Where the heck are the boot options??

[AlanRaczek]

I am running VMware workstation pro 16 and I can’t figure out how i get to delay the boot so I can get a boot menu so I can choose what to boot from? It used to be configurable in VM options.

Thank you.

….alan

[ajgringo619]

Add this to either your VMs. vmx file, or to $HOME/.vmware/config (will enable it on all systems):

# enables 5-second delay in boot
bios.bootdelay = 5000

[bluefirestorm]

With Pro you don't have to mess around with bios.bootDelay in the vmx. From the GUI VM -> Power -> Power on to Firmware and it would go to the BIOS or UEFI screen. You only to need mess with the bios.bootDelay for Player.

To boot from USB flash drive (such as Windows 10 USB installation or some Linux variant bootable USB or some rescue USB), if the VM firmware is EFI, you power on to firmware, connect the USB to the VM, and enter the boot options and go back to the main EFI menu; usually the EFI USB would then show up as an option. If not, shut down and power on to firmware again (and the VM should reconnect the USB if you didn't disconnect from the VM) and the USB device would show as a boot option.

[ajgringo619]

This is why I added this to $HOME/.vmware/config. Every VM I run gets this automatically, and it's really simple to hit DEL to get into the BIOS at startup.

[bluefirestorm]

As I stated, it is not needed for Pro version (which the OP has) only for Player; thereby avoiding the need to add a delay; whether for a single VM or for every VM (if it is configured in /etc/vmware/config in Linux host or config.ini in a Windows host)

5 seconds is generally not long enough to perform this sequence of actions
(1) Connect the USB drive to the VM
(2) put focus back to VM
(3) press key to enter UEFI

if the intention is to boot from USB device.

I would think at least 7 seconds; maybe 10 if you want to be on the safe side.

[ajgringo619]

Agreed. I use it mostly for booting from live ISOs.

[AlanRaczek]

I am running VMware Workstation 16 on Windows 10. I don't see how Power On to Firmware helps me. I see no additional devices when I follow the procedure. All I want is a delay so I can bring up a boot menu and boot an OS to a "Rescue Disk".

..ar

[bluefirestorm]

The purpose of bios.bootDelay was to let you have enough time to press the key to enter the virtual BIOS/firmware. The Power on to Firnware is just a convenient method without having to mess around the vmx settings.

What is your rescue disk? Is it a bootable ISO, is it a bootale USB, or is it a VMDK? What is your virtual firmware of your VM (is it BIOS or UEFI)?