How do I move my virtual VMware Fusion-machine from Mac OS tu Unix Ubuntu?

[nachtkrabb]

Hallo everybody,

I have no idea if this is the correct location for my question as nothing seems to fit. So please be patient and move my request as necessary. Thank you.

Up to now I have used VMware Fusion or VMware Fusion Player on my MacBook. I have already moved from one Mac to the other. On the new machine I had to install VMWare, start & stop it, copy the directory "Virtuelle Maschinen" (German for "Virtual Machines") from my old to my new MacBook and that was that. Then I could continue working on the virtual machine on the new computer as if no move had taken place. Great!

Now I will get a new computer with Ubuntu as operating system. My questions are:

a) I have read that I can download VMware Player for Unix. Does this work on Ubuntu?

b) Can I just copy my old directory "Virtuelle Maschinen" onto the new Unix-machine as if moving from one Mac to the next? I should so hate to have to set it all up again.

Thank you very much.

Nachtkrabb

[scott28tt]

As your thread is in English and it is Workstation Player that you want to use, I have asked moderators to look at your thread and move it to the area for Workstation Player.

[RDPetruska]

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@nachtkrabb wrote:

a) I have read that I can download VMware Player for Unix. Does this work on Ubuntu?

b) Can I just copy my old directory "Virtuelle Maschinen" onto the new Unix-machine as if moving from one Mac to the next? I should so hate to have to set it all up again.

Yes, Workstation Player works on Ubuntu.  Might want to read the forums for tips on patches which may be required.

Yes, in general.  Make sure the virtual machine is shut down (not just suspended) on the Mac.  Then copy the ENTIRE folder/bundle to the Ubuntu PC.  When you open the existing VM in Player, give a glance through the settings before powering it on - if there were any host-specific settings they may not carry over properly.  

[wila]

Hi,

In addition to what RDPetruska said...

If you use linked clones then that won't work (as they depend on a physical path and the pathing won't be the same).

Snapshots made when the VM was running might not power on due to differences in the CPU. My recommendation would be to commit any snapshots before moving. Also note that VMware Player on windows and Linux does not have a snapshot manager (It's a VMware Workstation Pro feature).
So you can't use them anyways and that makes it best to commit before moving the VM as that is taking least disk space.

The experimental vTPM on any VM's - if used - should be removed before moving the VM as you cannot power on a VM which has the vTPM set on another host. Besides that.. it looks like the vTPM feature has not been implemented for Linux hosts anyways.

--
Wil

[nachtkrabb]

Thank you all. I admit I wrote the text in English intending to contact support, which then was not possible. Then I was too lazy to translate everything to German... (But I am a German.)

Well! As a reply to scott28tt: VM Player was what I found to use on Unix. Up to now I have VMWare Fusion, the free version for private persons. I would be very happy to continue with that if possible. Is it?

In reply to RDPetruska: Thank you, this gives me hope.

In reply to wila: I admit I do not understand exactly. I have no idea what linked clones are. I have one installation of VMWare Fusion which runs one virtual machine with an old Windows version. I have understood to copy the whole of the bundle, i.e. directory "virtuelle maschinen".

What are snapshots? How can I do that, or where can I find documentation, please? What does "to commit" mean here in the context? What am I to do? What is vTPM? As I have never heard of that I might not have something like it.

I am sorry, in this context I am almost a dummy user who has grasped the concept of virtual machines.

Thank you very much indeed from

Nachtkrabb

[nachtkrabb]

Here is a screenshot of exactly what I use. The hover text always says "VMWare Fusion".

This is what I would prefer to use in the future with Ubuntu.

my version

N.

[scott28tt]

VMware Fusion runs on MacOS only.

VMware Workstation runs on Windows and Linux only.

So you'll be needing to move your VM from Fusion to Workstation.

There is a Player version of Workstation: https://www.vmware.com/go/downloadplayer

[wila]

Hi,

Nothing to worry about in your case.
Old VM -> vTPM is for Windows 11

Linked Clones -> you won't have any with just one VM.

Snapshots -> you're not using any from the sound of it.

--
Wil

[nachtkrabb]

Thank you very much, scott28tt and wila. Now I can look forward with ease & joyful anticipation to my new laptop: It's going to be a Tuxedo (www.tuxedo.com), a German computer built for Unix.

Enjoy your summer,

best regards

Nachtkrabb

[scott28tt]

According to your link it would be a suit.

Maybe you meant this one: https://www.tuxedocomputers.com/

[nachtkrabb]

...dear me, yes, you are right, scott28tt.  🙂

Well, let's put on a record and listen to Tuxedo Junction while wearing a Tuxedo on our head!

Have a good time, N.

[nachtkrabb]

Hallo everybody,

now I have my brand-new Tuxedo computer at home with OS "Tuxedo", an Ubuntu-derivate. I admit I am really happy.

I have downloaded the bundle "VMware Workstation 16.2.3 Player for Linux 64-bit". I admit it -- I am a Unix-newbee. What do I do with the bundle...? How do I install the Player...?

On https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2073804 I have just read that VMWare is kind of included in Ubuntu and other Unix-OSs, but not in Tuxedo? Is that correct? If so: What can I do now?

Thank you very much again.

Nachtkrabb (do you see me blush?)

Hallo everybody,

thank you for helping me with the base questions in issue "How do I move my virtual VMware Fusion-machine from Mac OS tu Unix Ubuntu?".

Now I have my brand-new Tuxedo computer at home with OS "Tuxedo", an Ubuntu-derivate. I admit I am really happy.

As advised in the last issue, I have downloaded the bundle "VMware Workstation 16.2.3 Player for Linux 64-bit". I admit it -- I am a Unix-newbee. What do I do with the bundle...? How do I install the Player...?

On https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2073804 I have just read that VMWare is kind of included in Ubuntu and other Unix-OSs, but not in Tuxedo? Is that correct? If so: What can I do now -- besides throwing everything away and restart my machine from scratch with Ubuntu instead of Tuxedo?

Thank you very much again.

Nachtkrabb (do you see me blush?)

As I realized this issue is closed, I have started a new one for that question.