Software Installation across multiple VM's

[Jebecca]

Hi All, I'm new to VMware so I hope the details below are enough to answer my question. If further information is required please let me know.

I have VMware Workstation 17 Player install on my system and need to create two similar VM's. I decided to create a Master and then create two copies of the master and make the changes to the copies. I have created a separate partition on the HD and created folders for each VM. I started by creating the master in its on folder and when I was happy with all the setting and testing I then created two copies of the Master folder and gave them unique names. I then removed the Master from the library and add the two new VM's by browsing to the vmx file to create the new VM. The name of the vmx files were rename to match the name of the new folders. At this point every thing is as I wanted, I have two new VM's and a Master VM that I can use when required. Now to install the required software on each of the new VM's. This is were things didn't go to plan. After installing the software on the first new VM I thought I'd check the second new VM and the Master VM and this is why I'm asking this question. Why and How does the installed software now come up in all three VM's?

Any assistance in fixing this issue would be greatly appreciated.

[Technogeezer]

Software needs to be installed on each VM just as if you had 3 individual machines. 

Installing software to your master only installs it in the master copy. The new software will appear in any new VMs that you create from that master copy from that time onward. It's not automatically installed to any VM that you've already created from the master.

[Jebecca]

What you outline in your answer is what I was expecting to happen but unfortunately it didn't.

I created the Master and then made two copes A & B. I then installed software on A because I only wanted it on A. When I checked the Master & B the software had also been installed onto them. Is there any additional steps that need to be taken when creating the copies so the links are broken?

[Technogeezer]

That’s not what I would have expected when you said that you made a copy of the VMs. I probably misunderstood how you did it. 

Could you go into a bit more detail on how you created the master and the copies? 

[Jebecca]

I created the Master as you would create any new VM. I then copied the folder of that VM and created two new folders. I then renamed each folder to A & B. I then renamed the files in folders A & B that had the Master file names to the respective A & B file names. All of this was completed before installing any software. I then installed software on A but it appears on all three.

[RDPetruska]

Yeah, that's pretty much impossible unless you created A and B as linked clones (which I am pretty sure the Player interface doesn't have that functionality) - and the method you described of manually creating the copies and renaming everything certainly is the way I've done things in the past.

One question - when you renamed the filenames, did you also go into each of the text files (vmx and base vmdk) and change the names of the files which they point to?

[scott28tt]

My guess is that all 3 VMs are using the same virtual disk.

[RDPetruska]

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@scott28tt wrote:
My guess is that all 3 VMs are using the same virtual disk.

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My thoughts as well - if the OP merely changed the filenames but not the contents of the file(s).

[Technogeezer]

I've had the same thoughts as you. It's almost as if the files were copied as links/shortcuts on a Windows host.

[RDPetruska]

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@Technogeezer wrote:

I've had the same thoughts as you. It's almost as if the files were copied as links/shortcuts on a Windows host.

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Even if full copies, if all OP did was change the name of the files but none of the contents, then the vmx will still point to the original disk files.  If they changed that to point to the new correct disk files, but didn't change the contents of the disk descriptor file, then that will still point to the original disk files as well.

[Technogeezer]

That makes sense. I've always used vmware-vdiskmanager to rename vmdk files so I've not run into this behavior before.

[Jebecca]

Hi All, after examining the folders and files associated with each VM I noticed that the Virtual Disk file had not been copied to each of the folders and that the VMK files were all pathed to the original Virtual Disk file. After coping the Virtual Disk file to each VM and renaming it, and then editing each of the associated VMK files, each VM none has its own Virtual Disk and is mapped correctly. Any installed software is only installed on that VM.

Your responses align with and confirm the changes I have made and are much appreciated.

For future reference can anyone advise if vmware-vdiskmanager can be used with Workstation Player or is it only for Workstation Pro?