Feature Request: Ability to programmatically mount an iso file in guest

[icnocop2]

Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit SP1

VMware Workstation 9.0.2 build-1031769

VMware VIX API 1.12.2.35902

I'd like to request the ability to programmatically mount an iso file in the guest.

I can do this using the vSphere API, but not with the VIX API.

I also tried to do the following:

1. Suspend virtual machine

2. Edit vmx as follows:

ide1:0.present = "TRUE"

ide1:0.fileName = "C:\Users\Public\Documents\Shared Virtual Machines\private.iso"

ide1:0.deviceType = "cdrom-image"

3. Resume virtual machine

But the virtual machine does not refresh the attached devices; it still tries to access the cache of the previous configuration:

ide1:0.present = "TRUE"

ide1:0.fileName = "M:"

ide1:0.deviceType = "cdrom-raw"

In a previous version (before v8), the guest tools had the ability to disconnect and reconnect the cd\dvd device and that worked ok, but with Workstation 9, the guest tools no longer has the Device tab.

Any ideas?

I'd rather not have to create a virtual drive in the guest itself using SlySoft Virtual CloneDrive for example.

Thank you.

[icnocop2]

For example, how does vmware mount the tools iso?

It seems to be able to modify the vmx file like this:

ide1:0.fileName = "C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation\windows.iso"

ide1:0.deviceType = "cdrom-image"

And doesn't need to reboot the guest.

I want to mimic this behavior in the vix api or vmrun.exe, etc.

But when I try to use the VIX API and call WriteVariable with VIX_VM_CONFIG_RUNTIME_ONLY to write "cdrom-image" to the "ide1:0.deviceType" variable, I get the error VIX_E_NOT_SUPPORTED.

Any work arounds?

Thank you.

[icnocop2]

I can't create shared folders for a shared virtual machine because that feature disappears in the virtual machine settings (options) once I share a virtual machine.

[lakshya32]

Hi

Welcome to the communities.

Could you please check if you have sufficient right with the user ID you are using to login.

[c4milo]

I'm currently in need of this feature too. I did some research and it seems like VDDK is what one would normally use to mount disk images in VMware Fusion/Workstation/Player/Server. The problem for me is that it does not have SDK for OSX. 😕

[Anaeli]

Could you please share me how do you do this with VSPhere API?, I am looking this information ...thanks

[wila]

Hi,

Sorry replying to the old TS, but maybe the one who kicked this topic also benefits.

In a previous version (before v8), the guest tools had the ability to disconnect and reconnect the cd\dvd device and that worked ok, but with Workstation 9, the guest tools no longer has the Device tab.

There's vmware tools commandline version that at least allows you to connect/disconnect CD/DVD drives.

C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Tools>VMwareToolboxCmd.exe help
Usage: VMwareToolboxCmd.exe <command> [options] [subcommand]
Type 'VMwareToolboxCmd.exe help <command>' for help on a specific command.
Type 'VMwareToolboxCmd.exe -v' to see the VMware Tools version.
Use '-q' option to suppress stdout output.
Most commands take a subcommand.

Available commands:
   device
   disk
   script
   stat
   timesync
   upgrade (not available on all operating systems)

C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Tools>VMwareToolboxCmd.exe help device
device: functions related to the virtual machine's hardware devices
Usage: VMwareToolboxCmd.exe device <subcommand> [args]
dev is the name of the device.

Subcommands:
   enable <dev>: enable the device dev
   disable <dev>: disable the device dev
   list: list all available devices
   status <dev>: print the status of a device

--

Wil