VMware: How to get rid of "Moved it" and "Copied it" prompt?

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I have a few VMs that I am moving between two hosts every so often. Every single time VMware will prompt me whether I moved or whether I copied it (not affecting or affecting the MAC address respectively).

Since ACE was retired with VMware Workstation 8, how can I configure my VMs such that VMware will not prompt and assume either of the offered answers?

Affected VMware versions: VMware 9 and 8.

0xC0000022L

Posted 2013-04-12T12:40:16.200

Reputation: 5 091

Answers

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The VMware KB article Changing or keeping a UUID for a moved virtual machine explains the concept of unique identifier (UUID) and offers a solution that involves editing the VM configuration file (.vmx) and adding the line : 

uuid.action = "keep"

This should always keep the existing unique identifier (UUID).

It is not specified starting from which version was this added to all VMware products.

harrymc

Posted 2013-04-12T12:40:16.200

Reputation: 306 093

I deal with creating multiple VMs over time - Isn't there a universal way to just disable the darn thing at the application level instead of having to going into the vmx everytime (after remembering to) ? I can understand this being required in production mode but in dev mode, who cares - let it just assume it was copied. It changes the internal IP address anyway. – killjoy – 2018-04-19T22:18:22.090

@killjoy: Some versions of VMware allow to select "Always Keep" in this dialog for this one VM, so avoids editing. I don't know of a general mechanism. – harrymc – 2018-04-20T06:00:25.033

1I need to see whether this works for encrypted VMs, though. And whether it works on VMware Workstation at all. Thanks for answering. – 0xC0000022L – 2013-09-09T19:27:17.023

1Does the job, but one doesn't get around decrypting the VM end then re-encrypting it, it seems. Thanks. – 0xC0000022L – 2013-09-09T20:26:14.023

Asked: 2013-04-12T12:40:16.200

Viewed: 4 442 times

Active: 2013-09-09T15:11:01.423