How to configure VMware Workstation and Server virtual machines to start when Windows starts. Guest OS does not start in VMware Workstations Vmware 12 does not open the virtual machine

Many users of the VMware Workstation desktop platform and VMware Server would like to configure automatic start virtual machines when Windows starts, but before logging in. This is necessary so that if the computer is rebooted, the virtual machines would automatically “rise” and would not require administrator intervention.

To implement this, you will need to configure the virtual machine to run as a service. So, to get started you will need:

1. Utility Instsrv.exe.
2. Utility Srvany.exe.

All this can be obtained in a package (rktools.exe) downloaded from the Microsoft website.

Install this package and then copy instsrv.exe And srvany.exe to the catalog windows\system32. After this, you need to restart your computer.

Now find executable file VMware Workstation or Server (for example, c:\program files\vmware\vmware workstation\vmware.exe) and the main configuration file of the virtual machine (for example, C:\mymachines\WinXp\winxp.vmx).

Instsrv vmware_winxp C:\windows\system32\srvany.exe, here vmware_winxp is the name of your new service.

After that, go to the registry editor (regedit.exe) and find this key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\vmware_winxp

Create a new key Parameters(to do this, right-click on the service name, then New->Key).

Create a new type value String Value in the key Parameters, as it shown on the picture:

Name the value Application.

Double-click on the value and in the field Value Data specify the path to VMware Workstation, the virtual machine startup key and the path to the virtual machine vmx file (don’t forget about the quotes):

"C:\program files\vmware\VMware Workstation\VMware.exe" –x "C:\mymachines\WinXp\winxp.vmx"

Now that you have created the service, you need to configure the startup options for it. To do this, run Start->Run and write services.msc.

You will see a list of available services. Find the vmware_winxp service you created and double-click on it. The service properties appear. Install on tab General startup type Automatic, go to the tab Log On. Here set the parameter Log on as meaning Local System account and be sure to check the box Allow service to interact with desktop.

Now you can test the autostart of the virtual machine by selecting from context menu service point Run. When starting a virtual machine, a request to change the unique identifier (UUID) may pop up; you need to select the item Create. In addition, you need to make sure that all unnecessary devices for the virtual machine are disabled (Virtual CD-ROM, floppy). Also add the following line to the vmx file to disable tooltips:

Hints.hideall=”TRUE”

Now that's it - restart the computer and test the virtual machine autostart as a service.

Vmware Workstation – software, which is most often used to create virtual machines with various operating systems. The capabilities of this program are quite large.

Today we will look at the process of creating a virtual machine with the Windows operating system. A big advantage of the Vmware Workstation program is the ability to launch and work simultaneously with several virtual machines. The number of simultaneously running virtual machines is limited only by the hardware component of your computer and the parameters for allocating computer resources for the operation of these machines.

The program itself is not demanding on the hardware of your computer. 2 will be enough for you nuclear processor and 2 GB random access memory, but if you're going to be running multiple virtual machines at the same time, you might want to consider improving these settings.

Downloading and installing Vmware Workstation

First, we need to download and install the software.

You can download from the official website https://www.vmware.com/products/workstation-pro/workstation-pro-evaluation.html

When you go to the download page, you can choose for which operating system you will use this software.

After downloading, install it.

After installation, launch the program.

Now we can begin installing and configuring our virtual machine.

Creating and configuring a virtual machine

First, we need to prepare an image of the desired operating system that we want to install.

To create virtual machine, click on the “File” menu button and select “New virtual machine...”.

After this, the window for creating and configuring a new virtual machine will open. In the window that opens, select “Custom (advanced)” and click the “Next >” button.

The next window prompts you to select a version for hardware compatibility. This is necessary for installing long-term tools and programs, and selecting the necessary parameters. We don’t need this, so we don’t select anything and click the “Next” button.

The next step is to select the source (image) of our operating system.

If you want to install the operating system from a disk that you have, in this case, select the “Installation disk” item.

If you have an operating system image, then select the “Installation image file” item and press the “Browse” button. In the window that opens, select the image you need and click the “Open” button. The image file must be in the .iso extension. In our example we will produce Windows installation XP.

To install Windows 7/8/8.1/10 operating systems, you must enable the hardware virtualization option (Virtualization Technology) in the BIOS. This option is available for AMD and Intel based computers. Without activating this technology, these OSes cannot be launched.

After selecting the method we need, click the “Next” button.

If you know the product key, then enter it in the window that opens in the “Windows Product Key” line; if you don’t know it, then simply fill in the fields we need (If a password is not needed, just leave this field empty). After filling in the required fields, click the “Next” button.

If the product key has not been entered, then during the simple installation process the system will prompt you to enter it.

In the next window we set the name of our virtual machine, which will be displayed in the list of virtual machines. And select the directory where the virtual machine files will be located.

After completing the steps, we move on to the next step.

The next window will be “Processor Configuration”.

Here you can select the necessary parameters for your processor resources that the running virtual machine will use.

As a standard, the program automatically selects the optimal processor parameters, but if they do not meet your requirements, you can determine them yourself by selecting the desired configuration manually.

After determining the necessary parameters, proceed to the next step and click the “Next” button.

It is worth noting that the more resources you give to a virtual machine, the less of them will be left for the work of other virtual machines or your operating system during its active operation.

In the Network Type window, you can configure the network settings for your virtual machine.

The Vmware Workstatio program allows you to fine-tune network access for a virtual machine.

• If you want to provide access to your machine from the Internet, you should select the first option “Use network bridge”. When using this option, you will need to set the outer (white) IP address for your virtual machine.
• In order to use a virtual machine within the network and provide it with access to the Internet, you must select the second option “Use network address translation (NAT)”.
• If you want to limit access to the Internet and use the virtual machine purely on the internal network, you should select the third option “Use only the host network.”
• And the last option is to refuse to use network connection, when you select this item, your virtual machine will not have access to any network.

We need to choose the second option for normal work. After selecting the desired option, proceed to the next step.

In the controller type selection window, select the driver for the SCSI controller.

To configure these parameters, you must first activate support for SCIS controllers in the BIOS, if it is not activated.

We will be given 3 types of drivers to choose from:

• BusLogic
• LSI Logic
• LSI Logic SAS

If you have knowledge about these drivers, then you should choose the one that your operating system supports. If you are not familiar with them, then we simply do nothing; the Vmware Workstatio program automatically selects the controller driver suitable for your operating system.

After selecting the driver, proceed to the next step.

In the next window you need to select the type of virtual disk.

The system will automatically determine the disk type suitable for your virtual machine and its operating system, but I recommend choosing SATA, since today this disk type is the fastest in comparison with others.

It is worth noting that some types of operating systems (quite old) will not be able to work on a SATA disk; in this case, you should choose another type of virtual disk that suits your OS, or simply trust the program, as it will automatically detect the required type.

After selecting the desired type, proceed to the next step.

In this window we can select which disk to use to install our virtual machine.

• Create a new virtual disk – when you select this option, you can specify the folder and its size where the operating system of your virtual machine will be installed.
• Use an existing virtual disk – if you have previously created a virtual machine and want to repeat its virtual disk settings or simply reinstall it, then you can select this option and specify the folder of your old virtual machine.
• Use physical disk – this option should be selected if you want to use a separate local HDD for your virtual machine.

In our case, we select the first parameter and move on to the next step.

In the next window you must specify the size of the virtual hard drive.

The program will automatically indicate the appropriate size for your type of operating system, but if you need more or less, then indicate the size we need in the “Maximum disk size” field.

Keep in mind that the amount of free space on your disk will decrease by exactly the amount that you specify to reserve for the virtual machine. Make sure you have enough free space for comfortable work with programs and for the correct operation of the operating system.

After determining the size, move on to the next step.

Specifying the drive file. We select where the file of our virtual disk for the virtual machine will be located. Press the “Browse…” button and specify the folder or create it.

Now we have moved on to the final stage of setting up our virtual machine and its operating system.

In this window, we can once again view the list of all the parameters we have selected and, in case of adjustments, use the “Equipment settings...” button.

In the “Hardware Settings...” section, you can fine-tune the hardware parameters for your virtual machine or, if necessary, change previously set ones.

After installation, the system will start on its own.

Now we have a virtual machine to work with the Windows XP operating system. You can install other versions of Windows OS in the same way.

You can observe and launch all installed virtual machines on the left side of the program under the names that you gave them during installation.

To proceed to setting the parameters of an already installed virtual machine and its operating system, right-click on the virtual machine and select “Settings...” from the drop-down menu.

After this, the options window will open.

Removing a virtual machine

First of all, for this. To delete a virtual machine, you need to end the guest session.

To do this, right-click on the virtual machine, and in the drop-down menu, move the cursor to the “Power” item, then in the drop-down menu, select “Shut down guest OS”. The OS will shut down, after which we right-click on the virtual machine again and select “Delete”, agree to all pop-up windows.

This way you have completely removed the virtual machine and all its files from your computer.

Problems starting a virtual machine

If your virtual machine does not start, you should do the following.

• Checking BIOS settings (activating virtualization technology and SCSI controller support)
• Reinstalling the operating system.
• Installing the system from another image or disk.
• Checking the virtual machine parameters (perhaps some parameters are not compatible with your OS).
• Checking the hard drive for integrity.
• Computer diagnostics for operating system load.
• Disabling the Firewall.
• Check for malware.

If not a single method helps you, then you should carefully read the error that appears when you start the machine and understand what the problem is. Once you understand what the problem is, you can solve it by following the instructions described in the error.

Conclusion

By following the instructions described in the article, you can easily install, configure and run your virtual machine with the desired operating system.

The main thing during installation is to strictly follow the instructions in order to avoid future errors when starting and operating the virtual machine.

Also, do not forget to make preliminary settings in the BIOS for the correct operation of the Vmware Workstation program.

Read, how to restore a VMware Workstation virtual machine that has been deleted or the contents of the virtual machine disk. What are the built-in tools of the virtual machine or third party programs use it to restore it. and VMware Player is virtualization software that is designed to allow multiple operating systems to run simultaneously on one physical computer.

VMware is one of the most stable and secure platforms for computer virtualization, which allows a large number of IT specialists, developers and other company specialists to be more flexible and productive in their work.

VMware Workstation System Files

That is, VMware Workstation is another virtual running operating system inside the operating system of your computer. All files of this operating system (both system and personal user files) are saved on the computer’s hard drive, and by default they are located in the folder:
C:\Users\ Username\Documents\Virtual Machines\ Virtual machine name

Most often, users do not need to know the name and location of the VMware virtual machine files. The program itself manages its files. But there are situations when such knowledge cannot be avoided, for example: if a virtual machine needs to be restored in case of its loss, or restored deleted files from it, etc.

As you can see from the screenshot above, the virtual machine folder consists of a certain set of files. VMware creates such a separate folder for each virtual machine and calls it the name of the virtual machine, which is assigned by the user during the installation of the virtual operating system.

The main files of the virtual machine have the following extensions:

• *.log– VMware Workstation key activity log file. It is used to troubleshoot problems if they occur
• *.nvram– state file and BIOS settings virtual machine
• *.vmdk– a virtual disk file that stores the contents of the virtual machine’s hard disk
  Note. Depending on the settings of VMware Workstation, the virtual machine disk may consist of one or more *.vmdk files.
• *.vmem– virtual machine swap file. Created and visible only while the virtual machine is running
• *.vmsd– file of parameters of the current snapshot
• *.vmsn– a snapshot state file that stores the current state of the virtual machine while it is in use
• *.vmss– suspended virtual machine state file
• *.vmtm– configuration file, one of the virtual machine parameters files
• *.vmx– the main configuration file in which all parameters of the virtual machine are stored
• *.vmxf– additional configuration file.

Note. Files with the described extensions are basic. The virtual machine folder may also contain other files and folders, including those that are displayed only while it is running.

How to recover a virtual machine that has been deleted

Accidental deletion, formatting of the computer's hard drive or damage file system, all this can cause data loss. But, as a rule, virtualization software does not offer built-in recovery functions. In this regard, the issue of recovering virtual machine data becomes a rather difficult problem for users.

The previous paragraph of the article describes the main types of files that make up a virtual machine and in which all its data is stored. By restoring them and opening the main configuration file in VMware, which stores all the parameters of the virtual machine, the user has the opportunity to restore the lost virtual machine.

To restore a virtual machine that has been deleted:

How to recover the contents of a VMware virtual machine disk

As we have already stated, all files that are saved on the virtual machine’s disks are located in the .vmdk files of the virtual disk. Hetman Partition Recovery hard drive data recovery program has the function of mounting virtual disks and recovering data from them.

If for some reason your virtual machine has lost its functionality, and important files were stored on its disks, they can be restored. For this:

How to recover a VMware virtual machine disk file from the virtual machine itself

As a result of the experiments, it was discovered that files that were deleted or lost inside the virtual machine cannot be restored.

VMware Workstation, although it is a virtual machine, can store very real data on it. In this regard, loss of access to a virtual machine or its deletion may become an unpleasant surprise, and the possibility of recovery will save user data from possible irretrievable loss.

VMware Workstation is a virtual machine for running operating systems installed on a computer. VMware virtual machine emulates Hardware computer, allows you to create virtual machines, run one or more operating systems running in parallel with Windows installed on the computer.

The VMware Workstation Pro program emulates computer hardware and allows you to run software on your computer in an isolated environment. You can install operating systems on a virtual machine (for example, Linux on Windows, or vice versa) to work in a virtual environment without affecting the real system.

Check unfamiliar or suspicious software, test a new antivirus without installing it on your computer, try it on a different operating system, etc. In this case, the real operating system will not be affected in the event of dangerous actions performed on the virtual machine.

The actual operating system installed on the computer is called the host, and the operating system installed on the virtual machine is called the guest operating system.

The American company Vmware is the largest manufacturer of virtualization software, producing programs for personal computers: paid VMware Workstation Pro and free VMware Player with reduced capabilities.

VMware Workstation Pro (there is a review of this program in the article) supports the installation of several different (or identical) operating systems: various distributions of Windows, Linux, BSD, etc.

Please note that the guest operating system consumes computer resources. Therefore, while the virtual machine is running, you should not run resource-intensive applications on a real computer, or open several virtual machines at once. The more powerful the computer, the more comfortable it is to work on a virtual machine. On powerful computers, several virtual machines will work simultaneously without any problems, but on weak ones, only one virtual machine.

Install VMware Workstation Pro on your computer. By default, the program runs on English language, there is a good Russification on the Internet from Loginvovchyk, which needs to be installed after installing the program. After this, the VMware Workstation Pro virtual machine will work in Russian.

After launch, the main VMware Workstation window will open. At the top of the window there is a menu for managing the program. On the left is the “Library”, which will display the installed VMware virtual cars. The “Home” tab contains buttons for performing the most frequently required actions: “Create a new virtual machine”, “Open a virtual machine”, “Connect to a remote server”, “Connect to Vmware vCloud Air”.

Creating a new virtual machine

To create a virtual machine (VM), click on the “Create a new virtual machine” button, or go to the “File” menu, select “New virtual machine...”.

The New Virtual Machine Wizard will open. In the first window, select the configuration type “Typical (recommended)”, and then click on the “Next” button.

The next window prompts you to select the type of installation of the guest OS; three options are available:

• installation from installation DVD disc inserted into the computer's disk drive
• use to install a system image file in ISO format from a computer
• installing the operating system later

If you select the first two options, after selecting the settings, the installation of the operating system on the virtual machine will begin. In the third case, the installation of the guest OS can be started at any other convenient time, after completing the setup of the virtual machine.

If installing later, select the guest operating system. If it is not in the list, select “Other”. Then select your OS version. A large selection of versions is offered for each system (more than 200 OS are supported); there is also an Other option of various bit depths (34-bit and 64-bit).

If you are installing a guest system while creating a virtual machine, then a window will open with information about quick installation. You do not need to enter a Windows product key or password; you only need to select the Windows version.

If your computer has more than one logical drive, then I recommend changing the location where virtual machine files are stored in the user profile (default setting) to another drive on your computer.

What is it for? If Windows installed on your computer fails, you will need to reinstall the system. After reinstalling the operating system, the VMware virtual machine file saved in the user profile on the system disk will be lost. If the virtual machine is not located on the system disk, then reinstalling Windows will not affect it.

To reuse, you will need to install the VMware Workstation program and then connect the virtual machine. You don't have to install and configure everything again.

Therefore, on drive “E” (in your case, it will most likely be drive “D”) of my computer, I created a folder “Virtual Machines”, in which folders with files of virtual machines installed on my computer are saved.

For a new virtual machine, create a folder with the name of this VM in order to separate its files from other VMs.

Next you need to select maximum size disk occupied by the virtual machine (by default - 60 GB, the size can be changed), the type of saving the virtual disk: in one file, or in several files. This size will be taken from your computer's hard drive for the virtual machine's needs.

When saving a virtual disk in one file, the VM works more efficiently than when divided into several files.

In the final window, click on the “Finish” button. After this, the installation of the guest operating system will begin.

If you selected the option to install the operating system later, then in this window there will be no option “Enable this virtual machine after it is created”, and therefore the installation of the guest system will not begin.

Setting up a VMware virtual machine

By default, the virtual machine is configured optimally for most cases. If necessary, you can change some settings and also add shared folders.

In the settings, in the “Hardware” tab, you can change the amount of memory for this virtual machine, the number of processor cores, and the amount of hard disk occupied by the virtual machine. In the “CD/DVD (SATA)” section, you can select a disk drive or operating system image file for installation (if you select installation later), and make other settings.

In the “Settings” tab, in the “Shared folders” section, select the “Always on” setting, activate the “Connect as” option network drive in guest Windows."

Next, click on the “Add…” button in the Add Shared Folder Wizard window, create a shared folder for exchanging data with the real system and other guest systems. It is advisable to create a shared folder not on the system drive for the reasons described above.

I already have such a folder on my computer (Data Sharing). I chose this folder for the new virtual machine. Next, enable this resource.

The default settings allow dragging, pasting and copying of files from real to virtual system, and in the opposite direction.

Opening a virtual machine

After Windows reinstallation(my case), you can open previously created virtual machines saved on your computer. In the main window of VMware Workstation, click on the “Open virtual machine” button, or in the “File” menu, select “Open...”.

Select the file (on my computer, virtual machines are in the “Virtual Machines” folder) of the virtual machine, and then click on the “Open” button.

On my computer, I opened previously saved virtual operating systems: Windows 10 x64, Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, Mac OS X.

Running a Guest OS in VMware Workstation

To launch a guest operating system, in the VMware Workstation Pro program window, select the tab with the desired OS (if several guest OSes are installed), and then click on the “Enable virtual machine” button. You can turn on the system from the menu “Virtual machine”, “Power”, “Start virtual machine”.

Installing VMware Tools

VMware Tools is a package of drivers and services that improve the operation of the virtual machine and its interaction with peripheral devices. Immediately after installing the operating system on the virtual machine, you need to install VMware Tools. A reminder about this will appear in the program window.

In the “Virtual Machine” menu, select “Install VMware Tools package...”. Next, open Explorer, run the installation of VMware Tools from CD-ROM drive. Once the package installation is complete, reboot the guest operating system.

Guest OS Snapshots

In VMware Workstation, you can create a snapshot of the guest OS. After creating a snapshot of the system state, in case of failures in the guest OS, you can return to the previous operating state of the system.

In the “Virtual Machine” menu, click on the “Create Snapshot” item. Next, give the photo a name and add a description if necessary.

To restore the state of the guest OS at the time the snapshot was taken, select “Return to snapshot: Snapshot N” from the context menu. Next, restore the system state. The current state of the OS will be lost.

The created snapshots can be managed through the Snapshot Manager: create, clone, delete snapshots. The menu bar has three buttons for managing system snapshots.

Disabling a virtual machine

To exit the virtual machine, in the “Virtual Machine” menu, click on the “Power” context menu item, and then select “Shut down guest OS”. The operating system will shut down as if you were shutting down your computer normally.

When you select the “Suspend guest OS” option, the system will pause its operation without disabling services and applications.

Removing a virtual machine

To remove a virtual machine, open the tab for that virtual machine in VMware Workstation Pro. In the “Virtual Machine” menu, select the “Manage” context menu item, and then select “Remove from disk”. In the warning window, agree to deletion (this is an irreversible action).

After this, all files of the guest virtual machine will be deleted from the computer.

Conclusion

VMware Workstation Pro virtual machine is a powerful application for creating guest virtual operating systems that run on a computer along with the real OS. The guest operating system will be isolated from the Windows installed on the computer.

Virtual machine- software that emulates computer hardware. Allows you to create and simultaneously run several operating systems directly independent of each other.

The original, main or real operating system is called the host, while the OS installed through the virtual machine is called the guest, secondary or virtual. In this case, the host and guest OS will operate as separately as possible. In the event of a virus attack or other malicious activity on a virtual machine, the data of the real OS (host) will not be affected.

One of the most popular programs for creating a virtual machine is VMware Workstation or its reduced functionality, freely distributed version VMware Player. With its help, you can install a minor OS X on the main Windows OS or vice versa, as well as a number of other operating systems, for example, the Linux family. There are ample opportunities for setting up and debugging the virtual OS.

Before you create a virtual machine, you need to install special software that allows you to do this. In our case, this is VMware Workstation. If for some reason this particular program is not suitable for you, you can install a guest OS on a virtual machine Virtualbox.

Installing the VMware Workstation distribution is similar to any other software:

1. Run the program's executable file. Preparations for unpacking will begin.
2. Next, a window will appear in which you can select standard or custom installation. If you don’t know which components you need and are using a virtual machine for the first time, then choose the “standard” program package. If necessary, you can always expand the functionality and add them through the program menu.
3. After clicking the Next button, you will be asked to select the directory in which the program will be installed.
4. If necessary, you can mark the places where VMware Workstation shortcuts will be additionally placed for quick launch.
5. At this point, the preparatory stage is considered complete, and after clicking the Install button, the distribution will begin the process of unpacking the main components.

Once the download is complete, a message will appear on the screen asking you to get started. This means that we have figured out how to install a virtual machine, and now we can start creating the virtual machine itself using VMware Workstation.

First start

The virtual machine and the guest operating system created in it will consume a certain amount of system resources. Therefore, before working with a virtual machine, it is recommended to close other resource-intensive programs, including those running in the background.

The next thing you need to understand is that the higher the production capacity of the computer, the more comfortable it will be to work with the virtual machine. It is not recommended to create, let alone run, more than one virtual OS on a device with weak hardware.

Will open immediately after launch home page programs. In total, the user will have access to two main menus: the top and side menus located on the left, as well as the main screen or “Home”.

The top menu is similar in its capabilities to most programs of this level. Here you will find all the tools you need to configure: file, edit, view, virtual machine, tabs, help.

On the left side of the screen is the “Library”. This is where all virtual machines installed in the program will be displayed. Using the same menu, you can find out how to delete a virtual machine.

The “Home” or central screen contains the most frequently used functionality. Allows you to immediately start creating a new virtual machine or launch a previously created one, even on another device (you must first copy the data), as well as connect to a remote server or synchronize with VMware vCloud Air.

Since it is impossible to install Windows on a virtual machine without first creating it, we suggest you familiarize yourself with this process.

Making a machine

To create a virtual machine, you must perform the following steps:

• Installation using a bootable DVD through a physical, not virtual, drive of a laptop or PC.
• Boot using a virtual drive and a ready-made image file (ISO).
• Postpone loading the OS until later and create only the VM shell.

If you decide to install a secondary operating system immediately by selecting one of the first two options, a window will appear on the screen with all the information regarding the installation of the application. In our case it is Windows. Here you can immediately enter all the necessary data, key and password, or postpone it until later.

If the first or second boot method was selected, then after all the necessary settings have been made, the immediate installation of the selected OS will begin. Otherwise, it will begin after debugging the basic configurations of the virtual machine itself.

If you decide to install a guest OS later, using the third option, the program will prompt you to select the OS type from the list: Linux, Windows, Other, etc. After this, you must specify the version of the OS that will be installed. As in the previous menu, you can mark it as “Other”, but only if the required version is not in the list.

The program has a huge selection of pre-installed configurations for a wide variety of operating systems and their versions. Therefore, there should be no problems.

Setting up the application shell

The next thing you need to do is give a name for the VM, and also indicate the directory in which the main components of the program will be installed.

If the device has several drives, for example, system C and D, then it is recommended to change the location of the main folders and other system data of the VMware Workstation virtual machine to D. That is, to the drive that is not the system drive. This must be done so that in the event of a virus attack, unauthorized access, or an ordinary failure of the host (real OS), the VM files are not damaged.

Before you set up your virtual machine, make sure you know exactly what settings you need. Otherwise, leave the settings at default.

Thus, after reinstalling the main operating system on drive C, the data of the secondary one will not be affected.

You will only need to re-download the VMware Workstation program shell, and then turn on the existing virtual machine, pointing the program to the path to the files. But before you launch it, make sure that all the necessary tools are already installed.

Now you need to select the maximum amount of disk memory that the virtual machine you are creating will occupy. The default is 60 GB. This is sufficient for most tasks, but you can change this setting to a higher or lower value if you wish.

Here you also need to take into account the fact that by saving, without splitting the disk space into several components, the guest OS you created in the virtual machine and the included host will work much faster.

At this point, the VM configuration is considered complete. And after clicking the Finish button, the process of loading the secondary, virtual, operating system will begin.

Virtual machine configuration

Typically, the need for additional settings VM does not occur. VMware Workstation automatically adapts to your system and offers the most best option. Moreover, if during the installation most of the parameters did not change and were selected by default.

If necessary, some configurations can be changed after downloading. Namely:

• open shared or remote access to some files and folders;
• change the characteristics of the VM hardware;
• add or change a previously selected drive for installing a secondary operating system;
• change settings for connecting external and USB devices.

To make some files and folders available for shared use by the guest OS and the host, you must:

1. Go to the tab " Options" and in the drop-down list find the line " Shared folders", depending on the version which may have a different name.
2. In the window that opens, check the box “ Connect as a network drive in Windows guests».
3. After this, an additional Add button will appear, by activating which you can create and select a folder that you plan to make publicly available for the guest OS and the host.

To avoid problems with data loss and reinstallation of the main OS, it is recommended to select a directory that is not located on the disk with the real operating system installed on it.

After completing the steps described above, the folder will automatically become public. When you configure the default settings, you will be able to use the system's capabilities drag-and-drop, both from the secondary OS to the host, and vice versa. If any of the described functions are not necessary, then do not forget to uncheck the unnecessary option.

As you can see, setting up a virtual machine does not take much time and does not require additional knowledge in order to understand how it works.

Common problems and their solutions

Most of the problems, as a rule, arise due to the lack of components necessary for the correct operation of computer hardware (processor, video card, audio card, etc.). Do not forget that the secondary OS, like the main one, needs the most necessary programs, ensuring stable operation of the video adapter, audio card, etc.

To avoid unnecessary problems with finding and installing them, immediately after loading the VMware OS onto the virtual machine, you will be prompted to install an additional component - VMware Tools, made in order to simplify work not only with the VM, but also with external devices, for example, printers, faxes, USB drives.

If for some reason this does not happen, then you can start loading the tool yourself. To do this, go to the menu item “ Virtual machine» and in the drop-down list find an offer to download this package. Upon completion, you will be prompted to reboot the guest OS. The installed tool will start working automatically, and no additional operations need to be performed to start it.

One of the most common problems is the appearance of an error like: The VMware Authorization Service is not running. To solve it, just go to the “Services” menu on the main OS, this can be done through the Control Panel - Administration. Then, in the list of services, find the one you need and start it. If necessary, enter the name manually. If it appears that the service is already running, turn it off and on again.

To avoid most problems, it is strongly recommended to install only official or verified builds of the program.

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