 98 or
Windows Me guest operating system and are experiencing problems with the
devices, download the latest Mylex (BusLogic) BT/KT-958 compatible host bus adapter
from www.lsilogic.com. This driver overrides what Windows chooses as the best driver,
but it corrects known problems. To use SCSI devices in a Windows XP or Windows
Server 2003 virtual machine, you need a special SCSI driver available from the
download section of the VMware Web site at www.vmware.com/download.
Adding a Generic SCSI Device to a Virtual Machine
You can add generic SCSI devices to your virtual machine in the virtual machine
settings editor. The virtual machine settings editor lets you map virtual SCSI devices to
physical generic SCSI devices on the host.
When you set up a generic SCSI device, the virtual machine must be powered off.
1. Launch VMware Workstation and select the virtual machine. Make sure the
virtual machine is powered off.
2. Choose VM > Settings. The virtual machine settings editor opens.
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3. Click Add to start the Add Hardware Wizard. Select Generic SCSI Device, then
click Next.
4. Choose the name of the physical device you want to use.
Then choose the virtual device node where you want this device to appear in
the virtual machine.
A check box under Device status allows you to specify whether the device
should be connected each time the virtual machine is powered on.
5. Click Finish to install the new device.
6. Click OK to save the configuration and close the virtual machine settings editor.
To remove this device, launch the virtual machine settings editor, select the generic
SCSI device, then click Remove.
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Performance Tuning
The following sections offer suggestions for getting the best performance from
VMware Workstation and your virtual machines:
•Configuring and Maintaining the Host Computer on page 408
•Configuring VMware Workstation on page 410
•Monitoring Virtual Machine Performance on page 416
•Memory Usage Notes on page 418
•Improving Performance for Guest Operating Systems on page 424
•Disk I/O Performance Tips on page 429
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Configuring and Maintaining the Host
Computer
The host computer is an obvious place to look to improve performance. This section
discusses these key areas:
•Location of the Working Directory on page 408
•Defragmentation of Disk Drives on page 408
•Adequate Free Disk Space on page 409
•NIC Interrupt Coalescing on page 409
Location of the Working Directory
The installer locates the working directory — holding the virtual disk files — on the
host computer. You can customize your configuration to place the working directory
or the virtual disk files on a different physical computer. There may be performance
advantages to such customization.
Defragmentation of Disk Drives
Host disks, virtual disks and guest disks all affect the performance of VMware
Workstation. See Defragmenting Virtual Disks on page 193 for the procedures.
Host Hard Drives
Performance is weakened by fragmentation on the physical disk holding the virtual
machine’s working directory or virtual disk files. Fragmentation of the host disk can
affect any or all of the following:
•The files that hold a virtual disk
•The files that store newly saved data when you have a snapshot
•The files that hold information used in suspending and resuming a virtual
machine
If you are experiencing slow disk performance in the virtual machine, or if you want to
improve the speed of suspend and resume operations, check to be sure the host disk
that holds the virtual machine’s working directory and virtual disk files is not badly
fragmented. If it is fragmented, you can improve performance by running a
defragmentation utility to reduce fragmentation on that host disk.
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Virtual Drives
Use the Workstation application to defragment virtual disks. See Defragmenting
Virtual Disks on page 193.
Guest Operating System Drives
It is strongly recommended that you defragment using a guest operating system
mechanism before taking the first snapshot (or linked clone).
•Workstation makes all its changes to the redo log, not to the original disk, when
you run a defragmenting program on the guest after a snapshot. You lose the
ability to defragment inside the original disk forever.
•Every sector that moves is copied to the redo log, making the virtual machine
redo log extremely large when the disk is heavily fragmented and you run
defragmentation after a snapshot.
Performance Impact of Defragmenting Snapshots and Linked Clones
There may be a performance impact when you defragment a linked clone or a virtual
machine with a snapshot. Exact performance degradation depends on:
•The fragmentation of the parent virtual machine disk when you created the
snapshot or linked clone.
•The nature of the subsequent updates to the parent virtual machine disk.
Defragmentation tends to make the redo file grow. The redo file itself can become
defragmented with respect to the host file system. If your use of virtual machines is
strongly performance oriented, you should avoid defragmenting — or using — linked
clones and snapshots.
Adequate Free Disk Space
For better performance, avoid the situation of very low free space on the host disk.
Performance can degrade considerably when VMware Workstation has to use a
nearly-full host hard disk to write guest sparse disk, snapshot, checkpoint, or redo files.
NIC Interrupt Coalescing
Increasing host NIC interrupt coalescing can improve performance for workloads
involving heavy network traffic into the guest. Interrupt coalescing is a feature
implemented in hardware under driver control on high-performance NICs, allowing
the reception of a group of network frames to be notified to the operating system
kernel via a single hardware interrupt.
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Configuring VMware Workstation
This section offers advice and information about factors that can affect the
performance of VMware Workstation itself. This section does not address performance
of the guest operating system or the host operating system.
Note: In addition to the VMware Workstation configuration options discussed below,
you should always install VMware Tools in any guest operating system for which a
VMware Tools package exists. Installing VMware Tools provides better video and
mouse performance and also greatly improves the usability of the virtual machine. For
details, see Installing VMware Tools on page 120.
General VMware Workstation Options
Guest Operating System Selection
Make certain you select the correct guest operating system for each of your virtual
machines. To check the guest operating system setting, choose VM > Settings >
Options > General.
VMware Workstation optimizes certain internal configurations on the basis of this
selection. For this reason, it is important to set the guest operating system correctly.
The optimizations can greatly aid the operating system they target, but they may
cause significant performance degradation if there is a mismatch between the
selection and the operating system actually running in the virtual machine. (Selecting
the wrong guest operating system should not cause a virtual machine to run
incorrectly, but it may degrade the virtual machine’s performance.)
Memory Settings
Make sure to choose a reasonable amount of memory for your virtual machine. Many
modern operating systems have a growing need for memory, so assigning a generous
amount is a good thing.
The same holds true for the host operating system, especially a Windows host.
The New Virtual Machine Wizard automatically selects a reasonable starting point for
the virtual machine’s memory, but you may be able to improve performance by
adjusting the settings in the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings >
Memory).
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If you plan to run one virtual machine at a time most of the time, a good starting point
is to give the virtual machine half the memory available on the host.
Adjusting the application memory settings may also help. Go to Edit > Preferences >
Memory.
For additional information, see Memory Usage Notes on page 418.
Debugging Mode
VMware Workstation can run in two modes — normal mode and a mode that
provides extra debugging information. The debugging mode is slower than normal
mode.
For normal use, check to be sure you are not running in debugging mode. Choose VM
> Settings > Options and select Advanced. In the Advanced Options section, be sure
there is no check in the Run with debugging information check box.
CD-ROM Drive Polling
Some operating systems — including Windows NT and Windows 98 — poll the CD-
ROM drive every second or so to see whether a disc is present. (This allows them to
run autorun programs.) This polling can cause VMware Workstation to connect to the
host CD-ROM drive, which can make it spin up while the virtual machine appears to
pause.
If you have a CD-ROM drive that takes especially long to spin up, there are two ways
you can eliminate these pauses.
•You can disable the polling inside your guest operating system. The method
varies by operating system. For recent Microsoft Windows operating systems,
the easiest way is to use TweakUI from the PowerToys utilities.
For information on finding TweakUI and installing it in your guest operating
system, go to www.microsoft.com and search for TweakUI. Specific instructions
depend on your operating system.
•Another approach is to configure your virtual CD-ROM drive to start
disconnected. The drive appears in the virtual machine, but it always appears to
contain no disc (and VMware Workstation does not connect to your host CD-
ROM drive).
To make this change, choose VM > Settings. Click the DVD/CD-ROM item in the
Device list. Then clear the Connect at Power On check box.
When you want to use a CD-ROM in the virtual machine, choose VM >
Removable Devices menu and connect the CD-ROM drive.
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Disk Options
The various disk options (SCSI versus IDE) and types (virtual or raw) affect performance
in a number of ways.
Inside a virtual machine, SCSI disks and IDE disks that use direct memory access (DMA)
have approximately the same performance. However, IDE disks can be very slow in a
guest operating system that either cannot use or is not set to use DMA.
The easiest way to configure a Linux guest to use DMA for IDE drive access is to install
VMware Tools (VM > Install VMware Tools). Among other things, the installation
process automatically sets IDE virtual drives to use DMA.
In Windows 2000, DMA access is enabled by default. In other Windows guest
operating systems, the method for changing the setting varies with the operating
system. See the following technical notes for details.
•Windows NT Disk Performance on Multiprocessor Hosts on page 427
•Windows 95 and Windows 98 Guest Operating System Performance Tips on
page 424
When a snapshot exists, virtual disks often have very good performance for random or
nonsequential access. But they can potentially become so fragmented that
performance is affected. In order to defragment the disk, you must first delete the
snapshot (VM > Snapshot > Snapshot Manager > Delete).
When no snapshot exists, raw disks and virtual disks with all the space allocated in
advance both use flat files that mimic the sequential and random access performance
of the underlying disk. When a snapshot exists and you have made changes since
powering on the virtual machine, any access to those changed files performs at a level
similar to the performance of a virtual disk that does not have all space allocated in
advance. If you delete the snapshot, performance is again similar to that of the
underlying disk.
Overall, if no snapshot exists and you are using raw disks or virtual disks with all the
space allocated in advance, you see somewhat better performance than that
provided by other configurations.
Disk writes may be slower for virtual disks that do not have all space allocated in
advance. However, you can improve performance for these disks by defragmenting
them from the virtual machine settings editor. Choose VM > Settings, select the disk
you want to defragment, then click Defragment.
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Remote Disk Access
Whenever possible, do not use disks that are on remote machines and accessed over
the network unless you have a very fast network. If you must run disks remotely,
choose VM > Settings > Options, select General and set the Working directory to a
directory on your local hard disk. Then take a snapshot. After you take the snapshot,
changes you make are stored locally in the working directory.
Snapshot
If you do not need to use the snapshot feature, it is best to run your virtual machine
with no snapshot. This provides best performance. To be sure a virtual machine has no
snapshot, choose VM > Snapshot > Snapshot Manager. If you see a snapshot you do
not want, select it and click the Delete button.
Defragmentation
See Defragmentation of Disk Drives on page 408 for information about keeping disk
drives efficient.
VMware Workstation on a Windows Host
Note: The items in this section describe performance of VMware Workstation on a
Windows host. For tips on configuring VMware Workstation on a Linux host, see
VMware Workstation on a Linux Host on page 415.
•Process Scheduling
•Windows Host Disk Caching
Process Scheduling
Note: The information in this section was created to address scheduling problems
with Windows NT. Although Windows NT is no longer supported as a host OS,
VMware currently has no corresponding information for Windows 2000, Windows XP
or Windows Server 2003 hosts.
The process scheduler on Windows NT does not necessarily schedule processes in a
way that allows you to get the best performance from your particular combination of
virtual machines and applications running on the host. VMware Workstation on a
Windows host provides configuration options that let you adjust scheduling priorities
to meet your needs.
These configuration options are available from the Edit > Preferences > Priority and
VM > Settings > Options > Advanced menu options. These menu items allow you to
specify either high or normal priority when the mouse and keyboard are grabbed by
the virtual machine and either normal or low priority when they are not grabbed.
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Global priority is taken as the default across all virtual machines. Local priority
overrides the global settings for just the specific virtual machine where you make the
changes.
Pay particular attention to the grabbed: HIGH – ungrabbed: NORMAL and grabbed:
NORMAL – ungrabbed: LOW settings.
The grabbed: HIGH – ungrabbed: NORMAL setting is useful if you have many
background processes or applications and you do not care if they run with fairly low
relative priority while VMware Workstation is in the foreground. In return, you get a
very noticeable performance boost using a VMware Workstation virtual machine
while another virtual machine is running or while some other processor-intensive task
(a compile, for example) is running in the background.
The reverse is true of the grabbed: NORMAL – ungrabbed: LOW setting. If your host
machine feels too sluggish when a virtual machine is running in the background, you
can direct the virtual machine to drop its priority when it does not have control of the
mouse and keyboard. As with the high setting, this is a heavy-handed change of
priority, so the virtual machine and any background applications run much more
slowly.
Windows Host Disk Caching
On Windows Host, the Disk Properties Policies page associated with each hard drive
provides a checkbox concerning enabling write caching on the disk and, in some
cases, enabling advanced performance on the disk. Checking one or both of these
boxes can improve host disk performance in general, and checking them for the host
disks containing VMware virtual disk files can improve VMware disk performance in
particular, especially when VMware is making heavy use of the disk.
Caution: Power outage or equipment failure could result in data loss or corruption
with this option enabled.
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VMware Workstation on a Linux Host
Note: The items in this section describe performance of VMware Workstation on a
Linux host. For tips on configuring VMware Workstation on a Windows host, see
VMware Workstation on a Windows Host on page 413.
Using Full Screen Mode
Full screen mode is faster than window mode. As a result, if you do not need to have
your virtual machine and your host sharing the screen, try switching to full screen
mode.
Note: The extreme case of this is VGA mode. VGA mode is any mode in which the
screen is in text mode (DOS, for example, or Linux virtual terminals), or 16-color 640 x
480 graphics mode (for example, the Windows 95 or Windows 98 clouds boot screen
or any guest operating system that is running without the SVGA driver provided by
VMware Tools).
On a Linux host, full screen VGA mode uses the underlying video card directly, so
graphics performance is quite close to that of the host. By contrast, window mode
VGA requires more computer resources to emulate than window mode SVGA. As a
result, if you need to run for an extended period of time in VGA mode (for example,
when you are installing an operating system using a graphical installer) you should
see a significant performance boost if you run in full screen mode.
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Monitoring Virtual Machine
Performance
VMware Workstation incorporates a set of performance counters that work with
Microsoft’s Performance console so you can collect performance data from running
virtual machines.
Note: The Performance console is available only on Windows hosts. You cannot
monitor performance for virtual machines on Linux hosts. However, you can monitor
the performance of any virtual machines running on the Windows host, including
those running Linux guest operating systems.
The VMware Workstation performance counters can monitor the following data from
a running virtual machine:
•Reading and writing to virtual disks
•Memory used by the virtual machine
•Virtual network traffic
You can track virtual machine performance only when a virtual machine is running.
The performance counters reflect the state of the virtual machine, not the guest
operating system. For example, the counters can record how often a virtual machine
reads from a virtual disk, but they cannot track how many processes are running
inside the guest operating system. An explanation of each counter appears in the
Performance console.
To add counters to track virtual machine performance, use the Windows Performance
console. Take the following steps.
1. Open the Administrative Tools control panel and double-click Performance. The
Performance console opens.
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2. Click the plus (+) sign on the toolbar. The Add Counters dialog box appears.
3. In the Performance object list, select VMware.
4. Decide whether you want to add all counters or select specific counters from the
list.
5. To use these counters for all running virtual machines, select All instances. To
use the counters for specific virtual machines, select Select instances from list,
then choose the virtual machines you want. The names shown in the list
correspond to the display names of running virtual machines.
Note: For a brief description of each counter, click Explain. When you select a
counter from the list, a description appears below the Add Counters dialog box.
6. Click Add to add the counters to the Performance console.
For more information about using the Performance console, choose Action > Help in
the Performance console or go to the Microsoft Web site.
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Memory Usage Notes
VMware Workstation allows you to make the following memory-related settings:
•The memory size of a particular virtual machine
•The amount of the host computer’s RAM that can be used for virtual machines.
•The extent to which you want to allow the host operating system’s memory
manager to swap virtual machines out of physical RAM
By adjusting these three settings, you can affect both virtual machine and overall
system performance.
This section describes how VMware Workstation uses the memory configuration
parameters to manage virtual machines and system memory properly.
Virtual Machine Memory Size
The first configuration parameter you can set is the size of an individual virtual
machine’s memory. Set this configuration parameter for the virtual machine in the
virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings > Memory). The guest memory size
should not be set lower than the minimum recommendations of the operating
system provider.
The New Virtual Machine Wizard sets reasonable defaults for the memory size of a
virtual machine, based on the type of the guest operating system and the amount of
memory in the host computer. This value also appears in the virtual machine settings
editor as the recommended memory value.
The virtual machine settings editor also shows a value for the maximum amount of
memory for best performance. If you have only one virtual machine running on the
host and you set virtual machine memory to this value, the virtual machine can run
entirely in RAM. A virtual machine running completely in RAM performs better than a
virtual machine that must swap some of its memory to disk.
The actual memory size you should give to a virtual machine depends on a few
practical considerations:
•What kinds of applications will run in the virtual machine
•What other virtual machines will contend with this virtual machine for memory
resources
•What applications will run on the host at the same time as the virtual machine
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Note: You cannot allocate more than 2 GB of memory to a virtual machine when the
virtual machine’s files are stored on a host file system that does not support files
greater than 2 GB — for example, FAT.
The total amount of memory you assign to all virtual machines running on a single
host may not exceed 4 GB.
Memory Use on the Host
Host operating systems do not behave well when they run low on free memory for
their own use. When a Windows or Linux host operating system does not have
enough RAM for its own use, it thrashes — it constantly swaps parts of itself between
RAM and its paging file on disk. To help guard against virtual machines causing the
host to thrash, VMware Workstation enforces a limit on the total amount of RAM that
may be consumed by virtual machines.
Some memory must be kept available on the host to ensure the host is able to
operate properly while virtual machines are running. The amount of memory reserved
for the host depends on the host operating system and the size of the host
computer’s memory.
Memory Sharing
Many workloads present opportunities for sharing memory across virtual machines.
For example, several virtual machines may be running instances of the same guest
operating system, have the same applications or components loaded or contain
common data.
VMware Workstation uses a proprietary transparent page sharing technique to
securely eliminate redundant copies of memory pages. With memory sharing, a
workload often consumes less memory than it would when running on a physical
machine. As a result, the system can support higher levels of overcommitment
efficiently. The amount of memory saved by memory sharing is highly dependent on
workload characteristics. A workload consisting of many nearly-identical virtual
machines may free up more than 30 percent of memory, while a more diverse
workload may result in savings of less than 5 percent of memory.
VMware Workstation memory sharing runs as a background activity that scans for
sharing opportunities over time. The amount of memory saved may vary over time;
for a fairly constant workload, the amount generally increases slowly until all sharing
opportunities are exploited.
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Specifying How Much RAM Is Used by All Virtual Machines
The second configuration parameter you can set is the amount of RAM that VMware
Workstation is allowed to reserve for all running virtual machines combined. To set
this parameter, go to Edit > Preferences > Memory.
The reserved memory setting specifies a maximum amount of RAM that VMware
Workstation is allowed to use. But this memory is not allocated in advance. Even if
multiple virtual machines are running at the same time, VMware Workstation may be
using only a fraction of the RAM you specify here. Any unused RAM is available to be
used by other applications. If all the RAM you specify here is in use by one or more
virtual machines, the host operating system cannot use this RAM itself or allow other
applications to use it.
The RAM used by VMware Workstation includes the RAM made available to the guest
operating systems plus a small amount of overhead memory associated with running
a virtual machine.
The amount of RAM actually used for a particular virtual machine varies dynamically as
a virtual machine runs. If multiple virtual machines run simultaneously, they work
together to manage the memory.
The recommended amount of RAM to specify for all running virtual machines is
calculated on the basis of the host computer’s physical memory and appears in the
reserved memory control — Edit > Preferences > Memory. If you want VMware
Workstation to use more or less RAM, move this slider to change the amount.
If you set this value too high, the host may thrash when other applications are run on
the host. If you set this value too low, virtual machines may perform very poorly and
you cannot run as many virtual machines at once.
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Using Additional Memory
By default, VMware Workstation limits the number of virtual machines that can run at
once based on the amount of memory specified in the application settings. This
prevents virtual machines from causing each other to perform poorly.
To allow more or larger virtual machines to run, you can adjust a third setting — the
amount of virtual machine memory that the host operating system may swap to disk.
To change this setting, go to Edit > Preferences > Memory and change the additional
memory setting. Select one of the following radio buttons:
•Fit all virtual machine memory into reserved host RAM — Strictly apply the
reserved memory limit set in the top of the panel. This setting imposes the
tightest restrictions on the number and memory size of virtual machines that
may run at a given time. Because the virtual machines are running entirely in
RAM, they have the best possible performance.
•Allow some virtual machine memory to be swapped — Allow the host
operating system to swap a moderate amount of virtual machine memory to
disk if necessary. This setting allows you to increase the number or memory size
of virtual machines that can run on the host computer at a given time. It may
also result in reduced performance if virtual machine memory must be shifted
between RAM and disk.
•Allow most virtual machine memory to be swapped — Allow the host
operating system to swap as much virtual machine memory to disk as it wants.
This setting allows you to run even more virtual machines with even more
memory than the intermediate setting does. In this case, too, performance may
be lower if virtual machine memory must be shifted between RAM and disk.
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Using More Than 1GB of Memory on a Linux Host
By default, Linux kernels in the 2.2.x series support 1GB of physical memory. If you
want to use more memory in Linux, you can take one of several approaches.
•Upgrade to a 2.4.x series kernel that allows for more physical memory.
•Recompile your kernel as a 2GB kernel using the CONFIG_2GB option.
•Enable the CONFIG_BIGMEM option to map more physical memory. (This
approach requires special steps, described in detail in the Workarounds section
below, to work with VMware products.)
The CONFIG_2GB option calls for recompiling your kernel as a 2GB kernel. You do this
by recompiling your kernel with CONFIG_2GB enabled. This allows Linux to support
nearly 2GB of physical memory by dividing the address space into a 2GB user section
and a 2GB kernel section (as opposed to the normal division of 3GB for user and 1GB
for kernel).
The third approach uses the CONFIG_BIGMEM option in Linux. With the
CONFIG_BIGMEM option enabled, the kernel does not directly address all of physical
memory and it can then map 1GB (or 2GB) of physical memory into the address space
at a time. This allows the use of all of physical memory at the cost of changing the
semantics the kernel uses to map virtual to physical addresses. However, VMware
products expect physical memory to be mapped directly in the kernel’s address space
and thus do not work properly with the CONFIG_BIGMEM option enabled.
Workarounds
If you are using a 1GB kernel with CONFIG_BIGMEM enabled and have 960MB to
1983MB of memory, VMware Workstation does not run. To work around this issue, you
can either:
•Recompile the kernel as a 2GB kernel by enabling the CONFIG_2GB option. This
allows for 100 percent use of physical memory.
•Pass the boot-time switch mem=959M at the LILO prompt, or add it to
lilo.conf, to disable CONFIG_BIGMEM and thus allow you to run VMware
Workstation. To do this:
• At the LILO prompt, type linux-2.2.16xxx mem=959M.
• Or, edit lilo.conf. In the kernel section, add this line:
append mem="959M"
If you have a 1GB kernel with CONFIG_BIGMEM enabled and have more than 1983MB
of memory, you can do one of the following:
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•Recompile the kernel as a 2GB kernel by enabling the CONFIG_2GB option and
either pass the boot-time switch mem=1983M at the LILO prompt or add it to
lilo.conf. To use the switch:
• At the LILO prompt, type linux-2.2.16xxx mem=1983M.
• Or, edit lilo.conf. In the kernel section, add this line:
append mem="1983M"
•Pass the boot-time switch mem=959M at the LILO prompt or add it to
lilo.conf to disable CONFIG_BIGMEM. To use the switch:
• At the LILO prompt, type linux-2.2.16xxx mem=959M.
• Or, edit lilo.conf. In the kernel section, add this line:
append mem="959M"
If you are using a 2GB kernel with CONFIG_BIGMEM enabled and have 1984MB or
more memory, VMware Workstation does not run. You can either pass the boot-time
switch mem=1983M at the LILO prompt, or add it to lilo.conf to disable
CONFIG_BIGMEM and thus allow you to run VMware Workstation. To use the switch:
• At the LILO prompt, type linux-2.2.16xxx mem=1983M.
• Or, edit lilo.conf. In the kernel section, add this line:
append mem="1983M"
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Improving Performance for Guest
Operating Systems
The tips in this section help you make adjustments to improve performance for
particular guest operating systems running inside a virtual machine.
•Windows 95 and Windows 98 Guest Operating System Performance Tips on
page 424
•Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Guest Operating System
Performance Tips on page 426
•Windows NT Disk Performance on Multiprocessor Hosts on page 427
•Linux Guest Operating System Performance Tips on page 427
See Defragmentation of Disk Drives on page 408 for information about keeping disk
drives efficient for all guest operating systems.
Windows 95 and Windows 98 Guest Operating System
Performance Tips
This section offers advice for configuring a Windows 95 or Windows 98 guest
operating system for better performance inside a VMware Workstation virtual
machine.
Note: This document pertains to the guest operating system that is running inside a
VMware Workstation virtual machine. It does not describe actions that should be
taken on the host.
Guest Operating System Selection
Make certain you have selected the correct guest operating system in the virtual
machine settings editor — VM > Settings > Options.
VMware Tools
Make certain VMware Tools is installed. VMware Tools provides an optimized SVGA
driver and sets up the VMware Tools service to run automatically when the system
starts. Among other things, the VMware Tools service allows you to synchronize the
virtual machine’s clock with the host computer’s clock, which can improve
performance for some functions. You can install VMware Tools by choosing VM >
Install VMware Tools.
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DMA Mode for IDE Disks
Windows 95 OSR2 and later (including Windows 98) can use direct memory access
(DMA) for faster access to IDE hard disks. However, this feature may not be enabled by
default.
You can turn on DMA access using the guest operating system’s Device Manager.
1. Right-click My Computer and choose Properties from the pop-up menu.
2. Click the + sign beside Disk Drives to show your virtual machine’s individual
drives.
3. Right-click the entry for each IDE drive to open its Properties dialog box.
4. Under Settings, check the box labeled DMA and accept any warning Windows
displays.
5. Restart Windows for the new settings to take effect.
Full Screen Mode
Run your virtual machine in full screen mode. Click the Full Screen button on the
VMware Workstation toolbar.
Swap File Usage
In your system.ini file, in the [386enh] section, add the following line:
ConservativeSwapFileUsage=1
Visual Effects
Windows 98 has a number of visual effects, designed to be attractive, that place
unnecessary demands on the graphics emulation in VMware Workstation. Some users
have seen performance improvements when they turn off these special effects.
To modify these settings, right-click on the desktop of your virtual machine, then
select Properties from the pop-up menu. Click the Effects tab and uncheck the
Animate windows, menus, and lists check box.
Also, if you have Show window contents while dragging checked, try unchecking
that check box.
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Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Guest
Operating System Performance Tips
This section offers advice for configuring a Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows
Server 2003 guest operating system for better performance inside a VMware
Workstation virtual machine.
Note: This document pertains to the guest operating system that is running inside a
VMware Workstation virtual machine. It does not describe actions that should be
taken on Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 running on the host
computer.
Guest Operating System Selection
Make certain you have selected the correct guest operating system in the virtual
machine settings editor — VM > Settings > Options.
VMware Tools
Make certain VMware Tools is installed. VMware Tools provides an optimized SVGA
driver and sets up the VMware Tools service to run automatically when the system
starts. Among other things, the VMware Tools service allows you to synchronize the
virtual machine’s clock with the host computer’s clock, which can improve
performance for some functions. You can install VMware Tools by choosing VM >
Install VMware Tools.
Visual Effects
The fade effects that Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 use when
displaying menus can be somewhat slow and make the virtual machine seem less
responsive.
To disable the fade effects, right-click the guest operating system desktop, then
choose Properties > Appearance > Effects (on Windows XP or Windows Server 2003)
or Properties > Effects (on Windows 2000) and uncheck Use transition effects for
menus and tool tips.
Full Screen Mode
Run your virtual machine in full screen mode. Click the Full Screen button on the
VMware Workstation toolbar.
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Windows NT Disk Performance on Multiprocessor Hosts
Some users have seen a problem in a VMware Workstation virtual machine using IDE
virtual disks on a multiprocessor host computer. The I/O issue is especially noticeable
when the virtual machine is booting.
Note: Performance in Windows NT guest operating systems may also be affected by
disk fragmentation on the host computer. For details, see Configuring and
Maintaining the Host Computer on page 408.
Improving Performance
You may increase performance by enabling DMA (direct memory access) on the
virtual hard disk’s IDE channel in the virtual machine.
If you have a virtual disk and a DVD/CD-ROM attached as master and slave to the
primary IDE controller (channel 0) and you want to enable DMA, power off the virtual
machine and use the virtual machine settings editor (VM > Settings) to move the
DVD/CD-ROM drive to the secondary IDE controller (channel 1) at IDE 1:0.
You can enable the DMA feature after you finish installing Windows NT. You must
install Service Pack 6a. Download DMACHECK.EXE from the Microsoft Web site
(support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q191/7/74.ASP) and run it.
Click the Enabled option for the IDE controller and channel configured for the virtual
disk. Typically, this is channel 0 only, unless you have the virtual machine configured
with multiple virtual disks and no virtual DVD/CD-ROM drive.
As noted above, you should not enable DMA on an IDE channel with a virtual DVD/
CD-ROM drive attached.
Linux Guest Operating System Performance Tips
This section offers advice for configuring a Linux guest operating system for better
performance inside a VMware Workstation virtual machine.
Note: This document pertains to the guest operating system that is running inside a
VMware Workstation virtual machine. It does not describe actions that should be
taken on Linux running on the host.
Guest Operating System Selection
Make certain you have selected the correct guest operating system in the virtual
machine settings editor — VM > Settings > Options.
VMware Tools
Make certain VMware Tools is installed. VMware Tools provides an optimized SVGA
driver and sets up the VMware Tools service to run automatically when the system
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starts. Among other things, the VMware Tools service allows you to synchronize the
virtual machine’s clock with the host computer’s clock, which can improve
performance for some functions. You can install VMware Tools by choosing VM >
Install VMware Tools.
Disconnect CD-ROM
Using the VM > Removable Devices menu, disconnect your CD-ROM drive if you do
not need to use it. Disconnecting CDROM devices reduces CPU usage.
Install in Text Mode
When you are installing your Linux guest operating system, use the text-mode
installer instead of the graphical installer if you have a choice. This makes the
installation process faster.
If you do use a graphical installer and if you are using a Linux host computer, try to run
VMware Workstation in full screen mode during the installation.
Full Screen Mode
Run your virtual machine in full screen mode. Click the Full Screen button on the
VMware Workstation toolbar.
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Disk I/O Performance Tips
Memory Trimming
Workstation uses a memory trimming technique to de-allocate unused virtual
machine memory for the host to re-allocate. Trimming usually has little impact on
performance, and it may be needed in low memory situations. However, memory
trimming can interfere with disk-oriented performance in a guest.
To disable memory trimming for a particular guest, add the following line to the
virtual machine configuration (.vmx) file:
MemTrimRate=0
Page Sharing
VMware uses a page sharing technique to allow guest memory pages with identical
contents to be stored as a single copy-on-write page. Page sharing decreases host
memory usage, but consumes system resources, potentially including I/O bandwidth.
You may want to avoid this overhead for guests for which host memory is plentiful
and I/O latency is important. To disable page sharing, add the following line to the
virtual machine configuration (.vmx) file:
sched.mem.pshare.enable=FALSE option
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Special-Purpose Configuration
Options
The following sections describe how to use special-purpose configuration options:
•Locking Out Interface Features on page 433
•Restricting the User Interface on page 435
•Using Full Screen Switch Mode on page 438
•Guest ACPI S1 Sleep on page 446
In some situations you may find it useful to restrict a user’s ability to reconfigure virtual
machines and to simplify the user interface for inexperienced users. In a classroom, for
example, you may want to ensure that virtual machine configurations remain
consistent from one class session to the next.
The special-purpose configuration options available on Windows hosts meet these
needs.
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Administrative lockout is a global setting for VMware Workstation itself and affects all
virtual machines. Restricted user interface affects only the specific virtual machines for
which the setting has been made. Full screen switch mode affects the way VMware
Workstation itself runs and, as a result, affects all virtual machines.
These options are available on Windows hosts only.
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Locking Out Interface Features
Administrative lockout is a global setting that affects all virtual machines for all users
on a host computer. It allows a user to impose any combination of the following
restrictions:
•Only a user who knows the password can create new virtual machines.
•Only a user who knows the password can edit virtual machine configurations.
•Only a user who knows the password can edit network settings.
Note: If no user has yet set administrative lockout preferences, any user may set
them and set a password for access to the administrative lockout features. If any user
has already set administrative lockout preferences, you must know the password in
order to change the settings.
Take the following steps to set administrative lockout preferences:
1. Open the Application Settings dialog box (Edit > Preferences).
2. Click the Lockout tab. If a password is already set for the administrative lockout
feature, enter the password when prompted.
3. Be sure Enable administrative lockout is selected and select the actions you
want to restrict. If this is the first time administrative lockout options have been
set, enter a password in the Password field and again in the Confirm password
field.
4. Click OK to save the settings.
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Removing a Forgotten Password
If you cannot remember the password and want to remove it, you must uninstall
Workstation. Be sure to click Yes when asked if you want to remove the administrative
lockout settings. After you reinstall Workstation, you may enable the administrative
lockout features again and set a new password.
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Restricting the User Interface
The restricted user interface affects only the specific virtual machines for which the
setting has been made. The following changes are made when you enable the
restricted user interface:
•The toolbar is always hidden.
•All functions on the Power menu are disabled.
•All functions on the Snapshot menu and snapshot functions on the toolbar are
disabled.
•There is no access to the virtual machine settings editor from the VMware
Workstation window.
•The user cannot change virtual networking settings.
•The user starts the virtual machine by double-clicking the configuration file
(.vmx file) or a desktop shortcut to that file. The virtual machine powers on
automatically. At the end of the working session, the user shuts down by closing
the virtual machine (File > Exit).
It is also possible to launch VMware Workstation, then open a restricted-interface
virtual machine from the virtual machine list or the File menu.
The changes needed to enable the restricted user interface must be made by a user
with sufficient privileges to edit the virtual machine’s configuration file and to set file
permissions as described below.
Take the following steps to enable the restricted user interface.
1. Power off the virtual machine and close the VMware Workstation window, then
open the virtual machine’s configuration file (.vmx file) in Notepad or another
text editor. Add the following line anywhere in the file:
gui.restricted = "true"
2. You may wish to set file permissions on the configuration file to give normal
users of the system only read access to the file, so they cannot manually modify
the configuration.
3. For the convenience of users, create a shortcut to the configuration file on the
desktop and give it an appropriate name.
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Note: Although the restricted user interface provides no access to menu and toolbar
controls for the snapshot, you may choose to give the user limited snapshot control. If
you set up a snapshot for the restricted virtual machine and set the power-off option
to Ask me, the user sees the standard dialog box when shutting down a virtual
machine and has the opportunity to choose Just power off, Take snapshot or Revert
to snapshot.
Automatically Returning to a Snapshot with a Restricted
User Interface
You can combine a restricted user interface with a snapshot to ensure that users’
virtual machines always start in the same state. Typically, users running a virtual
machine with a restricted user interface can power it on and off only, and the virtual
machine boots when powered on. When the virtual machine has a snapshot set and
is configured to return to that snapshot when powered off, the user can only start and
power off the virtual machine. The virtual machine always starts from the snapshot.
Since you can restrict the user interface only on Windows hosts, this combination
works only with virtual machines running on Windows hosts.
To set up a virtual machine with restricted user interface and a snapshot as described
above, take the following steps:
1. Power on the virtual machine and be sure it is in the state you want, then take
the snapshot.
2. Configure the virtual machine to return to the snapshot any time it is powered
off. To do so, choose VM > Settings > Options > Snapshots and select After
powering off and Revert to snapshot.
3. With the virtual machine powered off, restrict the user interface. Close the
VMware Workstation window, then open the virtual machine’s configuration file
(.vmx file) in Notepad or another text editor. Add the following line anywhere in
the file.
gui.restricted = "true"
4. You may wish to set file permissions on the configuration file to give normal
users of the system only read access to the file, so they cannot manually modify
the configuration.
5. For the convenience of users, create a shortcut to the configuration file on the
desktop and give it an appropriate name.
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The user runs this virtual machine by double-clicking the shortcut to the
configuration file. The virtual machine starts at the snapshot, with the user interface
restricted — with no toolbar and no access to the Power menu or the virtual machine
settings editor.
When the user is finished working with this virtual machine, he or she closes it by
choosing File > Close. The virtual machine powers off, and the next time a user
powers it on, it returns to the snapshot.
To remove the restriction on the interface, take the following steps.
1. Power off the virtual machine and close the VMware Workstation window.
2. Open the configuration file (.vmx) file and do one of the following:
•Set gui.restricted = "false".
•Remove or comment out the gui.restricted = "true" line.
Save the changes to the configuration file and close it.
3. Start the virtual machine by double-clicking the shortcut. The virtual machine
starts at the snapshot, and the interface is not restricted.
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Using Full Screen Switch Mode
Full screen switch mode is a run-time option for the VMware Workstation program on
Windows Hosts. When VMware Workstation is running in full screen switch mode, the
user has no access to the VMware Workstation user interface. The user cannot create,
reconfigure or launch virtual machines. A system administrator performs these
functions.
When VMware Workstation is running in full screen switch mode, one or more virtual
machines may be running and you can use hot keys to switch from one to another.
You may also provide hot key access to the host operating system.
Note: Full screen switch mode is enabled for Windows hosts only. Linux hosts do not
have full screen switch mode.
Creating a Virtual Machine for Use in Full Screen Switch Mode
To create new virtual machines, you must run VMware Workstation in standard mode.
The instructions in this section assume that you are creating the virtual machines on a
separate administrative computer. However you may, if you prefer, create the virtual
machines directly on the user’s computer.
Create the new virtual machine following the instructions in Creating a New Virtual
Machine on page 101. Be sure to make the following choices:
•In step 5, select Custom to perform a custom installation.
•In step 8, make a note of the folder in which you create the virtual machine. You
must copy all the files in this folder to the user’s computer after you finish
creating and configuring the virtual machine.
•In step 15, specify the desired size for the virtual disk and select Allocate all disk
space now. This selection is not required, but it is strongly recommended. If you
do not make this selection and the host computer’s hard disk runs out of space
for a growing virtual disk file, the user sees no warning message and does not
know what is causing the problem in the virtual machine.
Make all needed configuration settings before you configure the user’s computer to
launch VMware Workstation when the computer starts. You cannot change Virtual
Machine Settings using the virtual machine settings editor when VMware Workstation
is running in full screen switch mode. You may find it most convenient to finish
configuring the virtual machine and to install the guest operating system and
application software before you move the virtual machine to the user’s computer.
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Moving a Virtual Machine to the User’s Computer
The easiest way to move the virtual machine to the user’s computer is to use a
network connection to copy all the files in the virtual machine directory to a directory
on the user’s computer. You may also move it using a DVD or other removable media
large enough to store the files.
Each virtual machine should be in its own separate directory.
Setting Configuration Options on the User’s Computer
Global Configuration Settings
Global configuration settings are made in the VMware Workstation global
configuration file, created by default in the following locations:
•Windows Host:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware
Workstation\config.ini.
•Linux Host:
/etc/vmware/config
Note: Full screen switch mode is enabled for Windows hosts only. This Linux
configuration file path is provided for clarity and completeness.
You can edit this file with a text editor. You should set permissions on this file so the
user cannot change it.
Local Configuration Settings
Local configuration settings are made in the configuration file for a particular virtual
machine. The local configuration file is in the virtual machine’s directory; the filename
has a .vmx extension.
The format for an entry in either configuration file is
option = "value"
Entries in the configuration files can appear in any order.
The hot key entries described in this section require you to enter a virtual key code as
part of the value for an option. Virtual key codes are entered in hexadecimal format —
as a hexadecimal number preceded by 0x. For example, to use the virtual key code of
5A as a value, type 0x5A.
Microsoft provides a reference list of virtual key codes on the MSDN Web site. At the
time this manual was written, the reference list was at msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-
us/winui/WinUI/WindowsUserInterface/UserInput/VirtualKeyCodes.asp.
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The hot key entries also include modifier keys. The modifier keys are Ctrl, Alt and Shift,
or a combination of those keys.
When listing a key plus a modifier, type the virtual key code for the key followed by a
comma, then type the value for the modifier key or keys. For example, the value entry
for Ctrl-Shift-F1 is 0x70,0x6.
Note: Keep the following limitations in mind when defining cycle keys and switch
keys:
•Do not use the Pause key with the Ctrl key. You may use the Pause key with other
modifier keys.
•If you use F12, you must use one or more modifier keys. You cannot use F12
alone.
•You cannot use combinations that include only the Shift, Ctrl and Alt keys. These
keys may be used only as modifiers in combination with some other key.
Hot Key for Cycling Through Virtual Machines and the Host Computer
You can specify a hot key or hot key combination for cycling through the available
virtual machines on a host computer. Each time you press the specified hot key, the
screen displays the next virtual machine in order. You may also include the host
operating system in the cycle.
If any particular virtual machine is not running, it is skipped.
If only one virtual machine is running and the host operating system is not included in
the cycle, pressing the hot key has no effect.
Modifier key Value
No modifier 0x0
Alt 0x1
Ctrl 0x2
Shift 0x4
Ctrl-Alt 0x3
Alt-Shift 0x5
Ctrl-Shift 0x6
Ctrl-Alt-Shift 0x7
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The hot key for cycling through virtual machines is defined in the global configuration
file (config.ini).
Two options control cycling.
FullScreenSwitch.cycleKey
The value of this option defines the hot key. It is specified as <key>,<modifier>.
There is no default.
For example, to use the Pause key with no modifier to cycle through virtual machines,
add the following line to the config.ini file, or modify its value if the option is
already listed.
FullScreenSwitch.cycleKey = "0x13,0x0"
FullScreenSwitch.cycleHost
The value of this option determines whether the host operating system is included in
the cycle. Possible values are true and false. The default value is false.
For example, to include the host operating system in the cycle, add the following line
to the config.ini file, or modify its value if the option is already listed:
FullScreenSwitch.cycleHost = "TRUE"
Hot Keys for Switching Directly to Virtual Machines and the Host Computer
You can specify a hot key or hot key combination for switching directly to any
available virtual machine on a host computer. Each time you press the specified hot
key, the screen display switches to that of the specified virtual machine. You may also
specify a hot key for switching directly to the host operating system.
If any particular virtual machine is not running, pressing the hot key for that virtual
machine has no effect.
You define the hot key used to switch to a virtual machine by adding a line to the
target virtual machine’s configuration (.vmx) file. The value of this option defines the
hot key. It is specified as <key>,<modifier>. There is no default.
For example, to use Ctrl-Shift-F1 to switch to a particular virtual machine, add the
following line to that virtual machine’s .vmx file, or modify its value if the option is
already listed.
FullScreenSwitch.directKey = "0x70,0x6"
You define the hot key used to switch to the host operating system by adding a line to
the global configuration file (config.ini). The value of this option defines the hot
key. It is specified as <key>,<modifier>. There is no default.
For example, to use Ctrl-Shift-F9 to switch to the host operating system, add the
following line to the config.ini file, or modify its value if the option is already
listed.
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FullScreenSwitch.hostDirectKey = "0x78,0x6"
Other Entries in the Global Configuration File
The following entries in the global configuration file (config.ini) are optional.
They enable you to control certain functions of the virtual machine that are important
in work environments where virtual machines need to be isolated from each other
and from the host computer.
Isolation.tools.copy.enable
The value of this option determines whether data in one virtual machine or the host
operating system can be copied in a way that allows it to be transferred to another
virtual machine or to the host operating system. Possible values are true (such
copying is allowed) and false (such copying is not allowed). The default value is true.
The setting for this option should be the same as the setting for
Isolation.tools.paste.enable (below).
Isolation.tools.paste.enable
The value of this option determines whether data copied in one virtual machine or
the host operating system can be pasted into another virtual machine or the host
operating system. Possible values are true (such pasting is allowed) and false (such
pasting is not allowed). The default value is true. The setting for this option should be
the same as the setting for Isolation.tools.copy.enable (above).
Isolation.tools.HGFS.disable
The value of this option determines whether virtual machines can be configured with
shared folders, for sharing files among virtual machines and with the host computer.
Possible values are true (shared folders are disabled) and false (shared folders are
enabled). The default value is false.
The following entries are required in the global configuration file (config.ini) and
must not be changed:
mks.ctlAltDel.ignore = "TRUE"
mks.fullscreen.allowScreenSaver = "TRUE"
fullScreenSwitch.onSeparateDesktop = "TRUE"
msg.autoAnswer = "TRUE"
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Starting and Stopping Virtual Machines on the User’s
Computer
Use the vmware-fullscreen command to run VMware Workstation in full screen
switch mode and to start and stop virtual machines on a user’s computer. The
command can pass certain information to the virtual machine when it starts.
As administrator, you must decide how to issue the command. For example, you may
use a custom application or script running on the host operating system to issue one
or more vmware-fullscreen commands. Or you can include the command to
start a virtual machine in a shortcut in the host operating system’s startup group, so
the virtual machine starts automatically when the user logs on to the host computer.
The vmware-fullscreen command must be issued once for each virtual
machine you want to start or stop.
vmware-fullscreen -poweron [-s variable=value]
[-name=<alias>] [-directkey=<keyspec>] [-fullscreen]
"<config-file>"
When you use the optional switches shown here, the -poweron switch is required
and must be the first switch after the vmware-fullscreen command. Provide
the full path to the virtual machine’s configuration (.vmx) file at the end of the
command line. The complete command must be entered on one line.
Use the -s switch to pass a variable name and value to be used in configuring the
virtual machine. You may include multiple variable=value pairs in the
command. Each variable=value pair must be preceded by -s.
Use -name=<alias> to give a name to the virtual machine. You can the use that
alias in -switchto and -poweroff commands.
Use -directkey=<keyspec> to specify the virtual machine’s direct-switch key. If
a direct-switch key is specified in the virtual machine’s configuration file, the one
specified on the command line overrides the one in the configuration file.
For example, to start a virtual machine and specify that its direct-switch key
combination is Ctrl-Shift-F1, use the following command:
vmware-fullscreen -poweron -directkey=0x70,0x6 "<config-file>"
The complete command must be entered on one line.
Use -fullscreen to start a virtual machine and go straight to full screen switch
mode. The virtual machine takes over the display immediately, instead of running
invisibly until the user switches to it later.
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Starting a Virtual Machine
vmware-fullscreen -poweron "<config-file>"
Use this command to power on the virtual machine without passing any additional
information to the virtual machine. Provide the full path to the virtual machine’s
configuration (.vmx) file.
The user sees no immediate indication that the virtual machine has started, but the
user can switch to the virtual machine with its direct-switch key or with the cycle key.
Stopping a Virtual Machine
vmware-fullscreen -poweroff "<config-file>"
vmware-fullscreen -poweroff <alias>
Use this command to shut down the specified virtual machine. You can specify the
path to the configuration (.vmx) file, or you can specify the alias if you used -name=
when you started the virtual machine.
Stopping All Virtual Machines
vmware-fullscreen -exit
Use this command to power off all virtual machines cleanly. VMware Workstation exits
as soon as all the virtual machines have powered off.
Switching Among Virtual Machines and the Host
vmware-fullscreen -switchto "<config-file>"
vmware-fullscreen -switchto <alias>
vmware-fullscreen -switchto host
vmware-fullscreen -switchto next
Use this command to switch to the specified virtual machine, to the host operating
system, or to the next machine (virtual machine or host) in the cycling order. A virtual
machine must already be powered on before you can switch to it. When specifying a
virtual machine, you can specify the path to the configuration (.vmx) file, or you can
specify the alias if you used -name= when you started the virtual machine.
Checking the Status of VMware Workstation
vmware-fullscreen -query
This command tells you if VMware Workstation is already running in full screen switch
mode. If it is, the response to this command also reports its process ID and window
handle.
The vmware-fullscreen Log File
The vmware-fullscreen program writes to a log file. This log file records errors
reported by vmware-fullscreen itself as it starts, stops and passes other
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commands to VMware Workstation. It is separate from the vmware.log file, which
stores information on the running virtual machines.
The name of the vmware-fullscreen log file is vmware-<username>-
<pid>.log. By default, the vmware-fullscreen log file is in the temp directory
for the user logged on to the host computer. This location may be specified in the
TEMP environment variable; by default, the location is C:\Documents and
Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Temp.
The administrator can specify a different location for this log file by adding the
following line to the VMware Workstation global configuration file (config.ini):
fullScreenSwitch.log.filename="<path>"
It is best to use a full path. If you use a relative path, the location is relative to the
directory that is active when the vmware-fullscreen command is issued for the
first time after the host computer reboots.
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Guest ACPI S1 Sleep
Workstation 5 provides experimental support for guest operating system ACPI S1
sleep. Not all guest operating systems support this feature. Common guest operating
system interfaces for entering standby are supported.
By default, ACPI S1 sleep is implemented within Workstation as suspend. The
Workstation resume button can be used to wake the guest.
With the following entry in the (.vmx) configuration file for a virtual machine:
chipset.onlineStandby = TRUE
ACPI S1 sleep is instead implemented as power-on suspend. The guest operating
system is not fully powered down. You can awaken the virtual machine:
•Using keyboard input
•Using mouse input
•Through programming the CMOS external timer
This feature can be useful for test and development scenarios.
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Glossary
Administrative Lockout — a global setting providing password protection for
Windows hosts. Administrative lockout restricts users from creating new virtual
machines, editing virtual machine configurations, and changing network settings.
Bridged networking — A type of network connection between a virtual machine
and the rest of the world. Under bridged networking, a virtual machine appears as an
additional computer on the same physical Ethernet network as the host.
See also Host-only networking.
Clone — A duplicate copy of a virtual machine.
See also Full clone and Linked clone.
Clone Virtual Machine wizard — A point-and-click interface for convenient, easy
duplication of a virtual machine within VMware Workstation.
See also Full clone, and Linked clone
Configuration — See Virtual machine configuration file.
Custom networking — Any type of network connection between virtual machines
and the host that does not use the default bridged, host-only or network address
translation (NAT) networking configurations. For instance, different virtual machines
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can be connected to the host by separate networks or connected to each other and
not to the host. Any network topology is possible.
Drag and drop — With the drag and drop feature of VMware Workstation, you can
move files easily between a Windows host and a Windows virtual machine. You can
drag and drop individual files or entire directories.
Existing partition — A partition on a physical disk in the host machine.
See also Raw disk.
Full clone — A complete copy of the original virtual machine plus all associated
virtual disks.
See also Linked clone.
Full screen mode — A display mode in which the virtual machine’s display fills the
entire screen.
See also Full screen switch mode, Quick switch mode.
Full screen switch mode — A display mode in which the virtual machine’s display
fills the entire screen, and the user has no access to the VMware Workstation user
interface. The user cannot create, reconfigure or launch virtual machines. A system
administrator performs these function
See also Full screen mode.
Favorites list — A list in the left panel of the main VMware Workstation screen that
shows the names of virtual machines that a user has added to the list. The Favorites list
makes it easy to launch a virtual machine or to connect to the virtual machine’s
configuration file in order to make changes in the virtual machine settings.
Go to Snapshot — Go to a snapshot allows you to restore any snapshot of the
active virtual machine.
See also Revert to snapshot.
Guest operating system — An operating system that runs inside a virtual
machine.
See also Host operating system.
Host-only networking — A type of network connection between a virtual
machine and the host. Under host-only networking, a virtual machine is connected to
the host on a private network, which normally is not visible outside the host. Multiple
virtual machines configured with host-only networking on the same host are on the
same network.
See also Bridged networking, Custom networking, and Network address translation
(NAT).
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Host machine — The physical computer on which the VMware Workstation
software is installed. It hosts the VMware Workstation virtual machines.
Host operating system — An operating system that runs on the host machine.
See also Guest operating system.
LAN segment — A private virtual network that is available only to virtual machines
within the same team.
See also Virtual Network, and Teams
Legacy virtual machine — A virtual machine created for use in Workstation 4.x,
GSX Server 3.x or ESX Server 2.x. You can use and create legacy virtual machines
within Workstation 5, but new Workstation 5 features are not usable. For example:
clones, multiple snapshots, and teams are not compatible with a legacy virtual
machine.
Linked clone — A copy of the original virtual machine that shares the virtual disks
with the original virtual machine in an ongoing manner.
See also Full clone.
Lockout — see Administrative Lockout.
Network address translation (NAT) — A type of network connection that allows
you to connect your virtual machines to an external network when you have only one
IP network address, and that address is used by the host computer. If you use NAT,
your virtual machine does not have its own IP address on the external network.
Instead, a separate private network is set up on the host computer. Your virtual
machine gets an address on that network from the VMware virtual DHCP server. The
VMware NAT device passes network data between one or more virtual machines and
the external network. It identifies incoming data packets intended for each virtual
machine and sends them to the correct destination.
New Virtual Machine wizard — A point-and-click interface for convenient, easy
creation of a virtual machine configuration. It creates files that define the virtual
machine, including a virtual machine configuration file and (optionally) a virtual disk
or raw disk file.
See also Virtual machine settings editor.
Parent — The source or “original” virtual machine from which you take a snapshot or
make a clone. A full clone has no continued link to its parent, but a linked clone and a
snapshot each depend on the parent in an ongoing manner. If you delete the parent
virtual machine, any linked clone or snapshot becomes permanently disabled. To
prevent deletion, you can create a template virtual machine.
See also Full clone, Linked clone, Snapshot, and Template.
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Quick switch mode — A display mode in which the virtual machine’s display fills
most of the screen. In this mode, tabs at the top of the screen allow you to switch
quickly from one running virtual machine to another.
See also Full screen mode.
Raw disk — A hard disk in a virtual machine that is mapped to a physical disk drive
or a partition of a drive on the host machine. A virtual machine’s disk can be stored as
a file on the host file system (see Virtual disk) or on a local hard disk. When a virtual
machine is configured to use a raw disk, VMware Workstation directly accesses the
local disk or partition as a raw device (not as a file on a file system). It is possible to
boot a previously installed operating system on an existing partition within a virtual
machine environment. The only limitation is that the existing partition must reside on
a local IDE or SCSI drive.
See also Virtual disk.
Resume — Return a virtual machine to operation from its suspended state. When
you resume a suspended virtual machine, all applications are in the same state they
were when the virtual machine was suspended.
See also Suspend.
Revert to snapshot — Reverting to a snapshot restores the status of the active
virtual machine to its immediate parent snapshot. This parent is represented in the
snapshot manager by the snapshot appearing to the immediate left of the You Are
Here icon.
See also Go to Snapshot, Snapshot manager, and You Are Here (icon).
Shared folder — A shared folder is a folder on the host computer — or on a
network drive accessible from the host computer — that can be used by both the
host computer and one or more virtual machines. It provides a simple way of sharing
files between host and guest or among virtual machines. In a Windows virtual
machine, shared folders appear as folders on a designated drive letter. In a Linux
virtual machine, shared folders appear under a specified mount point.
Snapshot — A snapshot preserves the virtual machine just as it was when you took
that snapshot — the state of the data on all the virtual machine’s disks and whether
the virtual machine was powered on, powered off or suspended. VMware Workstation
lets you take snapshots of a virtual machine at any time and revert to that snapshot at
any time. You can take a snapshot when a virtual machine is powered on, powered off
or suspended. Configurations are available to exclude a disk from snapshots.
Snapshot manager — The snapshot manager is a window that allows you to take
actions on any of the snapshots associated with the selected virtual machine.
See also Snapshot.
CHAPTER 17 Glossary
451
Suspend — Saves the current state of a running virtual machine. To return a
suspended virtual machine to operation, you use the resume feature.
See also Resume.
Teams — A group of virtual machines that are configured to operate as one object.
You can power on, power off, and suspend a team with one command. You can
configure a team to communicate independently of any other virtual or real network
by setting up a LAN segment.
See also LAN segment, Virtual Network.
Template — A virtual machine that cannot be deleted or added to a team. Setting a
virtual machine as a template protects any linked clone or snapshots from being
disabled inadvertently.
See also Linked clone, Parent, and Snapshot.
Virtual disk — A file or set of files appearing as a physical disk drive to a guest
operating system. These files can be on the host machine or on a remote file system.
When you configure a virtual machine with a virtual disk, you can install a new
operating system into the disk file without the need to repartition a physical disk or
reboot the host.
See also Raw disk.
Virtual machine — A virtualized x86 PC environment in which a guest operating
system and associated application software can run. Multiple virtual machines can
operate on the same host machine concurrently.
Virtual machine configuration — The specification of what virtual devices (disks,
memory size, etc.) are present in a virtual machine and how they are mapped to host
files and devices.
Virtual machine configuration file — A file containing a virtual machine
configuration. It is created by the New Virtual Machine Wizard. It is used by VMware
Workstation to identify and run a specific virtual machine.
Virtual machine settings editor — A point-and-click editor used to view and
modify the settings of a virtual machine after its initial creation.
See also New Virtual Machine wizard.
Virtual Network — A network between virtual machines with no dependence on
real-world hardware connections. For example, you can create a virtual network
between a virtual machine and a host that has no external network connections. You
can also create a LAN segment for communications between virtual machines on a
team
See also LAN segment, and Teams.
www.vmware.com
452
VMware Workstation 5 User’s Manual
Virtual Network Editor — A point-and-click editor used to view and modify the
networking settings for the virtual networks created by VMware Workstation.
VMware Tools — A suite of utilities and drivers that enhances the performance and
functionality of your guest operating system. Key features of VMware Tools include
some or all of the following, depending on your guest operating system: an SVGA
driver, a mouse driver, the VMware Tools control panel and support for such features
as shared folders, drag and drop in Windows guests, shrinking virtual disks, time
synchronization with the host, VMware Tools scripts, and connecting and
disconnecting devices while the virtual machine is running.
You Are Here (icon) — A special icon appearing in the snapshot manager that
indicates the current status of the active virtual machine. This can be important when
deciding whether to revert to, or go to a snapshot.
See also Snapshot manager, Revert to snapshot, and Go to Snapshot.
453
File extensions
201
.bmp 165
.cfg 98
.dsk 97
.log 96
.nvram 96
.png 165
.REDO 97
.std 97
.tar 124
.vmdk 97, 173, 176, 179, 191
.vmsd 97
.vmsn 97
.vmss 97
.vmtm 98
.vmx 98, 429
locating for clone 281
.vmxf 98
.wav 369
A
Access
to raw disks 219, 241
ACPI 446
Adapter
host virtual 308
in promiscuous mode on a Linux
host 344
virtual Ethernet 316
Add
devices to virtual machine 164
DVD or CD drive 204
floppy drive 206
generic SCSI device 403, 405
host virtual adapter 323
parallel port 372
serial port 377
shared folder 157
software to virtual machine 155
virtual disk 197
virtual Ethernet adapter 316
virtual machines, during new team
wizard 280
Address
assigning IP 329
assigning MAC manually 333
IP in virtual machine 107
IP on virtual network 327
MAC 332
network address translation 345
using DHCP to assign on a virtual
network 327
Administrative lockout 433
Assign
drive letter 221
IP address 327
MAC address 332
network port number in NAT 351
Athlon 23
Attach
See Connect
Audio
See Sound
AudioPCI 369
Autofit 152
guest 152
autofit
window 152
Automatic bridging 318
Autorun
disable 40
B
Bandwidth
LAN segment 282
bandwidth
LAN segment 300
Basic disks
on Windows host 234
BIOS
file in virtual machine 96
provided in virtual machine 27
Boot loader
LILO 220, 223, 236
Index
www.vmware.com
454
Boot sequence
in VMware BIOS 221, 224
Bridge 307
Bridged networking
configuring options 318
defined 447
Browser
configuring on Linux host 48
BSD
supported guest operating systems
31
BT-958 108, 235
BusLogic 28, 108, 235, 402, 405
C
Capacity
disk 188, 190, 202, 238
Capture
screen shot of virtual machine 165
screenshot 165
CD
adding drive to virtual machine 204
CD-ROM image file 27
Celeron 23
Centrino 23
Change
See Configure
team name 302
virtual machine name 84
Clock
real-time on Linux host 45
synchronize guest and host 131
Clone
creating 270
creating clone in New Team Wizard
281
enable template mode 275
full 269
linked 269
network identity 273
new 270
overview 268
snapshot (for linked clone) 274
Clone of clone
full clone of linked clone 273
Linked clone of linked clone 273
clone of clone
full clone of linked clone 273
Clone template
not on team 275
Clone, linked
snapshot 274
CODEC
movie 166
Color
screen colors in a virtual machine
360
Comm port
See Serial connection, Serial port
377
Command line
vmrun 93
VMware 91
workstation 91
Commands
keyboard shortcuts 95
on the command line 91
Compress
See Shrink
Configuration
virtual machine 451
Configure
administrative lockout 433
after Linux kernel upgrade 48
automatic bridging 318
bridged networking 318
devices in virtual machine 164
DHCP on Linux host 328
DHCP on Windows host 328
DHCP settings 321
display resolution on a Linux host
362
full screen switch mode 438
generic SCSI device 402, 403, 405
host virtual network mapping 320
hot keys 78
memory size 418
memory use 80
NAT 348
NAT on Linux host 355
parallel port 372
parallel port on a Linux host 373
performance monitoring 416
455
preferences for virtual machine 76,
83
process priorities on Windows host
81
restricted user interface 435
screen colors 360
second bridged network on a Linux
host 336
serial port 377
shared folder 157
sound 369
USB controller 397
virtual Ethernet adapter 316
virtual network 309, 313, 316
virtual network subnet settings 321
VMware Tools 130
Web browser on Linux host 48
Connect
removable devices 67, 132, 164
USB devices 398
Controls
hiding 153
Copy
text 156
virtual machine 174, 175, 177, 178,
181
virtual machine--see clone 268
CPU
host requirement 23
provided in virtual machine 27
Create
floppy image file 207
named pipe 380, 381, 382
virtual machine 101
Creating
clone 270
Creative Labs 29, 369
Ctrl-Alt 78
Cut
text 156
D
Date
See Time
DDNS 336
Decrease
See Shrink
Default
team location 280
team path 280
Defragment
virtual disks 193
Delete
virtual machine 148
virtual machine from Favorites list 73
Devices
adding, configuring and removing
164
connecting and disconnecting 164
disconnecting from USB controller
401
in virtual machine 164
provided in virtual machine 27
USB 397
Devices tab
tools 132
DHCP
assigning IP addresses on a virtual
network 327
changing settings 321
configuring on a Linux host 328
configuring on a Windows host 328
DHCPD 335
lease 322
on a virtual network with NAT 346
server 308, 322
server on virtual network 311, 312
stopping 342
troubleshooting on a Linux host 335
Dial-up connection 331
Direct memory access
See DMA
Disable
autorun 40
DHCP 342
drag and drop 163
host virtual adapter 323
interface features 431
removable devices 67, 132
scripts 132
snapshot 265
Snapshot menu functions 435
USB controller 397
www.vmware.com
456
Disabling
snapshot 254
snapshots 265
Disconnect
removable devices 67, 132, 164
USB devices 401
Disk
files on host 191
independent 194, 257
performance 429
size 188, 190, 202, 238
space required on host computer 24
Disks
adding virtual disks 197
available in virtual machine 27
defragmenting 193
DMA and performance 425
dynamic 234
existing partition 448
physical 190, 201
raw 450
See also Virtual disk
shrinking 142, 193, 212
virtual 188, 451
virtual disk files 97
virtual disk manager 208
virtual disk size in new virtual
machine 104
Display
color depth 360
fitting window to virtual machine
152
full screen 150
multiple monitor 151
resolution on a Linux host 362
switching virtual machines 151
DMA
and disk performance 425, 427
DMZ 278
DNS 347
Drag and drop 163, 448
Driver
SCSI 402
sound 369
Drives
See Disks
tape 402, 405
Dual-boot
and SCSI disks 235
configuring for use in virtual
machine 215, 219
Dual-monitor display 151
Duron 23
DVD
adding drive to virtual machine 204
Dynamic disk 234
Dynamic domain name service 336
E
Enable
drag and drop 163
host virtual adapter 323
removable devices 67, 132
template mode for clone 275
USB controller 397
Ethernet
adapter in promiscuous mode on a
Linux host 344
adding virtual adapter 316
virtual adapter 308
Existing disk
using in a virtual machine 190
F
Favorites
defined 448
hide 153
removing from list 73
Files
BIOS in virtual machine 96
location of virtual disk files 104
redo log 97, 178, 180, 183
Samba and file sharing on a Linux
host 358
sharing among virtual machines and
host 157, 163
snapshot 97
suspended state 97
used by a virtual machine 96
used by snapshot 97
virtual disk files 97
virtual machine 141
457
files 141
Firewall 353
Fit
guest 152
window to virtual machine 152
fit
window 152
Floppy
add drive to virtual machine 206
drives in virtual machine 28
image file 28, 207
Folder
shared 157
Forums 32
FreeBSD
supported guest operating systems
31
VMware Tools for 127
FTP 347
Full clone 269
Full screen mode
defined 448
switching between virtual machines
150
using 150
Full screen switch mode 438
log file 444
G
Gated
host network 334
Global configuration file 439
Go To
snapshot 263
Grab
keyboard and mouse input 78
Graphics
See also Display
support in virtual machine 27, 360
Guest
autofit 152
fit 152
Guest operating system
defined 448
installing 117
supported 30
H
Halt
virtual machine 144, 145
virtual machines in full screen switch
mode 443
Hardware profiles 225
Help
configuring Web browser for, on
Linux host 48
Hide
controls 153
toolbar 435
Host computer 449
system requirements 23
Host operating system 449
Host virtual adapter
adding 323
defined 308
disabling 323
enabling 323
removing 323
Host virtual network mapping 320
Host-only networking
basic configuration 312
defined 448
selecting IP addresses 327
Hot key
for full screen switch mode 440, 441
Hot keys 78
for full screen switch mode 440
I
ICMP 347
IDE
drives in virtual machine 27
Image file
floppy 28, 207
ISO 27, 204, 207
Independent disk 194, 257
Input
capturing from keyboard and
mouse 78
Install
guest operating system 117
guest operating system on raw disk
241
on Linux host 44
www.vmware.com
458
on Windows host 37
software in a virtual machine 155
VMware Tools 120
VMware Workstation 35
Iomega
parallel port Zip drives 376
IP address
assigning 329
clone 273
in virtual machine 107
static 327
IP forwarding 331
ISO image file 27, 204, 207
K
Kbps
for LAN segment 301
Kernel
reconfiguring Workstation after
Linux kernel upgrade 48
Key code mapping 391
Keyboard
mapping on a Linux host 389
sending input to virtual machine 78
shortcuts 95
USB 401
Keysym
defined 390
mapping 392
Knowledge base 32
KT-958 108, 235
L
LAN segment
changing name 300
New Team Wizard 282
setting bandwidth 282, 300
setting Kbps 301
setting packet loss 301
Launch
virtual machine 141
virtual machines in full screen switch
mode 443
Leak
IP packets in a virtual machine 331
IP packets in host-only network 330
LILO 220, 223, 236
Link
symbolic link does not work in
shared folder 161
Linked clone 269
parent 274
parent as template 275
snapshot 274
template mode 275
Linux
installing on Linux host 44
supported guest operating systems
31
supported host operating systems
25
uninstalling Workstation on Linux
host 49
upgrading on Linux host 56
VMware Tools for 122
Location of virtual machine files 141
Lock files 192
Lockout
for some interface features 433
Log files 444
LSI Logic 28, 108, 235, 402, 405
M
MAC address 268
assigning manually 333
clone 273
of virtual Ethernet adapter 332
Map
key code 391
keyboard 389
keysym 392
Memory
amount required on host 23
available in virtual machine 27
choosing for best performance 410
more than 1GB on a Linux host 422
reserved memory 420
setting size 418
swapping 80
virtual machine memory size 418
Memory trimming
Disk performance 429
459
MIDI 369
Migrate
disks in undoable mode 182
virtual machine 57, 179
Mode
full screen 150, 448
quick switch 151, 450
Modifier keys
for full screen switch mode 440
Mouse
sending input to virtual machine 78
USB 401
Move
virtual machine 169
Movie
capture 165
CODEC 166
playback 166
MP3 369
MS-DOS
supported guest operating systems
30
Multi-tier team 278
Mylex 28, 108, 235, 402, 405
N
Name
changing LAN segment name 300
changing team name 302
changing virtual machine name 84
Named pipe 380, 381, 382
NAT
advanced configuration 348
and DHCP 346
and DNS 347
and the host computer 346
defined 449
external access from a NAT network
347
on virtual network 310, 345
port forwarding 351, 356, 357
sample configuration file for Linux
host 355
selecting IP addresses 327
specifying connection from port
below 1024 352
virtual device 308
when creating a virtual machine 107
NAT.conf 349, 355
NetLogon 353
NetWare
See Novell NetWare
Network
adding and modifying virtual Ether-
net adapters 316
automatic bridging 318
bridge 307
bridged networking 447
changing DHCP settings 321
changing subnet settings 321
changing the configuration 316
common configurations 309
components 307
configuring bridged networking
options 318
custom configurations 313
custom networking 447
DHCP 327
DHCP server 308
dial-up connection 331
dynamic domain name service 336
hardware address 332
host virtual adapter 308
host virtual network mapping 320
host-only 312, 448
host-only subnet 327
identity, clone 273
IP forwarding 331
IP packet leaks 330, 331
locking out access to settings 433
MAC address 332
NAT 310, 345, 449
NAT as firewall 353
NAT device 308
NAT subnet 327
packet filtering 331
performance 278
promiscuous mode on a Linux host
344
routing between two host-only net-
works 340
routing on a Linux host 334
Samba 358
second bridged network on a Linux
host 336
www.vmware.com
460
switch 307
Token Ring 311
troubleshooting DHCP on a Linux
host 335
two host-only networks 337
virtual DHCP server 311, 312
virtual Ethernet adapter 308
virtual network editor 318, 323, 328,
452
virtual switch 307
wireless 309
Network address translation
defined 449
See NAT
New
clone 270
team 279
New team Wizard
adding LAN segment 282
New team wizard
adding virtual machines 280
creating clone 281
New Virtual Machine Wizard 103, 188,
449
Newsgroups 32
NFS
specifying connection from port
below 1024 352
NIC
adding and configuring virtual
Ethernet adapter 316
promiscuous mode on a Linux host
344
Novell NetWare
supported guest operating systems
31
VMware Tools for 129
NVRAM 96
O
Operating system
guest 448
host 449
installing guest 117
supported guest 30
supported Linux host 25
supported Windows host 24, 25
Opteron 23
Options tab
tools 131
Overview
clone 268
team 278
P
Packet
filtering 331
leaks 330, 331
Packet loss
LAN segment 301
Page sharing 429
disk performance 429
Parallel ports
and Iomega Zip drives 376
and the Linux kernel 45, 372
configuring on a Linux host 373
in a virtual machine 372
installing in virtual machines 372
Parent
clone template 275
linked clone 274
snapshot 263
Partition
existing 448
partitions, Unsupported and disabled
shrink disk 196
Passwords
and administrative lockout 433
Paste
text 156
Pentium 23
Performance
CD-ROM drive polling 411
debugging mode 411
disk options 412
DMA and disks 425
guest operating system selection
410
Linux guest 427
memory settings 410
memory usage 418
process scheduling on a Windows
host 413
remote disk access 413
461
snapshot 254
using full screen mode on a Linux
host 415
using the Windows Performance
console 416
Windows 2000 guest 426
Windows 95 and Windows 98 guests
424
Physical disk
configuring virtual machine on dual-
boot computer 215
using in a virtual machine 190
using in new virtual machine 104
Ping 347
Pipe
named 380, 381, 382
Port
TCP and UDP below 1024 352
Port forwarding 351, 356, 357
Power menu
lockout functions 435
Power Off
revert to snapshot 263, 266
team 289
Power On
team 289
Preferences 76, 83
Priorities
for virtual machines on Windows
host 81
Process scheduler 81
Processor
host requirement 23
provided in virtual machine 27
Promiscuous mode 344
Q
Quick switch mode 151, 450
R
RAM
amount required on host 23
available in virtual machine 27
Raw disk
configuring virtual machine on dual-
boot computer 215
controlling access 219
defined 450
do not use Windows dynamic disks
234
installing guest operating system on
241
SCSI issues 235
see Disks, physical 190
using in new virtual machine 104
Real Media 369
Real-time clock
requirement on Linux host 45
Reclaim
disk space 133, 135
Redo-log file 97, 178, 180, 183
Registration 33
Remove
controls 153
devices from virtual machine 164
host virtual adapter 323
passwords for administrative lockout
434
removable devices 164
See also Uninstall
toolbar 435
USB devices 401
virtual machine from Favorites list 73
Restore
suspended virtual machine 143
Restrict
access to interface features 433, 438
access to virtual machine settings
editor 435
Restricted user interface 435
Resume
defined 450
team 290
virtual machine 143, 250
Revert
at power off 263, 266
snapshot 263
Routing
between two host-only networks
340
for a host-only network on a Linux
host 334
host only 334
www.vmware.com
462
Run
suspended virtual machine 143, 250
S
S1 446
Samba
and file sharing on a Linux host 358
modifying configuration for Work-
station 358
on both bridged and host-only net-
works 358
Save
state of virtual machine 143, 146,
250, 251
Scan code 389
Scanner 402
Screen
colors 360
Screen modes
full screen 150
quick switch 151
Screen resolution 153
Screen shot
capturing 165
Screenshot
capture 165
Scripts tab
tools 132
SCSI
adding a generic SCSI device 403,
405
and dual-boot configurations 235
avoiding concurrent access on a
Linux host 405
connecting to generic SCSI device
402
devices in virtual machine 28
disk geometry 238
driver for Windows NT guest 403
driver for Windows Server 2003
guest 236, 402
driver for Windows XP guest 236,
402
drivers 108, 235, 239, 402, 405
generic SCSI on a Linux host 404
generic SCSI on a Windows host 402
permissions for a generic SCSI
device on a Linux host 405
Serial connection
between host application and vir-
tual machine 380
between two virtual machines 382
to a serial port on the host 377
Serial number 37, 44, 103
Serial port
installing and using 377
Server
DHCP 308, 315, 321, 328, 335, 346,
353
DNS 336, 346, 347, 349
WINS 348
Set up
administrative lockout 433
automatic bridging 318
bridged networking 318
DHCP on Linux host 328
DHCP on Windows host 328
DHCP settings 321
display resolution on a Linux host
362
full screen switch mode 438
generic SCSI device 402, 405
host virtual network mapping 320
hot keys 78
memory size 418
parallel port 372, 377
parallel port on a Linux host 373
performance monitoring 416
preferences for virtual machine 76,
83
process priorities on Windows host
81
restricted user interface 435
rmemory use 80
screen colors 360
second bridged network on a Linux
host 336
shared folder 157
software in virtual machine 155
sound 369
USB controller 397
virtual machine 101
virtual network 309, 313, 316
virtual network subnet settings 321
VMware Tools 130
Web browser on Linux host 48
463
Settings editor
virtual machine 164, 451
Share
drag and drop 448
files among host and guest 157, 163
files on a Linux host with Samba 358
Shared folder
adding on a Linux host 160
adding on a Windows host 158
and Linux symbolic link 161
and Windows shortcut 161
defined 450
enable and disable 159, 160
linux 162
tab in tools 133
using 157
viewing 161
Shortcut
does not work in shared folder 161
Shortcuts
keyboard 95
Shrink
tab in tools 133
unsupported and disabled parti-
tions 196
virtual disks 133, 135, 142, 193, 212
Shut down
a virtual machine 144, 145
Size
disk 188, 190, 202, 238
virtual disk 27, 28, 110
virtual machine window 152
Sleep, ACPI 446
Snapshot
defined 450
disabling 254, 265
disabling functions 435
files 97
Go To 263
linked clone 274
parent 263
removing 264
revert 263
team 288
using 146
virtual machine 251
ways of using 254
what is saved in 255
Snapshots
disabling 265
Sound
configuring 369
drivers for Windows 9x and Win-
dows NT guest operating systems
369
Sound Blaster 369
support in guest 29
Specifications
virtual machine platform 27
Start
suspended virtual machine 143, 250
virtual machine 141
virtual machines in full screen switch
mode 443
VMware Tools 142
Static IP 342, 346
clone 273
Status bar
hide 153
Stop
DHCP 342
virtual machine 144, 145
virtual machines in full screen switch
mode 443
Subnet
changing settings 321
in NAT configuration 327
on host-only network 327
Support
technical support resources 32
Suspend
defined 451
files 97
team 289
virtual machine 143, 250
SVGA
in a Windows 95 guest on a raw disk
230
in a Windows 98 guest on a raw disk
232
Swapping
virtual memory 80
Switch
virtual network 307
www.vmware.com
464
workspaces in Linux guest 79
System requirements 23
T
Tabs
hide 153
Take
screen shot of virtual machine 165
Tape drive 402, 405
Team 149
default directory 280
multi-tier 278
name change 302
network 278
new 279
no clone template 275
overview 278
power off 289
power on 289
resume 290
snapshot 288
suspend 289
Telnet 347
Template
parent of linked clone 275
Template mode
linked clone 275
Text
cutting, copying and pasting 156
Time
synchronize guest and host 131
Token Ring 311
Toolbar
hide 153, 435
Tools
devices tab 132
installing VMware Tools 120
options tab 131
scripts tab 132
shared folders tab 133
shrink tab 133
starting VMware Tools 142
VMware Tools 452
Trend Micro Virus Buster
installation issues 155
Turn off
access to virtual machine settings
editor 435
functions on Power menu 435
functions on Snapshot menu 435
interface features 433
virtual machine 144, 145
U
Undoable mode
migrating 182
Uninstall
host virtual adapter 323
on Linux host 49
on Windows host 43
See also Remove
Unplug
USB devices 401
Upgrade
Linux kernel, reconfiguring Worksta-
tion after upgrade 48
on Linux host 56
on Windows host 55
virtual machine 57, 59
VMware Workstation 51
USB
connecting devices 398
control of devices by host and guest
400
devices in a virtual machine 397
disconnecting devices 401
enabling and disabling the control-
ler 397
keyboard and mouse 401
on a Linux host 399
on a Windows host 398
supported device types 397
User interface
overview 64
restricted 435
UUID 170, 268
format 170
location 170
specifying 172
specifying for moved virtual
machine 172
465
V
VGA 153
Video
resolution on a Linux host 362
See also Display
Viewing
shared folder 161
Virtual disk
add to virtual machine 197
defined 188, 451
location 104
See also Disks
size 27, 28, 104, 110, 198
Virtual machine 141
capturing screen shot of 165
constituent files 96
creating 101
defined 451
delete 148
installing software in 155
migrating 179
moving 169
name change 84
platform specifications 27
resuming 143, 250
shutting down 144, 145
starting 141
suspending 143, 250
taking and restoring snapshot 146
upgrading 57
upgrading procedure 59
window size 152
Virtual Machine Importer 113
Virtual machine settings editor
defined 451
restricting access 433, 435
using 164
Virtual network editor 452
Virtual switch 307
VirtualCenter
and virtual disk manager 209
VirtualPC 113
source virtual machine 113
Virus Buster
See Trend Micro Virus Buster
VMnet1 336
VMnet8 346
vmrun 93
VMware
command line 91
VMware Tools
configuring 130
defined 452
for FreeBSD guests 127
for Linux guests 122
for NetWare guests 129
for Windows guests 120
installing 120
installing from the command line
with the RPM installer 124
installing from the command line
with the tar installer 123
starting 142
VMware Virtual Disk Manager 208
VMware-config.pl 46
VMware-fullscreen log file 444
VPC 113
V-scan code
defined 389
table of codes 393
W
window
autofit 152
fit 152
Window size 152, 153
Windows
installing on Windows host 37
supported guest operating systems
30
uninstalling on Windows host 43
upgrading on Windows host 55
VMware Tools for 120
Windows 95
sound driver 369
SVGA driver in a raw disk configura-
tion 230
Windows 98
sound driver 369
SVGA driver in a raw disk configura-
tion 232
www.vmware.com
466
Windows NT
SCSI driver for guest 403
sound driver 369
Windows Server 2003
SCSI driver for guest 236, 402
Windows XP
installing guest operating system
117
SCSI driver for guest 236, 402
Wireless networking 309
Wizard
add new hardware 164
clone virtual machine 270
new team 279
new virtual machine 103, 191, 449
Workspaces
switching in Linux guest 79
X
X server
and keyboard mapping 389
Xeon 23
XFree86
and keyboard mapping 389
Z
Zip drives
on a parallel port 376

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