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config.ini - settings

VMX-file parameters

 

The file configs.ini or config (in Linux) sets parameters for all users or if you prefer - it sets parameters for the host.

If you want to use certain settings for all VMs you create, you can try to add this here - may not work for all parameter.

memory
priority
copy and paste
shared folders
misc ....
startup of VMs
usage of SSL (server only)
workspace and paths
Cycling through VM and Host
Switching directly to VM and Host

prevent swapping on a Windows Host (tuned sample settings)

Tip for Windows-user: this file can be found in
C:\documents and settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware Workstation
If you can't see it - fix your explorer settings to display hidden files


memory

  

prefvmx.minVmMemPct = "100"

fit memory into RAM

Whenever possible avoid settings lower 100%

prefvmx.minVmMemPct = "50"

 

allow some memory to be swapped

prefvmx.minVmMemPct = "25"

 

allow most memory to be swapped

prefvmx.allVMMemoryLimit = "1272"

 

sets the maximum amount of RAM that can be used by VMs-
if this is less than at least 80% of the physical RAM
something is going wrong:
scan through preferences.ini and config.ini for memory-related entries, power down all running VMs and delete these lines and restart your host.
Do not launch any other apps! Create a new VM and check if anything has changed.
   

mainMem.partialLazyRestore = "true"

restore snapshots in background -

mainMem.partialLazyRestore = "false"

do not restore snapshots in background

   

mainMem.partialLazySave = "true"

take snapshots in background

mainMem.partialLazySave = "false"

do not take snapshots in background

   

mainMem.useNamedFile = "true"

creates a file the size of nominal RAM in working directory
file uses random name

mainMem.useNamedFile = "false"

doesn't use named-file - use for VMs on USB-disks or other slow disks
Windows: useNamedFile= "FALSE" causes memory to be backed by the host's swap space.
Linux: useNamedFile= "FALSE" causes a hidden file to be created in a temporary directory, which is immediately deleted when you power off the VM

   

priority

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priority.grabbed = "high"
priority.grabbed = "normal"

this host-wide settings can be over-ruled by settings in the vmx-file


priority.ungrabbed = "normal"
priority.ungrabbed = "low"
priority.ungrabbed = "idle"

this host-wide settings can be over-ruled by settings in the vmx-file
   

prevent swapping on a Windows Host

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datastore.name = "local"
defaultVMPath = "R:\vm\machines"

datastore.localpath = "R:\vm\machines\"

sched.mem.pshare.enable = "FALSE"
prefvmx.useRecommendedLockedMemSize = "TRUE"
prefvmx.minVmMemPct = "100"
priority.grabbed = "normal"
priority.ungrabbed = "normal"

security.host.ruissl = "FALSE"

mainMem.partialLazySave = "FALSE"
mainMem.partialLazyRestore = "FALSE"
mainMem.useNamedFile = "FALSE"

prevent swapping on a windows-host


This allocates all nominal guest-RAM completely into host-memory
Sorry - doesn't work on Linux
   

copy and paste

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Isolation.tools.copy.enable = "true"

enable copy function (vmware-tools) - use same settings for ... paste.enable

Isolation.tools.copy.enable = "false"

disable copy function (vmware-tools)

Isolation.tools.paste.enable = "true"

enable paste function (vmware-tools)

Isolation.tools.paste.enable = "false"

disable paste function (vmware-tools)

   

shared folders

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Isolation.tools.HGFS.disable = "true"

disables shared-folders - if implemented

Isolation.tools.HGFS.disable = "false"

enables shared-folders - if implemented

   

misc

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mks.ctlAltDel.ignore = "true"

see

mks.fullscreen.allowScreenSaver = "true"

see

fullScreenSwitch.onSeparateDesktop = "true"

see
   

beep

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mks.noBeep = "TRUE"

in earlier versions you could add this entry to the vmx-file to get rid of anoying BIOS-beeps via the computer-speaker.
looks like you have to add this to the config.ini with Workstation 6

   

startup

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msg.autoAnswer = "true"

tries to automatically answer all pop-ups at start of a VM
   

startup

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msg.autoAnswer = "true"

tries to automatically answer all pop-ups at start of a VM
   

security

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security.host.muissl= "true"

use SSL for the remote-console

security.host.muissl = "false"

don't use SSL for the remote-console

   
   

workspace

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defaultVMPath = "path"
datastore.name
datastore.localpath = "path"

This sets the workspace - new VMs will be created here
 

 

cycling through VM and Host

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FullScreenSwitch.cycleKey = "0x13"
FullScreenSwitch.cycleKey = "0x0"
FullScreenSwitch.cycleHost = "true"

http://www.vmware.com/support/ws5/doc/ws_special_config.html
   

switching directly to VM and Host

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FullScreenSwitch.directKey = "0x70"
FullScreenSwitch.directKey = "0x6"
FullScreenSwitch.hostDirectKey = "0x78"
FullScreenSwitch.hostDirectKey = "0x6"

http://www.vmware.com/support/ws5/doc/ws_special_config.html
   
   

can't re-enable VT after host-suspend or hibernate

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hv.enableIfUnlocked = TRUE

Workstation 6.5 only ???

If you have a buggy BIOS which fails to re-enable VT when awakening from deep sleep, this option may help you:

   
   
   
 

 


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