VMware vSphere 4 User manual

VERSION 4.0.1
User’s Manual

Please note that you can always find the most up-to-date technical docu-
mentation on our Web site at http://www.vmware.com/support/.
The VMware Web site also provides the latest product updates.
Copyright © 1998–2003 VMware, Inc. All rights reserved. Protected by one or more of U.S. Patent Nos.
6,397,242 and 6,496,847; patents pending. VMware, the VMware boxes logo, GSX Server and ESX Server are
trademarks of VMware, Inc. 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: 20030717 Item: WS-ENG-Q203-003
VMware, Inc.
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Palo Alto, CA 94304
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Table of Contents
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Introduction and System Requirements __________________________ 11
Powerful Virtual Machine Software for the Technical Professional ________13
What’s New in Version 4 __________________________________________14
New in Version 4 _____________________________________________14
Host System Requirements ________________________________________16
Virtual Machine Specifications _____________________________________19
Supported Guest Operating Systems ________________________________22
Technical Support Resources ______________________________________24
Documentation on the Web ____________________________________24
VMware Knowledge Base ______________________________________24
VMware Newsgroups __________________________________________24
Reporting Problems ___________________________________________24
Installing VMware Workstation _________________________________ 27
Selecting Your Host System _____________________________________28
Installing VMware Workstation 4 on a Windows Host ___________________29
Installing the VMware Workstation Software ________________________29
Uninstalling VMware Workstation 4 on a Windows Host _______________33
Installing VMware Workstation 4 on a Linux Host _______________________34
Before Installing on a Linux Host _________________________________34
Installing the VMware Workstation Software ________________________35
Configuring Your Web Browser __________________________________37
Uninstalling VMware Workstation 4 on a Linux Host __________________37
Upgrading VMware Workstation ________________________________ 39
Preparing for the Upgrade ________________________________________41
Before You Install VMware Workstation 4 ___________________________41
When You Remove Version 2 or 3 and Install Version 4 ________________42
Upgrading from Version 2 or 3 to Version 4 _________________________44
Using Virtual Machines Created with Version 3 under Version 4 ___________47
Create Everything New from the Start _____________________________47
Use an Existing Configuration File and Virtual Disk ___________________47
Use an Existing Virtual Machine and Upgrade the Virtual Hardware ______48
Upgrading Virtual Hardware in the Guest Operating System ____________49
Upgrading the Virtual Hardware in an Existing Virtual Machine _________57

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Using Virtual Machines Created with Version 2 under Version 4 ___________58
Upgrading Virtual Hardware in the Guest Operating System ___________58
Creating a New Virtual Machine _________________________________ 63
Setting Up a New Virtual Machine __________________________________65
What’s in a Virtual Machine? ____________________________________65
Simple Steps to a New Virtual Machine ____________________________66
Installing a Guest Operating System and VMware Tools __________________74
Installing Windows XP as a Guest Operating System ____________________75
Installing VMware Tools __________________________________________77
VMware Tools for Windows Guests _______________________________77
VMware Tools for Linux Guests __________________________________81
VMware Tools for FreeBSD Guests ________________________________83
Installing VMware Tools in a NetWare Virtual Machine ________________85
VMware Tools Configuration Options ________________________________86
Using the System Console to Configure VMware Tools in a NetWare Guest
Operating System ____________________________________________88
Running VMware Workstation __________________________________ 91
Overview of the VMware Workstation Window ______________________93
Starting a Virtual Machine on a Windows Host ______________________96
Starting a Virtual Machine on a Linux Host _________________________98
Checking the Status of VMware Tools _____________________________98
Using Full Screen Mode ________________________________________99
Using Quick Switch Mode _____________________________________100
Taking Advantage of Multiple Monitors ___________________________100
Fitting the VMware Workstation Window to the Virtual Machine _______101
Fitting a Windows Guest Operating System’s Display to the VMware
Workstation Window _________________________________________101
Simplifying the Screen Display __________________________________102
Installing New Software in the Virtual Machine _____________________103
Cutting, Copying and Pasting Text _______________________________104
Using Shared Folders _________________________________________104
Using Drag and Drop _________________________________________107
Suspending and Resuming Virtual Machines ______________________107
Taking and Reverting to a Snapshot _____________________________108
Shutting Down a Virtual Machine _______________________________108
Adding, Configuring and Removing Devices in a Virtual Machine ______109
Connecting and Disconnecting Removable Devices _________________110

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Creating a Screen Shot of a Virtual Machine _______________________110
Setting Preferences for VMware Workstation _______________________110
Setting Application Settings for VMware Workstation ________________112
Command Reference _________________________________________114
Keyboard Shortcuts __________________________________________115
Moving and Sharing Virtual Machines ___________________________ 117
Moving a VMware Workstation 4 Virtual Machine _____________________119
Virtual Machines Use Relative Paths ______________________________119
Preparing Your Virtual Machine for the Move ______________________119
Moving a Virtual Machine to a New Host Machine __________________120
Moving a VMware Workstation 3.1 or 3.2 Virtual Machine _______________121
Virtual Machines May Have Relative or Absolute Paths _______________121
Preparing Your Virtual Machine for the Move ______________________121
Moving a Virtual Machine to a New Host Machine __________________122
Moving an Older Virtual Machine __________________________________124
Preparing Your Virtual Machine for the Move ______________________124
Preparing the New Host Machine _______________________________125
Considerations for Moving Disks in Undoable Mode _________________126
Sharing Virtual Machines with Other Users ___________________________128
Using Disks _________________________________________________ 129
Configuring Hard Disk Storage in a Virtual Machine ____________________131
Disk Types: Virtual and Physical _________________________________131
File Locations _______________________________________________133
Updating Filenames for Virtual Disks Created with Earlier VMware
Products ___________________________________________________135
Defragmenting and Shrinking Virtual Disks ________________________136
Adding Drives to a Virtual Machine ________________________________138
Adding Virtual Disks to a Virtual Machine _________________________138
Adding Raw Disks to a Virtual Machine ___________________________140
Adding DVD or CD Drives to a Virtual Machine _____________________142
Adding Floppy Drives to a Virtual Machine ________________________144
Connecting a CD-ROM or Floppy Drive to an Image File ______________145
Configuring a Dual-Boot Computer for Use with a Virtual Machine ________146
Configuring Dual- or Multiple-Boot Systems to Run with VMware
Workstation ________________________________________________148
Setting Up Hardware Profiles in Virtual Machines ___________________154

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Running a Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 Virtual
Machine from an Existing Multiple-Boot Installation _________________157
Setting Up the SVGA Video Driver for a Windows 95 Guest Operating
System Booted from a Raw Disk ________________________________158
Setting Up the SVGA Video Driver for Use with a Windows 98 Guest
Operating System Booted from a Raw Disk ________________________159
Do Not Use Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003
Dynamic Disks as Raw Disks ____________________________________161
Configuring Dual- or Multiple-Boot SCSI Systems to Run with VMware
Workstation on a Linux Host ___________________________________161
Installing an Operating System onto a Raw Partition from a Virtual Machine _166
Configuring a Windows Host ___________________________________166
Configuring a Linux Host ______________________________________169
Disk Performance in Windows NT Guests on Multiprocessor Hosts ________ 171
Improving Performance _______________________________________171
Preserving the State of a Virtual Machine ________________________ 173
Using Suspend and Resume ______________________________________175
Using the Snapshot ____________________________________________176
What Is Captured by the Snapshot? ______________________________176
Settings for the Snapshot _____________________________________177
Updating the Snapshot When You Change Virtual Machine Settings ____178
Removing the Snapshot ______________________________________178
Ways of Using the Snapshot ___________________________________178
The Snapshot and Legacy Disk Modes ___________________________179
The Snapshot and Repeatable Resume ___________________________179
The Snapshot and Legacy Virtual Machines _______________________180
The Snapshot and the Virtual Machine’s Hard Disks _________________180
The Snapshot and Other Activity in the Virtual Machine ______________181
Networking _________________________________________________ 183
Components of the Virtual Network ________________________________186
Common Networking Configurations ______________________________188
Bridged Networking _________________________________________188
Network Address Translation (NAT) ______________________________189
Host-Only Networking ________________________________________190
Custom Networking Configurations ________________________________192
Changing the Networking Configuration ____________________________195
Adding and Modifying Virtual Network Adapters ___________________195

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Configuring Bridged Networking Options on a Windows Host _________196
Enabling, Disabling, Adding and Removing Host Virtual Adapters ______200
Advanced Networking Topics ____________________________________203
Selecting IP Addresses on a Host-Only Network or NAT Configuration ___203
Avoiding IP Packet Leakage in a Host-Only Network _________________205
Maintaining and Changing the MAC Address of a Virtual Machine ______207
Controlling Routing Information for a Host-Only Network on a Linux Host 209
Other Potential Issues with Host-Only Networking on a Linux Host _____209
Setting Up a Second Bridged Network Interface on a Linux Host _______210
Setting Up Two Separate Host-Only Networks _____________________211
Routing between Two Host-Only Networks _______________________215
Using Virtual Ethernet Adapters in Promiscuous Mode on a Linux Host __219
Understanding NAT ____________________________________________220
Using NAT _________________________________________________220
The Host Computer and the NAT Network ________________________220
DHCP on the NAT Network ____________________________________221
DNS on the NAT Network _____________________________________221
External Access from the NAT Network ___________________________221
Advanced NAT Configuration __________________________________222
Custom NAT and DHCP Configuration on a Windows Host ____________226
Considerations for Using NAT __________________________________226
Using NAT with NetLogon _____________________________________227
Sample Linux vmnetnat.conf File ________________________________228
Using Samba on a Linux Host _____________________________________231
Using Samba for File Sharing on a Linux Host ______________________231
Video and Sound ____________________________________________ 239
Setting Screen Color Depth in a Virtual Machine ______________________241
Changing Screen Color Depth on the Host ________________________241
Changing Screen Color Depth in the Virtual Machine ________________241
Changing XFree86 Video Resolutions on a Linux Host __________________243
Configuration _______________________________________________243
Possible Issues ______________________________________________243
Configuring Sound ____________________________________________245
Installing Sound Drivers in Windows 9x and Windows NT Guest Operating
Systems ___________________________________________________245

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Connecting Devices __________________________________________ 247
Using Parallel Ports _____________________________________________250
Parallel Ports ________________________________________________250
Installation in Guest Operating Systems __________________________250
Configuring a Parallel Port on a Linux Host ________________________251
Special Notes for the Iomega Zip Drive ___________________________253
Using Serial Ports ______________________________________________254
Using a Serial Port on the Host Computer _________________________254
Using a File on the Host Computer ______________________________255
Connecting an Application on the Host to a Virtual Machine __________ 256
Connecting Two Virtual Machines _______________________________258
Special Configuration Options for Advanced Users __________________262
Examples: Debugging over a Virtual Serial Port _____________________263
Keyboard Mapping on a Linux Host ________________________________266
Quick Answers ______________________________________________266
The Longer Story ____________________________________________266
V-Scan Code Table ___________________________________________269
Using USB Devices in a Virtual Machine _____________________________274
Notes on USB Support in Version 4 ______________________________274
Enabling and Disabling the USB Controller ________________________274
Connecting USB Devices ______________________________________274
Using USB with a Windows Host ________________________________275
Replacing USB 2.0 Drivers on a Windows 2000 Host _________________275
Using USB with a Linux Host ___________________________________276
Who Has Control over a USB Device? _____________________________276
Disconnecting USB Devices from a Virtual Machine _________________277
Human Interface Devices ______________________________________278
Connecting to a Generic SCSI Device _______________________________279
Generic SCSI on a Windows Host Operating System _________________279
Generic SCSI on a Linux Host Operating System ____________________281
Performance Tuning _________________________________________ 283
Configuring and Maintaining the Host Computer _____________________285
Configuring VMware Workstation __________________________________286
General VMware Workstation Options ____________________________286
VMware Workstation on a Windows Host _________________________289
VMware Workstation on a Linux Host ____________________________290

9
Memory Usage Notes ___________________________________________292
Virtual Machine Memory Size __________________________________292
Reserved Memory ___________________________________________293
Using More Than 1GB of Memory on a Linux Host __________________294
Improving Performance for Guest Operating Systems __________________296
Windows 95 and Windows 98 Guest Operating System Performance Tips 296
Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Guest Operating
System Performance Tips ______________________________________298
Linux Guest Operating System Performance Tips ___________________300
Special-Purpose Configuration Options _________________________ 301
Locking Out Interface Features ____________________________________303
Removing a Forgotten Password ________________________________303
Restricting the User Interface _____________________________________305
Automatically Returning to a Snapshot with a Restricted User Interface __306
Glossary ____________________________________________________ 309
Index ______________________________________________________ 315

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