WorkStationPro - Version 16.0.0 - Set monolithic disk by default

[gmorilleau_vmwa]

Hi all,

Object: Remove default option "Split virtual disk into multiple files"

Is there a way to configure WorkStationPro to not use "Split virtual disk into multiple files" by default?

Each time I create a disk I have to click on "Store virtual disk as a single disk" and when I forget I got ten or twenty disks in my folder.

It is really annoying not to have set this monolithic option by default!!

Best regards,

Gregory

[a_p_]

I'm not aware of an option to set a default disk format.

In earlier times I usually opted to the monolithic format too, but with current versions, I use the split format, which has a couple of benefits, e.g. when it comes to resizing, or shrinking a virtual disk.

There's also been a change in the max. size of the split .vmdk files from a fixed 2GB size to a size which now depends on the provisioned disk space, thus reducing the number of files for large virtual disks.

André

[continuum]

You probably heard about the "this virtual disk needs repair" problem that occurs every now and then.

The chance that a one piece vmdk can not be repaired is high.

With a split disk you may only lose a single piece - with a monolithic disk you get a complete loss.

Adding to what Andre already mentioned I highly recommend to use split disks.

Only advantage of monolithic vmdks is that they look nicer in a directory listing - but as soon as you have to repair it,  this advantage evaporates into thin air.

[wila · Accepted solution]

There's a good reason that split disks IS the default.

The virtual disk split file is really the best choice even while it may seem a bit unlogical at first.

With split disks you:

- get a better response, faster results when doing any VMware disk operation such as snapshots, shrink, compact, extend

- have less chance of getting into a "all data lost" scenario when something bad happens such as running out of disk space as the split disk file scenario is much easier to repair than a growing single disk.

- don't need to have the full virtual disk size on free disk when committing snapshots

The "but it will be less performant" notion is in practice not true.

Note also that split disks are not limited to 2GB as many people think.

That was true in the past, but it the split disk scheme was revised in Fusion 7 (Workstation 11) and now is:

Capacity                   Extent size

================================

<=128GB                 4GB (increased from 2GB)

>128GB && <2TB     Capacity / 32 (so maximum of 32 extents)

>=2TB                     2TB

Really do yourself a pleasure and do not try to consolidate it into a single disk file, you are not doing yourself a favor by doing so.

--

Wil

[gmorilleau_vmwa]

Hi Wila,

Thanks for this answer nevertheless it could be great to let people choosing what they want to be set by default.

If I only want to test PXE boots and each time I want to remove my disks because the system loads on them instead of PXE due to errrors ...

It really depends on the needs and for this reason the more you give people the choice the better it is.

Furthermore, a configuration file under Ubuntu is a piece of cake to implement.

We do sometimes some tricks in .vmx files so one more file to help you customize your app is cool!!

Regards,

Gregory