VMware Player online course

Create a virtual machine

Wizard settings that save you a rebuild.

File → Create a New Virtual Machine. Point it at an ISO, give the guest enough RAM to install (2 GB is a floor for modern desktop ISOs), and put the virtual disk on an SSD if you have one. Enable VT-x/AMD-V in firmware if the wizard complains.

Take a snapshot or clone only after the guest is installed and patched. A snapshot of the installer boot is a waste of disk.