My vmx file is not a valid virtual machine configuration file

[J_Shep]

getting this error msg and it looks like some of you have been able to help others. pls help me if you can. thx in advance!

[daphnissov]

Well, your VMX file is completely empty so that'd be the reason you're seeing this message. Are you sure you attached the correct VMX file?

cat JRSXP.vmx

(nothing here)

[bluefirestorm · Accepted solution]

You can rebuild the vmx from the last vmware.log.

I rebuilt one based on the last vmware.log and attached it here. You can use this or rebuild the vmx on your own.

[J_Shep]

Worked like a charm!! Thanks so much.

Is rebuilding from the logs something trivial that i could do myself in the future, if needed?

Thanks again -- jrs

[bluefirestorm]

You can refer to this KB https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1003597 on how to rebuild the vmx configuration from the vmware.log file. Hopefully you don't need to do so in the future. I used a semiautomated method (the automated bit was using awk), but a bit too long to describe as an instructional piece (thereby risking mistakes) so it was easier to just to do the conversion for you.

In many years of using VMware Workstation (since version 3.2), I have yet to experience personally a vmx configuration file going blank. My only guess is that you are using an external USB drive as the log shows the VM resides in Drive F. Just make sure that the USB drive does not get attached to the VM and detach the USB external disk by using the stop device in the Windows 7 host to avoid such an incident happening.