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danmass733
Contributor
Contributor

How do you move Fusion & Windows from one mac to another?

Hi. I am trying to install Windows XP on a new Macbook Pro running Lion. My older Macbook clearly shows it in Finder, but it doesn't seem to exist anywhere in the files I've transferred to the new Mac. In VM, I get a message that the Win XP file cannot be found. Where has Windows gone, and why doesn't it show up on the new machine? I want to transfer my Windows files over to the new computer, rather than creating a whole new set of files, but right now I can't see how to do that. Thanks.

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Shootist
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

First install fusion on your new Mac. Then COPY the Windows virtual machine files from the old Mac to the new Mac. Place them in the Documents folder under a directory call virtual Machines.

Then open Fusion and select Open a Virtual Machine. A finder type windows will open and browse to the virtual machine folder you copied the windows VM to. Select the file that ends with .vmx . Then play/run that VM.

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WoodyZ
Immortal
Immortal

Shootist wrote:

First install fusion on your new Mac. ...

Then open Fusion and select Open a Virtual Machine. A finder type windows will open and browse to the virtual machine folder you copied the windows VM to. Select the file that ends with .vmx . Then play/run that VM.

Based on what I read in the OP, VMware Fusion is already installed on the new Mac so why say "first install... ".  Also, by default VMware Fusion Virtual Machine's are in Packages and when packaged the .vmx configuration file is not shown when opening a Virtual Machine from VMware Fusion.  All that is needed, when packaged, is to select the Virtual Machine Package from the Open dialog box or just double-click it in Finder to open it.

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WoodyZ
Immortal
Immortal

In VM, I get a message that the Win XP file cannot be found. Where has Windows gone, and why doesn't it show up on the new machine?

On the old Mac in VMware Fusion from the Virtual Machine Library ctrl-click the Virtual Machine entry and select Show in Finder.  Now you know where it is stored on the old Mac and can check the same location on the New Mac.  If it's not there then copy it from the old Mac to the New Mac.  This assumes a normal file based Virtual Machine and not the Boot Camp partition Virtual Machine which is only meta-data.  If you were running the Boot Camp partition as a Virtual Machine then you will need to reinstall Windows on the new Mac either in Boot Camp or as a normal file based Virtual Machine, your choice.

If you're having problem determining what it what then on the old Mac do the following...

To help figure out what is what the best way to provide comprehensive diagnostic information is to use the "Collect Support Information" command from the VMware Fusion (menu bar) > Help > Collect Support Information and then attach the .tgz file it created on your Desktop to a reply post.

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danmass733
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks, everybody, for your help. Everything worked fine.

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