11-07-2023, 05:59 PM
When you're ready to create a new virtual machine in VMware Workstation, it’s honestly pretty straightforward, and I’m here to walk you through it. Let’s get started, and I’ll guide you through the entire process like I would if I were showing you in person.
First off, make sure you have VMware Workstation open on your computer. If you haven’t installed it yet, just do that first, and you can find the installer on VMware's official website. Once it’s up and running, you’ll land on the home screen, and this is where the fun begins.
You’ll want to look for a button that says something like “Create a New Virtual Machine.” You can usually find it in the toolbar or simply under the “File” menu. Click on it, and a new window will pop up asking you how you want to set up your virtual machine. You can select either "Typical" or "Custom," depending on how much you want to tweak. I generally recommend going with “Typical” for most use cases; it’s quick and gets you up and running without too much fuss. But if you have specific needs or preferences, feel free to choose “Custom” and play around.
After you choose your setup type, hit “Next,” and now it's time to choose the installation media. You can either select a physical disk, use an ISO file, or even pick a bootable USB if that's how you’re going to install your operating system. If you have an ISO handy, go ahead and point to that file; it makes the process smooth since it’s all done electronically. If you don’t already have an ISO downloaded, I suggest hitting up the website of the OS you want to use and grabbing that file.
Once you've picked your installation media, hit “Next” again, and that's when we get to name your virtual machine. This is your chance to be creative! You can choose a name that reflects what OS you’re installing or something personal. I usually just name mine according to the function of the VM, like “Windows-Dev” or “Linux-Test.” Next, you’ll want to choose the location on your hard drive where the virtual machine files will be stored. You can stick with the default location or go ahead and choose a spot that makes sense for you. Just remember, if you’re organizing a lot of VMs, it’s helpful to keep them in a place where you won’t lose track of them.
After you've settled on a name and location, you'll hit “Next” again, and this is when you get to specify how much memory you want to allocate to the VM. You’ll see recommendations based on the OS you’re installing. It’s important to allocate enough RAM so your VM runs smoothly but keep in mind how much your host machine has in total. If you’re running a decent amount of RAM, giving your VM at least 2GB is usually a good starting point for most operating systems, especially if you plan on doing any heavy tasks.
Next, we get to the process of networking. VMware gives you a couple of options here: you can use NAT, which lets your VM share the host’s IP address, or you can choose Bridged, which puts the VM directly on your network, giving it its own IP. NAT is great if you’re just testing or don’t need the VM to be fully accessible from other devices on your network. If you're doing something that needs network visibility, you might go for Bridged.
Now you’ll come to the part where you set up your disk. You’ll need to specify how much storage to allocate to the virtual machine. Most modern operating systems need at least 20GB, but I usually suggest giving it a bit more if you plan to install programs or save files. You can either have VMware create a single disk file or split it into multiple smaller ones. Splitting can be handy if you ever want to move the VM to a different drive. After this, you’ll be ready to allocate space.
Once you’ve determined how you want to configure your disk, hit “Next” one last time, and just before you finish up, you’ll get a summary of everything you just set up. This is your last chance to double-check that you have everything right, so give it a once-over. If everything looks good, hit “Finish,” and voila! Your new virtual machine is created.
Now, once your VM is created, you’ll see it listed in VMware Workstation’s main interface. But we’re not done yet; we still need to power it on! Just click on the virtual machine you just created and hit the power button. The VM will boot up, and if you picked an installation media like an ISO, the OS installer should start automatically.
As you go through the installation process for the operating system, it’s pretty similar to installing it on a physical computer. Follow the steps prompted by the installation wizard. You’ll set your time zone, create a user account, and customize settings as necessary. It’s really user-friendly, so you shouldn’t run into too many hiccups.
When the installation is complete, don’t forget to install VMware Tools. After you've booted into your new OS for the first time, look for the “VM” menu in VMware Workstation and select “Install VMware Tools.” This is crucial because it enhances the performance of your VM, allowing for better graphics performance and easier file sharing between your host and the VM. Once you have it set up, you’ll enjoy a much smoother experience overall.
Now that you’ve got your VM created and your OS installed, you're ready to start using it! This opens up a lot of possibilities, whether you're testing software, learning new skills, or just wanting to try out a different operating system.
Remember, as you explore, you can always tweak the settings in VMware after the VM is set up. If you find that you need more RAM later or decide you want to switch the network type, just right-click on your VM in the VMware Workstation interface, hit “Settings,” and you can adjust almost everything you might need.
Creating a new virtual machine is just one of those things that gets easier the more you do it. So go ahead, experiment, and don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. There’s a whole lot you can do with VMware, and I’m sure you’ll find it as exciting as I do!
![[Image: Vmware-Workstation-Backup-Software.jpg]](https://backup.education/images/Vmware-Workstation-Backup-Software.jpg)
First off, make sure you have VMware Workstation open on your computer. If you haven’t installed it yet, just do that first, and you can find the installer on VMware's official website. Once it’s up and running, you’ll land on the home screen, and this is where the fun begins.
You’ll want to look for a button that says something like “Create a New Virtual Machine.” You can usually find it in the toolbar or simply under the “File” menu. Click on it, and a new window will pop up asking you how you want to set up your virtual machine. You can select either "Typical" or "Custom," depending on how much you want to tweak. I generally recommend going with “Typical” for most use cases; it’s quick and gets you up and running without too much fuss. But if you have specific needs or preferences, feel free to choose “Custom” and play around.
After you choose your setup type, hit “Next,” and now it's time to choose the installation media. You can either select a physical disk, use an ISO file, or even pick a bootable USB if that's how you’re going to install your operating system. If you have an ISO handy, go ahead and point to that file; it makes the process smooth since it’s all done electronically. If you don’t already have an ISO downloaded, I suggest hitting up the website of the OS you want to use and grabbing that file.
Once you've picked your installation media, hit “Next” again, and that's when we get to name your virtual machine. This is your chance to be creative! You can choose a name that reflects what OS you’re installing or something personal. I usually just name mine according to the function of the VM, like “Windows-Dev” or “Linux-Test.” Next, you’ll want to choose the location on your hard drive where the virtual machine files will be stored. You can stick with the default location or go ahead and choose a spot that makes sense for you. Just remember, if you’re organizing a lot of VMs, it’s helpful to keep them in a place where you won’t lose track of them.
After you've settled on a name and location, you'll hit “Next” again, and this is when you get to specify how much memory you want to allocate to the VM. You’ll see recommendations based on the OS you’re installing. It’s important to allocate enough RAM so your VM runs smoothly but keep in mind how much your host machine has in total. If you’re running a decent amount of RAM, giving your VM at least 2GB is usually a good starting point for most operating systems, especially if you plan on doing any heavy tasks.
Next, we get to the process of networking. VMware gives you a couple of options here: you can use NAT, which lets your VM share the host’s IP address, or you can choose Bridged, which puts the VM directly on your network, giving it its own IP. NAT is great if you’re just testing or don’t need the VM to be fully accessible from other devices on your network. If you're doing something that needs network visibility, you might go for Bridged.
Now you’ll come to the part where you set up your disk. You’ll need to specify how much storage to allocate to the virtual machine. Most modern operating systems need at least 20GB, but I usually suggest giving it a bit more if you plan to install programs or save files. You can either have VMware create a single disk file or split it into multiple smaller ones. Splitting can be handy if you ever want to move the VM to a different drive. After this, you’ll be ready to allocate space.
Once you’ve determined how you want to configure your disk, hit “Next” one last time, and just before you finish up, you’ll get a summary of everything you just set up. This is your last chance to double-check that you have everything right, so give it a once-over. If everything looks good, hit “Finish,” and voila! Your new virtual machine is created.
Now, once your VM is created, you’ll see it listed in VMware Workstation’s main interface. But we’re not done yet; we still need to power it on! Just click on the virtual machine you just created and hit the power button. The VM will boot up, and if you picked an installation media like an ISO, the OS installer should start automatically.
As you go through the installation process for the operating system, it’s pretty similar to installing it on a physical computer. Follow the steps prompted by the installation wizard. You’ll set your time zone, create a user account, and customize settings as necessary. It’s really user-friendly, so you shouldn’t run into too many hiccups.
When the installation is complete, don’t forget to install VMware Tools. After you've booted into your new OS for the first time, look for the “VM” menu in VMware Workstation and select “Install VMware Tools.” This is crucial because it enhances the performance of your VM, allowing for better graphics performance and easier file sharing between your host and the VM. Once you have it set up, you’ll enjoy a much smoother experience overall.
Now that you’ve got your VM created and your OS installed, you're ready to start using it! This opens up a lot of possibilities, whether you're testing software, learning new skills, or just wanting to try out a different operating system.
Remember, as you explore, you can always tweak the settings in VMware after the VM is set up. If you find that you need more RAM later or decide you want to switch the network type, just right-click on your VM in the VMware Workstation interface, hit “Settings,” and you can adjust almost everything you might need.
Creating a new virtual machine is just one of those things that gets easier the more you do it. So go ahead, experiment, and don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. There’s a whole lot you can do with VMware, and I’m sure you’ll find it as exciting as I do!
