Cannot open up CentOS vmdk file with Fusion trial version 7 the second time around.

[dpham66]

I use my MAC book pro OS X version 10.9.5 (13F34), and download VMware Fusion trial dmg file from vmware.com, the download file name is "VMware-Fusion-7.0.0-2103067.dmg". I followed the the KB 2014097 installation instruction, and installed it fine. I downloadied a training CentOS virtual disk image (vmdk file) created by my company training team, and was able to open up the vmdk file fine and worked with the virtual image for a week. After done with the training, I shutdown the virtual disk, and then move it to a different folder other than the default location at ~/Documents/Virtual Machines.localized/CentOS 64-bit.vmwarevm, and I should NOT have done that. Because, after that even though I still could open the moved virtual disk (CentOS 64-bit.vmwarevm) but it opened up with lower resolution with bigger text and fonts size which was different than the first time with full resolution. So, I decided to uninstall Fusion v7 and reinstall it by followed the uninstall instruction by KB 1017838 and then reinstall Fusion v7 per KB 2014097 again. However, after this, I could no longer open up the virtual disk at boot time with the error as the followings:

PXE-E53: No boot filename received

PXE-M0F: Exiting Intel PXE ROM.

Operating System not found

Note: This was how I open up the virtual disk in both times (1st time was the fresh start, now with Fusion re-installed).

1. Use Finder to browse to the vmdk file.

2. Right click on the vmdk file -> Open With -> Other (This opens up the Choose Application window in MAC)

3. Remain in the Application folder, scroll to find "VMware Fusion" application reinstalled earlier

4. Select "VMware Fusion" -> click on Open

5. In the "Choose Operating System" window, select "CentOS 64-bit" -> click Continue

6. Took all the default as "Create a new virtual disk" radio button selected -> click Continue

7. Click Finish with no changes -> click Save on the next window. At this point, the virtual machine is booting up.

   There is the spinning | for a  few seconds, and then it halted with the above error messaged

Please help.

[dpham66]

Well, I worked now after I tried a different method to open up the virtual machine. This time, i open it up with .vmx file instead of .vmdk, and it opened up with Fusion v7. The vm booted it up fine. However, there is one different where there was no new "CentOS 64-bit.vmwarevm" folder created under ~/Documents/Virtual Machines.localized/. Instead, there were new files got created at the same location where the vmx file located. These files are vmware.log, CentOS.vmdk.lck, CentOS.vmx.lck, etc

[avanish321]

For a Virtual Machine to load under Fusion, you must actually open VMX file. Fusion reads this file and depending on the configuration defined in this file, additional files will be created ( example vmem, , logs , lck files etc ).

VMDK files are virtual disk files of a Virtual Machine. Its comparable to a real hard disk of a real machine. Whereas .vmwarevm is the entire package which represents the Virtual Machine. vmdk is part of the vmwarevm bundle.

as a best practice, its good to keep the vmdk files in same location as that of VMX file ( usually within a vmwarevm bundle or a folder)

[wila]

Hi,

You should normally not try to open the vmdk file like that, the vmdk file is just the virtual disk, no more, no less.

The virtual machine (which makes up the virtual hardware and bios settings and configuration like telling what disk is the boot disk) is the vmx file.

You have now created a new vmx file and something is wrong with it (difficult to tell exactly what is wrong from your description) it would have made more sense to have opened the vmx file.

Probably the best way to go forward with this is to redownload the complete trainings VM alternatively you can try to open the old vmx file in that folder.

For the record, you can move virtual machines just fine, beware to shutdown the virtual machine completely before trying to move it. Your best bet probably is to shutdown Fusion completely if unsure.

Then open it via Fusion -> File Open -> point to vmx file (or complete vmwarevm bundle)

On startup, as you moved it, answer the question "Did you copy or move" with "I moved it".

Hope this helps,

--

Wil