Running VMware Workstation without the GUI

[psylem]

I used to use VMware Server and configured it to start some VM's I need on hand at boot. I've switched to Workstation to work with our ESX VM's, so now I'm wondering if there is an easy way to get similar behaviour.

There's not much information about this in the user manual, I've tried running "/usr/bin/vmware -x blah.vmx" when when I log in, but the GUI starts up too. If I can supress the GUI and just have the tray icon I'd be a happy man.

One time my X session crashed and the VM kept running fine, so I'm assuming there is a process that's actually runs the VM independent of the GUI somewhere. Can I tap into that to get the VM started?

[RDPetruska · Accepted solution]

No. Workstation is designed for user-interactive VMs. In 6.x and newer, the ability was added to keep a VM running in the background AFTER it has been started up -- however the GUI must be started to start/run the guest, AND the user must stay logged in (i.e. the VM is running as a user process). If you want to run VMs as services, use VMware Server.

[psylem]

Thanks for clearing that up. But you can't install both at once can you?

[RDPetruska]

No, you can only have one installed. You can have Workstation and/or Player installed while the VMware Server Client console and/or VI Client console is also installed, though - so you can both run VMs locally and connect to/manage a remote VMware Server or ESX(i) server.