Specifications

CHAPTER 4 Running Virtual Machines

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Note: The performance of the virtual machine accessing a virtual disk stored on a

DVD-ROM or CD-ROM depends upon the speed of the DVD-ROM/CD-ROM drive.

Keep in mind that a virtual machine on a DVD-ROM/CD-ROM drive runs slower than it

would if it were running on your host’s hard disk.

To run a virtual machine with a virtual disk stored on DVD-ROM or CD-ROM, complete

the following steps.

1. Create a virtual machine and install the guest operating system and any

applications you need within it.

2. Make sure the virtual machine is powered off. Burn the virtual disk (.vmdk) files

onto a DVD-ROM or CD-ROM. Place the DVD-ROM or CD-ROM into the GSX

Server host’s DVD-ROM or CD-ROM drive.

3. Choose VM > Settings to open the virtual machine settings editor for this virtual

machine. On the Hardware tab, select Virtual Disk and browse to the virtual disk

file on the DVD-ROM or CD-ROM.

4. Click Advanced. Under Mode, check Independent and set the disk mode to

Nonpersistent. Click OK to save these settings.

5. On the Options tab, select General. Under Working directory, browse to and

select a location for the redo log on the GSX Server host.

6. Click OK to save your changes. The virtual machine settings editor closes.

7. In a text editor, open the virtual machine’s configuration file (.vmx) and add two

of the following lines to the file:

disk.locking = FALSE

nvram = <path on GSX Server host>\nvram (if you think you need

to modify the virtual machine’s BIOS)

nvram.mode = "nonpersistent" (if you do not need to modify the

virtual machine’s BIOS)

8. Save your changes and close the configuration file.

The virtual machine is now ready to be run with the virtual disk on the GSX Server

host’s DVD-ROM or CD-ROM drive.

Note: Another method you can use is to burn all virtual machine files (the

configuration file, nvram and virtual disk files) onto DVD-ROM or CD-ROM. First make

sure the redo log directory points to a drive on your GSX Server host and that the

configuration file has all the desired settings before you burn the files onto the DVD-

ROM or CD-ROM.