10
4
The host is Windows 7. I would like my virtual machine to start with Windows in the background, without the need to login to Windows and manually start it. I also hope the virtual machine can be shut down elegantly upon Windows shuts down.
Is there existing script/app that does this?
bfrguci
Posted 2016-02-19T05:11:28.757
Reputation: 403
18
If you're using VMware Workstation, you could make the VM a "Shared VM" and can configure it to automatically start (in the library, right-click on "Shared VMs" and choose "Manage AutoStart VMs"). By default, Shared VMs are subjected to a hard power-off when the host is shut down. You can change this by editing %PROGRAMDATA%\VMware\hostd\vmAutoStart.xml and changing the stopAction value to GuestShutdown (or to Suspend if you'd rather suspend the VM). You will need to restart the VMware Workstation Server service after making changes to this file (and you should shut down any running shared VMs before restarting the service).
Update: In Workstation Pro 14, the context menu item is now "Manage VM Power Actions" and now supports configuring a VM to automatically suspend when the host shuts down.
jamesdlin
Posted 2016-02-19T05:11:28.757
Reputation: 1 973
12
You can also use the vmrun command.
You can use a script to start a VM, for example:
vmrun -T ws start "F:\VMWare-VMs\S1.vmx"
and you add the script at Windows startup.
More info about vmrun: http://www.sysadmit.com/2016/11/vmware-workstation-vmrun.html
Roderick Decker
Posted 2016-02-19T05:11:28.757
Reputation: 121
Easy and nice ! just put the vmrun,exe location in the path (for windows) and put this command in a bat file and call the bat file at startup – Nassim – 2018-05-04T06:59:24.417
This is a better alternative if you require certian features that using share VMs disabled (like shared folders!) – ecnepsnai – 2018-09-18T05:19:37.993
FYI, if your virtual machine used physical disks that require Administrative privilege with vmrun, use Task Scheduler to create a task with highest privileges. – ttimasdf – 2019-11-20T15:07:06.997
1This worked for me. – Jason – 2016-12-15T09:45:04.677
Ugh... that is second time I overlooked something in Library | Rt-click. Too bad it's not somewhere in the VM instance's settings. – Peter L – 2019-11-19T22:54:28.563