Configuring Startup and Shutdown Options

Select: VM > Settings > Options > Startup/Shutdown

Specifying the User Account the Virtual Machine Uses when Running

Under Virtual machine account, choose which user account the virtual machine on a Windows host uses when it runs. This account is used for actions like network access from within the virtual machine and access to virtual machine resources that are on the network.

User that powers on the virtual machine — the virtual machine runs as the specified user account until the virtual machine is powered off. Other users that connect to the virtual machine need the same level of permissions as this user account in order to connect to the virtual machine.
Local system account — the virtual machine always runs as the local system account (administrator). You can enable this option only if you are logged in to the host operating system as an administrator.
This user — the virtual machine runs as the user account specified here. The password is not validated until you power on the virtual machine. You can specify a local user account, a local system administrator account or a fully-qualified domain user account for this user.

Note: This setting applies only to virtual machines running on Windows hosts. If you are connecting a console on a Windows client to a Linux host, these controls do not appear.

Specifying Virtual Machine Host Startup and Shutdown Options

Under Startup/Shutdown Options, choose whether you want this virtual machine to power on automatically when the VMware Server host starts up. When the host shuts down, you can specify whether you want to power off or suspend the virtual machine or shut down the guest operating system.

To specify these options, the virtual machine must be configured to run as either the local system account or as a specific user. The virtual machine cannot be configured to run as the user that powers it on.

You must power off the virtual machine to change the startup and shutdown options.

To power on the virtual machine when the host starts, select Power on the virtual machine in the On host startup list.

To power off or suspend the virtual machine — or shut down the guest — when the host shuts down, select the appropriate option in the On host shutdown list.

You cannot configure a virtual machine to start up or shut down automatically when the host starts or shuts down until the host is configured accordingly. To configure the host, use the VMware Management Interface. You must log in to the management interface as an administrator to configure the VMware Server host.