booting from CD ?

[OttoSykora]

I was today trying to boot one of my VM from CD. Well I intended about the same as I am frequntly doing with hardware computer. Boot it from CD with for example acronis, run backup software this way and than run all normal after removing the CD.

But is there some trick to boot from CD , but a particular already build up VM?

[Peter_vm]

But is there some trick to boot from CD , but a particular already build up VM?

Can you rephrase/explain a bit better?

Virtual machines can boot from host CD-ROM or ISO images. Where is the problem?

[OttoSykora]

Problem, well dont know, but I set in the VM that the CD drive should be used and connected and then placed the CD in the drive. Started the VM but it boots from the HD.

So it is like when you have the bios sequence of boot devices wrong or so.

But I can other wise access the CD from the guest when this did boot from its HD.

[RDPetruska]

By default, the boot device order in the VM's BIOS has the hard disk higher than the CD-ROM drive. So, once the hard disk has been formatted, the guest will attempt to boot from that. You need to either hit F2 during the VM's BIOS POST to enter the setup and permanently change the boot device order, or hit Escape during the POST to enter the boot menu, and select the CD-ROM device for this boot only.

[Peter_vm]

OP may also try to add this line to virtual machine configuration file (.vmx), to make BIOS settings stay on screen a bit longer.

|bios.bootDelay = "20000"|

In this case there will be additional 20 seconds delay.

Works in VMware Workstation 6.x.

[OttoSykora]

the advise with the delay was the real help, since I tried all obvious, but the time was too short

thanks, now I manged boot from the CD (acronis this time) and produce copy of my c drive.

[admin]

In Workstation 6.5, you can now select VM > Power > Power On to BIOS

[OttoSykora]

Ok will see for update, so far here 602 running