Mounting VMWare Workstation 7 vmdk files in Windows 7 64bit

[sambul12]

I tried running vmware-mount.exe utility (with all required parameters) that is installed with current VMWare DDK, and it does nothing to mount a created by VMWare 7.1.2 vmdk file as virtual disk in Win-7 64-bit, just prints content of Help instead in Command Promt window, if I type a pass to vmdk file without "". When using "" in the pass string, the utility crashes with popup Error "Program unexpectedly closed". It looks like it uses a modded WinXP 64-bit VDK driver of Ken Kato (its actually placed by DDK installer in the same folder with vmware-mount.exe), but the driver is unsigned, and doesn't work in regular Win7 64-bit mode when installed on its own. VMWare DiskMount GUI from Devfarm Software also crashes the same way using the same 64-bit driver. Interesting that vddk64.zip file is also placed by the installer in the same folder, but it doesn't have vmware-mount.exe file in its bin folder, only vmware-vdiskmanager.exe.

Anyone can suggest, what I'm doing wrong, and how to mount  current versions of vmdk files in Win7 64-bit to make them accessible via Win Explorer 64-bit, instead of only in VMWare workstation or player? Any other utility can do that? What can possibly be a problem, assuming vmware-mount.exe uses its own signed 64-bit driver instead of VDK, and supports created by VMWare Workstation 7 vmdk files? Anyone was lucky to mount any versions of vmdk files in Win7 64-bit - how exactly? Why VMWare relies on an old unsigned 3-d party driver to mount its own virtual disk files in Windows?

[sambul12]

Anyone has ANY positive experience in mounting current vmdk versions in Win7 64-bit? How did you accomplish that?

It seems easy to backup (migrate) your system drive onto a mounted vmdk outside the VM without going to hassle to reinstall OS and all soft again onto a virtual drive inside the VMWare VM. Can you suggest any other fast & easy ways to backup a bootable Win partition onto a vmdk that you can later boot inside a VM?

[continuum]

are you sure you use correct syntax ?

post the exact syntax you used

fyi: vdk64 by Sherpya needs a modified vmdk before you can mount it - or you have to ignore soe parameters when entering the cmd

[continuum]

just checked ...
latest vddk 1.2 can mount vmdks with a 2008R2 created filesystem using a Windows 64 bit host (2008R2)

[sambul12]

If you're asking about syntax of vmware-mount.exe, the examples are shown in Help, so I just followed. I do have VDDK 1.2 installed, and it seems that included with it vmware-mount.exe utility still uses 64-bit Sherpya's driver. It doesn't work either with Devfarm 's VDK and VMWare DiskMount GUIs.

I tried it with a formatted in NTFS vmdk disk created in WinXP Guest running in a VMWare WS 7 VM in Win7 64-bit host. Should I create a vmdk in a Win7 32-bit guest instead of WinXP guest to be able to mount it in Win 7 64-bit? Did you check DiskMount GUI also works with such vmdk drives?

Does vmware-mount.exe use the unsigned Sherpya's driver, or its own signed 64-bit driver instead, while Sherpya's driver is also included with VDDK 1.2 for unknown reason?

[continuum]

why don't you post the syntax you used ???

vmware-mount.exe does NOT use vdk.sys - it uses vstor2-mntapi10-shared.sys

[continuum]

just noticed that the commands used as example when typing vmware-mount.exe are bad

they do not work here - use something like

vmware-mount.exe x: m:\2008r2\2008r2.vmdk /m:w /v:2

[sambul12]

Here is the syntax example I use, since this vmdk is a single volume, and typing .exe is not required (or it would say "wrong command"). What kind of BS it prints in reply?

[continuum]

ok - if you think you do not need to specify /v:* skip it

> since this vmdk is a single volume

FYI : no vmdk (that can be used in a virtual machine) is single volume

[sambul12]

Not sure I understand you, since this vmdk is indeed a single volume, meaning there are no other vmdk volumes related to this VM, and it starts perfect in WS7. However, I just added /v=1 after the pass (I assumed it was not required as default value) and it changed nothing. However, the same vmdk mounts OK if I use Utilities - Map feature inside the VM. Any ideas?

[continuum]

you do not understand

a vmdk that can be used in a virtual machine has a valid MBR
a valid MBR has 4 partitions

a typical Windows 7 or 2008 R2 virtual disk would have the partition with the Windows-files in the second partition

a typical XP virtual disk would have the windowsfiles in partition 1

[continuum]

did you edit your post after I answered ?

> and also "" to the pass

???

[sambul12]

Thanks for clarification, I didn't realize that. Still no lack with some vmdks as explained below.

I just converted the original vmdk 6.5 to vmdk 7 using Import feature, added your two above parameters and also "" to the path, and the vmdk was finally mounted OK with this utility in Win Explorer. Thanks a lot!

May be the problem was, that these vmdks were created on WinXP 32-bit Host using WinXP Guest, and now I try to open them with this utility on Win7 64-bit host. Anyway, this utility seems to be very restrictive in what it can mount. I found WinMount utility with a nice GUI that has a free version and mounts just about any vmdk effortless.

[continuum]

vmdks created by XP or vmdks which have a XP-filesystem should be mountable without problem

also older vmdk formats should work as well

what exactly does not work ?

do you use "pass" as "path" ?

[sambul12]

Common, its a typo, there is no PATH word in syntax. As I said, I get it finally mounted after conversion and adding "", but no lack with other vmdks. Using the same syntax for all, except /v:#  The error message is "Program unexpectedly closed" when using "", and it just prints Help content as on the linked pic, when not using "". I'm OFF for today, Good night!

[sambul12]

I got the same converted vmdk mounted via Devfram's VMWare DiskMount GUI, when correctly pointed to latest vmware-mount.exe. To mount it, the partition selector should not be checked. Any attemps to mount other vmdks (not converted) via that GUI results in similar error message: "vmware-mount.exe stopped working".

The converted from 6.5 to 7 vmdk with bootable WinXP installed also lost integrated VMWare Tools thus requiring the Tools reinstall. It neither have a network connection for some reason.

[sambul12]

So why created on WinXP host vmdk files need to be converted to ones created on Win7 64-bit host before they can be mounted as drives in Win7 64-bit with vmware-mount.exe? Despite same vmdks can be easily mounted in Win7 64-bit without any conversion from inside a VM using Hard Drive - Utilities - Map feature.

Does that feature use the same vmware-mount.exe to do the job? If yes, then some params must be wrong (see above pic) thus blocking vmdk mount outside VM.

[continuum]

> So why created on WinXP host vmdk files need to be converted to ones  created on Win7 64-bit host
> before they can be mounted as drives in Win7  64-bit with vmware-mount.exe?

They do NOT have to be converted. If you think you have to do convert them first you must be doing something very strange

[sambul12]

What I'm doing wrong?

[continuum]

I do not know if Rob has made an updated version of the GUI
use commandline instead