VMware Player online course

Change a Virtual Machine’s Guest Operating System Type and Version in VMware Player

Learn how to change the guest operating system family and version metadata for an existing VMware Player virtual machine without changing the installed OS.

VMware Player records an expected guest operating system type and version for each virtual machine (VM). This setting identifies the operating system family and release that the VM is intended to run, such as a Windows or Linux family.

The selection helps VMware choose suitable default virtual hardware and compatibility assumptions. It does not install or upgrade the operating system stored on the VM’s virtual disk. You can select this information when creating a VM and change it later when the VM is powered off.

When to Change the Guest Operating System Selection

  • Wrong selection during creation: Correct an incorrect OS family or version chosen in the New Virtual Machine wizard.
  • Completed in-place upgrade: After upgrading the guest OS through its supported upgrade process, align VMware Player’s version selection with the new release.
  • Planned replacement installation: Before installing a different operating system into an existing VM, select the intended family and version. You must still boot installation media and complete the OS installation.
  • Unavailable exact release: If VMware Player does not list the exact release, choose the closest appropriate version in the correct family.

This setting is not a conversion tool. It cannot convert Windows to Linux, upgrade an installed release, change partitions, or preserve an OS replacement automatically.

Prepare the VM Before Editing Its Settings

  1. Confirm the installed or planned operating system family, edition, and release.
  2. Shut down the guest OS normally.
  3. Wait until VMware Player shows that the VM is fully powered off.
  4. Do not leave the VM suspended. A suspended VM has a saved running state and is not the same as a powered-off VM.
  5. Back up the VM, or take a snapshot when that feature is available, before making broader VM or guest OS changes.

A powered-on or suspended VM may prevent the guest OS fields from being edited. A backup is especially useful if you are also changing firmware, storage controllers, virtual disks, or the installed operating system.

Change the Guest OS Type and Version in VMware Player

  1. Select the target VM in the VMware Player library.
  2. Open Player, choose Manage, and select Virtual Machine Settings. Menu wording can vary slightly between VMware Player releases.
  3. Open the Options tab or area.
  4. Select General.
  5. Locate the Guest operating system and Version selectors.
  6. Choose the appropriate operating system family first, such as the relevant Windows or Linux family.
  7. Choose the matching release or generation in the Version selector.
  8. Save the revised settings, then confirm that the VM remains listed normally in the library.

Choose the closest supported profile when the exact release is not available. Avoid selecting an unrelated family merely because its version name appears similar.

What VMware Player Changes

The guest OS selection is a VM configuration property. VMware stores VM settings and metadata in the VM’s text-based .vmx configuration file. Changing the selectors updates that configuration rather than rewriting the virtual disk.

The new selection can affect how VMware identifies the guest and some default compatibility behavior. It may also influence assumptions used when configuring or presenting virtual hardware. It does not, by itself, change the files inside the guest.

Guest OS Version Setting: Effects and Non-Effects

Selecting a different guest OS type or version: Changes VMware VM metadata; does not change the installed guest OS; save the settings and test booting.

Upgrading the guest from within the VM: Changes the installed guest OS; does not automatically update VMware’s selection; align the VMware setting afterward if necessary.

Installing a replacement OS from installation media: Changes the installed guest OS after the installation completes; does not finish the installation by itself; attach media, boot it, and install the OS.

Editing VM hardware settings: Changes virtual hardware configuration; does not inherently change the guest OS; check firmware, storage, and compatibility requirements separately.

Guest OS Metadata Versus the Installed Operating System

The VM consists of virtual hardware, configuration files, virtual disks, and a guest operating system. The guest OS type and version selectors describe what is installed or intended to be installed; they do not contain the operating system itself.

  • Guest files and applications are not transformed.
  • Drivers are not automatically replaced.
  • User data and partitions are not modified.
  • Licensing and activation are not changed.
  • The operating system is not installed, removed, converted, or upgraded.

To install a replacement operating system, attach suitable ISO installation media or another supported boot device, start the VM, boot from the installer, and complete the operating system installation. For an in-place upgrade, use the upgrade process supported by the guest OS.

Common Situations

Correcting a Wrong Version Selected at Creation

Suppose a VM contains a supported Linux release but was created with a generic or older Linux profile. Power off the VM, open Options > General, select the correct Linux family and the closest matching release, save the settings, and boot the VM normally.

Aligning VMware Player After an In-Place Upgrade

First complete the Windows or Linux upgrade through the guest’s supported process. After the upgrade succeeds, shut down the guest completely. Change the VMware Player guest OS version selection to match the installed release, then start the VM and verify the OS from inside the guest.

Preparing an Existing VM for a Different OS

If a test VM will be repurposed from one OS family to another, select the intended family and version, attach the new installer, and boot the VM from that media. The actual replacement occurs during the OS installation; changing the selector alone leaves the old operating system on the virtual disk.

Choosing a Profile When the Exact Release Is Missing

The available list depends on the VMware Player release. Select the nearest compatible version within the correct family, confirm that the guest OS is supported, and test the VM. Updating VMware Player may provide a newer guest profile, but it does not replace the need to verify guest compatibility.

Common Reasons to Update the Guest OS Selection

Incorrect selection during VM creation: Select the actual OS family and closest matching version; normally no OS installation is required.

Completed in-place OS upgrade: Select the upgraded guest release; verify the guest boots and update or repair VMware Tools if needed.

Planned clean installation of another OS: Select the intended family and version; attach installation media and perform the replacement installation.

Exact guest version unavailable: Select the closest supported profile in the correct family; consider updating VMware Player and validate compatibility.

Verify the Change

  1. Reopen Virtual Machine Settings > Options > General and confirm that the selected family and version were saved.
  2. Start the VM and confirm that the existing guest boots as expected.
  3. If the change followed an OS upgrade, check the installed version from within the guest OS.
  4. Confirm that VMware Tools remains installed and functioning. Tools provides guest-side drivers and integration features, and an OS upgrade may require updating or reinstalling it.

If the VM boots normally but still reports the old OS inside the guest, that is expected: the VMware selector does not modify the installed operating system.

Troubleshooting

The Guest OS Fields Cannot Be Edited

The VM is probably powered on or suspended. Shut down the guest normally, wait for a fully powered-off state, and reopen Virtual Machine Settings. Do not confuse a saved suspended state with a complete power-off.

The Desired Version Is Not Listed

Your VMware Player release may not include an exact profile for that guest release. Select the closest supported version in the correct family. If appropriate, update VMware Player and confirm that the guest OS meets VMware’s compatibility requirements.

The VM Still Runs the Old Operating System

Only VM metadata was changed. Use the guest OS’s supported upgrade method or boot installation media to change the actual operating system. The guest-version selector cannot perform either operation.

The VM Does Not Boot After an Upgrade or Replacement

The problem may be separate from the guest-version selector. Review firmware and boot-device settings, check whether the guest requires a different boot mode, and validate virtual disk and storage-controller compatibility. Use the guest installer or recovery environment to repair the guest OS when necessary.

Display, Network, or Integration Features Stop Working

VMware Tools may need to be updated, repaired, or reinstalled for the upgraded guest. Install the appropriate VMware Tools package from within the guest OS and restart the guest if prompted.

Limitations and Cautions

  • Do not use the guest OS selector as a substitute for a supported operating system upgrade path.
  • Do not select an unrelated operating system family unless you have a specific compatibility reason and understand the consequences.
  • The available guest profiles depend on the installed VMware Player release.
  • Some guest OS changes require separate firmware, boot-mode, storage-controller, or virtual hardware adjustments. Those are independent VM settings.
  • Prefer the VMware Player interface instead of manually editing the .vmx file.

Related VMware Player Topics