VMware ESXi and vSphere Cluster Management
Configure Legacy Emulation Mode for CD/DVD Drives in VMware Player
Learn when to enable Legacy Emulation Mode for a VMware Player CD/DVD drive, how to configure it, what features it disables, and how to avoid conflicts between multiple VMs.
Legacy Emulation Mode is a compatibility setting for a virtual machine's CD/DVD-ROM device. It can help when the guest operating system cannot reliably communicate with a physical optical drive through VMware Player's normal direct-access method.
This setting is intended for accessing a physical CD/DVD drive. It is not a general replacement for mounting an ISO image. An ISO is a file that represents optical media; Legacy Emulation addresses compatibility with a host computer's physical optical hardware.
Legacy Emulation Versus Direct Drive Communication
When Legacy Emulation is disabled, VMware Player allows the guest to communicate more directly with the host's physical CD/DVD hardware. This direct mode can expose drive capabilities that are unavailable through legacy emulation.
When Legacy Emulation is enabled, VMware Player uses an emulated access method that favors compatibility and basic data-disc reading. This can help older or incompatible guest operating systems, but it does not provide the full feature set of the physical drive.
What Legacy Emulation Mode Can Do
With Legacy Emulation enabled, the guest can read ordinary data discs. A data disc contains files intended for normal file access, such as documents, installers, or directory-based software media.
Use a known readable data disc for testing after changing the setting. Successful file browsing confirms basic optical access, but it does not imply that writing, audio extraction, or specialized video functions will work.
What Legacy Emulation Mode Cannot Do
- CD/DVD writing: Burning optical media through a CD/DVD burner is unavailable.
- Multisession CD reading: A multisession CD, which was written in more than one recording session, cannot be read through legacy emulation.
- Digital audio extraction: Reading audio tracks as digital data for copying or conversion is unavailable.
- Some optical video features: Playback or related operations that depend on direct physical-drive access are unavailable.
These limitations are why direct communication should remain enabled whenever it works correctly and the guest needs advanced optical functions.
Before Changing the Setting: Power Off the VM
The target virtual machine must be fully powered off before you change this virtual hardware configuration. A running VM is actively using its virtual devices, so VMware Player may prevent the change.
Powered off is different from suspended. A suspended VM has saved its running state and can resume later; it is not a complete shutdown for this configuration task. Shut down the guest normally, or use the VMware Player power-off control if the guest cannot shut down normally. Confirm that the VM is no longer running or suspended before opening its hardware settings.
Enable Legacy Emulation in VMware Player
- Select the virtual machine that needs physical optical-drive access.
- Open the virtual machine management settings through the Player menu. Use the management option and then choose Virtual Machine Settings.
- In the virtual hardware list, select the CD/DVD or CD/DVD-ROM device.
- Open the device's Advanced settings.
- Enable the Legacy Emulation option.
- Confirm or save the change with OK or the equivalent confirmation control.
- Start the virtual machine when ready.
- Insert or connect a known readable data disc and test whether the guest can browse its files.
Names and placement of controls can vary slightly between VMware Player releases, but the relevant path is the virtual machine's settings, followed by its CD/DVD device and advanced options.
Concurrent Virtual Machine Limitation
Do not allow multiple virtual machines using Legacy Emulation to attach simultaneously to the same physical CD-ROM or DVD drive. The host has one optical device, and competing legacy-emulated connections can cause access conflicts.
If more than one VM will run at the same time, start the additional VM or VMs with their virtual CD/DVD devices disconnected. A device that is disconnected at power on starts without attaching its virtual optical device to the host drive.
- Leave the physical optical drive attached to only one applicable VM.
- For each additional VM, open its CD/DVD settings.
- Set the device to start disconnected, or clear its connection-at-power-on state where that control is provided.
- Start the VMs and attach the physical drive only to the VM that needs it.
Choose the Appropriate Mode
A practical decision rule is simple: enable Legacy Emulation when direct guest-to-drive communication is unreliable and basic data-disc reading is all that is required. Keep it disabled when burning, multisession access, audio extraction, or other advanced optical functions are needed and direct access works.
Troubleshooting
The guest cannot access a physical CD/DVD drive
The normal direct communication path may be incompatible or unreliable with the guest operating system or optical hardware. Power off the VM, enable Legacy Emulation, restart it, and test with a standard data disc.
Burning stopped after enabling Legacy Emulation
This is expected behavior: legacy mode does not provide CD/DVD writer functionality. Power off the VM, disable Legacy Emulation, and use direct communication if the host drive and guest support burning.
A multisession disc appears incomplete
Legacy Emulation does not support multisession CD access. Disable the setting and use direct communication, or access the disc from the host and provide its files to the guest through another supported method.
Audio CD ripping fails
Digital audio extraction is unavailable in legacy mode. Disable Legacy Emulation and verify that direct communication with the physical drive is supported.
Two VMs contend for one optical drive
Multiple legacy-emulated CD/DVD devices may be attempting to use the same host drive. Disconnect the CD/DVD device from all but one VM, and configure additional VMs to start with their optical devices disconnected.
The Legacy Emulation option cannot be changed
The VM may still be running or suspended. Completely power it off, reopen its settings, select the CD/DVD device, and make the change again.
Summary
- Legacy Emulation Mode applies to a VM's virtual CD/DVD-ROM device.
- It is a compatibility workaround for physical optical-drive access, not a replacement for ISO mounting.
- It supports basic reading of ordinary data discs.
- It does not support burning, multisession CD reading, digital audio extraction, or direct-drive-dependent optical video features.
- Power off the VM before changing the option.
- Never attach the same physical optical drive through Legacy Emulation to multiple simultaneously running VMs.
- Test the new configuration with a known readable data disc.
See also: Configure Legacy Emulation Mode.