How to Compress VMWare Virtual Machine

[JWCook6]

Using VMWare Fusion. Have a VM running XP Pro. The size of the virtual machine has grown to 40 GB although it is not anymore... It really should be about 17 GB. How do I compress it back - it is dynamic so it should go the other way...

At least I know in Microsoft Virtual Server you can do it...

Any help would be great.

Thanks,

Justin

[WoodyZ · Accepted solution]

Using VMWare Fusion. Have a VM running XP Pro. The size of the virtual machine has grown to 40 GB although it is not anymore... It really should be about 17 GB. How do I compress it back - it is dynamic so it should go the other way...

On the Windows taskbar, double-click the VMware Tools icon and select the Shrink tab.

[rcardona2k]

Basic information is covered in

edit: removed duplicate details.

[JWCook6]

Thanks Woody... I found that area... Although it stats that shrink disk is disabled for this virtual machine

Possibly reasons - disabled for linked clones, parents of linkclones, pre-allocated disks, snapshots, and other factors...

I did specify 50 GB for the size - allowing it to grow until that point. It is @ 40 GB right now, but I still would like it to shrink...

So I can rule out pre-allocated disks and snapshots according to that userguide. Have no idea what the cloning thing is...

[WoodyZ]

Thanks Woody... I found that area... Although it stats that shrink disk is disabled for this virtual machine

Possibly reasons - disabled for linked clones, parents of linkclones, pre-allocated disks, snapshots, and other factors...

I did specify 50 GB for the size - allowing it to grow until that point. It is @ 40 GB right now, but I still would like it to shrink...

So I can rule out pre-allocated disks and snapshots according to that userguide. Have no idea what the cloning thing is...

Need some additional information... have a look at specifically, Where to Find Things > Virtual Machine Files

Then provide 2 things, attach the .vmx file and give a directory listing of the VM's Package Bundle.

You can get a directory listing in the detail I would prefer if you open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal) then at the command prompt type cd with a space after it then drag drop the VM's Bundle into the Terminal and press Enter. This will populate the full path and change to the target directory. Now type "ls -lrt > dirlist.txt" (without the quotes) and press Enter.

Now attach the dirlist.txt file and the VM's_Name.vmx file.

[JWCook6]

See Attached.

Thanks,

Justin

[WoodyZ]

See Attached.

Justin I looked at the attachments, BridgeNetInternational.vmx and dirlist.txt and you are running with a Snapshot.

If you select Discard Snapshot from the VMware Fusion Virtual Machine menu that will blend the existing Snapshot into the original virtual disk. This may take some time and you need sufficient disk space on the Host Hard Drive for the operation to complete. Then you should be able to Shrink the virtual hard disk.

If you do not want to save the state of the Snapshot you could choose Revert to Snapshot however be aware that you will loose all changes including and user data created so do not choose this option unless you understand the consequences!

Note: Before using the Snapshot feature you need to have an understanding of how it works and the overhead disk space required to perform all operations. Snapshots is a great feature but many people have got themselves in trouble making the wrong choice while not understanding what's happening.

I personally never use Discard Snapshot or Revert to Snapshot without having a copy of the VM on an external drive in case somethings happens and once all the way I want it I delete the copy. YMMV

Edit: Added comments:

I forgot to add that if you do choose to use Revert to Snapshot (which deletes everything in the snapshot including user data created since the snapshot was taken (you have bee warned!)) you would then also have to execute Discard Snapshot after to actually remove the snapshot to be able to use the Shrink feature of VMware Tools.

Thanks,

Woody

Message was edited by: WoodyZ