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1 2 3 Previous Next 34 Replies Last post: Mar 17, 2008 1:39 PM by RDellimmagine  

Enabling back time machine for vmware fusion images posted: Feb 18, 2008 4:03 AM

Click to view vojko's profile Novice 12 posts since
Feb 18, 2008
I installed vmware 1.1.1 (was using 1.1.0) and it disabled backups for vmware images. Is it possible to enable them back, i have some important stuff in there and it would be nice to have it backuped once in a while.
Click to view etung's profile Guru 11,085 posts since
Oct 15, 2006
Fusion intentionally disabled Time Machine for two reasons: space (your backup would quickly fill up) and correctness (Time Machine can cause freezes in some circumstances). If you want to back up a virtual machine, the easiest way is to do it manually.

If you must stick with Time Machine, however, you can - shut down Fusion and remove the exclusion flag from the virtual machine (I think xattr will do this, but I'm not at a Leopard box right now to check). Note that Fusion will add the flag back the next time you run that virtual machine, so let the backup finish first.
Click to view rcardona2k's profile Champion 5,185 posts since
Oct 20, 2005
Eric is correct, xattr can remove the Time Machine exclusion flag so your VM files can be part of the backup (so long as the VM is not running). This message has the exact command line: Re: Time Machine Backup Strategies for Fusion?

Re: Enabling back time machine for vmware fusion images

4. Feb 18, 2008 11:36 AM in response to: vojko
Click to view rcardona2k's profile Champion 5,185 posts since
Oct 20, 2005
Yes that command works in the VM bundle directory, the one ending with a name like WinXP.vmwarevm. The more generic form for all virtual machines is:

find ~/Documents/Virtual\ Machines -type f -name "*.vm[des][kms]" -print -exec xattr -d com.apple.metadata:com_apple_backup_excludeItem {} \;
Click to view etung's profile Guru 11,085 posts since
Oct 15, 2006
vojko, you could put Richard's command into a script, and possibly also trigger a backup off of it.
Click to view etung's profile Guru 11,085 posts since
Oct 15, 2006
The script won't work unless you can figure out why the command didn't work. Without having tried it and just from inspection, Richard's command should affect the .vmdk disk files. Are you referring to the .vmwarevm bundle being only 800 kB? When did you check, does Time Machine give some indication when it's done?
Click to view rcardona2k's profile Champion 5,185 posts since
Oct 20, 2005
I removed the attributes before I started Time Machine and the first backup includes all of my VMDKs. Normally I run with Time Machine off, about once a month I shutdown my VMs, remove the attributes and start Time Machine and it refreshes my VMDK backups. I don't know how to get Time Machine to pick up files that were originally attributed not to be backed up. I'm sure changing the filename or moving it would not be enough because the internal file ID does not change.
Click to view rcardona2k's profile Champion 5,185 posts since
Oct 20, 2005
i'll try some tests on another machine that has Fusion and Time Machine but has not backup up any VMDKs and let you know what i find.

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