VMware ESXi and vSphere Cluster Management

Add a Floppy Drive to a VMware Workstation Player Virtual Machine

Learn how to add a virtual floppy drive in VMware Workstation Player and connect a physical drive, existing .flp image, or new blank floppy image.

A virtual floppy drive lets a virtual machine (VM) use legacy floppy media. VMware Workstation Player can connect the device to a physical floppy drive on the host computer, an existing floppy image file, or a newly created blank image.

The host computer is the physical computer running VMware Workstation Player. The guest operating system is the operating system installed inside the VM. After the VM starts, the guest sees the configured virtual floppy hardware if the guest operating system supports it.

Before you begin

Save work in the guest and shut down the VM completely. This procedure requires a powered-off VM; a suspended VM is not the same as a powered-off VM. Resume the suspended VM if necessary, shut down the guest normally, and wait until VMware Player shows that the VM is powered off.

A virtual machine supports a maximum of two virtual floppy drives. If two are already configured, remove or reuse one before attempting to add another.

Open the virtual machine hardware settings

  1. Select the target VM in the VMware Workstation Player library.
  2. Open the Player management menu and choose the option for the virtual machine settings. In many installations this is labeled Virtual Machine Settings.
  3. Open the Hardware tab.
  4. Select Add to start the Add Hardware wizard.

The Add Hardware wizard is the VMware Player interface for adding a new virtual hardware device.

Add a floppy drive

  1. In the device-type list, choose Floppy Drive.
  2. Continue through the wizard.
  3. Choose the media source and configure its connection settings.
  4. Finish the wizard.

Before starting the VM, confirm that the new floppy device appears in the Hardware list. Do not assume the wizard completed successfully until the device is visible there.

Choose the floppy media source

VMware Player presents three general choices. A floppy image is a file that represents floppy disk media. In this workflow, floppy image files use the .flp extension.

Physical floppy drive — Connects the VM to a compatible floppy drive attached to the host. Use this when the required media is an actual floppy disk.

Existing .flp image — Presents the contents of a floppy image file through the virtual drive. Use this for prepared installation, boot, or software media.

New blank .flp image — Creates and attaches an empty image file. Use this when the guest needs writable virtual media rather than an image that already contains files.

Option 1: Use a host physical floppy drive

Choose the physical-drive option when the host has a compatible, accessible floppy drive and the disk must be read or written as physical media.

  1. Select a specific host floppy drive if VMware Player lists more than one eligible device.
  2. Choose Auto detect when you want VMware Player to select an available host floppy device automatically. This is useful when there is one suitable drive and its identity does not need to be fixed manually.
  3. Set Connect at power on according to your needs. When enabled, VMware Player attaches the floppy device as the VM starts.
  4. Finish the wizard and verify the device in the Hardware list.

Physical-drive access depends on compatible hardware being connected and available to the host. Automatic detection cannot select a drive that the host cannot access.

Option 2: Attach an existing floppy image

  1. Choose the option to use an existing floppy image.
  2. Browse to the required file on the host.
  3. Select the .flp file and confirm the selection.
  4. Finish the wizard, then check the configured path in the Hardware settings.

The selected image becomes the media presented through the virtual floppy drive. Keep the file at the configured location, and verify that the VMware host account can read that path. Moving, renaming, or restricting the file can prevent the guest from accessing the expected media.

Option 3: Create and attach a blank floppy image

  1. Choose the option to create a new blank floppy image.
  2. Specify a destination folder on the host.
  3. Enter a filename, retaining the .flp extension.
  4. Complete the wizard and verify that the new device and image path appear in the Hardware list.

A blank image contains no existing files. It is useful when compatible guest software must format the media or write new files to it. Creating a blank image is different from attaching a populated image that already contains boot files or applications.

Configuration checks before powering on

VM is powered off — Hardware changes require a fully powered-off VM. Check the VMware Player state after shutting down the guest.

Floppy device is listed in VM hardware — Confirms that the Add Hardware wizard completed. Check the Hardware tab.

Correct physical drive or image path is selected — Prevents an unintended drive or image from being presented. Review the device configuration and host path.

Automatic connection setting matches the intended behavior — Determines whether the device connects when the VM powers on. Review Connect at power on.

No more than two virtual floppy drives are configured — Two is the supported maximum. Count the floppy devices in the Hardware list.

Start the VM and validate the device

  1. Power on the VM after the hardware change is complete.
  2. In the guest operating system, look for the newly available floppy drive.
  3. For physical media, insert the intended disk in the selected host drive and confirm that the guest can read it.
  4. For an existing image, verify that the expected files or boot contents are visible.
  5. For a blank image, confirm that compatible guest software can format or write to it.

If the guest does not show the device, confirm both the VMware hardware configuration and the guest operating system's support for floppy hardware and removable media.

Practical examples

Booting from existing legacy media

Add a floppy drive to a powered-off VM and attach a prepared .flp image containing the required boot or installation contents. After startup, the guest can access that image through its floppy device.

Creating writable virtual media

Add the device and create a new blank .flp file at a known host location. The guest receives empty virtual media that compatible software can format or use for file storage.

Using physical legacy media

Attach the VM to a compatible host floppy drive by selecting it directly or using Auto detect. Enable Connect at power on if the drive should be available automatically whenever the VM starts.

Adding a second floppy drive

If one floppy drive is already configured, repeat the same powered-off hardware procedure for a second drive. Stop at two total virtual floppy drives, and remember that the guest operating system must also support using both devices.

Troubleshooting

The floppy-drive option is unavailable

The VM may still be running or suspended rather than fully powered off. Shut down the guest completely, confirm the VM is powered off, reopen its settings, and repeat the Add Hardware process.

The floppy drive does not appear inside the guest

Confirm that the device is listed on the VMware Player Hardware tab. Power-cycle the VM after the change, then check the guest's hardware and removable-media support. Some guest operating systems do not support the configured floppy hardware.

An image-backed drive has unexpected or no contents

Review the selected path and confirm that the intended .flp file exists and is accessible to the VMware host account. You may have selected a blank image instead of an existing populated image.

The guest cannot access the physical floppy drive

Check that the host drive is connected, supported, available, and not already in use. If automatic detection selected the wrong device, reopen the settings and explicitly choose the correct host floppy drive.

The device is present but disconnected at startup

The automatic connection setting may be disabled. Enable Connect at power on, apply the configuration, and restart the VM.

A further floppy drive cannot be added

The VM may already have two virtual floppy drives, which is the supported limit. Review the Hardware list and keep the total at two or fewer.

Key points

  • Add or change floppy hardware only while the VM is fully powered off.
  • Use the Hardware tab and Add Hardware wizard to select Floppy Drive.
  • Choose a physical host drive, an existing .flp image, or a new blank .flp image.
  • Use Connect at power on when the device must attach automatically at startup.
  • Verify the device in VMware Player and inside the guest after powering on.
  • Do not configure more than two virtual floppy drives in one VM.