Can a VM guest on a Raw Disk use VMware Tools?

[martyfelker]

I have searched for the answer to this question and have not found it. Of course that doesn't mean it does exist on the forum or KB - I just can't find it.

I am wondering whether a VM installed on a Raw Disk can use VMware Tools - for example to shrink the guest, time sync etc etc.

I am also wondering whether or not the guest can use the virtual Ethernet adapter instead of the "real" machine adapter.

WS 6.x Host Windows XP sp2.

I am interested in this particularly because of the guest OS as openSolaris.

TIA

[continuum]

Hi

think yourself first

Does shrinking make sense with a raw-disk ? - no.

If the tools work correct they will not allow you to use shrink against a raw-disk.

If you want time-sync and other features there is nothing wrong with installing tools.

[martyfelker]

Thanks. I generally do think for myself but nobody knows everything - that's why there exists forums and KB's.

In any event my biggest reason (although time sync and device mounts are good things) was the ability to use the virtual ethernet adapter provided as default by VMware rather than my own ethernet adapter. The VM adapter works with opneSuse but my "real" one does not. As far as shrinking is concerned I'll see what BootItNG from terabyteunlimited might be able to do it does a great job in resizing partitions for example. The real beauty of VM's is that if you don't like it (or perhaps haven't made snapshots) you can start again with little trouble.

If anyone actually has real life experience installing raw disk VM's with VMware tootls and virtual devices please let me know. For example I'm wondering if you have the free disk space would it work (probably) to add a second hard disk. I understand I will have to boot the machine using the host and I also have the challenge (on which there seems to be some disagreement) using SATA disks.

Thanks

[continuum]

I don't understand what you talk about shrinking ?

Shrinking in the context of vmware-tools means an operation to reduce the size of growing disks.

Looks like you are actually talking about resizing partitions - this has nothing to do with the vmware-tools.

[martyfelker]

I understand. Thank you for clarifying this. The raw disk installation still fascinates me - perhaps because I don't work for an organization at this time and therefore can't lose much by trying stuff out. The "big three" applications that users want from an OS, Web, Email and WP I have been duplicated on many VM's and "real machines". I do leave my email messages on the server however so I don't inadvertently miss messages (like your own!).