Getting into boot menu with 6.01

[alexbohner]

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

[Aldebaran]

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

Jeff

[alexbohner]

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.

[alexbohner]

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. :smileyangry:

[rsa911 · Accepted solution]

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.

[alexbohner]

That did the trick! I have never seen that option before, guess I never needed it before. Thanks for the quick help!

Alex

[rsa911]

> 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 !

[oreeh]

Add

bios.bootDelay = "5000"

to the VMX file - this will delay the boot by 5 seconds.

[Gribling]

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.

[Schnibulla]

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 :smileyblush: :smileyblush: . I forgot to get a click into the virtual window to give the focus.

[ArbitraryY]

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.