VMware ESXi and vSphere Cluster Management

View and Use Virtual Machine Message Logs in VMware Workstation Player

Learn how to open the VMware Workstation Player Message Log, find vmware.log files, search rotated logs, and use warnings to troubleshoot virtual machines.

What the VMware Message Log Shows

The Message Log is an in-application diagnostic view for the selected virtual machine (VM). It presents warning information that VMware Workstation Player associates with that VM while it runs.

Warnings may relate to virtual display hardware, graphics acceleration, host drivers, virtual storage, networking, or other virtual hardware. A warning can help explain a symptom, but it does not necessarily mean that the VM will fail. Some VMs continue to run normally despite a warning.

Prerequisites

Before opening the Message Log, power on the target VM. In VMware Workstation Player, identify the VM by its name in the library or VM selection area, then select that VM so it is the active machine. Confirm that it is the VM experiencing the problem, especially if several VMs have similar names.

The host system is the physical computer and operating system running VMware Workstation Player. The guest operating system is the operating system installed inside the VM. The Message Log described here belongs to VMware on the host; it is different from event logs inside the guest operating system.

Open the Message Log Window

1. Power on the VM you want to investigate.
2. Select that VM in VMware Workstation Player.
3. Open Player > Manage > Message Log.
4. Review the separate Message Log window that appears.

The window displays warnings for the selected VM. It does not open the guest operating system's event viewer or system log. If the problem occurs inside the guest, such as an application crash or a guest service failure, the guest may have additional logs that VMware cannot show.

For a quick reference to this procedure, see the Message Log guide.

How to Interpret Message Log Entries

Read each relevant entry for three details:

• Warning text: Record the exact wording rather than relying on a summary.
• Component name: Note whether the entry refers to display, graphics, storage, networking, a driver, or another component.
• Timing: Compare when the entry appeared with when the VM started, displayed the symptom, or shut down.

A display or driver warning can narrow the investigation toward the VM's virtual display settings, VMware software conditions, or graphics drivers on the host. The warning is a clue, not automatically the root cause. Check whether it appeared before the symptom and whether the VM continued running afterward.

Example: A VM Starts with a Graphics Warning

1. Power on the VM.
2. Open Player > Manage > Message Log.
3. Record the display- or graphics-related warning and its approximate time.
4. Open the VM's vmware.log file in the host's VM directory.
5. Search for graphics, display, warning, and error.
6. Use matching entries to decide whether to inspect virtual display settings, VMware software status, or host graphics drivers.

Find the Detailed VMware Log Files

VM files are stored in a virtual machine directory on the host. This folder normally contains the VM configuration, virtual disks, snapshots where applicable, and diagnostic logs. Its location is not necessarily the folder where VMware Workstation Player itself is installed.

1. Locate the storage folder for the relevant VM on the host.
2. Verify the folder's name or contents so you do not inspect a different VM.
3. Look for vmware.log.

vmware.log is the current or most recent detailed runtime log associated with a VM run. If the VM has been run previously, the directory may also contain numbered files such as vmware-0.log and vmware-1.log.

What vmware.log Contains

The detailed log records activity for a particular VM run. Useful categories include:

• Startup settings and the process of starting the VM.
• Initialization of virtual hardware, including display, network, storage, memory, and other assigned devices.
• Runtime operations and state changes.
• Warnings, errors, failed operations, and sometimes panic-related messages.
• Shutdown activity and the way a run ended.

This file is usually more useful than the Message Log when investigating a complex failure because it provides surrounding events and technical context, not only selected visible warnings.

Open and Search the Log

On the host, open vmware.log with a plain-text editor. Do not use a word processor that may change or reformat the file. Search for terms that match the symptom:

• warning
• error
• failed
• panic
• display
• graphics
• driver

Correlate matching entries with the time the problem occurred. Startup failures should be compared with startup records; a display problem should be compared with display or graphics entries near the moment the screen became unusable. A keyword match alone does not prove causation, so review nearby entries and the order of events.

Log Rotation and Retained History

Log rotation means retaining older log generations under numbered filenames when newer logs are created. VMware Workstation Player retains a limited history, up to six log generations. The exact files present depend on how many runs have occurred and which generations remain.

The unnumbered file is the first place to look for a recent problem. If its timestamps do not cover the failed attempt, inspect vmware-0.log, vmware-1.log, and other retained numbered files. Use startup and shutdown records to identify which file contains the applicable session.

Example: A Previous Startup Failed

1. Open the VM directory on the host.
2. Review vmware.log and check its timestamps.
3. If the failed attempt is not covered, open vmware-0.log, then older numbered logs.
4. Compare startup and shutdown records to find the run that matches the failure.
5. Search that file for error, failed, warning, and terms related to the observed symptom.

Choose the Right Log Source

If VMware logs do not identify the cause, host operating system logs may also be relevant. For example, a host graphics-driver failure may leave useful evidence outside VMware's files.

Troubleshooting Common Situations

The Message Log Has No Useful Entry

Use vmware.log for more complete runtime detail. If the issue occurred during an earlier session, inspect rotated logs. If the symptom is an application, service, or driver problem inside the guest, check guest operating system logs as well.

The Current Log Does Not Cover the Failing Session

Open vmware-0.log, vmware-1.log, and other retained numbered logs. Compare timestamps and startup or shutdown events until you find the session that matches the failure.

You Cannot Find vmware.log

• Confirm that you are examining the correct VM directory on the host.
• Do not assume that the VMware Workstation Player installation folder is the VM's storage location.
• Verify that the VM has been run; a runtime log may not exist until the VM starts.
• Check that your host account has permission to access the VM files.

Safe Log Handling and Sharing

Copy logs to a separate working folder before changing or deleting VM files. Preserve the original files until troubleshooting is complete, particularly when log rotation may overwrite older history.

Diagnostic logs can contain local file paths, host system details, VM names, network information, usernames, and other potentially sensitive data. Review them before sharing. Remove or redact information that is not needed for diagnosis while preserving timestamps, component names, and relevant warning or error text.

When preparing a support request, provide the symptom, the approximate time it occurred, the applicable Message Log warning, and the relevant time range from vmware.log or a rotated log. This context helps match the reported behavior to the correct VM session.

Quick Procedure

1. Power on and select the correct VM.
2. Open Player > Manage > Message Log for a quick warning review.
3. Record relevant warning text, component names, and timing.
4. Find the VM's host-side virtual machine directory.
5. Open vmware.log in a text editor and search diagnostic keywords.
6. Check numbered rotated logs when the current file does not cover the failed run.
7. Use guest or host operating system logs if VMware's logs do not explain the symptom.
8. Copy and review files safely before sharing them.