VMware ESXi and vSphere Cluster Management

Add a CD/DVD Drive to a Virtual Machine in VMware Player

Learn how to add and configure virtual CD/DVD drives in VMware Player using a host optical drive or ISO image, including IDE/SCSI settings and troubleshooting.

A virtual optical drive lets a virtual machine use CD or DVD media. The media can come from a physical optical drive in the host computer or from an ISO image file stored on the host.

VMware Player users commonly use virtual CD/DVD drives to install an operating system, install software, access data discs, boot recovery media, or run installation tools. You can add more than one virtual optical drive when a virtual machine needs several media sources.

Terms to Know

VMware Player: Software used to run and configure virtual machines.
Virtual machine: A software-defined computer that runs a guest operating system.
Guest operating system: The operating system installed inside the virtual machine.
Host computer: The physical computer running VMware Player.
ISO image: A file containing the contents and structure of an optical disc. Mounting an ISO presents it as virtual disc media; no physical disc is required.

Choose a Media Source

A virtual CD-ROM or DVD drive can connect to either a physical host drive or an ISO image.

Source type	What it connects to	Required selection	Typical use
Physical host drive	An actual CD/DVD drive installed in or attached to the host computer	Select the physical-drive option, then choose a host drive or automatic detection	Using an inserted installation disc, software disc, recovery disc, or data disc
ISO image file	A disc-image file stored on the host	Select the ISO-image option and browse to the required `.iso` file	Installing an operating system or booting recovery media without a physical disc

IDE and SCSI Virtual Interfaces

When you add a virtual optical device, VMware Player can present it to the guest through an IDE or SCSI virtual interface. IDE and SCSI are guest-facing virtual hardware choices.

The virtual interface does not have to match the physical interface in the host computer. For example, a host may contain an IDE optical drive while VMware Player exposes that drive to the guest as a SCSI virtual CD/DVD device. The host hardware type does not constrain the interface presented inside the virtual machine.

Setting	Available choices	Effect	When to use it
Virtual interface	IDE or SCSI	Determines how the guest operating system sees the virtual optical device	Choose the interface compatible with the guest and the virtual machine design; it need not match the host drive
Physical drive selection	A named host optical drive	Connects the virtual device to that specific physical drive	Use this when the host has multiple optical drives or automatic detection chooses the wrong one
Automatic detection	VMware Player selects an available host optical drive	Lets VMware Player determine which physical drive to use	Use it when the host has one suitable optical drive or the exact drive does not matter
Connect at power on	Enabled or disabled	Automatically connects the virtual optical device when the virtual machine starts	Enable it for installation or boot media that must be available immediately at startup

Open Virtual Machine Hardware Settings

Start VMware Player and select the target virtual machine.
Make sure the virtual machine is powered off, or otherwise in a state that permits hardware configuration changes. Some hardware changes cannot be made while the guest is running.
Open Player > Manage > Virtual Machine Settings.

Player > Manage > Virtual Machine Settings > Add > CD/DVD Drive

Add a Virtual CD/DVD Drive

In Virtual Machine Settings, select Add.
In the Add Hardware wizard, choose CD/DVD Drive.
Select the virtual interface, such as IDE or SCSI, if the wizard asks for it.
Choose a media source: a physical drive or an ISO image.
Complete the wizard to create the device.

Repeat the process if the virtual machine needs additional optical devices. For example, one virtual drive can use an installation ISO while another uses a physical disc or a different image.

Configure a Physical-Drive Connection

In the Add Hardware wizard or the new device's settings, select the option to use a physical drive.
If VMware Player lists several host optical drives, select the specific drive containing the disc.
Alternatively, select automatic detection and let VMware Player choose an appropriate host drive.
Enable Connect at power on when the guest must access the disc as soon as it starts. This is especially useful when booting an installer or recovery disc.
Insert the physical disc into the selected host drive, if it is not already inserted.
Finish the wizard and verify that the device is connected.

Configure an ISO Connection

Select the option to use an ISO image.
Use the browse control to locate the ISO file on the host computer.
Select the required .iso file.
Before completing the wizard, confirm that the selected ISO is the intended bootable, installation, recovery, or data-disc image.
Enable Connect at power on when the virtual machine must boot from the ISO or access it immediately after startup.
Finish the wizard.

Finish and Verify the Device

After you finish the Add Hardware wizard, return to Virtual Machine Settings and confirm that the new CD/DVD drive appears in the hardware list. Check its selected source, virtual interface, and connection status.

Start or restart the virtual machine and check the guest operating system's device view. The guest should detect the virtual CD-ROM or DVD drive when the device is connected. Guest recognition can depend on the virtual machine being powered on and the device being connected at startup.

If the guest does not display media immediately, connect the device from its VMware Player settings, then allow the guest operating system to rescan its hardware or restart the guest.

Practical Configurations

Install an Operating System from an ISO

Add a CD/DVD Drive through Virtual Machine Settings.
Select an ISO containing the operating-system installation media.
Enable Connect at power on.
Start the virtual machine and use its boot configuration if the guest does not automatically boot from the optical device.

Use a Physical Disc

Add a CD/DVD Drive.
Select the physical-drive source.
Choose the required host optical drive explicitly, or use automatic detection.
Insert the disc and connect the device so the guest can access it.

Expose a Host IDE Drive as a Guest SCSI Device

Add a virtual CD/DVD Drive and choose SCSI as its virtual interface.
Configure its source as the host's physical optical drive, even if that host drive uses IDE hardware.
Connect the device to make it available to the guest.

Troubleshooting

The Guest Does Not Show the Added Drive

Confirm that the Add Hardware wizard was completed.
Check that the device appears in Virtual Machine Settings.
Power on or restart the virtual machine after adding the device.
Make sure the virtual device is connected, including its Connect at power on setting when appropriate.

The Wrong Host Optical Drive Is Used

Automatic detection may select an unintended drive when several host optical drives are available. Edit the device, choose the physical-drive source, and select the required named host drive directly.

The ISO Does Not Provide the Expected Media

Review the ISO path and filename in the device settings. Replace the selected file with the correct image, and confirm that it contains the intended boot, installation, recovery, or data media.

The Virtual Machine Does Not Boot from Optical Media

Enable Connect at power on.
Verify that the ISO or physical disc is bootable.
Review the guest's boot order and place the virtual optical device ahead of other boot devices when necessary.

DVD Video Playback Limitation

VMware Player does not provide support for DVD movie playback that depends on video overlay capabilities. Video overlay is a graphics feature that some DVD playback applications require to display video efficiently.

DVD playback in the guest may work with a media player that does not depend on video overlay support. If a DVD movie fails to play, try a compatible player rather than assuming that the virtual optical drive is incorrectly configured.

Exam-Relevant Notes

An ISO image is virtual optical media, not a physical disc.
A virtual CD/DVD drive can use either a host physical drive or an ISO file.
The guest-facing IDE or SCSI choice is independent of the host optical drive's physical interface.
The main navigation path is Player > Manage > Virtual Machine Settings, followed by Add > CD/DVD Drive.
Connect at power on is important when installation or recovery media must be available during startup.
More than one virtual optical drive can be added to the same virtual machine.