12.0 Pro

VMware KVM 1
With VMware Workstation Pro, you can run virtual machines with VMware KVM, which allows you to use
hot keys to switch among running virtual machines and the host, as if they were attached to a KVM switch.
To use VMware KVM, you must create virtual machines with Workstation Pro or Workstation Player, and
you must configure keyboard shortcuts to cycle through the virtual machines. VMware KVM is only
available with VMware Workstation 10 and later.
This chapter includes the following topics:
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“Use VMware KVM,” on page 5
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“Set Hot Keys for VMware KVM,” on page 6
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“Set the VMware KVM Log File,” on page 7
Use VMware KVM
The VMware KVM command vmware-kvm.exe starts and stops virtual machines.
You can include the command to start a virtual machine in a shortcut in the host operating system's startup
group so that the virtual machine starts when a user logs on to the host computer.
You must run the vmware-kvm.exe command once for each virtual machine you want to start or stop with
VMware KVM.
Procedure
1 Open the Windows command prompt and navigate to the VMware Workstation Pro installation folder.
2 Type vmware-kvm.exe [OPTIONS] vmx-file.vmx, where vmx-file.vmx is a virtual machine you want to use
with VMware KVM.
Option Description
--power-off
Powers off the specified virtual machine. Add =hard to perform a hard
power off to the virtual machine. When you power off a virtual machine,
vmware-kvm.exe closes the virtual machine and switches to the next
active virtual machine.
--suspend
Suspends the specified virtual machine. Add =hard to perform a hard
suspend to the virtual machine.
--reset
Resets the specified virtual machine. Add =hard to perform a hard reset to
the virtual machine.
--detach
Detaches the specified virtual machine. The virtual machine then runs in
the background.
VMware, Inc. 5