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Setting Preferences for VMware Tools

Setting Preferences for VMware Tools in a Windows Guest Operating System

To open the VMware Tools control panel, double-click the VMware Tools icon in the system tray.

If the VMware Tools icon is not displayed in the system tray, choose Start > Settings > Control Panel > VMware Tools.

Setting Options with VMware Tools

The Options tab shows miscellaneous options.

• Time synchronization between the virtual machine and the host operating system

  Note: You can synchronize the time between the guest and host operating systems only when the time in the guest operating system is earlier than the time set in the host.

• Show VMware Tools in the taskbar

Connecting Devices with VMware Tools

The Devices tab allows you to enable or disable removable devices. Removable devices include the floppy and CD-ROM drives and the virtual network interface card.

To connect a device, check the check box next to the device. To disconnect the device, uncheck the check box next to the device.

Note: You can also set these options from the Devices menu in the virtual machine window.

Choosing Scripts for VMware Tools to Run During Power State Changes

Through VMware Tools, you can run scripts that execute when you power on, power off, suspend, resume or reset the virtual machine.

Note: The Scripts tab does not appear in a Windows 95 guest operating system, as scripts cannot be run in a Windows 95 guest operating system.

A default script for each power state is included in VMware Tools. These scripts are located in the guest operating system in C:\Program Files\VMware.

For each power state, you can use the default script or you can substitute a script you created. In addition, you can test a script or disable the running of a script. Complete the following steps.

1. In the Script Event list, select the power operation with which to associate the script.

2. Do one of the following:

   • To select a different script, click Custom Script, then click Browse and select the new script.
   • To edit a script, click Edit. The script opens in your default editor. Make your changes there.
   • To test the script, click Run Now.
   • To disable the running of a script, uncheck the Use Script check box.
3. Click Apply to save your settings.

Shrinking Virtual Disks with VMware Tools

The Shrink tab gives you access to the controls you need if you wish to shrink virtual disks to reclaim unused space in a virtual disk.

Viewing Information About VMware Tools

For general information about VMware Tools, click the About tab.

This tab contains the following information:

• The VMware GSX Server build number, which is useful when you request support.
• An indication as to whether the VMware guest operating system service is running.
• A button you click to visit the VMware Web site.

Setting Preferences for VMware Tools in a Linux or FreeBSD Guest Operating System

To open the VMware Tools control panel, at a command prompt, type:
vmware-toolbox &

You may run VMware Tools as root or as a normal user. To shrink virtual disks, you should run VMware Tools as root (su -).

Connecting Devices with VMware Tools

The Devices tab allows you to enable or disable removable devices. Removable devices include the floppy and CD-ROM drives and the virtual network interface card.

To connect a device, check the check box next to the device. To disconnect the device, uncheck the check box next to the device.

Note: You can also set these options from the Devices menu in the virtual machine window.

Choosing Scripts for VMware Tools to Run During Power State Changes

Through VMware Tools, you can run scripts that execute when you power on, power off, suspend, resume or reset the virtual machine.

A default script for each power operation is included in VMware Tools. These scripts are located in the guest operating system in /etc/vmware-tools.

For each power state, you can use the default script or you can substitute a script you created. In addition, you can test a script or disable the running of a script. Complete the following steps.

1. Select the appropriate power operation. Uncheck Use default script to suspend guest operating system, Use default script to resume guest operating system, Use default script to shut down guest operating system or Use default script to power on guest operating system.

2. Do one of the following:

   • To select a different script, click Browse and select the new script.
   • To edit a script, click Edit. The script opens in your default editor. Make your changes there.
   • To test a script, click Test.
   • To disable a script, select the path to the script and delete it.

3. Click Apply to save your settings.

Setting Options with VMware Tools

The Options tab shows one miscellaneous option.

• Time synchronization between the virtual machine and the host operating system

  Note: You can synchronize the time between the guest and host operating systems only when the time in the guest operating system is earlier than the time set in the host.

Shrinking Virtual Disks with VMware Tools

The Shrink tab gives you access to the controls you need if you wish to shrink virtual disks to reclaim unused space in a virtual disk.

To shrink virtual disks, you should run VMware Tools as the root user (su -). This way, you ensure the whole virtual disk is shrunk. Otherwise, if you shrink the virtual disk as a non-root user, you cannot shrink the parts of the virtual disk that require root-level permissions.

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