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10 Replies Last post: Feb 16, 2009 10:36 AM by ArbitraryY
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Getting into boot menu with 6.01

Oct 10, 2007 9:57 AM

Click to view alexbohner's profile Novice alexbohner 4 posts since
Oct 10, 2007
Hi All,

I just upgraded 2 machines from VMware workstation 6.0.0 to 6.01, but can no longer reach the bios setup screen or the boot menu from either machine. I have always been able to press ESC at startup to reach the boot menu, but now the vm now boots straight into Windows, regardless of how quickly I press ESC. Am I missing something, or has something changed with this release?

Thanks,
Alex
Tags: 6.01, guest, boot, menu
Reply Re: Getting into boot menu with 6.01 Oct 10, 2007 10:06 AM
Click to view Aldebaran's profile Hot Shot Aldebaran 188 posts since
Apr 16, 2007

Can you click in the window and try either the F2 or F12 key?

Jeff

Reply Re: Getting into boot menu with 6.01 Oct 10, 2007 10:36 AM
in response to: Aldebaran
Click to view alexbohner's profile Novice alexbohner 4 posts since
Oct 10, 2007

No, it all happens too quickly. After pressing Start and waiting for a second or so, the guest screen turns black for a split second (and I do mean split second), the VMware screen then flashes for a split second, then Windows starts booting. With previous versions the bios boot screen would sit there for a couple of seconds giving me time to do something, but not any longer.


Reply Re: Getting into boot menu with 6.01 Oct 10, 2007 10:42 AM
in response to: alexbohner
Click to view alexbohner's profile Novice alexbohner 4 posts since
Oct 10, 2007
Update: After playing my favorite game of "Press start in VMware then hit ESC as fast as you can" about 50 times, I finally saw the boot menu...but I was pressing ESC so fast that the extra key presses canceled out the menu. Haven't been able to reproduce my only success. X-(
Reply Re: Getting into boot menu with 6.01 Oct 10, 2007 10:43 AM
Click to view rsa911's profile Virtuoso rsa911 1,877 posts since
Aug 3, 2007

Alex,

you can update your .vmx file and add :

bios.bootDelay = "5000"
this adds a 5000 ms (5 seconds) delay at boot time,

or add:

bios.forceSetupOnce = "TRUE"

to force VM to enter the BIOS setup at next boot.

Reply Re: Getting into boot menu with 6.01 Oct 10, 2007 10:50 AM
in response to: rsa911
Click to view alexbohner's profile Novice alexbohner 4 posts since
Oct 10, 2007
That did the trick! I have never seen that option before, guess I never needed it before. Thanks for the quick help!

Alex
Reply Re: Getting into boot menu with 6.01 Oct 10, 2007 10:54 AM
in response to: alexbohner
Click to view rsa911's profile Virtuoso rsa911 1,877 posts since
Aug 3, 2007

have never seen that option before

no wonder, it's new with W/S 6.01 :-)

I'm eagerly waiting for vmware to add it to Server and ESX !

I myself already spent a ridiculuous amount of time trying to enter in the bios of a vm or obtaining the boot menu !

Reply Re: Getting into boot menu with 6.01 Oct 10, 2007 11:04 AM
in response to: alexbohner
Click to view oreeh's profile Guru oreeh 9,804 posts since
Nov 30, 2005 Moderator
Add
bios.bootDelay = "5000"
to the VMX file - this will delay the boot by 5 seconds.
Reply Re: Getting into boot menu with 6.01 Jun 12, 2008 3:13 AM
in response to: rsa911
Click to view Gribling's profile Novice Gribling 4 posts since
Mar 24, 2004

Dear reader,

thanks for the good tip. I had the same problem in Vmware workstation 6.04 build 93057 and was getting mad about it.

Especially the bios.forceSetupOnce at the and works great.

Reply Re: Getting into boot menu with 6.01 Dec 28, 2008 4:10 AM
in response to: rsa911
Click to view Schnibulla's profile Lurker Schnibulla 1 posts since
Dec 21, 2008
hi,

I have the same problem with the Freeware VMWare Server 1.0.8. build 126538. I can't fix it with the discribed tricks.

sorry, it's too simple :8} :8} . I forgot to get a click into the virtual window to give the focus.

Reply Re: Getting into boot menu with 6.01 Feb 16, 2009 10:36 AM
in response to: alexbohner
Click to view ArbitraryY's profile Lurker ArbitraryY 1 posts since
Feb 16, 2009
the 50 times pressing is the issue. Press once and you will be good to go. The first "ESC" gets you into the menu, and the second time you press it takes you out of it.
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