Resizing memory allocated to virtual machine

[TomasBar]

Hi,

I'm using VMPlayer on a XP host and a Ubuntu guest.

I was wondering if I could resize the memory of my Ubuntu virtual machine by changing the value of the memsize variable in the vmx configuration file from 512 to 1024 or if something more complex has to be done?

Thank you very much.

T. Bar

[WoodyZ · Accepted solution]

Yes with the Virtual Machine shutdown, not suspended, and it's best if you close the VMware product too.

Also did you look in the VMware Player Help File?... With VMware Player 2.5 (Haven't looked at VMware Player 3 yet.)... under... Running VMware Player > Configure Change Memory Allocation

[Tom2k8]

I don't agree with this statement:

>and it's best if you close the VMware product too.

because it is only necessary that the guest has been shut down upon a memory resize.

It is very simple to resize memory interactively within VMWare Workstation and VMWare Player from version 3 using the setting option in the menus.

If the involved guest has a lengthy startup and shutdown wait, then we all wished that a memory resize was possible whilst the guest is running. But in the real world this is also impossible.

[WoodyZ]

I don't agree with this statement:

>and it's best if you close the VMware product too.

because it is only necessary that the guest has been shut down upon a memory resize.

You're certainly free to disagree with anything I have to say however that comment when taken in context which was when manually editing a Virtual Machine's .vmx configuration file is/was necessary with some VMware products and I don't have the time to go back and run every product to be sure which ones absolutely require that the product also be closed and the OP didn't state which version of Player was being used so I added that comment for good measure if you will. In any case it is not a bad protocol to follow especially if one is only running one Virtual Machine at at time. Obviously if running multiple Virtual Machines that would be a hassle but as an example IIRC with Fusion 1 it was a necessity however now with Fusion 3 it's not. I haven tested with Player but none the less it has always been a good general protocol to consider when applicable.

It is very simple to resize memory interactively within VMWare Workstation and VMWare Player from version 3 using the setting option in the menus.

Yes with v2.5 and v3 there is a way to do it via the GUI however the OP obviously hadn't found that or read the documentation and was specifically asking about manually changing the parameter in the configuration file however I did include info about looking in the VMware Player Help File referencing "Configure Change Memory Allocation" .

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WoodyZ - VMware vEXPERT