VMware Workstation 17.0 Pro User manual

Using VMware

Workstation Pro

VMware Workstation Pro 17

You can find the most up-to-date technical documentation on the VMware website at:

https://docs.vmware.com/

VMware, Inc.

3401 Hillview Ave.

Palo Alto, CA 94304

www.vmware.com

Using VMware Workstation Pro

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Contents

Using VMware Workstation Pro 14

1Introduction and System Requirements 15

Host System Requirements for Workstation Pro 15

Processor Requirements for Host Systems 15

Supported Host Operating Systems 16

Memory Requirements for Host Systems 16

Display Requirements for Host Systems 16

Disk Drive Requirements for Host Systems 16

Local Area Networking Requirements for Host Systems 18

ALSA Requirements 18

Virtual Machine Features and Specifications 18

Supported Guest Operating Systems 18

Virtual Machine Processor Support 18

Virtual Machine Chipset and BIOS Support 19

Virtual Machine Memory Allocation 19

Virtual Machine Graphics and Keyboard Support 19

Virtual Machine IDE Drive Support 19

Virtual Machine SCSI Device Support 20

Virtual Machine Floppy Drive Support 20

Virtual Machine Serial and Parallel Port Support 20

Virtual Machine USB Port Support 20

Virtual Machine Mouse and Drawing Tablet Support 21

Virtual Machine Ethernet Card Support 21

Virtual Machine Networking Support 21

Virtual Machine Sound Support 21

2Installing and Using Workstation Pro 23

Obtaining the Workstation Pro Software and License Key 23

Trial Version Expiration Date Warnings 24

Installing Workstation Pro with Other VMware Products 24

Reinstalling Workstation Pro When Upgrading a Windows Host Operating System 24

Installing the Integrated Virtual Debuggers for Eclipse 25

Installing Workstation Pro 25

Install Workstation Pro on a Windows Host 25

Run an Unattended Workstation Pro Installation on a Windows Host 26

Install Workstation Pro on a Linux Host 28

Upgrading Workstation Pro 31

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Prepare for an Upgrade 32

Upgrade Workstation Pro on a Windows Host 33

Upgrade Workstation Pro on a Linux Host 34

Change the Hardware Compatibility of a Virtual Machine 35

Uninstalling Workstation Pro 37

Uninstall Workstation Pro from a Windows Host 37

Uninstall Workstation Pro from a Linux Host 38

Start Workstation Pro 38

Using the Workstation Pro Window 39

Use Virtual Machines in the Workstation Pro Window 39

Use the Virtual Machine Library 40

Use the Thumbnail Bar 41

Use the Status Bar 42

Use Workstation Pro Tabs 42

Customize the Workstation Pro Window 43

Default Hot-Key Combinations 44

Using the Workstation Pro Online Help 44

3Creating Virtual Machines 46

Understanding Virtual Machines 46

Preparing to Create a New Virtual Machine 47

Worksheet for Creating a Virtual Machine 47

Selecting a Virtual Machine Configuration 48

Selecting the Virtual Machine Hardware Compatibility Setting 48

Selecting a Guest Operating System 49

Specifying the Virtual Machine Name and File Location 50

Selecting the Firmware Type 51

Selecting the Number of Processors for a Virtual Machine 51

Allocating Memory for a Virtual Machine 52

Selecting the Network Connection Type for a Virtual Machine 52

Selecting the I/O Controller Type for a Virtual Machine 53

Selecting a Hard Disk for a Virtual Machine 54

Customizing Virtual Machine Hardware 59

Create a New Virtual Machine on the Local Host 59

Use Easy Install to Install a Guest Operating System 62

Install a Guest Operating System Manually 62

Install Windows 11 on a Virtual Machine in Workstation 64

Installing a Guest Operating System on a Physical Disk or Unused Partition 66

Create a Virtual Machine Shortcut 67

Cloning Virtual Machines 67

Using Linked Clones 68

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Using Full Clones 69

Enable Template Mode for a Parent Virtual Machine of Linked Clones 69

Clone a Virtual Machine 69

Importing Virtual Machines 70

Import an Open Virtualization Format Virtual Machine 70

Import a VMware vCenter Server Appliance 71

Installing and Upgrading VMware Tools 72

Installing VMware Tools 73

Upgrading VMware Tools 74

Configure Automatic Software Updates 75

Configure VMware Tools Updates for a Specific Virtual Machine 76

Manually Installing and Upgrading VMware Tools 77

Starting the VMware User Process Manually If You Do Not Use a Session Manager 84

Uninstalling VMware Tools 85

Virtual Machine Files 86

4Using Virtual Machines 88

Scan for Virtual Machines to Add to the Virtual Machine Library 88

Starting Virtual Machines 90

Start a Virtual Machine 91

Start a Virtual Machine That Is Running in the Background 92

Enable Autologon in a Windows Virtual Machine 92

Configure a Firmware Type 93

Enable Auto Start for Local Virtual Machine on Windows Host 94

Stopping Virtual Machines 95

Shut Down a Virtual Machine 96

Closing Virtual Machines and Exiting Workstation Pro 97

Pause and Unpause a Virtual Machine 98

Suspend and Resume a Virtual Machine 99

Transferring Files and Text 100

Using the Drag-and-Drop Feature 101

Using the Copy and Paste Feature 102

Using Shared Folders 103

Mapping a Virtual Disk to the Linux Host System 110

Enabling a Virtual Machine to Print to Host Printers 111

Add a Virtual Printer to a Virtual Machine 112

Install VMware Virtual Printer 112

Uninstall VMware Virtual Printer 114

Using Removable Devices in Virtual Machines 115

Use a Removable Device in a Virtual Machine 115

Connecting USB Devices to Virtual Machines 116

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Troubleshooting USB Device Control Sharing 121

Using Smart Cards in Virtual Machines 122

Changing the Virtual Machine Display 125

Use Full Screen Mode 126

Use Exclusive Mode 127

Use Unity Mode 128

Use Multiple Monitors for One Virtual Machine 129

Use Multiple Monitors for Multiple Virtual Machines 130

Fit the Workstation Pro Console to the Guest Operating System Display 130

Using Folders to Manage Virtual Machines 132

Add a Virtual Machine to a Folder 133

Remove a Virtual Machine from a Folder 133

Manage Virtual Machines in a Folder 134

Change the Power On Delay 134

Convert a Team 135

Taking Snapshots of Virtual Machines 135

Using Snapshots to Preserve Virtual Machine States 136

Using the Snapshot Manager 137

Take a Snapshot of a Virtual Machine 138

Revert to a Snapshot 139

Take or Revert to a Snapshot at Power Off 139

Enable AutoProtect Snapshots 140

Enable Background Snapshots 141

Exclude a Virtual Disk from Snapshots 141

Delete a Snapshot 142

Troubleshooting Snapshot Problems 142

Install New Software in a Virtual Machine 143

Deactivate Acceleration if a Program Does Not Run 144

Take a Screenshot of a Virtual Machine 144

Delete a Virtual Machine 145

5Running Workstation on a Hyper-V Enabled Host 146

Host VBS Mode on Workstation 146

Host VBS Mode Compatibility with Windows Version 147

Limitations of Host VBS Mode 147

Limitations in the VMs Suspend/Resume Operation 147

6Configuring and Managing Virtual Machines 149

Configure Power Options and Power Control Settings 149

Configure SSH Login on a Linux Virtual Machine 152

Edit or Delete the SSH Login Configuration for a Linux Virtual Machine 153

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Set Workstation Pro Display Preferences 153

Configure Display Settings for a Virtual Machine 155

Prepare the Host System to Use 3D Accelerated Graphics 157

Prepare a Virtual Machine to Use Accelerated 3D Graphics 158

Set Preferences for Unity Mode 159

Setting Screen Color Depth 160

Using Advanced Linux Sound Architecture 161

Override the ALSA Library Version Requirement for a Virtual Machine 161

Obtain ALSA Sound Card Information 162

Configure a Virtual Machine to Use an ALSA Sound Card 162

Encrypting Virtual Machines 163

Virtual Machine Encryption Limitations 164

Encrypt a Virtual Machine 164

Remove Encryption From a Virtual Machine 165

Change the Password for an Encrypted Virtual Machine 165

Moving Virtual Machines 166

Move a Virtual Machine to a New Location or Host 166

Open a Virtual Machine in VMware Workstation Player 168

Configure a Virtual Machine for Compatibility 169

Using the Virtual Machine UUID 170

Configure a Virtual Machine as a VNC Server 172

Specify a Language Keyboard Map for VNC Clients 172

Use a VNC Client to Connect to a Virtual Machine 174

View VNC Connections for a Virtual Machine 175

Change the Hardware Compatibility of a Virtual Machine 175

Considerations for Changing the Hardware Compatibility of a Virtual Machine 177

Clean Up a Virtual Hard Disk on Windows Hosts 177

Export a Virtual Machine to OVF Format 178

Writing and Debugging Applications That Run In Virtual Machines 179

Debugging Over a Virtual Serial Port 179

7Configuring and Managing Devices 181

Configuring DVD, CD-ROM, and Floppy Drives 181

Add a DVD or CD-ROM Drive to a Virtual Machine 181

Add a Floppy Drive to a Virtual Machine 182

Configure Legacy Emulation Mode for a DVD or CD-ROM Drive 183

Configuring a USB Controller 184

Add a USB Controller to a Virtual Machine 184

Enable Support for Isochronous USB Devices 185

Configuring and Maintaining Virtual Hard Disks 186

Configuring a Virtual Hard Disk 187

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Compact a Virtual Hard Disk 190

Expand a Virtual Hard Disk 190

Defragment a Virtual Hard Disk 191

Remove a Virtual Hard Disk from a Virtual Machine 192

Using Virtual Disk Manager 192

Using Legacy Virtual Disks 193

Using Lock Files to Prevent Consistency Problems on Virtual Hard Disks 193

Moving a Virtual Hard Disk to a New Location 194

Adding a Physical Disk to a Virtual Machine 194

Prepare to Use a Physical Disk or Unused Partition 195

Add a Physical Disk to an Existing Virtual Machine 196

Configuring Virtual Ports 197

Add a Virtual Parallel Port to a Virtual Machine 197

Configure a Virtual Parallel Port on a Linux 2.6.x Kernel Host 198

Configure Permissions for a Parallel Port Device on a Linux Host 199

Troubleshoot ECR Errors for Parallel Ports 200

Add a Virtual Serial Port to a Virtual Machine 200

Change the Input Speed of a Serial Connection 201

Configuring Generic SCSI Devices 202

Add a Generic SCSI Device to a Virtual Machine 203

Avoiding Concurrent Access Problems for SCSI Devices on Linux Hosts 203

Troubleshoot Problems Detecting Generic SCSI Devices 204

Configuring Virtual Trusted Platform Module Devices 205

Add a Virtual Trusted Platform Module Device 205

Remove a Virtual Trusted Platform Module Device 206

Configuring Sixteen-Way Virtual Symmetric Multiprocessing 206

Configure Sixteen-Way Virtual Symmetric Multiprocessing 207

Use a Virtual Machine That Has More Than Sixteen Virtual Processors 207

Configuring Keyboard Features 208

Use the Enhanced Virtual Keyboard Feature in a Virtual Machine 208

Change Hot-Key Combinations for Common Operations 210

Change Hot-Key Combinations for Unity Mode 211

Configure Keyboard Mapping for a Remote X Server 211

Change How a Specific Key Is Mapped 212

Configure How Keysyms Are Mapped 213

V-Scan Code Table 214

Modify Hardware Settings for a Virtual Machine 218

8Configuring Network Connections 220

Understanding Virtual Networking Components 220

Understanding Common Networking Configurations 221

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Changing the Default Networking Configuration 222

Add a Virtual Network Adapter to a Virtual Machine 223

Modify an Existing Virtual Network Adapter for a Virtual Machine 224

Disconnect a Host Virtual Network Adapter 225

Configure Bandwidth, Packet Loss, and Latency Settings for a Virtual Machine 226

Configuring Bridged Networking 227

Assigning IP Addresses in a Bridged Networking Environment 228

Add a Bridged Network 229

Configure Bridged Networking for an Existing Virtual Machine 229

Change VMnet0 Bridged Networking Settings 230

Configuring Network Address Translation 231

Features and Limitations of NAT Configurations 232

Change NAT Settings 234

Editing the NAT Configuration File 236

Using NAT with NetLogon 240

Specifying Connections from Source Ports Below 1024 242

Configuring Host-Only Networking 242

Add a Host-Only Network 244

Configure Host-Only Networking for an Existing Virtual Machine 245

Set Up Routing Between Two Host-Only Networks 245

Avoiding IP Packet Leakage in Host-Only Networks 247

Controlling Routing Information for Host-Only Networks on Linux 248

Using DHCP and DDNS with Host-Only Networking on Linux 249

Assigning IP Addresses in Host-Only Networks and NAT Configurations 250

Change DHCP Settings for a Host-Only or NAT Network on a Windows Host 251

Change the Subnet Settings for a Host-Only or NAT Network on a Windows Host 251

Change the Subnet IP Address for a Host-Only or NAT Network on a Linux Host 252

DHCP Conventions for Assigning IP Addresses in Host-Only and NAT Networks 254

Enable Jumbo Frames 254

Enable Jumbo Frames on Linux Host 255

Enable Jumbo Frames on Windows Host 255

Configuring LAN Segments 255

Create a LAN Segment for a Virtual Machine 256

Configure a Virtual Machine to Use a LAN Segment 256

Delete a LAN Segment 257

Configuring Samba for Workstation Pro 257

Add Users to the Samba Password File 258

Use a Samba Server for Bridged or Host-Only Networking 258

Use Samba Without Network Access 258

Using Virtual Network Adapters in Promiscuous Mode on Linux Hosts 259

Maintaining and Changing MAC Addresses for Virtual Machines 259

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Change the MAC Address for a Virtual Machine 260

Manually Assign a MAC Address to a Virtual Machine 260

Sample Custom Networking Configuration 261

Create the Sample Custom Networking Configuration 262

9Using Remote Connections to Manage Remote Virtual Machines 264

Connect to a Remote Server 264

Interacting with Remote Hosts and Virtual Machines 265

Turn Off the Prompt to Save Remote Login Information 266

Remove Saved Login and Exception Information for Remote Servers 266

Disconnect from a Remote Server 267

Uploading Virtual Machines to Remote Servers 267

Upload a Virtual Machine to a Remote Server 268

Download a Virtual Machine from a Remote Server 269

Create a Virtual Machine on a Remote Host 269

Manage Virtual Machine Power Actions on Remote Hosts 271

Using Roles to Assign Privileges 272

Default System Roles 273

Create a Role 273

Edit a Role 274

Clone a Role 275

Remove a Role 276

10 Changing Workstation Pro Preference Settings 277

Configuring Workspace Preference Settings 277

Configuring the Default Locations for Virtual Machine Files and Screenshots 278

Configuring Virtual Machine Exit Behavior 279

Enabling Shared Folders Created By Other Users 280

Changing the Default Hardware Compatibility Setting 281

Configuring Power On Delay and Aero Peek Thumbnail Settings 281

Changing the Remote Server Login Privacy Setting 282

Configuring Input Preference Settings 282

Configuring Keyboard and Mouse Settings 282

Configuring Cursor Settings 283

Changing Hot-Key Combinations 284

Configuring Workstation Pro Display Preference Settings 285

Configuring Autofit Settings 285

Configuring Full Screen Settings 285

Configuring Menu and Toolbar Settings 286

Configuring Workstation Pro Color Theme Settings 286

Configuring USB Device Connection Behavior 287

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Configuring Software Update Preference Settings 287

Configuring Software Updates Settings 287

Configuring Connection Settings for a Proxy Server 289

Join or Leave the Customer Experience Improvement Program 289

Configuring Workstation Pro Memory Preference Settings 290

Configuring Reserved Memory 290

Configuring Additional Memory Settings 290

Configuring Workstation Pro Priority Preference Settings 291

Configuring Process Priorities on Windows Hosts 291

Configuring Background Snapshots 292

Configuring Device Settings for Windows Hosts 292

Configuring the Autorun Feature on Windows Hosts 292

Configuring Virtual Printers on Windows Hosts 293

11 Configuring Virtual Machine Option Settings 294

Configuring General Option Settings for a Virtual Machine 294

Changing a Virtual Machine Name 295

Changing the Guest Operating System 295

Changing the Virtual Machine Working Directory 296

Configuring Power Settings for a Virtual Machine 296

Configuring Power Options for a Virtual Machine 297

Configuring Power Controls for a Virtual Machine 297

Configuring Snapshot Options for a Virtual Machine 298

Configuring AutoProtect Options for a Virtual Machine 299

Configuring Guest Isolation Options for a Virtual Machine 300

Configuring Tablet Sensor Input Options for a Virtual Machine 301

Configuring VMware Tools Options for a Virtual Machine 302

Configuring a Virtual Machine as a VNC Server 303

Configuring Unity Mode for a Virtual Machine 303

Configuring Appliance Details for a Virtual Machine 304

Configuring Autologin for a Virtual Machine 305

Configuring Advanced Options for a Virtual Machine 305

Configuring Process Priorities for a Virtual Machine 306

Gathering Debugging Information 306

Configuring Advanced Settings for a Virtual Machine 307

Configuring the Firmware Type for a Virtual Machine 309

Configuring Access Control for a Virtual Machine 309

12 Configuring Virtual Machine Hardware Settings 310

Adding Hardware to a Virtual Machine 310

Removing Hardware from a Virtual Machine 312

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Adjusting Virtual Machine Memory 313

Configuring Virtual Machine Processor Settings 313

Configuring and Maintaining Virtual Hard Disks 314

Defragmenting Virtual Hard Disks 314

Expanding Virtual Hard Disks 315

Compacting Virtual Hard Disks 315

Changing Virtual Hard Disk Node and Mode Settings 315

Configuring CD-ROM and DVD Drive Settings 316

Configuring CD-ROM and DVD Drive Status and Connection Settings 317

Changing Virtual Device Node and Legacy Emulation Settings 318

Configuring Floppy Drive Settings 318

Configuring Virtual Network Adapter Settings 319

Configuring Virtual Network Adapter Device Status Settings 320

Configuring a Network Connection 320

Configuring Virtual Network Adapter Advanced Settings 323

Configuring USB Controller Settings 324

Configuring Sound Card Settings 325

Configuring Parallel Port Settings 325

Configuring Serial Port Settings 326

Configuring Generic SCSI Device Settings 327

Configuring Printer Settings 327

Configuring Display Settings 328

Installing a Guest Operating System on a Physical Disk or Unused Partition 329

13 Using the Virtual Network Editor 330

Add a Bridged Virtual Network 331

Add a Host-Only Virtual Network 332

Rename a Virtual Network 333

Change Automatic Bridging Settings 333

Change NAT Settings 334

Change DHCP Settings on a Windows Host 336

Importing and Exporting Network Settings on Windows Host 337

Exporting Network Settings 337

Importing Network Settings 337

14 Running the Support Script 338

Register and Create a Support Request 338

Run the Support Script from Workstation Pro 339

Run the Support Script from a Windows Command Prompt 339

Run the Support Script from a Linux Terminal Window 340

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15 Using vctl Command to Manage Containers and Run Kubernetes Cluster 341

Using the vctl Utility 342

Enabling KIND to Use vctl Container as Nodes to Run Kubernetes Clusters 342

Running vctl Commands 343

Syntax of vctl Commands 343

Examples of vctl Commands 346

Cleaning Up Residual Environment Data 348

16 Using the vmware Command 349

Run the vmware Command 349

vmware Command Options 349

Incorporate Workstation Pro Startup Options in a Windows Shortcut 350

17 Using VMware Workstation Pro REST API 351

Use the VMware Workstation Pro REST API Service 351

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Using VMware Workstation Pro

describes how to use VMware Workstation Pro™ to create,

configure, and manage virtual machines.

Intended Audience

This information is intended for anyone who wants to install, upgrade, or use Workstation Pro. The

information is written for experienced Windows or Linux system administrators who are familiar

with virtual machine technology and datacenter operations.

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Introduction and System

Requirements 1

Host computers that run Workstation Pro must meet specific hardware and software

requirements. Virtual machines that run in Workstation Pro support specific devices and provide

certain features.

This chapter includes the following topics:

nHost System Requirements for Workstation Pro

nVirtual Machine Features and Specifications

Host System Requirements for Workstation Pro

The physical computer on which you install Workstation Pro is called the host system and its

operating system is called the host operating system. To run Workstation Pro, the host system and

the host operating system must meet specific hardware and software requirements.

Processor Requirements for Host Systems

You must install Workstation Pro on a host system that meets certain processor requirements.

Supported Processors

The following host systems are supported:

nA compatible 64-bit x86/AMD64 CPU launched in 2011 or later.

nFor specific Host Operating Systems (HOS), refer to the vendor's recommended processor

requirements:

nFor Microsoft-specific HOS, refer to the Microsoft documentation

nFor Linux-specific HOS, refer to the Linux Vendor-specific documentation

Processor Requirements for 64-Bit Guest Operating Systems

For supported processors to run 64-bit guest operating systems, the host system must use one of

the following processors.

nAn AMD CPU with AMD-V support

nAn Intel CPU with VT-x support

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If you have an Intel CPU that has VT-x support, you must verify that VT-x support is enabled in the

host system BIOS. The BIOS settings that must be enabled for VT-x support vary depending on

the system vendor. See the VMware knowledge base article at http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1003944

for information about how to determine if VT-x support is enabled.

When you install a 64-bit operating system, Workstation Pro performs checks to make sure the

host system has a supported processor. You cannot install a 64-bit operating system if the host

system does not meet the processor requirements.

Supported Host Operating Systems

You can install Workstation Pro on Windows and Linux host operating systems.

To see a list of the supported host operating systems, search the online VMware Compatibility

Guide on the VMware Web site.

Memory Requirements for Host Systems

The host system must have enough memory to run the host operating system, the guest operating

systems that run inside the virtual machines on the host system, and the applications that run in

the host and guest operating systems.

The minimum memory required on the host system is 2 GB of RAM. 4 GB and above is

recommended.

See your guest operating system and application documentation for more information on memory

requirements.

Display Requirements for Host Systems

The host system must have a 16-bit or 32-bit display adapter. Use the latest graphics driver

recommended for the host system.

To support Windows 7 Aero graphics, the host system should have either an NVIDIA GeForce

8800GT or later or an ATI Radeon HD 2600 or later graphics processor.

Important 3D benchmarks, such as 3DMark '06, might not render correctly or at all when running

Windows Vista or Windows 7 virtual machines on some graphics hardware.

Disk Drive Requirements for Host Systems

Host systems must meet certain disk drive requirements. Guest operating systems can reside on

physical disk partitions or in virtual disk files.

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Table 1-1. Disk Drive Requirements for Host Systems

Drive Type Requirements

Hard disk nIDE, SATA, SCSI and NVMe hard drives are supported.

nAt least 1 GB free disk space is 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. Refer to the vendor's recommended disk space for a specific guest

operating system.

nFor basic installation, ~2.5 GB of free disk space is required on Windows and

Linux. You can delete the installer after the installation is complete to reclaim

disk space.

Optical CD-ROM and DVD nIDE, SATA, and SCSI optical drives are supported.

nCD-ROM and DVD drives are supported.

nISO disk image files are supported.

Floppy Virtual machines can connect to disk drives on the host computer. Floppy disk

image files are also supported.

Solid-State Drives

If your host machine has a physical solid-state drive (SSD), the host informs guest operating

systems they are running on an SSD.

This allows the guest operating systems to optimize behavior. How the virtual machines recognize

SSD and use this information depends on the guest operating system and the disk type of the

virtual disk (SCSI, SATA, IDE, or NVMe).

nOn Windows 8, Windows 10, Ubuntu, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux virtual machines, all drive

types can report their virtual disks as SSD drives.

Note

nNVMe virtual hard disks are natively supported for Windows 8.1 and later.

nTo create a new a virtual machine with a Windows 7 or Windows 2008 R2 guest operating

system using NVMe as the virtual hard disk, apply the appropriate Windows hot fix. See

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2990941.

nSeveral Linux operating systems support NVMe while others do not. Check with the

operating system vendor.

nOn Windows 7 virtual machines, only IDE and SATA virtual disks can report their virtual disks

as SSD. SCSI virtual disks only report as SSD when used as a system drive in a virtual machine,

or as a mechanical drive when used as a data drive inside a virtual machine.

Use the virtual machine operating system to verify your virtual machine is using SSD as its virtual

disk.

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Local Area Networking Requirements for Host Systems

You can use any Ethernet controller that the host operating system supports.

Non-Ethernet networks are supported by using built-in network address translation (NAT) or by

using a combination of host-only networking and routing software on the host operating system.

ALSA Requirements

To use ALSA in a virtual machine, the host system must meet certain requirements.

nThe ALSA library version on the host system must be version 1.0.16 or later.

nThe sound card on the host system must support ALSA. The ALSA project Web site maintains

a current listing of sound cards and chipsets that support ALSA.

nThe sound device on the host system must not be muted.

nThe current user must have the appropriate permissions to use the sound device.

Virtual Machine Features and Specifications

Workstation Pro virtual machines support specific devices and provide certain features.

Supported Guest Operating Systems

A guest operating system can be Windows, Linux, and other commonly used operating systems.

For the most recent list of guest operating systems that VMware products support, see the

VMware Compatibility Guide site: http://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php.

For instructions about how to install the most common guest operating systems, see the

VMware

Guest Operating System Installation Guide

: http://partnerweb.vmware.com/GOSIG/home.html.

Virtual Machine Processor Support

Virtual machines support certain processor features.

nThe same as the processor on the host computer.

nOne virtual processor on a host system that has one or more logical processors.

nUp to 16 virtual processors (sixteen-way virtual symmetric multiprocessing, or Virtual SMP) on

a host system that has at least 2 logical processors.

Note Workstation Pro considers multiprocessor hosts that have 2 or more physical CPUs,

single-processor hosts that have a multicore CPU, and single-processor hosts that have

hyperthreading enabled, to have two logical processors.

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Virtual Machine Chipset and BIOS Support

Virtual machines support certain virtual machine chipsets and BIOS features.

nIntel 440BX-based motherboard

nNS338 SIO chipset

n82093AA I/O Advanced Programmable Controller (I/O APIC)

nPhoenix BIOS 4.0 Release 6 with VESA BIOS

Virtual Machine Memory Allocation

The total amount of memory that you can assign to all virtual machines running on a single host

system is limited only by the amount of RAM on the host.

The maximum amount of memory for each virtual machine is 64GB.

Virtual Machine Graphics and Keyboard Support

Virtual machines support certain graphics features.

nVGA and SVGA are supported.

n104-key Windows 95/98 enhanced keyboards are supported.

nTo use the GL_EXT_texture_compression_s3tc and GL_S3_s3tc Open Graphics Library

(OpenGL) extensions in a Windows XP or Windows 7 or later guest operating system, you

must install Microsoft DirectX End-User Runtime in the guest operating system. OpenGL is an

API that is used to define 2D and 3D computer graphics. You can download Microsoft DirectX

End-User Runtime from the Microsoft Download Center Web site.

The VMware guest operating system OpenGL driver for Windows and Linux supports the

OpenGL 4.3 compatibility profile.

Virtual Machine IDE Drive Support

Virtual machines support certain IDE drives and features.

nUp to four devices, including disk, CD-ROM, and DVD drives, are supported.

nDVD drives can be used to read data DVD discs only.

nDVD video is not supported.

nHard disks can be virtual disks or physical disks.

nIDE virtual disks can be up to 8TB.

nCD-ROM drives can be physical devices or ISO image files.

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Virtual Machine SCSI Device Support

Virtual machines support certain SCSI devices and features.

nUp to 60 devices are supported.

nSCSI virtual disks can be up to 8TB.

nHard disks can be virtual disks or physical disks.

nWith Generic SCSI support, you can use devices in a virtual machine without installing drivers

in the host operating system. Generic SCSI support works with scanners, CD-ROM drives, DVD

drives, tape drives, and other SCSI devices.

nThe LSI Logic LSI53C10xx Ultra320 SCSI I/O controller is supported.

Virtual Machine Floppy Drive Support

Virtual machines can have floppy drives.

nUp to two 2.88MB floppy devices are supported.

nFloppy drives can be physical drives or floppy image files.

Virtual Machine Serial and Parallel Port Support

Virtual machines support serial (COM) and parallel (LPT) ports.

nUp to four serial (COM) ports are supported. Output can be sent to serial ports, Windows or

Linux files, or named pipes.

nUp to three bidirectional parallel (LPT) ports. Output can be sent to parallel ports or host

operating system files.

Virtual Machine USB Port Support

Virtual machines can have USB ports and can support certain USB devices.

nUSB 1.1 UHCI (Universal Host Controller Interface) is supported for all virtual machine hardware

versions.

nUSB 2.0 EHCI (Enhanced Host Controller Interface) controllers are supported if the virtual

machine hardware is compatible with Workstation 6 and later virtual machines.

nUSB 3.0 xHCI (Extensible Host Controller Interface) support is available for Linux guests

running kernel version 2.6.35 or later and for Windows 8 guests. The virtual machine hardware

must be compatible with Workstation 8 and later virtual machines.

nSupport for USB 2.0 and 3.0 requires that you configure virtual machine settings to enable

USB 2.0 and 3.0 support and that you have compatible guest operating systems and virtual

machine hardware versions.

nMost USB devices are supported, including USB printers, scanners, PDAs, hard disk drives,

memory card readers, and digital cameras. Streaming devices, such as webcams, speakers,

and microphones, are also supported.

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VMware Workstation 17.0 Pro User manual

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