VMware ESXi and vSphere Cluster Management
How to Create a Virtual Machine in VMware Player
Learn how to use VMware Player's New Virtual Machine wizard, choose installation media, configure guest OS settings and virtual storage, and prepare a VM for installation.
What You Are Creating
A virtual machine (VM) is an isolated, software-based computer that runs inside another computer. VMware Player provides virtual hardware such as a processor, memory, storage, and network adapter so that a guest operating system can run as if it were installed on a physical machine.
VMware Player is the desktop virtualization application. The operating system on the physical computer running VMware Player is the host operating system. The operating system installed inside the VM is the guest operating system.
Creating a VM and installing its operating system are related but separate tasks. The New Virtual Machine wizard creates the VM configuration and virtual disk. If you choose to install the operating system later, you must attach an installer disc or ISO image and perform the guest OS installation afterward.
Open the New Virtual Machine Wizard
- Start VMware Player.
- Open Player > File > New Virtual Machine.
- Follow the wizard pages to select installation media, identify the guest OS, name the VM, choose its location, and configure its virtual disk.
The exact wording or appearance can vary between VMware Player releases, but the creation sequence follows the same basic decisions.
Choose the Operating System Installation Source
The first important choice is how VMware Player should obtain the guest operating system installer. An installer source is not the guest OS itself; it is the physical or virtual media used to install that OS.
| Wizard option | Installation source | Best use case | What happens after VM creation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Installer disc | A physical optical disc in the host computer's optical drive | Use when you have a bootable installation DVD or CD and an accessible optical drive. | The VM can use the physical disc as its virtual optical media during installation. |
| Installer disc image file (ISO) | An ISO image stored on the host | Use for an operating system downloaded or created as an ISO file. | VMware Player can connect the ISO as virtual optical media so the VM can boot from it. |
| I will install the operating system later | No installer is supplied during VM creation | Use when you want to prepare the VM before selecting installation media, or when the installer is not yet available. | A VM entry and virtual disk are created, but no guest OS is installed. You must attach media and install the OS manually later. |
Using an ISO Image
To create a VM from an ISO, choose Installer disc image file (ISO), browse to the ISO, and select it. Continue through the wizard to identify the guest OS, name the VM, select its folder, and configure its disk. VMware Player can use the selected ISO as virtual optical media when the VM starts.
Use an ISO that matches the operating system you intend to install. The ISO should be a bootable installation image, not merely a collection of files copied from an optical disc.
Using a Physical Installer Disc
Choose Installer disc when the installer is on a physical optical disc. Insert the disc into the host's optical drive before continuing, if necessary, and verify that the selected drive contains the intended installation media.
Main Example: Create a Blank VM for a Later Linux Installation
This workflow creates the VM first and installs Linux afterward.
- Open Player > File > New Virtual Machine.
- Select I will install the operating system later. This deliberately creates a VM without immediately installing a guest OS.
- Continue to the guest operating system selection page.
- Choose the appropriate Linux family and version. If the intended operating system is not listed, choose the suitable Other category.
- Enter a recognizable VM name and choose a storage folder.
- Set the maximum virtual disk size and decide whether to split the disk into multiple files.
- Review the summary and finish the wizard.
- After creation, attach a Linux ISO or physical installer disc to the VM and start it to perform the manual guest OS installation.
The result is a new VM with virtual hardware and a virtual disk, but the disk does not contain an installed guest operating system yet. The VM will not boot into Linux until installation media is attached and the installation is completed.
Select the Guest Operating System Type
Choose the operating system family and version that will run inside the VM. This selection tells VMware Player which default hardware and compatibility settings are most appropriate for the planned guest.
Selecting the correct profile can provide more suitable defaults for devices, firmware behavior, virtual hardware, and compatibility. It does not install the operating system and does not replace the need for valid installation media.
If the intended operating system or version is not listed, select the Other category that best fits it and continue. You can still create the VM and install the operating system manually.
Name and Locate the Virtual Machine
Enter a recognizable name, such as Linux-Lab or Test-Windows. A clear name helps distinguish the VM from other machines in VMware Player and makes its files easier to identify.
Choose the folder where VMware Player will store the VM configuration, virtual disk, and related files. Select a location with:
- Enough available storage for the virtual disk and future growth.
- Reliable access whenever you want to run the VM.
- A file system and drive that can handle the VM's files.
- Suitable performance for the guest OS, preferably a local drive rather than a slow or intermittently connected location.
Do not judge the required space only by the VM's initial size. A dynamically expanding disk can consume more host storage as the guest writes applications, updates, and personal data.
Configure the Virtual Disk
A virtual disk is a file or set of files that functions as the guest machine's hard drive. The guest OS sees a disk, while the host stores that disk as files in the VM folder.
Maximum Disk Size
Set the maximum virtual disk capacity based on the guest OS, applications, updates, and data you expect to store. This value is the disk's configured capacity, not necessarily the amount of host storage consumed immediately.
Dynamically Expanding Storage
With a dynamically expanding disk, the virtual disk file initially consumes less host storage and grows as the guest writes data, up to the configured maximum. For example, a disk configured with a 60 GB maximum might initially consume only a small amount of host storage and grow over time.
This distinction is important:
- Configured virtual capacity: The maximum disk size visible to or available for the guest.
- Current host usage: The space currently occupied by the virtual disk files on the physical host.
The host still needs enough free space for future growth. A dynamically expanding disk postpones storage use; it does not remove the storage requirement.
Split or Single Disk Files
| Setting | Meaning | Benefit | Consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum disk size | The largest capacity available to the guest virtual hard drive. | Provides room for the guest OS and its expected data. | A larger maximum does not automatically mean that the host uses all that space immediately. |
| Split disk into multiple files | Stores the virtual disk as several smaller files. | Can make copying to removable storage or transferring between computers more convenient. | All segments are required. Keep them together when copying or moving the VM. |
| Single disk file | Stores the virtual disk as one large file. | Simplifies the VM folder structure and can make file management more straightforward. | A very large file may be less convenient to copy or transfer. |
| Dynamically expanding disk behavior | Grows in host storage usage as the guest writes data, up to the maximum. | Uses less host storage at first. | Host storage usage can increase substantially during normal VM use. |
Preallocation means reserving the full configured disk capacity on the host at creation time. If the wizard offers an option to allocate all disk space now, enabling it uses more host storage immediately but makes the required space predictable. Leaving it disabled generally allows dynamically expanding behavior.
Example: Moving a VM Between Computers
If you expect to copy a VM to removable storage or another computer, consider splitting the virtual disk into multiple files during creation. Smaller segments can be easier to transfer than one very large file. The destination still needs sufficient storage, compatible VMware software, and every VM file, including the configuration and all disk segments.
Review and Finish Creation
- Review the installation source, guest OS family and version, VM name, storage folder, disk capacity, and split-file choice.
- Correct any setting that does not match your plan.
- Finish the wizard.
VMware Player creates the VM configuration, virtual disk, and related files in the selected folder. A new VM entry appears in the Player interface. You can then adjust its hardware settings, attach installation media, power it on, and install the guest operating system.
Next Steps After an Install-Later VM
After creating a blank VM, connect an ISO image or physical installer disc through the VM's removable-device or CD/DVD settings. Start the VM and follow the guest operating system's installation program. The installed OS will become the guest operating system, while the host operating system continues running VMware Player on the physical computer.
After installation, you can configure virtual memory, processors, networking, removable devices, and other virtual hardware as needed.
Troubleshooting
The Intended Guest OS Is Not Listed
The operating system or version may not have a dedicated wizard profile. Choose the appropriate Other category and continue. The wizard can still create a usable VM for a manual installation.
The VM Does Not Boot Into an Operating System
If you selected the install-later option, this is expected: no guest OS has been installed. Attach an installation disc or ISO, make sure the VM can access it, and complete the manual installation.
The Host Runs Low on Disk Space
A dynamically expanding disk may have grown as the guest accumulated data. Free host storage, move the VM to a larger drive when appropriate, and plan future disk capacity based on actual guest usage rather than the initial file size.
The VM Is Difficult to Transfer
A single virtual disk file may be very large. For a new VM, consider the split-disk option. When moving an existing VM, copy its complete folder and keep all configuration and disk files together.
The Storage Folder Cannot Hold the VM
The selected location may not have enough free space or may be unsuitable for VM files. Choose a reliable location with sufficient capacity for the virtual disk and its expected growth.
Exam-Relevant Notes
- The host operating system runs on the physical computer; the guest operating system runs inside the VM.
- The New Virtual Machine wizard creates the VM, but creating a VM is not the same as installing its guest OS.
- An installer disc is physical optical media; an ISO image is a disk-image file used as virtual installation media.
- Install-later creates a VM without an installed operating system, so installation media must be attached afterward.
- A virtual disk is the guest's hard drive represented by files on the host.
- A dynamically expanding disk grows as guest data is written, while its configured maximum is separate from current host storage usage.
- Splitting a virtual disk into multiple files can simplify copying and moving, but every segment is required.
For related work, continue with virtual machine creation and setup.